Users of Microsoft Office have expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s recent rebranding efforts following the renaming of its well-known software suite. Initially introduced by Bill Gates’ global corporation in 1990, the suite, comprising Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, boasts a substantial user base of 400 million worldwide.
Recently, users were surprised with a notification stating the software had been rebranded as the “Microsoft 365 Copilot” app. This new app, which was previously known as Office, facilitates creating, sharing, and collaborating with various apps, now featuring Copilot integration.
Introduced in 2023 as a replacement for Cortana, Copilot is an AI chatbot designed to enhance user productivity by automating tasks and generating content.
In response to the rebranding, software creator Peter Dedene criticized the change, emphasizing the shift from Microsoft Office to Microsoft 365 Copilot. Another individual compared the rebranding to renaming Twitter, expressing frustration over the decision-making process.
Despite criticism, Microsoft defended the rebranding, highlighting the integration of Copilot within the Microsoft 365 app to enhance productivity across work, education, and personal accounts.
Gareth Oystryk, Senior Director of Marketing at Microsoft 365, clarified that only the Office “hub” app was renamed to Microsoft 365 in November 2022, with the subsequent update to Microsoft 365 Copilot in January 2025 to consolidate Copilot and Microsoft 365 experiences.
Microsoft advised existing users to ensure internet connectivity and restart the Microsoft 365 Copilot app to see the rebranding changes reflected on various platforms.