Office has an updated look that provides a more simple and coherent experience, letting you easily focus on your work across all Office apps.
Important: If you want to change themes after transitioning to the Visual Refresh, here's how: Go to File > Options > General > Office Theme and select one of the options from the dropdown menu. Learn more
Visual Update for Office for Windows
The visual refresh of Office provides a fresh, new experience. It shines on Windows 11, while still enhancing the user experience on Windows 10.
We based the Office visual refresh on feedback from users like you who asked for a more natural and consistent experience within and between your Windows Office apps. With this new look, we've applied Fluent Design principles to deliver an intuitive, familiar experience across all your applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access, Project, Publisher, and Visio.
How it works
We are excited for users to experience Office at its best. All eligible users will eventually receive the visual refresh.
We've already listened to a lot of user feedback to improve the visual refresh. Your feedback is critical to help us make it even better. If there are specific icons or elements of the new design that aren't working for you, please let us know.
To submit feedback, go to File > Feedback > Send a Frown. It's helpful, but optional, if you include a screenshot showing us what you think we should improve.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you had Colorful selected as your Office Theme, we'll switch you to Use system setting when enabling the new look. This means you'll see Office's White theme if your system is set to Light theme, and Office's Black theme if it's set to Dark theme. You can return to Colorful by navigating to File > Account > Office Theme. Learn more
You can use one theme in Office and another in Windows, or have Office match the Windows theme. It's your call.
To set your Office Theme:
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In an Office app, select File > Account.
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From the Office Theme dropdown, select the theme you want. If you select Use system setting, your Office theme will match your Windows theme. Note that if you had been in Colorful prior to receiving the new look, or if you'd chosen a theme other than White in Office 2013, the Office Theme dropdown will appear empty until you choose a new theme.
To collapse or pin the Ribbon:
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Select Ribbon Display Options > Always Show Ribbon to keep the ribbon visible.
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Select Ribbon Display Options > Show Tabs Only to collapse the ribbon.
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You can also click Ctrl+F1 or double click a ribbon tab to quickly change the ribbon state. Learn more
Visual updates for Office for the web
As announced in June 2021, Windows 11 brings a fresh experience and a new look. Shortly after that, Office got a visual refresh for Windows 11 and 10 as well. Now we're bring that new same new look to Microsoft's Office for the web applications.
We based the Office visual refresh on feedback from users like you who asked for a more natural and consistent experience within and between your Windows Office apps. With this refresh, we've applied Fluent Design principles to deliver an intuitive, coherent, and familiar experience across all your applications: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
How it works
We've changed the visuals to help you focus, but nothing has moved. To help with the transition, you can access the new experience in the ribbon display options menu. In Word, Excel, PowerPoint navigate to the right-hand side of the ribbon and click the dropdown. In the menu that pops up, switch on the new look (preview) option at the top to apply the setting to all your Office web apps. You can also switch off the refresh and go back to the previous experience.
Important: Currently the new look is only in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Keep watching for future updates.
Eventually, we'll remove the option to switch off the new look (preview), so be sure to try it out now and let us know what you think. We don't always get things right, so we promise to continue to listen and learn. Your feedback is critical to help us refine your experience and make it even better.
If there are specific icons or elements of the new design that aren't working for you, please let us know. Go to Send Feedback to Microsoft at the bottom of the app. It's helpful, but optional, if you include a screenshot showing us what you think we should improve.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, features and command placement have not moved or changed as a result of the visual updates.
Currently dark mode is only available in Word for web. We're working on adding support for this effect in more Office web apps. It's coming in a future update.
Like dark mode, we're working on updating additional regions and components. Keep watching for future updates.
Currently the new look is only in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Keep watching for future updates.
See Also
How do I give feedback on Microsoft Office?
Change the look and feel of Office
Show or hide the ribbon in Office
