New version of the productivity suite now up for grabs

Jan 26, 2017 13:30 GMT  ·  By

The Document Foundation has just announced LibreOffice 5.2.5 for Windows, Linux, and Mac, only a few days ahead of the big unveiling of version 5.3.

Specifically, LibreOffice 5.2.5 is considered a minor release since it’s part of the 5.2 branch, but it still includes some 70 fixes and improvements since the previous version. In other words, LibreOffice users are strongly recommended to update to this latest release to benefit from all enhancements.

While the release notes include mostly changes aimed at tech-savvy users, it’s important to note that version 5.2.5 is mostly similar to all its predecessors that were included in the 5.2 release, so you won’t find breaking changes or major new features in there. Instead, you’re supposed to benefit from a more stable and reliable experience, with fewer bugs and improved compatibility with all supported platforms.

The Documentation Foundation, which itself calls this fifth version of the 5.2 branch a “bugfix,” says that some bugs might still be there, but the goal is to resolve them in the very next update whose publishing date is not yet available.

What’s next for LibreOffice?

Without a doubt, the more exciting release for LibreOffice users is the arrival of version 5.3, which is projected to take place on February 1. The Document Foundation has already confirmed the launch date, and the list of changes is impressive to say the least, including new features for all included apps.

Specifically, the Writer, which is essentially the open-source alternative to Microsoft Word, gets a new dialog for quickly jumping to another page, plus table styles similar to those available in Microsoft’s own solution.

The Document Foundation hopes this could make the transition smoother for all users, and there’s a good chance that this would happen given the fact that LibreOffice already comes with the majority of features available in the super-expensive Office.

A complete look at what’s new in version 5.3 will be provided on February 1 when the new packages become available for download, but in the meantime, you can download LibreOffice 5.2.5 for Windows, Linux, and Mac to get all these improvements on your system too.