What’s New In Microsoft 365.
A sample of the top topics of note from Microsoft’s published Road Map and updates.
In today’s fast-paced business environment, staying ahead of the competition is crucial for success.
So these are Microsoft’s continual updates and changes to the 365 Platform.
365 Road Map
Microsoft 365 apps: Microsoft Loop – a new app that combines a powerful and flexible canvas with portable components that stay in sync and move freely across Microsoft 365 apps
Microsoft Loop is an app built for the new era of modern work aimed at redefining the boundaries of creation and collaboration. Microsoft Loop combines a powerful and flexible canvas with portable components that move freely and stay in sync across applications — enabling teams to think, plan, and create together.
- Feature ID: 122270
- Added to roadmap: 11/16/2023
- Last modified: 11/28/2023
- Product(s): Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 app, Microsoft Loop
- Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant)
- Platform(s): iOS, Android, Web
- Release phase(s): General Availability, Preview
With this feature, users on OneDrive and SharePoint web can open non-Office files in desktop apps to view and make changes to those files. Any changes they make will sync back to OneDrive or SharePoint.
- Feature ID: 124813
- Added to roadmap: 6/13/2023
- Last modified: 12/6/2023
- Product(s): OneDrive, SharePoint
- Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant), GCC High, DoD, GCC
- Platform(s): Web
- Release phase(s): Preview, General Availability
Workspace Management is a new feature within Teams Admin Center that provides an integrated view of Teams devices and peripherals based on their location, along with relevant insights. This capability provides IT admins the ability to manage connected devices, and monitor workspace health, utilization and conformance to standards at any location.
- Feature ID: 88326
- Added to roadmap: 11/2/2021
- Last modified: 9/8/2023
- Product(s): Microsoft Teams
- Platform(s): Web
- Release phase(s): General Availability
With breakout room support, Teams Rooms on Windows can be added to a breakout room and moved in and out of the main room making it easy for breakout session coordination.
- Feature ID: 95680
- Added to roadmap: 4/17/2023
- Last modified: 9/15/2023
- Product(s): Microsoft Teams
- Platform(s): Teams and Surface Devices
- Release phase(s): General Availability
Immersive spaces in Teams makes it easier for Teams users to transform their meetings into a 3D experience. With just one click, you can connect with your team in a pre-built immersive space right from the view menu in Teams meetings.
Feature ID: 161720
Added to roadmap: 9/26/2023
Last modified: 11/3/2023
Product(s): Microsoft Teams
Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant)
Platform(s): Desktop
Release phase(s): Preview, General Availability
Searching for a word or phrase on a webpage has become easier with the new smart find update to Find on page. Now when you search with Find on page, we’ll suggest related matches and synonyms making it effortless to find what you’re looking for, even if you misspell a word in your search query. When you search, simply select the suggested word to quickly locate the desired word or phrase on the page. Data is sent to Microsoft for processing. For more information, see Microsoft Edge’s Privacy Whitepaper. Administrators can control the availability using the RelatedMatchesCloudServiceEnabled policy.
More info
Feature ID: 165696
Added to roadmap: 8/18/2023
Last modified: 10/13/2023
Product(s): Microsoft Edge
Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant)
Platform(s): Web
Release phase(s): General Availability
Users with iCloud accounts will now be able to add the accounts to the new Outlook for Windows.
Feature ID: 159221
Added to roadmap: 9/25/2023
Last modified: 9/26/2023
Product(s): Outlook
Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant)
Platform(s): Desktop
Release phase(s): General Availability
We are moving the settings for the Scheduling assistant to the toolbar to reduce clicks and a more seamless scheduling experience.
Feature ID: 170792
Added to roadmap: 9/14/2023
Last modified: 10/24/2023
Product(s): Outlook
Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant)
Platform(s): Web
Release phase(s): General Availability
Published 18 Sept 2023
Service & monthly active users
Microsoft 365 Apps
Message Summary
The feature gives the ability for a user to receive notifications for changes in a calendar they have shared or have been shared with. Delegates and editors for a principal’s calendar can subscribe to notifications for certain changes to the events in the principal’s calendar. Similarly, any user who has their calendar shared out can subscribe to notifications for certain changes done to their calendar by any delegate or editor. The notifications will be triggered for create, update and delete actions to events in the calendar.
When this will happen:
Standard Release: This feature is currently rolling out and expected to complete by mid-November 2023.
