How to Install LibreOffice on Windows, macOS and Linux
LibreOffice is available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the installation process differs slightly on each platform. This guide walks through each one with specific instructions, plus post-installation configuration that applies to all platforms.
Before You Begin: Choosing Your Version
LibreOffice offers two release branches that you should understand before downloading. The Fresh branch (currently LibreOffice 26.2) includes the latest features and improvements but may occasionally contain bugs that have not been caught yet. The Still branch (currently LibreOffice 25.8) is the previous major release with several months of additional bug fixes applied, making it the recommended choice for production environments where stability matters more than having the newest features.
For home users who enjoy having the latest improvements, Fresh is a fine choice. For businesses, schools and anyone who values predictability over novelty, Still is the safer option. Both branches receive security updates promptly.
Step 1: Download LibreOffice from the Official Website
Go to the official LibreOffice download page at libreoffice.org/download. The website automatically detects your operating system and presents the correct installer. You will see download buttons for the Fresh and Still branches side by side.
Click the download button for your preferred branch. The installer file is typically around 300 to 350 MB. While the download runs, you can also grab the Help Pack for your language from the same page, which provides offline help documentation accessible through the Help menu within LibreOffice applications.
Always download from libreoffice.org directly. Third-party download sites sometimes bundle adware or outdated versions with the installer. The official download is clean, ad-free and digitally signed.
Step 2: Install on Windows
Locate the downloaded .msi file (typically in your Downloads folder) and double-click it to start the installer. Windows may display a User Account Control prompt asking if you want to allow the installer to make changes to your device. Click Yes to proceed.
The installer presents two setup types: Typical and Custom. The Typical installation includes all LibreOffice applications and is the right choice for most users. The Custom option lets you deselect specific components (for example, if you know you will never use Base or Math) to save a small amount of disk space.
The installer will ask whether to create a desktop shortcut and whether to load LibreOffice during system startup for faster application launch. The startup loader uses a small amount of memory (approximately 20 to 30 MB) to reduce the time it takes to open LibreOffice applications. If you have limited RAM, you can skip this option and still use LibreOffice normally, just with a slightly longer initial launch time.
Click Install and wait for the process to complete. On modern hardware this typically finishes within two to three minutes. Once done, click Finish. LibreOffice is now installed and accessible from the Start menu under "LibreOffice" with individual shortcuts for each application.
Step 3: Install on macOS
Open the downloaded .dmg disk image file. A window will appear showing the LibreOffice application icon and a shortcut to your Applications folder. Drag the LibreOffice icon onto the Applications folder shortcut to copy the application to the correct location.
The first time you launch LibreOffice on macOS, you may see a security dialog saying the application was downloaded from the internet. Click Open to proceed. If macOS blocks the application entirely (which can happen with some security configurations), go to System Settings, then Privacy and Security, and click "Open Anyway" next to the LibreOffice entry.
On Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3 and M4 chips), LibreOffice runs natively as a universal binary since version 7.2, so you get full native performance without Rosetta 2 translation. If you are upgrading from an older version that used Rosetta, the new native version will feel noticeably faster, particularly when opening large spreadsheets or complex documents.
Step 4: Install on Linux
Linux offers several installation methods depending on your distribution and preferences.
Package manager (recommended): Most Linux distributions include LibreOffice in their official repositories. On Ubuntu and Debian-based systems, run sudo apt install libreoffice in the terminal. On Fedora, use sudo dnf install libreoffice. On Arch Linux, use sudo pacman -S libreoffice-fresh for the latest version or sudo pacman -S libreoffice-still for the stable branch. This method integrates LibreOffice with your system's update mechanism, so you receive updates automatically alongside your other software.
Flatpak: If you want the latest version regardless of your distribution's package cycle, install LibreOffice through Flatpak with flatpak install flathub org.libreoffice.LibreOffice. Flatpak versions are sandboxed and distribution-independent, which means they work identically on any Linux distribution that supports Flatpak.
Snap: Ubuntu users can also install via Snap with sudo snap install libreoffice. The Snap version is sandboxed similarly to Flatpak and updates automatically.
AppImage: The LibreOffice community maintains AppImage builds that run on virtually any Linux distribution without installation. Download the .AppImage file, make it executable with chmod +x, and run it directly. This is useful for trying LibreOffice without installing it or for running it from a USB drive.
Official .deb or .rpm packages: The LibreOffice website provides .deb packages (for Debian/Ubuntu) and .rpm packages (for Fedora/openSUSE) that you can download and install manually. Extract the archive, navigate to the DEBS or RPMS directory, and install all packages with sudo dpkg -i *.deb or sudo rpm -i *.rpm. This method gives you the exact version from the LibreOffice website rather than whatever version your distribution packages.
Step 5: Configure Initial Settings
After installation, launch any LibreOffice application (Writer is a good starting point). The first launch takes slightly longer as LibreOffice creates your user profile and initializes its configuration.
Set your default file format: Go to Tools, then Options (or LibreOffice, then Preferences on macOS). Navigate to Load/Save, then General. Under "Always save as," you can choose ODF format (the default, best for long-term document preservation) or Microsoft Office format (best if you frequently exchange files with Microsoft Office users). Setting the default to .docx, .xlsx and .pptx is a common choice for users in mixed-software environments.
Install language packs: If you need the interface or spell checking in a language other than English, download the Language Pack from the LibreOffice download page and run the installer. You can also add dictionaries and language tools through the Extension Manager (Tools, then Extension Manager) by searching for your language on the LibreOffice Extensions site.
Java Runtime Environment: LibreOffice Base (the database application) and some extensions require Java. If you plan to use Base, install the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for your platform. You can verify Java detection in Tools, then Options, then LibreOffice, then Advanced, where the detected Java installations are listed.
Setting LibreOffice as Your Default Application
On Windows, you can associate file types with LibreOffice during installation or afterward through Settings, then Apps, then Default Apps. Search for file types like .odt, .ods, .odp, .docx, .xlsx and .pptx and set LibreOffice as the default handler for each one.
On macOS, right-click a file of the type you want to associate (for example, a .docx file), select Get Info, change the "Open with" application to LibreOffice, and click "Change All" to apply the association to all files of that type.
On Linux, most desktop environments allow you to right-click a file, select Properties or Open With, and choose LibreOffice as the default application. The specific steps vary between GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce and other desktop environments.
Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues
Installer fails on Windows: If the .msi installer fails, check whether a previous LibreOffice installation exists and uninstall it first through Programs and Features. Also verify that your Windows version meets the minimum requirements (Windows 7 SP1 or later for current LibreOffice releases).
macOS Gatekeeper blocks the app: If macOS refuses to open LibreOffice, go to System Settings, then Privacy and Security, and look for the "Open Anyway" button. This is a normal security feature for applications downloaded outside the App Store.
Missing fonts after installation: Documents may look different if they reference fonts not installed on your system. The Microsoft Core Fonts package (available on Linux through sudo apt install ttf-mscorefonts-installer on Debian/Ubuntu) provides common fonts like Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New that improve compatibility with Microsoft Office documents.
Slow startup: If LibreOffice takes a long time to launch, the most common cause is Java initialization. If you do not use Base, you can disable Java in Tools, then Options, then Advanced to speed up startup significantly.
LibreOffice installs in just a few steps on any major operating system. Download from the official libreoffice.org website, run the installer, and optionally configure your default file format and language settings for the best experience.