Microsoft announced the launch of a new Office App, which will be made available to Windows 10 users. It is intended to replace the “My Office” app that currently exists and is designed to be a lot more useful to Office users.
It’s essentially a hub for launching recent documents, accessing the Office desktop apps, or simply finding the free web versions of Office. It’s a free app that will be pre-installed with Windows 10 and does not require an Office 365 subscription to use it.
The new Office app puts the focus on the free online versions of Office. Up until now, so many of Microsoft’s consumers simply are unaware that office.com exists, and that Microsoft has free online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. A number of consumers also assume Office simply comes as part of Windows, so renaming this app to Office and surfacing online versions of Office apps seems like a good idea to promote brand awareness.
This new app also comes with tutorials, tips, and tricks for Microsoft’s various apps and services. The tech giant is also allowing IT administrators to customize the Office app to allow businesses to brand it and provide access to third-party apps and Microsoft Search.
“The Office app provides users with a simple experience that helps them get to what they need quickly – whether that’s an app, a document, or even a person in your organization,” Microsoft’s Senior Product Marketing manager – Office Apps Strategy, Bill Doll, wrote in a blog post announcing the launch. “Once you open the app, just sign in with your work, school, or free personal Microsoft Account to get started. The app works with any Office 365 subscription, Office 2019, Office 2016, and Office Online – the free web-based version of Office for consumers.”
You can download the new Office app from the Microsoft Store. The app will also be rolling out to existing Windows 10 users over the coming weeks.
