LibreOffice 7.3 brings big changes to the free Office alternative

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The latest update to LibreOffice helps you transition to the free suite rather than using Microsoft Office.

Libreoffice Writer
Libreoffice Writer (Image credit: LibreOffice)

What you need to know

  • A major update recently rolled out for LibreOffice that brings the suite to version 7.3.
  • The update improves how LibreOffice works with Microsoft's file formats and includes a long list of new features and changes.
  • LibreOffice is available for free on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

LibreOffice just received a major update to version 7.3. The update brings a number of interoperability improvements that help the suite of applications work better with Microsoft Office files. Version 7.3 of LibreOffice also includes a long list of changes and improvements, which can be found in a comprehensive changelog.

Many of the changes seen in LibreOffice 7.3 focus on smoothing the transition between Microsoft Office and LibreOffice. The improvements should also make it easier to exchange documents between the two productivity suites.

The developers of LibreOffice highlight three interoperability improvements:

  • Development of new features, such as the new handling of change tracking in tables and when text is moved, which have a positive impact on interoperability with Microsoft Office documents.
  • Performance improvements when opening large DOCX and XLSX/XLSM files, improved rendering speed of some complex documents, and new rendering speed improvements when using the Skia back-end introduced with LibreOffice 7.1.
  • Improvements to import/export filters: DOC (greatly improved list/numbering import); DOCX (greatly improved list/numbering import; hyperlinks attached to shapes are now imported/exported; fix permission for editing; track change of paragraph style); XLSX (decreased row height for Office XLSX files; cell indent doesn't increase on each save; fix permission for editing; better support of XLSX charts); and PPTX (fixed interactions and hyperlinks on images; fix the incorrect import/export of PPTX slide footers; fix hyperlinks on images and shapes; transparent shadow for tables).

A video by the LibreOffice team (shown above) also outlines some of the key changes in the latest version.

LibreOffice

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free productivity suite that works with files and documents created in Microsoft Office.

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Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.