A lot can change in five years. Looking at Microsoft’s new Office icons you can see that the written page is out, while bars of complementary colours are absolutely in.
Microsoft Word’s icon has contained a page of written words since all the way back in 2007, so ditching this 11 years later can be considered something of a milestone. It also brings the company bang up to date with modern design sensibilities, with each icon made up now of a gentle array of colours that reflects its real purpose.
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You can get a solid look at the icons below in this minute-long video that shows off the brand new icons:
I’m not a designer, but a neat touch is the way they’ve kept some of the character of each app with each new logo. The icon for Microsoft Teams, for instance, includes two people sporting the Teams app’s classic colours. However, look closely at both Outlook and Excel’s failry abstract-looking new icons and you’ll find a letter and envelope, and a spreadsheet.
Okay, it’s a little bit over the top to reveal your new icons in a video, but they look nice and it’s the first time Microsoft has redesigned the icons in five years. Seems like something to celebrate.
This is a continuation of the Fluent Design aesthetic that Microsoft started integrating into Windows 10 last year with the Fall Creators Update.
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Meanwhile the head of Microsoft Office design, Jon Friedman, has hinted that outside of the 10 icons unveiled today, we can expect to see redesigns for several less well-known Office apps too.
These icons will start popping up around the place over the next few months, but will be appear on mobile devices first.
What do you think of the new app icons? Love them or hate them, let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
