Google has updated its Workspace suite to add support for editing Microsoft Office files on iOS devices. The feature, already available on the web and on Android, brings first-class support for Office documents into Google’s cloud productivity platform.
Google’s announcement means that Workspace users can now edit all their files on iOS, using Google’s Docs, Sheets and Slides apps. The rollout to iOS is notable because it side-steps Microsoft’s usual limitations: On mobile, free editing with Microsoft’s Office apps is available only on screen sizes up to 10.1 inches, and a Microsoft 365 subscription is required for bigger screens.
Google previously offered a “Quickoffice” app with basic support for Office documents, but the company’s Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps have now become even better on iOS. The new solution offers parity with the Workspace functionality of files using Google’s own document formats.
According to Google, .doc, .docx, .dot, .xls, .xlsx, .xlsxm, .xlt, .ppt, .pptx, .pps and .pot files are now supported. In case you were counting, that’s the most common Word, Excel and PowerPoint formats covered. The feature’s available across all Workspace (formerly G Suite) plans with document editing capabilities and is also offered to users with personal Google accounts.
