Microsoft Word and Excel file editing added to newest Chrome OS build

Google has rolled out an update to the developer channel build of Chrome OS that adds the experimental ability to edit Microsoft Word and Excel files. First noticed by Google Chromium evangelist François Beaufort, the feature is in the Chromium code review and simply reads “Improved Quickoffice editing about:flag.”

In order to use this feature, your Chrome OS device must be on the developer channel. If it is, then type “chrome://flags” into the address bar, find the “Enable document editing” entry, and click enable. Your machine will then be restarted and when it turns back on, you’ll have the ability to edit Word and Excel documents. 

Back in April, Google released a Chrome Office Viewer beta, which allowed users to view Office files within the browser, but not edit them. All of the new document features coming to Chrome OS are most like emerging from the QuickOffice team, which Google acquired back in 2012.