The redesigned Windows 11 Microsoft Office is here — how to test drive the new UI

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Microsoft's new fluent Office design is ready for a spin around the block

New Microsoft Office UI is now available to test drive
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Today Microsoft made its new Office design available for testing by Office insiders. Microsoft revealed the new UI that is designed to match its upcoming release of Windows 11. The new UI will be made available to all Microsoft 365 users later this year, allowing them to peruse the new rounded look and fluent design upgrade. 

What we've seen so far is that there are slight changes to the button design within Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Originally Microsoft hinted at wide-sweeping changes to the Office UI that included a command bar format instead of the traditional ribbon interface. 

Microsoft appears to be slowly releasing changes to Office instead of fully an entirely new design, giving users time to adjust to things like the new command bar as people ween off the old ribbon interface. Microsoft's design team is still working on the adaptive command that will, in time, fully replace the ribbon with the upcoming toolbar, which can be undocked and left to float nearby while you're dealing with documents. 

It's expected that the changes will be made available to the web and mobile versions before the refreshed UI hits the desktop version. The updated Microsoft Office UI is now available for testers on Windows 10 and those already running Windows 11. You need to be an active member of the Office Insiders and have it set up to receive beta channel updates in your Office settings. 

Via The Verge

Mark Anthony Ramirez
Mark Anthony Ramirez

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.