How to Get Microsoft Office 2013 for Free (Without Resorting to Piracy)

Introduction

If you‘re looking to boost your productivity with the classic Office apps, you‘ve probably considered Microsoft Office 2013. This popular version of Microsoft‘s flagship productivity suite includes the essential Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, and OneNote applications. With its robust features, intuitive interface, and strong compatibility, Office 2013 remains a top choice for students, home users and businesses.

But there‘s one major catch – Office 2013 is a paid, commercial software product. A legitimate license is required to legally install and use this software. Licenses are typically obtained by either purchasing Office 2013 from a retailer or subscribing to a Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) plan.

So what can you do if you need Office 2013 but don‘t have the budget for a license? While you may be tempted by websites offering free product keys, most of these are unfortunately illegitimate. However, don‘t lose hope just yet! There are still some ways to potentially get your hands on Office 2013 for free or at a substantial discount. Let‘s dive in and explore your options.

Understanding Microsoft Office 2013 Licensing and Activation

Before we get to the free options, it‘s important to understand how Microsoft‘s licensing for Office 2013 works. When you buy Office 2013 from a store or reseller, what you‘re actually purchasing is a 25-character product key. This unique alphanumeric code is what tells Microsoft‘s servers that you own a valid license to use the software.

There are two main types of legitimate Office 2013 product keys:

1. Retail keys – Purchased from a store for use on a single PC. Only transferable to a new computer once every 90 days.

2. Volume license keys – Obtained through volume licensing agreements for large organizations. Allows Office to be installed on many computers.

When you activate Office 2013 with a product key, it gets registered to your specific computer. From then on, certain Office files on your PC are signed with a certificate to prove the legitimacy of your license. This is Microsoft‘s way of implementing Digital Rights Management (DRM) to combat casual copying and piracy.

Microsoft‘s Software License Terms, which you agree to when activating Office, strictly prohibit using the software without a valid license. The license terms state:

"You may not share, install, or use the software concurrently on different computers, or permit other individuals to do so. You may not rent, lease, lend, resell, transfer, or host the software to or for other individuals."

So while it may be tempting to borrow a friend‘s product key or use one posted on a free key website, doing so would constitute a violation of Microsoft‘s license agreement. The same goes for using any kind of "cracked" version of Office with the activation mechanisms circumvented.

Microsoft Office Usage and Piracy Statistics

To put the importance of proper Office licensing into perspective, let‘s take a look at some key statistics:

As the data shows, Office has a massive global user base, but software piracy remains a major issue. Unlicensed software not only hurts Microsoft‘s bottom line, but it also costs businesses billions per year in lost productivity, malware infections, and legal consequences.

Not only is using an unauthorized product key considered piracy, it can open you up to a host of risks. Websites offering free keys or cracked versions of Office are often havens for malware and viruses. Download from them and you could end up with spyware, ransomware, or even have your identity stolen. It‘s simply not worth the risk to save a few bucks.

Businesses should be especially cautious to avoid unauthorized Office copies, as they can face serious fines and reputational damage if audited and found to be using pirated or under-licensed software.

Additionally, using an illegitimate version of Office means no access to Microsoft‘s customer service and technical support if you run into any issues. You‘ll also miss out on the all-important security updates that patch vulnerabilities and keep your data safe from prying eyes.

Clearly, downloading free Office 2013 product keys from untrustworthy websites is never advisable, no matter how tight your software budget may be. Luckily, there are some legitimate ways you can potentially snag a full copy of Office 2013 for free or get a similar productivity experience at a much lower cost. Let‘s take a look.

How to Get Microsoft Office 2013 for Free or Cheap

1. Try the Microsoft 365 trial for 30 days

The simplest way to get a full, legitimate copy of Office 2013 for free is to sign up for a trial of Microsoft‘s Microsoft 365 service. Microsoft 365 plans include access to the latest Office apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

While the trial period is only temporary, it should give you a full 30 days of unrestricted Office access, which is perfect if you only need the apps for a short period. Just visit Microsoft‘s website to find the trial offer. Be aware that you typically need to provide credit card details to begin the trial. The card won‘t be charged until the trial expires, but you‘ll need to cancel before then if you don‘t want to be rolled into a paid subscription.

2. Check if you have free Office access through school or work

Many educational institutions and large companies have partnerships with Microsoft to provide Office to their students/employees for free. If you‘re currently enrolled in school or university, check your school‘s website or ask the IT department about your eligibility for Office 365 Education, which includes Office 2013 apps.

