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Announcement of LibreOffice 25.2.1

With videos describing new features on YouTube and PeerTube

Berlin, 27 February 2025 – LibreOffice 25.2.1, the first minor release of the new LibreOffice 25.2 volunteer-supported office suite for Windows (Intel, AMD and ARM), macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Linux is available for download from our website [1]. LibreOffice is the best office suite for users who want to retain control over their individual software and documents, thereby protecting their privacy and digital life from the commercial interference and the lock-in strategies of Big Tech.

LibreOffice is the only office suite designed to meet the actual needs of the user – not just their eyes. It offers a range of interface options to suit different user habits, from traditional to modern, and makes the most of different screen sizes, optimising the space available to put the maximum number of features just a click or two away. It is also the only software for creating documents (that may contain personal or confidential information) that respects the user’s privacy, ensuring that the user can decide if and with whom to share the content they create, thanks to the standard and open format that is not used as a lock-in tool, forcing periodic software updates. All this with a feature set that is comparable to the leading software on the market and far superior to that of any competitor.

What makes LibreOffice unique is the LibreOffice Technology Platform, the only one on the market that allows the consistent development of desktop, mobile and cloud versions – including those provided by companies in the ecosystem – capable of producing identical and fully interoperable documents based on the two available ISO standards: the open ODF or Open Document Format (ODT, ODS and ODP) and the proprietary Microsoft OOXML (DOCX, XLSX and PPTX). The latter hides a huge number of artificial (and unnecessary) lock-in complexities that create problems for users convinced they are using a standard format. Products based on LibreOffice Technology are available for all major desktop operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS), mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and the cloud.

For enterprise-class deployments, TDF strongly recommends the LibreOffice Enterprise family of applications from ecosystem partners – for desktop, mobile and cloud – with a wide range of dedicated value-added features and other benefits such as SLAs and backports of security patches for several years: www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-in-business/.

English manuals for LibreOffice 25.2 Writer and Impress can be downloaded from books.libreoffice.org/en/. End users can get first-level technical support from volunteers on the user mailing lists and the Ask LibreOffice website: ask.libreoffice.org.

Videos describing the new features of the LibreOffice 25.2 family are available on PeerTube and YouTube.

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Availability of LibreOffice 25.2.1

LibreOffice 25.2.1 is available at www.libreoffice.org/download/. Users who don’t need the latest features and prefer a version that has undergone more testing and bug fixing can download LibreOffice 24.8.5, which includes several months of back-ported fixes.

LibreOffice users, free software advocates and community members can support The Document Foundation and the LibreOffice project with a donation at www.libreoffice.org/donate.

[1] Fixes in RC1: wiki.documentfoundation.org/Releases/25.2.1/RC1. Fixes in RC2: wiki.documentfoundation.org/Releases/25.2.1/RC2.

Document Freedom Day @ LibreOffice

In one month, on March 26, we will celebrate Document Freedom Day 2025. For the first time in a while, the LibreOffice project will play a major role in organizing the event.

During the day, we will mainly talk about the ISO Open Document Format, which was approved in 2005 by OASIS and in 2006 by ISO. Due to the global scale of the LibreOffice project, our events will be online.

There will be three webinars at 10:30 CET, 15:30 CET and 20:30 CET, with a presentation on the history of ODF and the great importance of the standard document format for digital sovereignty.

In addition, we will be connected for question and answer sessions at 1 p.m. CET and 6 p.m. CET, to delve deeper into the topics of the webinar and to satisfy the curiosity of users, most of whom use a proprietary format without being aware of it, and are therefore victims of Microsoft’s lock-in strategies.

In addition to online events, there will also be physical events organized by local open source communities. All events should be registered on the Document Freedom Day web page.

If you are planning to organize one of these events, please contact us at media@documentfoundation.org. We can help you by sending you LibreOffice and Open Document Format leaflets/flyers and stickers.

LibreOffice 24.8.5 is available for download

Berlin, 20 February 2025 – LibreOffice 24.8.5, the fifth minor release of the LibreOffice 24.8 family of the free open source, volunteer-supported office suite for Windows (Intel, AMD and ARM), MacOS (Apple and Intel) and Linux, is available on our download page.

