Microsoft sparks backlash after it rebrands Office | Tech News

Microsoft Office customers have criticised the tech giant’s newest rebranding resolution after it modified the title of its widely-used software program suite.

The package deal, that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, was initially launched by Bill Gates’ company in 1990 and at the moment serves roughly 400 million customers globally. However, final week customers encountered a dialogue box informing them of the title change.

“Welcome to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app,” it acknowledged. “The Microsoft 365 Copilot app (previously Office) helps you to create, share and collaborate multi functional place along with your favorite apps now together with Copilot.”

Copilot, which was launched in 2023 as Cortana’s successor, is an artificial intelligence chatbot designed to boost consumer productiveness by means of content material era and job automation. 

Upon studying of the rebrand, in the meantime, software program developer and business proprietor Peter Dedene expressed his frustration: “RIP MS Office. RIP Microsoft 365. Now it’s ‘Microsoft 365 Copilot’. We’re one rebrand away from Excel being a prompt box that says ‘trust me bro, the math checks out’.”

A second particular person criticised the transfer: “Microsoft Office is one of the most recognisable brands in the world. This is worse than renaming Twitter to X. I want to have a 2-hour podcast discussion with the middle manager who approved this decision.”

A 3rd observer remarked: “It’s dumb and brand destroying, yes, but note that the brand destruction actually happened back in 2020 when they renamed Office to ‘Microsoft 365’ – it didn’t have anything to do with AI.”

Whilst a fourth X consumer weighed in: “They spent decades building the most recognisable brand in productivity only to hide it behind a new AI label! It is a clear signal that they want to be seen as an AI company first and a software suite second. Most of us will probably still call it Office until the sun burns out regardless of what the icon says.”

Microsoft defended the rebrand, explaining: “The Microsoft 365 (Office) app is now called the Microsoft 365 Copilot app across web (office.com, microsoft365.com), mobile (iOS, Android), and Windows. The new app name and icon reflects the integration of Copilot within the Microsoft 365 app.”

The tech giant added: “The Microsoft 365 Copilot app continues to serve as your everyday productivity app for work and life. But in the era of AI and integration of Copilot, it’s become much more than that. We’ve made several enhancements to innovate the work and education experience, as well as for consumers with a personal account.”

Elsewhere, Gareth Oystryk, Senior Director of Marketing at Microsoft 365, addressed the backlash, clarifying: “We have not made any recent naming changes to our Office apps. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, the Office apps within the Microsoft 365 productivity suite, remain unchanged.

“In November 2022, we renamed solely the Office “hub” app for web and cellular to the Microsoft 365 app. In January 2025, we up to date it to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app to mirror its position in bringing Copilot and Microsoft 365 productiveness experiences collectively in a single place.”

Microsoft has advised users: “Existing customers with a work and/or personal account can see these adjustments mirrored on their web (workplace.com, microsoft365.com), cellular (iOS, Android) and Windows app.

“If you’re signed in and still not seeing the change, make sure to connect to the internet and then restart the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.”