Similarly, if you‘re employed, ask your company‘s IT administrator if the organization participates in Microsoft‘s Home Use Program. This allows employees of certain companies to install the Office apps on their home computer for a significantly reduced one-time fee.

3. Buy a legitimate used or discounted Office 2013 license

If you don‘t qualify for free Office through school or work, consider purchasing a used Office 2013 license at a discount. There are a number of reputable websites like Amazon and eBay that allow you to buy product keys and downloads from third-party sellers, often for a fraction of the full retail price.

The key here is to ensure you‘re buying from a legitimate seller with a track record of satisfied customers. Stay away from anonymous forum posts or websites that look questionable. You want to be sure the product key works and that you‘re buying a retail license that isn‘t already registered to someone else‘s PC.

You can also try hunting for discounted Office licenses from Microsoft‘s official resale partners. These are typically "open box" licenses that were returned by customers or overstocked items. Stock and prices change frequently, but you may just luck into a great deal.

4. Get a Microsoft 365 subscription for as low as $7/month per user

If you need ongoing access to Office but can‘t afford to purchase a perpetual license upfront, subscribing to Microsoft 365 is your best bet. Plans start from just $7/user/month when paid annually for Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which includes access to web and mobile versions of the Office apps.

More expensive tiers like Microsoft 365 Business Standard include desktop versions of the Office apps, which most closely replicate the Office 2013 experience. At $12.50/user/month when billed annually, this is still a very affordable way to get a legitimate copy of Office that‘s always up to date.

Here‘s a breakdown of the key Microsoft 365 plans for business users:

In my experience, the Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan hits the sweet spot for most small-to-medium businesses. It provides the full desktop Office experience along with professional email, generous cloud storage, and essential collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams.

Overall, a Microsoft 365 subscription offers the most hassle-free and cost-effective way to use Office legally, with the bonus of cloud storage and other productivity benefits included. Unless you absolutely need a one-time perpetual license, Microsoft 365 is likely your best choice.

5. Consider free Office alternatives

Finally, if your budget simply won‘t stretch to accommodate Office, you can consider using one of the many capable no-cost alternatives. Suites like LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice replicate most of Office‘s core functionality, but at the low low price of free.

Cloud-based productivity platforms like Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are also popular free choices, with the added benefit of real-time collaboration and access from any internet-connected device. These are particularly well-suited for students and home users with basic Office needs.

Even Microsoft offers some free options, like the lightweight Office Online web apps or the Office mobile apps for Android and iOS. These won‘t replace a full desktop version of Office, but can come in handy for quick edits on the go.

Here‘s a quick comparison of Office 2013 and some popular free alternatives:

*Requires Office 365 subscription

The main downside to these free options is file compatibility with the official Office formats. While most alternatives do a decent job of importing and exporting .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files, there can sometimes be minor formatting issues, especially with more complex documents. For this reason, they may not be ideal if you frequently exchange files with others or need to strictly adhere to a company‘s file standards.

Conclusion

As we‘ve learned, while Microsoft Office 2013 does typically require shelling out for a license, there are some legitimate ways to get your hands on a copy for free or at a significantly reduced price. By taking advantage of trial periods, school or work access, legitimate second-hand licenses, or Microsoft 365 subscriptions, you can access the Office apps you need without resorting to risky and illegal product key websites.

It bears repeating that using unauthorized free product keys or "cracked" versions of Office is never a good idea. Not only is it software piracy, you open yourself up to malware and identity theft by trusting these shady sources. Plus, you won‘t get important updates or any technical support from Microsoft. The potential costs far outweigh any short-term savings.

If even the discounted legitimate options are beyond your means, consider trying one of the free Office alternatives like LibreOffice or Google Docs. While not perfect substitutes for Microsoft Office, they can meet the core productivity needs of most students and home users.

From my personal experience, I‘ve found that a Microsoft 365 subscription is the most convenient and economical way to legally access the Office apps. I used to purchase perpetual Office licenses every few years, but I got tired of falling behind on new features and compatibility. By switching to a Microsoft 365 Family plan, I now have always up-to-date Office apps for everyone in my household, along with a ton of useful cloud storage and mobile apps. Plus, I can easily use my subscription on a new PC if I upgrade. In my book, the consistent monthly fee is a small price to pay for the productivity gains and peace of mind.

No matter your situation, one of the legitimate solutions outlined here should help you get your hands on Office 2013 or a comparable productivity experience without the risks of software piracy. Don‘t be tempted by dodgy free product key offers – they‘re never worth the potential costs. Stick to the genuine, properly-licensed options and enjoy your Office experience with confidence!