When Microsoft changed the name of its Office 365 subscription back in 2020 to Microsoft 365, it was an acknowledgement that Office 365 had become more than just a work app. Fast-forward to 2022 and the company is now removing most of its Office branding as spotted by The Verge.
“In the coming months, Office.com, the Office mobile app, and the Office app for Windows will become the Microsoft 365 app, with a new icon, a new look, and even more features,” a FAQ from Microsoft states.
At the moment, you can get access to Microsoft Word, Excel and other apps online at Office.com. However, this will soon be changed to Microsoft365.com, as well as the introduction of a new logo to boot.
The Verge notes that the first logo and design changes will appear on Office.com in November, which will be followed by the Office app on Windows, iOS and Android, all getting rebranded in January 2023.
The Android app, on the Google Play Store, has already had its name updated to reflect the upcoming changes. Instead of just “Office”, as we have known it all along, it is now titled “Office (Microsoft 365)”.
Once done, Microsoft 365 will become the home of Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Loop, Clipchamp, Stream, and Microsoft’s new Designer app. There will also be a Microsoft 365 app for both mobile and desktop that will include a feed of relevant colleagues and meetings, a hub for all your files and documents and custom tagging to group and organize content.
Finally, the Microsoft Office brand will not disappear altogether, at least not immediately. The company will continue to offer one-time purchases of its Office bundle of apps to consumers and businesses through Office 2021 and Office LTSC plans.
It is important to note however that Microsoft Office has now become a legacy brand for Microsoft, meaning that when there are new features are announced, they will be introduced to Microsoft 365 and not Microsoft Office.
