Microsoft Office on Your Cloud Desktop: Installing and Licensing

A man at a bright office desk with a laptop and printed reports, pen in hand

Short answer: A cloud desktop runs the full desktop versions of Word, Excel and Outlook exactly as a normal PC does. You install them yourself and use your own licence — check that the licence allows it, because some are tied to one device.

Applies to: Infosaic cloud desktops · Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365

This is one of the most common reasons people move to a cloud desktop: they want the real Excel, with real macros and real add-ins, from a laptop that cannot run it well or a Mac that cannot run it at all.

It works. There is nothing unusual to configure. The two things worth thinking about beforehand are licensing and where the files live.

How do I install Office on my cloud desktop?

A woman leaning towards a laptop about to install something, a small brass key on the desk

Connect to the cloud desktop and open a browser on the desktop itself.
Sign in to your Microsoft 365 account and download the installer there. The cloud desktop usually has a much faster connection than your office does.
Right-click the installer and choose Run as administrator — see installing software.
Let it finish, then open Word and sign in to activate.
Restart the desktop if the installer asks you to.

For a perpetual licence with a product key, the process is the same — download the media, install, enter the key.

Will my licence allow it?

A woman with reading glasses reviewing paperwork at a home desk

This is the part to check before you install, not after. Microsoft licensing distinguishes between installing on a device you own and installing on shared infrastructure, and the rules differ by plan.

A subscription that allows several installs generally treats the cloud desktop as one of them — but count your devices, because installing on a fifth machine deactivates the first.
A one-off perpetual licence is usually tied to a single device. Installing it on the cloud desktop may mean removing it from your laptop.
If several people share one desktop, each person signing in normally needs their own licence. Read the terms of your plan carefully here.

We cannot advise on your specific Microsoft agreement. Check with Microsoft or your reseller if there is any doubt — it is a five-minute question that avoids an awkward conversation later.

Keep the files on the cloud desktop. Opening a large spreadsheet across a redirected drive means every recalculation reads over your internet connection, and it feels dreadful. Copy the file onto the desktop first and it behaves like a local file — because it is one. See where to save your files.

Outlook, printing and getting documents out

Outlook works normally. Set it up on the cloud desktop and your mail is there whichever device you connect from — one of the quieter benefits of this arrangement.
Printing goes to your own printer over RDP — see printing. In a browser session, use print to PDF.
Sending a document to someone is easiest straight from Outlook on the desktop — no need to bring the file down first.
Add-ins and macros run exactly as they do on a normal PC, which is the whole point of using desktop Office rather than the web version.

Questions and answers

Can I run Microsoft Office on a cloud desktop?

Yes. The full desktop versions of Word, Excel and Outlook install and run exactly as they do on a normal Windows PC.

Is Office included with my cloud desktop?

No. You install it yourself using your own licence. Check the licence terms allow installation on a cloud desktop.

Will my Microsoft 365 subscription work?

Usually, treating the cloud desktop as one of your permitted installs. Count your devices, because exceeding the limit deactivates the oldest.

Can several people share one Office installation?

Each person signing in normally needs their own licence. Read your plan terms, or check with Microsoft or your reseller.

Why is Excel slow with my spreadsheet?

The file is probably on a redirected drive, so every recalculation reads over your internet connection. Copy it onto the cloud desktop first.

Do macros and add-ins work?

Yes. It is full desktop Office on a full Windows machine, which is exactly why people choose it over the web version.

Where should I install it from?

Download the installer using a browser on the cloud desktop itself. It is much faster than downloading locally and copying it across.

Can I use Outlook for my email?

Yes, and it is a good idea. Set up on the cloud desktop, your mail is available from whichever device you connect with.

Still stuck?

Open a support request from your control panel — that is the fastest route, because it reaches the team who can already see your account and your desktop. You can also email [email protected]. For licensing questions, check with Microsoft or your reseller.