Your Microsoft Office files could soon look a whole lot different

Your business documents and files could soon look a bit more vibrant thanks to a significant update from Microsoft Office.

The company has revealed its office software suite is getting a new default theme, meaning your files could soon look markedly different.

The change will affect the likes of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, so users won’t be able to escape the new-look Office easily.

All change for Microsoft Office

The company gave little away in its entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, but did offer a few tantalizing notes on what could also be on offer.

Aside from the new default theme, which will probably entail a thorough redesign of the entire Microsoft Office suite, it also mentioned “a new color palette”, doubtless aimed at allowing users more customization options in how their software looks.

Elsewhere, there’s also updated default line weights, giving a refreshed look when opening and editing a document or file, but the company also noted that its new default font, Aptos, will be included for the first time.

Announced in July 2023, Aptos will be taking over from the much-loved Calibri, which has been in use since 2007.

Aptos belongs to the sans serif family of fonts – a family known for simple letterforms, even strokes, and legibility – and is hoped to make Microsoft’s services more accessible. 

The company is also keen to stress that, like Calibri, Times New Roman, and Arial, Aptos will not be mandatory and users will continue to be able to pick from tens of other fonts.

A preview for the new default theme is open now for desktop users on both Windows and Mac, as well as web users. It’s also available for Android and iOS, with Microsoft hoping to begin a full rollout in September 2023.

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