Microsoft has rolled out to Android—after doing so on iOS—a handy update: you can now open Office files you receive via a link without signing in to your Microsoft account. Until now, tapping a link to a Word or Excel document on an Android phone always triggered a login prompt. According to Android Authority, that requirement is gone: a single tap is enough to view the file.
Sign-in is still required only if you want to edit the file or add comments, because changes have to be tied to a user; the app will show an on-screen message when that’s needed. To use the new feature you must update the Office app to version 16.0.18827.20066 or later. Immediate link viewing has been available on iPhone for several months already, Android Authority notes.
It’s surprising the feature took a while to reach Android, the most widely used mobile OS—you’d think it would have been a priority for Microsoft. Still, better late than never: the option is finally here, even if Android users had to wait longer than expected.
After all, having to log in just to take a quick peek at a file is pretty inconvenient. It’s worth noting, however, that the person sharing the document still needs to be signed in with a Microsoft account; only the recipient can open it anonymously and in read-only mode.
