Microsoft has been on a roll lately celebrating its 50th anniversary and unveiling new Copilot features. While Windows has seen plenty of changes over the years, both under the hood and visually, the Office suite icons have remained largely the same since 2018. That might be changing soon, as Microsoft could be preparing to give its Office icons a 3D makeover with a fresh new look.
First spotted by a Reddit user and reported by Windows Central, Microsoft recently sent out an email survey inviting users to participate for a chance to win gift cards. The survey aimed to “better understand your preferences and opinions about our exploration of different iconography designs for Microsoft 365.”
The old icons were flat and didn’t quite align with the rest of Windows’ UI design, especially elements like emojis, which received a major overhaul back in 2023. In contrast, the current icons feel much more vibrant, with slightly rounded edges and a more polished appearance. If you’re unfamiliar with what these icons look like, starting from the top right, they are:
- Microsoft Teams
- Outlook
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- OneNote
- SharePoint
- OneDrive
- Windows Security
The odd one out in this set is definitely Windows Security, as it isn’t technically part of Microsoft 365. Microsoft also recently refreshed its sign-in UI to better align with the Fluent 2 design language.
In a similar vein, the Windows 11 24H2 update introduced enhancements to the context menu and scrollable Quick Settings. Plus, Microsoft is currently testing improvements to the Start menu so the next few months are shaping up to be exciting for Windows enthusiasts.
What do you think about the new Microsoft 365 icons? Let us know in the comments!
