Tips for beating the rush to get Office for iPad.
If you’re having trouble getting Office for iPad on launch day, join the loooong line.
Apple is probably having a record or near-record day and it’s hard to get the new apps … but there are tricks available.
Don’t try searching in the iPad App Store. As we type this, the App Store doesn’t show the new Microsoft apps if you try searching for ‘Office for iPad’ ‘Word for iPad’ etc.
The most reliable way to get the apps, in the short term is:
Open up iTunes software on Windows or Mac. It doesn’t matter if the iPad is connected to the computer or not — as long as iTunes is logged into the App Store with the same Apple ID as the iPad.
In the computer browser, go to the App Store pages for each of the new Apps, Word for iPad, Excel for iPad and PowerPoint for iPad. Also the revised OneNote for iPad.
Click on the ‘View in iTunes’ button on left to open up that app in the iTunes software. In iTunes, click on the ‘Free’ button on left to install the app. iTunes will start downloading the app, but you can ignore that. What you’re really doing is linking the apps to your Apple ID.
Install each of the Office for iPad apps you want via iTunes.
Now go to your iPad, open the App Store. Click on ‘Purchased’ on the bottom toolbar to see your selected apps. Then ‘Not on this iPad’ where the newly ‘purchased’ Office for iPad apps will show up. Click the cloud/arrow icon to download and install the apps.
Voila!
In a day or so this trick won’t be necessary, but for those of you who are impatient.
