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There is no single privacy winner across all three suites. LibreOffice is a locally installed desktop suite, while Microsoft and Google describe AI and data handling differently for personal and organizational accounts. The right choice depends on whether you need dependable offline editing, which account and features you use, and what information you are comfortable sending to an AI service.
What is the practical difference?
| Question | LibreOffice | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where does the office suite run? | Installed locally on Windows, macOS, or Linux, according to LibreOffice’s installation instructions. | Depends on the product, platform, plan, and setup; the offline conditions are not established by the Microsoft privacy sources discussed here. | Depends on the product, platform, plan, and setup; the offline conditions are not established by the Google privacy sources discussed here. |
| What does the cited documentation establish about AI data? | The available information does not establish a built-in AI feature inventory or the data flows of optional extensions and integrations. | Microsoft publishes separate privacy explanations for home Microsoft accounts and organizational Copilot. | Google’s Gemini Apps Privacy Hub addresses signed-in Gemini Apps interactions; separate Workspace help discusses Gemini in Workspace apps and certain sharing cases. |
| Is one a universal privacy choice? | No. Local installation is relevant, but optional connected tools and the specific configuration matter. | No. Account type, enabled features, and organizational terms matter. | No. The signed-in context and the feature or sharing path matter. |
The Document Foundation describes LibreOffice as free and open-source and says the project seeks to avoid proprietary software and format lock-in. That is the project’s stated aim, not an independent audit comparing the suites’ privacy or compatibility.
Can I use LibreOffice without internet?
LibreOffice’s official installation instructions provide installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux, so the core desktop suite is installed on the computer rather than used only through a browser. The instructions also document downloadable offline help for Windows and Linux. Offline help is not proof that every workflow or feature works without a connection.
Separate three questions when judging offline readiness:
#1 Best Overall
- Will the application open without internet? A locally installed application can launch locally.
- Are the documents available locally? A file stored on the device can be different from one that exists only in an online location.
- Will connected services still work? Cloud collaboration, online storage, and AI services may depend on a connection even when the editor opens.
For Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, offline editing requirements were not established by the cited privacy documentation. Check the current official guidance for your exact app, operating system, account or plan, and prior setup before relying on either suite during a trip or outage. In particular, confirm that the files you need are stored or synced locally; being able to open an app does not establish that cloud-only files are available.
Does Microsoft Copilot train on Word documents?
Microsoft account for home use
Microsoft Support’s explanation for Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps for home applies when the user is signed in with a Microsoft account. Microsoft says Copilot uses the file being worked on or files the user asks it to inspect, and that prompts, responses, and file contents in those apps are not used to train foundation models.
Microsoft also says the settings named “Experiences that analyze content” and “All connected experiences” affect Copilot availability. Turning either off disables Copilot features in the listed current versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. Disabling those settings is therefore a feature trade-off, not merely a change to an AI data preference.
Organizational Copilot
Microsoft’s organizational Copilot documentation describes a separate context. It says Copilot works with Microsoft Graph content the user has permission to access, and that prompts, responses, and accessed Graph data are not used to train foundation models. Microsoft says interaction records are stored in line with the organization’s contractual commitments. These are Microsoft’s statements about its service; they are not an independent privacy assessment, and organizational terms should be reviewed with the administrator.
Does Google Gemini use Workspace files?
Google’s Gemini Apps Privacy Hub says it supplements Google’s Privacy Policy for signed-in interactions with Gemini Apps and lists prompts and shared files among the information users provide. That describes the signed-in Gemini Apps context; it should not automatically be treated as a complete account of every Gemini feature in Workspace.
Google Docs Editors Help separately covers Gemini in Workspace apps and warns that certain cases of sharing Workspace data through personal-account features may be subject to the terms and policies of the destination services. The cited descriptions do not establish a complete comparison of retention, model training, or administrator controls. If those details determine your choice, review the current terms for the specific Gemini feature and account type you intend to use.
What does “private” mean for LibreOffice?
Installing LibreOffice locally means the editor itself runs on the computer. It does not, by itself, establish that no data ever leaves the device. The information available here does not establish LibreOffice’s current built-in AI feature inventory or the data flows of optional extensions and integrations. Those can differ by version and configuration, so assess any connected add-on separately rather than assuming it shares the editor’s local behavior.
Which suite should I choose?
Choose LibreOffice when local editing is the priority
It is a reasonable fit if you want a desktop editor installed on Windows, macOS, or Linux and can work with locally available files. Treat extensions, integrations, and any online services as separate decisions, and do not assume offline help guarantees every feature works offline.
Best Value
Choose Microsoft 365 when Copilot’s account context matters
If you plan to use Copilot, first identify whether you will sign in with a personal Microsoft account or use an organization’s account. Microsoft publishes different explanations for those cases, and organizational access involves Graph content and contractual commitments distinct from the home-account description.
Choose Google Workspace when Gemini is part of your workflow
Check whether you are using signed-in Gemini Apps or Gemini inside Workspace apps, and pay attention to how files are shared. For personal-account destinations or sharing paths, Google’s Workspace help says different destination-service terms may apply.
Quick Recap
Check these points before depending on a suite
- Identify the account: personal account or organization-managed account.
- List the features you will use: editor, AI assistant, extensions, cloud storage, and collaboration.
- Review the applicable data terms: especially what prompts, responses, files, and accessible content are processed, retained, or used for model training.
- Test offline access for your actual setup: disconnect from the internet and confirm the editor launches and the specific files you need remain editable. Test collaboration and AI separately rather than treating them as part of offline editing.
- Check connected add-ons individually: do not infer an extension’s data handling from the office suite’s installation model.
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