Microsoft Office is preparing its transformation and will unveil a new default theme for all its applications by the start of the school year. This update will bring a bunch of new fonts and a modernized color palette.
Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 users are very numerous around the world, and the two software suites have greatly expanded over time: online storage (Microsoft OneDrive), collaborative tools (Microsoft Teams) and use of applications entirely in line. For its part, the overall design was stagnating a bit and starting to age. This new update, scheduled for September, will give everything a facelift.
A new look placed under the sign of elegance
We told you about it last month, you will soon have to say goodbye to the default Calibri font, after 15 years of good and loyal service within the Microsoft suite. Even if it will not disappear, it will be replaced by a new font, called Aptos, which is rather refined and modern. This will be available in all the applications contained in the Office and 365 suites: Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint.
Other fonts will also be arriving and will be accompanied by a complete revision of the different styles, line weights and colors. The goal is clear: a more enjoyable visual experience and a more professional look for users.
An invigorated color palette
In addition to these various planned additions, the color palette offered by default will also experience a small refresh. We will have to say goodbye to the slightly too flashy yellow, which will be replaced by a slightly more sober dark-toned green. Light blue also gives way to another color, teal, which is similar to duck blue, but a little lighter, since it is also made up of gray.
With this brand new range of colors, the idea is to improve visual contrasts, the distinction of shapes and lines to make Office documents more readable. The default style of Word and Outlook will also benefit from a facelift on occasion, with an interface that is also more readable which will allow for easier navigation.
This back-to-school makeover will not hurt Office, which had already offered some new features previously. For users who are not convinced by the new aesthetics offered by Microsoft, the old themes will still be available.
Sources: The Verge, Thurrott
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