The 2024 Office LTSC preview is no longer the current way to install Office. Office LTSC 2024 is a released, volume-licensed product for organizations. Downloading the installer or finding an old preview key does not provide a free permanent licence.
Can you still install Office LTSC 2024 Preview for free?
The 2024 preview was a test release. If an old search result tells you to “install Office LTSC Preview,” use Microsoft‘s released-product instructions now. The installer and deployment tool can be downloaded, but using the desktop apps still needs the right license.
For a personal PC without an Office license, the free Word, Excel and PowerPoint web apps are the simpler starting point. A preview key is not a free permanent Office 2024 license.
Choose the right Office product
| Option | Who it suits | How access works |
|---|---|---|
| Office LTSC 2024 | Organizations that need a fixed feature set | Volume licensing and administrator deployment. |
| Consumer Office 2024 | Home users choosing a supported one-time purchase | The purchased product and associated Microsoft account. |
| Microsoft 365 | Users wanting subscription features and ongoing feature updates | A plan that includes the required applications. |
| Free Office web apps | Basic browser-based work | A Microsoft account; features differ from desktop apps. |
Windows: licensed organizational deployment
Microsoft’s LTSC 2024 overview lists the supported products and operating systems. Check that list for your exact Windows edition; regular Windows 10 and Windows 10 LTSC are different servicing products. On Arm devices, the overview specifies Windows 11.
- Confirm the organization owns the required licence and identify the exact product, architecture and language.
- Use the current Office Deployment Tool and the released-version deployment documentation.
- Prepare the configuration file for the product you bought. Don’t reuse a preview configuration file or preview activation codes.
- Plan removal of incompatible existing Office installations and check important add-ins.
- Install and activate using the organization’s authorized volume-activation method.
KMS and MAK are activation methods used by organizations. They are not a free public activation service or permission to use a stranger’s activation server.
What do the Office Deployment Tool commands do?
After your administrator prepares a configuration.xml for the licensed product, these Windows commands run from the folder containing the tool:
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
setup.exe /download configuration.xml |
Downloads the installation files for an offline or local-network installation. |
setup.exe /configure configuration.xml |
Installs Office using that configuration. |
Downloading files is optional when installing directly from Microsoft’s delivery network. Use the current configuration for your edition and license. These commands do not activate Office for free.
macOS uses a different process
Office LTSC Standard for Mac 2024 is available to volume-licensed customers. Use Microsoft’s Office for Mac deployment guide and your administrator’s instructions. Mac deployment uses a macOS installer package and the appropriate licensing process. A Windows setup.exe or its configuration file will not install Office on a Mac.
If you are installing Office on your own computer
Start with the product you actually purchased and the associated account. For an older licence, see reinstalling older Office versions and their support limits. If your account offers no installation, confirm the account, product and purchase details rather than searching for a universal key.
For occasional editing, Microsoft’s free web apps are another option. Before switching, test a copy of a typical document, especially one with macros, complex formatting or specialized add-ins.
Keep security updates enabled
LTSC keeps a stable feature set, but it still needs the security and quality updates released for that version. A one-time purchase doesn’t mean support lasts forever. Check Microsoft’s lifecycle information when planning how long to keep the installation.
Technical information checked October 14, 2026, using the publisher documentation linked above.