Install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more on your own device — free
Included with your school account
Every student and staff member gets Microsoft 365 free while they are at RNLS — on the web and installed on your own device. You can install it on up to 5 computers, 5 tablets, and 5 phones. You do not need to pay for Office or buy a product key.
You need space and a stable connection
The desktop install is roughly 4 GB. Install it at home on your own internet if you can — it is a big download and it must not be interrupted.
Know your school email
Students use firstnamelastname@my.rnls.school.nz. Staff use firstnamelastname@rnls.school.nz. You will need your school password too — the same one you use to log in to a school computer.
Pick your device below and follow the steps.
Go to office.com and sign in with your school email. Check the circle in the top right shows your name — if it shows a personal account, sign out and sign back in with your school account.
On the Microsoft 365 home page, look for the Install apps button in the top right. Depending on the version you see, it may be labelled Install and more. Choose Microsoft 365 apps from the menu. A file called OfficeSetup.exe will download.
Open OfficeSetup.exe from your Downloads folder (or click it in the download bar at the bottom of your browser). Click Yes when Windows asks for permission. Leave it alone while it runs — it usually takes 10–20 minutes and it needs to stay connected to the internet the whole time.
When the installer finishes, open Word from the Start menu. Click Sign in and enter your school email again. This is what turns on your licence — if you skip it, Word will keep nagging you and eventually go read-only. You only need to do this once and the other apps pick it up.
No "Install apps" button?
Some accounts are set up for the web versions only. If the button is missing or only offers the online apps, everything still works in your browser — and you can ask IT whether a desktop licence can be added to your account.
When you save a file, pick the OneDrive location with the school's name next to it rather than your desktop or This PC. Your work is then backed up, available on every device you sign in to, and recoverable if your laptop dies the night before something is due.
Open OneDriveYour licence checks in with Microsoft every so often, so connect to the internet at least once a month. If you stay offline for a long time, the apps drop into read-only mode until you go online and sign in again.
Outlook
School email and calendar
Teams
Class teams, meetings, and assignments
OneDrive
Cloud storage for your school files
Word
Documents and essays
Excel
Spreadsheets and data
PowerPoint
Presentations
OneNote
Class notes and notebooks
Make sure you are using your full school email and selecting Work or school account. Visit the IT Support guide if you need a password reset.
No. It is covered by the school while you are enrolled here. If a website asks you for a credit card or a product key, you are in the wrong place — start again from office.com and sign in first.
Usually this means the apps are signed in with the wrong account. In Word, go to File → Account, sign out of any personal account, and sign back in with your school email while connected to the internet.
Restart your device, uninstall any part-finished or older Office, and run the installer again on a stable connection. If it fails twice, bring your device to IT Support rather than trying random fixes from the internet.
The licence ends with your school account, and the apps become read-only. Copy anything you want to keep out of OneDrive before you leave.
Open Teams and sign in with your school account. Your class teams appear automatically once your teacher has added you.
Yes. Download the Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and OneDrive apps from your app store and sign in with your school email — see the iPad & iPhone or Android tabs above.