In January 2023, Google announced that it was working on a new feature for ChromeOS. This will enable Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint For editing directly in the operating system through the Chromebook’s Files app. At the time, Google said this feature would launch later in 2023.

2023 has come and gone without this promised addition to Chromebooks. Today, more than a year after it was first announced, Google said this feature Now launching on ChromeOS. Today’s blog post reveals how this new functionality will work:

When you get access, you can simply open an Office file and then choose to open it in a Microsoft 365 app when prompted. From there, you’ll be taken through a one-time setup experience to install the app and connect Microsoft OneDrive to the Chromebook’s Files app. that’s it! We’ll remember your preference and you’ll have quick and easy access to your files.

You can try it today (if you haven’t already) – just search and enable the “#upload-office-to-cloud” flag.

This could be a huge improvement for Chromebook users who may have wanted to use Microsoft 365 apps but previously had to run the Chrome web browser to access those apps. Integrating them more directly into ChromeOS may lead to more use of these apps compared to the previous method.

The blog post says that Google has started rolling out this feature, so if you’re using a Chromebook and don’t see this integration, you may have to wait up to a few weeks to get it on your device.

Curiously, another third-party company, Dropbox, just announced today that it will add some more direct Microsoft 365 integration features. Specifically, it can now support real-time co-authoring within Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps while the files themselves are stored in cloud storage accounts of Dropbox.