LibreOffice is the only office suite that respects the privacy of the user, ensuring that the user is able to decide if and with whom to share the content they create. It even allows deleting user related info from documents. In addition, it has a feature set comparable to the leading product on the market.

Also, LibreOffice offers a range of interface options to suit different user habits, from traditional to modern, and makes the most of different screen sizes by using all the space available on the desktop to put the maximum number of features just a click or two away.

The biggest advantage over competing products is the LibreOffice Technology engine, the single software platform on which desktop, mobile and cloud versions of LibreOffice – including those from ecosystem companies – are based.

This allows LibreOffice to produce identical and fully interoperable documents based on two ISO standards: the open and neutral Open Document Format (ODT, ODS, ODP) and the closed and fully proprietary Microsoft OOXML (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX), which hides a large amount of artificial complexity, and can cause problems for users who are confident that they are using a true open standard.

End users looking for manuals can download the LibreOffice 24.8 guides from the following link: books.libreoffice.org/.

LibreOffice for Enterprise

For enterprise-class deployments, TDF strongly recommends the LibreOffice Enterprise family of applications from ecosystem partners, with three or five year backporting of security patches, other dedicated value-added features and Service Level Agreements: www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-in-business/.

Every line of code developed by ecosystem companies for enterprise customers is shared with the community on the master code repository and improves the LibreOffice Technology platform. Products based on LibreOffice Technology are available for all major desktop operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS), mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and the cloud.

In fact, LibreOffice’s mature code base, rich feature set, strong support for open standards, excellent compatibility and LTS options make it the ideal solution for organisations looking to regain control of their data and break free from vendor lock-in.

LibreOffice 24.8.5 availability

LibreOffice 24.8.5 is available from www.libreoffice.org/download/. Minimum requirements for proprietary operating systems are Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 (no longer supported by Microsoft) and Apple MacOS 10.15. Products for Android and iOS are at www.libreoffice.org/download/android-and-ios/.

End users can get first-level technical support from volunteers on mailing lists and the Ask LibreOffice website: ask.libreoffice.org. They can support the project by donating at www.libreoffice.org/donate.

Enterprise deploying LibreOffice can also donate, although the best solution for their needs would be to look for the enterprise optimized versions of the software (with Long Term Support for security and Service Level Agreements to protect their investment) at www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-in-business/.

Changelogs

LibreOffice 24.8.5 RC1 https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Releases/24.8.5/RC1, LibreOffice 24.8.5 RC2 https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Releases/24.8.5/RC2.

LibreOffice 25.2, the office suite that meets today’s user needs

The new major release provides many user interface and accessibility improvements, plus the usual interoperability features

Berlin, 6 February 2025 – LibreOffice 25.2, the new major release of the free, volunteer-supported office suite for Windows (Intel, AMD and ARM), macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Linux is available on our download page. LibreOffice is the best office suite for users who want to retain control over their individual software and documents, thereby protecting their privacy and digital life from the commercial interference and the lock-in strategies of Big Tech.

LibreOffice is the only office suite designed to meet the actual needs of the user – not just their eyes. It offers a range of interface options to suit different user habits, from traditional to modern, and makes the most of different screen sizes, optimising the space available to put the maximum number of features just a click or two away.

It is also the only software for creating documents (that may contain personal or confidential information) that respects the user’s privacy, ensuring that the user can decide if and with whom to share the content they create, thanks to the standard and open format that is not used as a lock-in tool, forcing periodic software updates. All this with a feature set that is comparable to the leading software on the market and far superior to that of any competitor.

What makes LibreOffice unique is the LibreOffice Technology Platform, the only one on the market that allows the consistent development of desktop, mobile and cloud versions – including those provided by companies in the ecosystem – capable of producing identical and fully interoperable documents based on the two available ISO standards: the open ODF or Open Document Format (ODT, ODS and ODP) and the proprietary Microsoft OOXML (DOCX, XLSX and PPTX). The latter hides a huge number of artificial (and unnecessary) lock-in complexities that create problems for users convinced they are using a standard format.

