LibreOffice 5 has arrived

A while ago, with the release of LibreOffice version 4.4.5 to the stable channel, we noted that the arrival of a huge update for the trendy, free office IT suite was imminent – and we were right. You can now download the snazzy new version 5.0 of LibreOffice for Windows, Linux, and Mac, and see for yourself how this project has finally reached maturity since it began its trajectory in 2010 as an offshoot of OpenOffice.

Here at Uptodown we’re fierce defenders of LibreOffice, and it’s not the first time that we sing its praises here on the blog over the immovable Microsoft Office suite. Where previously the team had focused on polishing errors and offering a respectable array of features, at this point in development what they’re shooting for is a top-notch aesthetic finish and a few steps toward extending the tool to other ecosystems (as in the case of its Android document viewer, which is also under constant improvement).

The list of changes and improvements is so long that the most sensible thing to do is visit the official log on LibreOffice’s own website, but it’s true that the features that grab the most attention are the much-needed support for Windows 10, an installer optimized for 64-bit machines, the aforementioned improvements to the user interface, greater compatibility with iWork and MS Office documents, and new spreadsheet formulas.

The Documento Foundation really knows what it’s doing. What in the past seemed like a utopia now appears to have become reality: to convince the average user that they can turn to free software when working with an office IT suite, especially now that Microsoft has started to run off on a rabbit trail with subscription models and cloud management (although this seems like it may also be the road taken by LibreOffice). If you’ve never given it a shot, now’s a good time.