If you just need basic text editing and don’t care about modern formatting, AbiWord Portable is under 10MB and runs on Windows 98 to Windows 11.

Select an image, go to "Picture Format," and click "Compress Pictures" to reduce file size. Save as PDF: File > Export to create a lighter, portable PDF version of the document. Remove Hidden Data:

, conversely, is designed to run from a removable drive (like a USB flash drive). It is self-contained. It does not write to the Windows Registry, it does not spread files across the system, and it leaves no trace on the host computer once the drive is removed. When you plug the USB into a library computer, a work terminal, or a friend’s laptop, the app runs instantly.

This method is best for IT technicians or writers who use dozens of different public computers but need a consistent environment.

A portable version of Microsoft Word allows you to run the application from a USB drive or cloud storage without a formal installation on the computer, offering full word-processing capabilities on the go