End users can get first-level technical support from volunteers on the user mailing lists and the Ask LibreOffice website: https://ask.libreoffice.org. LibreOffice Writer Guide can be downloaded from https://books.libreoffice.org/en/.

New Features of LibreOffice 25.2

PRIVACY

  • LibreOffice can remove all personal information associated to any document (author names and timestamps, editing time, printer name and configuration, document template, author and date for comments and tracked changes).

CORE/GENERAL

  • LibreOffice 25.2 can read and write ODF version 1.4.
  • Many interoperability improvements with proprietary OOXML documents.
  • It is now possible to automatically sign documents after defining a default certificate.
  • Windows 7 and 8/8.1 are deprecated platforms, and support will be removed in version 25.8.
  • Extensions and features relying on Python will not work on Windows 7.

WRITER

  • Improvements to Track Changes management, to manage large number of changes in long documents.
  • Comments are now tracked in the Navigator when you move the focus into comments, while resizing the area containing comments now shows a visual guide.
  • Added options to set a default zoom level for opening documents, overriding the level stored in documents.
  • It is now possible to delete all content of a content type (excluding headings) via the Navigator.

CALC

  • Addition of a “Handle Duplicate Records” dialog to select/remove duplicate records in Calc.
  • Both the Function Wizard dialog and Functions Sidebar deck received improvements to searching and user experience.
  • Solver models can be saved into spreadsheets and Solver is able to provide a sensitivity analysis report.
  • Addition of new sheet protection options related to Pivot Tables, Pivot Charts and AutoFilters.

IMPRESS & DRAW

  • Many improvements to all Impress templates, which now have visible elements (font colour set to black) in Master Notes and Handout.
  • Objects can be centred on the Impress slide (or Draw page) in one single step.
  • Automatic repeating of slides can now be activated in windowed mode.
  • Overflowing text in presenter notes is no longer cut off when printing.

USER INTERFACE

  • The list of recently used files has now a checkbox “[x] Current Module Only” that allows to filter the list.
  • Object boundaries are now toggled independently of Formatting Marks.
  • The colour of non-printing characters and the background colour of comments can be customised.
  • Default items for unordered lists (also known as bullets) have been updated.
  • Significant improvements to application themes.

ACCESSIBILITY

  • Improved warning and error levels in the Accessibility Sidebar, with option to ignore warnings.
  • User interface elements report an accessible identifier which can be used by assistive technologies.
  • Windows: accessibility gets enabled whenever a tool queries information on the accessibility level, and accessible relations are correctly reported.
  • Linux: positions of UI elements (including on Wayland) are correctly reported on the accessibility level.

SCRIPTFORGE LIBRARIES

  • An extensible and robust collection of macro scripting resources to be invoked from user Basic or Python scripts.
  • The whole set of services (except when the native native built-in function is better) is made available for Python scripts with identical syntax and behaviour as in Basic.
  • The English documentation of ScriptForge libraries is now partially integrated in the LibreOffice help pages.

Contributors to LibreOffice 25.2

A total of 176 developers contributed to the new features in LibreOffice 25.2: 47% of the code commits came from 50 developers employed by ecosystem companies – Collabora and allotropia – and other organisations, 31% from seven developers at The Document Foundation, and the remaining 22% from 119 individual volunteer developers.

An additional 189 volunteers have committed 771,263 localized strings in 160 languages, representing hundreds of people working on translations. LibreOffice 25.2 is available in 120 languages, more than any other desktop software, making it available to over 5.5 billion people in their native language. In addition, over 2.4 billion people speak one of these 120 languages as a second language.

LibreOffice for Enterprises

For enterprise-class deployments, TDF strongly recommends the LibreOffice Enterprise family of applications from ecosystem partners – for desktop, mobile and cloud – with a wide range of dedicated value-added features and other benefits such as SLAs: www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-in-business/.

Every line of code developed by ecosystem companies for enterprise customers is shared with the community on the master code repository and improves the LibreOffice Technology platform. Products based on LibreOffice Technology are available for all major desktop operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS), mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and the cloud.

