Office for Mac and Office for Windows share the same core apps and file formats, and files move freely between them — but a handful of specific feature and keyboard-shortcut differences are worth knowing before you commit to one platform.
File Compatibility
Full cross-compatibility — a .docx or .xlsx file created on Windows opens identically on Mac and vice versa, with no conversion needed for standard use.
Feature Parity
The core apps are close to feature-equivalent, though Windows versions occasionally receive certain new features first, with Mac versions catching up in a subsequent update rather than simultaneously.
Some Windows-Only Extras
Certain advanced tools — Power Query and Power Pivot in Excel, and some Access/Publisher-related functionality — are Windows-exclusive, since Access and Publisher aren't offered on Mac at all.
Interface Differences
Mac Office apps follow macOS interface conventions (menu bar at the top of the screen, Mac-standard keyboard shortcuts) rather than Windows' in-app ribbon-and-title-bar layout — a genuine adjustment if you're switching platforms, though the underlying functionality is the same.
