Content

Overview

You need an internet connection for most features of Microsoft's cloud products, but some apps offer limited offline access.

Office Apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint): You can edit files if you open them before losing your internet connection. Changes sync to the cloud once you reconnect.
OneDrive: You can mark specific files to always stay available on your device for offline viewing and editing.
Outlook: You can read, organize, and draft emails offline. Drafts send automatically when your connection returns.

Initial Setup and Sign-in: You need the internet to log into your account and activate your apps.
Real-Time Collaboration: Co-authoring a document with other people requires a live connection.
Cloud Storage Access: Opening files that are not saved locally on your device requires internet access.
Web-Only Apps: Products like the browser version of Outlook or Office on the web do not work without internet.