Migrations to LibreOffice

The Document Foundation publishes a migration protocol to help companies move from proprietary office suites to LibreOffice, based on the deployment of an LTS (long-term support) enterprise-optimised version of LibreOffice, plus migration consulting and training provided by certified professionals who offer value-added solutions consistent with proprietary offerings. Reference: www.libreoffice.org/get-help/professional-support/.

In fact, LibreOffice’s mature code base, rich feature set, strong support for open standards, excellent compatibility and LTS options from certified partners make it the ideal solution for organisations looking to regain control of their data and break free from vendor lock-in.

Availability of LibreOffice 25.2

LibreOffice 25.2 is available at www.libreoffice.org/download/. Minimum requirements for proprietary operating systems are Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 and Apple MacOS 10.15. LibreOffice Technology-based products for Android and iOS are listed here: www.libreoffice.org/download/android-and-ios/.

For users who don’t need the latest features and prefer a version that has undergone more testing and bug fixing, The Document Foundation still maintains the LibreOffice 24.8 family, which includes several months of back-ported fixes. The current release is LibreOffice 24.8.4.

LibreOffice users, free software advocates and community members can support The Document Foundation with a donation at www.libreoffice.org/donate.

[1] Release Notes: wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/25.2

400 million downloads, and counting…

The histogram says it all.

First, rapid growth between 2011 and 2014 to 30 million downloads, despite the fierce hostility of the project created to kill LibreOffice.

Then a few years of stagnation, at a time when it seemed that desktop office suites were destined to die, and fashion was driving users to the cloud.

Then the upswing, when even the most fashionable users realised that desktop office suites would never die and would coexist with the cloud.

In 2019, a series of attacks on the download counter – no data is collected other than the click on the DOWNLOAD button – led to a barely credible increase (the figure you see has already been cleaned up as much as possible).

After 2019, a slow but inexorable growth to over 35 million downloads – and 400 million downloads since 2011, with an average of 28.6 million downloads per year – in 2024.

Thanks to everyone: those who developed LibreOffice, those who helped improve it, and those who downloaded it to use it.

Click here to download LibreOffice

Document Freedom Day: Empowering the Digital World with Open Standards

Every year, on the last Wednesday of March, advocates of free and open technologies come together to celebrate Document Freedom Day (DFD). In 2025, the Document Freedom Day will happen on March 26, and will be driven by the LibreOffice community.

Today, Document Freedom Day – together with Software Freedom Day (SFD, celebrated in September) and Hardware Freedom Day (HFD, celebrated in April) – is coordinated by the Digital Freedom Foundation (DFF). This global event raises awareness about the importance of open standards and accessible formats in the digital age, empowering individuals, organizations, and governments to embrace freedom in how they create, share, and preserve information.

But what exactly is Document Freedom Day, and why is it so crucial in today’s world? Let’s explore its significance, the challenges posed by proprietary formats, and how embracing open standards can create a more inclusive, transparent, and resilient digital future.

What is Document Freedom Day?

Document Freedom Day was established by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) to promote the use of open standards for documents, and transferred to the Digital Freedom Foundation in 2016. It is a day dedicated to advocating for formats and tools that ensure documents can be accessed, edited, and shared by anyone, without restrictions or reliance on specific software or vendors.

At its core, Document Freedom Day celebrates the idea that information should be accessible to all. It highlights the need for transparency and interoperability in digital documents, ensuring that no one is excluded or locked into using a particular platform due to proprietary constraints.

The Problem with Proprietary Formats

Proprietary formats come with significant drawbacks. They are typically controlled by a single company or entity, meaning that access to these formats can be restricted or even revoked at any time. This lack of control over how information is stored and accessed poses numerous challenges:

  1. Vendor Lock-In: Proprietary formats often force users to rely on specific software, limiting their choices and tying them to a single vendor. This can lead to long-term costs, as organizations may have to pay for updates, licensing fees, or migration to alternative platforms.
  2. Inaccessibility: Over time, older proprietary formats may become obsolete, making it difficult or impossible to access historical data. This is especially problematic for governments, libraries, and archives that need to preserve information for future generations.
  3. Lack of Transparency: Proprietary formats often hide how data is stored, making it harder to verify, analyze, or integrate with other systems. This lack of transparency can lead to inefficiencies and mistrust.
  4. Exclusion: Individuals who cannot afford expensive software or who use alternative platforms may find themselves excluded from accessing or sharing documents.

