Microsoft has announced a major shift in its design language with a complete overhaul of its Office icons. This marks the first major change in seven years since 2018, and visually reflects a new UX paradigm, represented by Copilot.
“Icons are small, iconic, intuitive gateways that make technology more accessible,” said John Friedman, corporate vice president of Microsoft 365 Design and Research, who oversaw the design. “This icon overhaul shifts the connection between technology and users from a mere formality to a ‘flow of intent.’”
The new icons apply to ten core apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, SharePoint, Defender, OneDrive, and Access. Each icon has been redesigned for a simpler and more intuitive look, with curved and folded shapes replacing the traditional angular shapes to emphasize flexibility. Word's four horizontal bars have been reduced to three, improving readability on smaller screens.
Colors have also undergone a significant transformation. We've introduced gradient colors that are much richer and more vibrant than before. Icons now have a brighter, more vibrant feel, more clearly conveying the individuality of each app.
An interesting point was the internal discussion about whether to retain the alphabetic symbols. Considering the symbolic nature of the brand assets, the decision was made to retain the alphabetic symbols as before, but to integrate them consistently with the overall design flow.
This redesign was not a one-off, but rather a strategy of "gradual evolution." Friedman explained, "Now, continuous design improvements aligned with the flow of interaction between AI and users are more important than major changes." He added, "Icon changes signal the evolution of a product and should simultaneously reflect both the present and the future."
The core inspiration for this icon refresh was the Copilot logo. Introduced in 2023, this icon visually represents a consistent AI experience across Microsoft 365. It organically reflects the identities of traditional Office apps, as well as emerging apps like Designer and Viva, and Copilot for Business, and is designed as a metaphor for AI collaboration.
“Design resembles truth, and truth resembles design,” said Friedman. “This icon is a result of the changes brought about by Copilot, and a visual perfection that shows a new balance between technology and people.”
The new icons will be rolled out sequentially across web, mobile, and desktop environments in the coming weeks.
