Installing FreeOffice for Windows

Installing FreeOffice

You can install FreeOffice for Windows by double-clicking on the MSI file.

Uninstalling FreeOffice

You can uninstall FreeOffice for Windows by opening the Windows Start menu, selecting Apps & features, clicking on "SoftMaker FreeOffice" in the list of programs and clicking on the Uninstall button.

Error code 2502 or 2503 during installation

Are you getting error code 2502 or 2503 during the installation? This is because your Windows folder for temporary files has the wrong access rights and the Windows Installer thus cannot store any temporary files in it.

You can fix this as follows:

  1. Open your Windows folder in Windows Explorer. This folder is usually called c:\Windows.
  2. Find the Temp folder inside and right-click on it.
  3. Now select Properties.
  4. Switch to the Security tab in the new dialog box.
  5. Now click on the Advanced button.
  6. The system displays a new dialog box in which you click Next to obtain administrative rights to fix the folder.
  7. Select the "Administrators" account in the list of users and click on Edit.
  8. In the dialog box that appears, select Full access and click on OK.
  9. Confirm all further messages.
  10. Install FreeOffice again.

Installing FreeOffice for Windows on a USB flash drive

If you want to have FreeOffice for Windows and important documents with you when on the go, you can copy FreeOffice to a USB flash drive. You can then insert this USB flash drive into any Windows-based computer (for example, those of friends or in Internet cafes) and run FreeOffice. Once you unplug the USB flash drive, no trace of FreeOffice remains on the PC.

Here's how it works:

  1. Install FreeOffice on your regular PC's built-in hard drive. This lets you work with the applications as usual on your PC, even without a USB flash drive.
  2. Click on the Windows Start button and then select Programs > SoftMaker FreeOffice 2024 > Install SoftMaker FreeOffice on a USB flash drive.
  3. Follow the instructions in this program. The program now copies the complete FreeOffice folder and the complete folder Documents\SoftMaker to your USB flash drive. This makes all program files, all documents and all settings from Documents\SoftMaker available on the USB flash drive.

When the program is installed, your USB flash drive will contain a fully functional copy of FreeOffice which does not register itself in Windows, in addition to all of your documents and configuration files.

To launch one of the programs, open the FreeOffice folder on the USB flash drive and double-click on the program you want to run (for example, TextMaker.exe or PlanMaker.exe).