@gkroeger
No one here is in touch with Microsoft plans. I've been observing them for many years, though. I doubt they will ever be implemented in Word Online. For serious work, editing should not be done in the Online version, in my opinion. You are correct that it can mess up the document.
They have not even brought many newer features into the Word object model for use in macros.
See Compare Word features on different platforms - Office Support.
- These programs are all named Word and they are all created and published by Microsoft.
- They all can edit the same document files that have the same file structure. Some of the programs have no control over some of the document structures.
- But, they are different programs with different features and controls.
As of October, 2023, the most powerful one of these, with the most features, is the Windows desktop application from Microsoft 365. I do not expect that to change. The perpetual license version Word 2021 is very close as far as features but does not receive new features as added.
The Macintosh desktop application is second with number of features. The things available in the Windows version not yet on the Mac version include Content Controls, Building Blocks, UserForms, and ActiveX. It can use, but cannot create, or modify most Content Controls. AutoText is a Building Block that the Mac can and does use.
The browser version of Word – Word Online – has a Transcribe feature that has recently been added to the Windows desktop version of Microsoft 365’s Word. Otherwise, the browser version has far fewer features and editing in it has been reported to mess up automatic numbering. Chromebooks use a version of this or of the Android mobile app. Differences between using a document in the browser and in Word
The mobile applications (Android/IOS, etc.) vary somewhat but have far fewer features. I would use them for note taking and for quick viewing/printing, but not for editing. Especially not for editing long or complex documents. What you can do in the Microsoft 365 apps on mobile devices with a Microsoft 365 subscription
Note that the statements about capabilities and usefulness are my opinions, not anything from Microsoft.