The Power of Open Standards

Open standards offer a solution to these challenges by providing formats that are publicly available and free from restrictive licensing. They are designed to be:

  • Interoperable: Open standards enable seamless communication between different software and systems, allowing users to share and access information across platforms.
  • Accessible: They ensure that anyone, regardless of their tools or financial resources, can access and use the information.
  • Future-Proof: Open standards are often maintained by global communities or non-profit organizations, ensuring their longevity and adaptability.
  • Transparent: By making the technical details publicly available, open standards allow developers to innovate and improve upon existing formats.

Prominent examples of open standards include the Open Document Format (ODF) for text documents, the Portable Document Format (PDF/A) for archiving, and Web standards like HTML and CSS. These formats demonstrate how openness can foster innovation and inclusivity.

One notable milestone in the history of open standards is the adoption of the Open Document Format (ODF) as an official OASIS standard in 2005. ODF was designed to provide a universal, vendor-neutral format for office documents, ensuring that users could create, edit, and share files without being tied to proprietary software. Its standardization marked a significant step forward in the global movement toward greater document freedom.

Why Document Freedom Matters

Document freedom is not just a technical issue; it is a matter of rights, equity, and sustainability. Here are a few reasons why it matters:

  1. Empowering Individuals. When people have control over their documents, they gain the freedom to choose the tools that work best for them. Open standards ensure that individuals can access and share information without being constrained by expensive or restrictive software.
  2. Promoting Innovation. By removing barriers created by proprietary formats, open standards encourage competition and creativity. Developers can build new tools and applications that work with existing formats, driving technological progress.
  3. Ensuring Long-Term Preservation. For governments, libraries, and cultural institutions, preserving historical records is a critical responsibility. Open standards ensure that documents remain accessible over time, regardless of changes in technology or vendor policies.
  4. Fostering Inclusivity. Open standards create a level playing field, enabling people from diverse economic and technological backgrounds to participate in the digital world. This inclusivity is essential for bridging the digital divide.

How to Get Involved in Document Freedom Day

Participating in Document Freedom Day is easy and impactful. Here are some ways to contribute:

  • Spread Awareness: Share information about the importance of open standards on social media, blogs, or community forums. Use hashtags like #DocumentFreedomDay or #OpenStandards to amplify your message.
  • Advocate for Change: Encourage your organization or government to adopt open standards for documents and data. Highlight the benefits of interoperability, accessibility, and long-term sustainability.
  • Host Events: Organize workshops, webinars, or hackathons to educate others about open standards and free software. If you are planning to organize an event with your local community, please get in touch with us by writing to media@documentfoundation.org. We can help you with sending stickers on LibreOffice and Open Document Format. And don’t forget to register your event so that it appears on the events map, using the form on this page: https://digitalfreedoms.org/en/dfd.
  • Support Open Projects: Contribute to open-source projects or donate to organizations that promote document freedom and digital rights.
  • Evaluate Your Tools: Have a closer look at the software and formats you use. Whenever possible, choose tools that support open standards.

A Vision for the Future

Document Freedom Day is more than just a celebration; it is a call to action. It reminds us of the importance of building a digital world where everyone can participate, innovate, and thrive without unnecessary barriers. On March 26, the LibreOffice community will organize a virtual event with a presentation about the importance of open document standards for digital sovereignty (technological independence from US companies), followed by an open discussion. We will provide details about this virtual event, which will be repeated during the day to allow people from all time zones to participate, around mid-March.

As we face challenges like rapid technological change, increasing reliance on digital communication, and the need for greater inclusivity, the principles of openness and freedom become ever more critical. By embracing open standards, we can create a future where information is a shared resource, accessible to all and preserved for generations to come.

So, this Document Freedom Day, take a moment to reflect on how you interact with digital information. Advocate for openness, educate others, and join the global community working to make document freedom a reality. Together, we can ensure that the digital world remains a space of opportunity and equality for everyone.

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