Microsoft actively developed a productivity software suite – Microsoft Works. It was a one-stop shop for a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a database management system. Later, it was updated to get a calendar and a dictionary. The Microsoft Office suite was inferior and cost $40 in retail and $2 in OEM. It supported Windows Vista and older versions, and development ceased in 2009. However, some users wish it would run on Windows 11 and 10
Is Microsoft Works still available?
No, Microsoft Works has been discontinued, and development was stopped in 2009 – but you can still use it on your Windows 11/10 PC by installing it in Compatibility Mode. This software supported Windows Vista and earlier versions.Install & run Microsoft Works on Windows 11/10
While it is no longer officially available for download, you can get a version of Microsoft Works ISO image here from archive.org. Double-click the downloaded image to mount it once it has been downloaded.
- Open the mounted location to run SETUP.exe. You will land on this Welcome page in the setup.
- Upon clicking on Next, you will be asked to select the location where you wish to install Microsoft Works.
- Select Next, and you will land on a page where you need to select an installation option.
- Click on Next. Now it will give you a notice saying:
- Microsoft Works 7.0 requires several operating system components, including Microsoft 6.0. If your computer does not already have the latest versions of these components, the Installation Wizard will update them automatically.
- Select Install.
You will be taken to a page where the entire suite will be installed, and you can follow its progress.
Then, you will be on the Installation successful screen, where you need to select Finish to complete the installation.
You can run Microsoft Works from the Start Menu or the shortcut on your desktop. If you find that it does not open, well you can run it in Compatibility Mode and see if that helps.
What is included in Microsoft Works?
Microsoft Works is a once-popular productivity software package. It included a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a database management system. It can be used to create essential documents, organize data, and track meetings.
All the best!