Redesigned Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps for iOS now available through App Store

Word iPhone XS Max
Word iPhone XS Max (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Word, Excel, and PowerPoint iOS have all be redesigned.
  • Microsoft redesigned the apps to look better, perform faster, and to be simpler.
  • The update is rolling out now through the App Store.

Three of Microsoft's most popular apps on iOS have a new design rolling out (via MSPU). Word, Excel, and PowerPoint have all been redesigned from scratch. Microsoft believes that the new designs are "simpler, faster and more beautiful than before." The update brings the apps to version 2.34, which also brings some other small changes.

The redesign of these popular Office apps is the next step in Microsoft's push to refresh its mobile efforts. Several Microsoft apps have new icons on iOS and Android, and Microsoft continues to add new features across its library of apps. A number of Microsoft apps also received a new dark mode over the last few months.

The changelogs of the apps don't break down any specific changes, other than the fact that Microsoft redesigned the apps from scratch. We'll have to play around with the apps for a bit before we can spot all of the major differences between the new and old versions of the apps.

In addition to bringing the updated designs, the update to version 2.34 brings an Updated Alt Text Pane, which makes content more accessible. Excel on iOS also received the following changes:

  • Read and Reply on the Fly: Respond to comments and mentions right from email without opening the workbook.
  • Look left, look right… XLOOKUP is here: Row by row, find anything you need in a table or range with XLOOKUP.

You can grab the updated apps through the App Store now.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.