Throughout the last three months, most Microsoft Office users have experienced that the name of Microsoft Office has changed to Microsoft 365 with a new logo. Though it seems surprising to general users, it was evident to the techies. So, why do the name and logo of Microsoft Office have changed to Microsoft 365?

The tech giant Microsoft has significantly changed its branding of Microsoft Office. On 12th October 2022, Microsoft introduced the new Microsoft 365 applications at an ignite conference with a new logo. Since then, Microsoft has started to replace existing all-in-one office applications in Windows, Mobile, and office.com’s web portal. With new icons, a new look, and even more applications and features, Office became Microsoft 365. This changing process was started on November 2022 and will continue till the end of January 2023.

Back on 10th July 2017, Microsoft introduced Microsoft 365 as a subscription-based service for the enterprise market. Afterward, Microsoft changed the name of Office 365 to Microsoft 365 on 21st April 2020. This year, the phasing out of Microsoft Office to brand all the products under the banner of Microsoft 365. That means Office 2021 is the last edition of Microsoft Office suites. Still, the Office brand will be used for legacy products, and one-time purchase options will be available for old editions of Microsoft Office. However, Microsoft is committed to its customer by providing help and support for the next 5-10 years.

The branding of all dedicated Office applications as Microsoft 365, has included some new applications like Loop, Clipchamp, and Stream. Microsoft also announced the inclusion of third-party services from Adobe, Blinkist, CreativeLive, and Experion. Both mobile and desktop versions of the Microsoft 365 application include a feed, a hub, and a custom tagging compartment. The feed will be relevant for meetings and colleagues, while the hub will contain all the documents and related files.

Microsoft stated that users don’t need to worry about the new name and logo; the application will automatically be updated into Microsoft 365 without affecting the user account, profile, and subscription. Also, the user will find some new features on Microsoft 365. These features include:

• New content creation tool with new templates in all creator applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Microsoft 365 introduces a new apps module that includes tools from third-party.
• A central location named My Content that can be used to view and access all the created or shared content of Microsoft 365.
• To explore the relevant content based on your work history, a dedicated feed is available on Microsoft 365.
• The custom tagging feature allows you to group and organize your content across all types of content.

In last November (2022), the rebranding process came first for the online office apps at office.com. By the end of January 2023, all the supported platforms of Office 365 will follow suit. After completing the update process, it will adopt a new icon, name, and design.

The rebranding of MS Office into Microsoft 365 as a cloud-based productivity suite will significantly impact Microsoft’s business policy. Microsoft Office has been the most widely used office suite for the last three decades. This rebranding of Office into Microsoft 365 will indeed have an impact on millions of companies around the world.