Microsoft is exploring a fresh visual identity for its most iconic Office apps, and now it wants users to weigh in. The company has started testing new icons for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps, and it’s actively seeking user feedback through a short online survey—offering a $10 gift card as an incentive.
Microsoft is testing new icons with more depth and personality
The new icons introduce more visual depth and character than the current flat designs, aligning with a shift away from minimalism in digital aesthetics. While the existing set follows a modern, flat style, the new proposals bring back a sense of three-dimensionality and individuality for each app. Word and Excel, for example, now look clearly distinct, rather than simply being color-swapped versions of the same base shape.
According to an email shown in a Reddit post, Microsoft says it’s “striving to improve the user experience” and is using this survey to explore different directions in iconography. A first look at the icons—shared by a user who received the survey—shows that the company is blending modern design elements with familiar app identities, instead of fully replacing them. Importantly, none of the tested icons feature the new Copilot logo, which recently replaced the Microsoft 365 app icon and drew criticism for being hard to recognize.
Microsoft last updated its Office icons over six years ago, after nearly half a decade with the previous set. Now, the company appears ready to evolve its brand once again—and it’s giving users a voice in the process.