How this will affect your organization:
After the change, users will see a new UI experience titled “Calendar updates” under Settings -> Calendar -> Shared calendar. This will have a list of checkboxes for all the eligible calendars (shared-in or shared-out) for which the user can opt for notifications. User can select one or more calendar(s) and save to start receiving notifications for changes done by others in the respective calendars.
What you need to do to prepare:
No action is needed to enable this update.
Published 18 Sept 2023
Service & monthly active users
Microsoft Teams )
Platform Android, iOS
Roadmap ID 146741
Message Summary
We are improving the meeting join experience on Teams Mobile (iOS / Android) in several ways:
- Streamlining the meeting join process by reducing the number of steps it takes to join the meeting, particularly for users joining from externally of the organization.
- Users who join without signing in will now have the capability to preset and preview video / audio settings prior to joining the meeting.
- Simplifying the join process for users with multiple accounts by improving the account switching user experience.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 146741
When this will happen:
Standard Release: We will begin rolling out mid-October and expect to complete by mid-November.
How this will affect your organization:
Mobile users will see an improved and refreshed experience when joining meetings.
What you need to do to prepare:
No action required – this is a user experience update.
Published 14 Sept 2023
Service & monthly active users
Microsoft Teams (0)
Platform Desktop, Mac
Roadmap ID 123149
Message Summary
Organizers can set up events and effortlessly add external presenters, who will receive exclusive Teams join links. These links enable external presenters to directly enter the event, eliminating the need for organizers to manually admit them from the event lobby or modify their event role during the session. This creates a hassle-free event experience for organizers and presenters!
External Presenters are considered people outside of your organization, including guests (AAD/B2B/non-AAD), federated, unfederated, and anonymous users (non-AAD).
This feature is available for webinars only. This is not a Teams Premium feature.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 123149
When this will happen:
Standard Release: We will begin rolling out late October and expect to complete by early November.
GCC: We will begin rolling out late October and expect to complete by early November.
How this will affect your organization:
We suggest updating your internal documentation to include this new feature.
The email template that external presenters will receive will look like the template below.
What you need to do to prepare:
This feature will appear on the webinar scheduling forms when it’s fully rolled out.
Published 12 Sept 2023
Platform Desktop, Mac
Rolling out (Targeted Release)
Message Summary
With this update, any Calendar updates you make in outlook will be available in near-real time on Teams Calendar (Desktop/Web). This keeps your calendar across Outlook and Teams always in sync with each other.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 138248
When this will happen:
Standard Release: We will begin rolling out mid-September and plan to finish rollout by mid-October.
How this will affect your organization:
Teams users in your organization will have a more reliable calendaring experience whether they are using any of the two calendars (Teams or Outlook). Calendar events they create/edit/delete on Outlook will reflect in near real-time on Teams calendar.
What you need to do to prepare:
Nothing required from users or admins.
Published 1 Sept 2023
Service & monthly active users
Microsoft Teams (0)
Platform Android, Desktop, iOS, Mac, Web
Roadmap ID 122540
Message Summary
We’re rolling out the preview of the new Microsoft Teams desktop app for Mac to our users in the Public preview and Targeted release programs. Read MC533687 that we announced in March 2023 to learn about the benefits of new Teams for Windows.
The new app is built on a foundation of speed, performance, and flexibility, saving you time and helping your organization work together more efficiently. The new Teams app enables users that manage multiple work or school accounts to collaborate more effectively across organizational boundaries. You can seamlessly engage with users across multiple accounts and organizations without having to drop out of a call or meeting, ensuring no disruption to your workflow. With multi-tenant organization (MTO), users in organizations that manage employees across multiple tenants will have the ability to search for coworkers in another tenant, have single chat thread with other users, receive real-time notifications, join meetings, and calls in another tenant, and multitask from their home tenant.
This change is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID: 122540
When this will happen:
We will begin rolling this out in early September 2023
How this will affect your organization:
If you are in Public preview and/or Targeted release programs, we will begin displaying Try the new Teams toggle within the classic Microsoft Teams client where the admin policy setting of UseNewTeamsClient is set to Microsoft default value (Microsoft controlled in the Teams Admin Center (TAC) or Microsoft choice in PowerShell).
Note: users can use the new Teams and switch back to classic Teams anytime. Our goal is to ensure you are fully empowered to try new Teams in a manner that’s right for you as early as possible.
What you can do to prepare:
You may consider updating your training and documentation as appropriate.
Visit the admin page to learn about prerequisites and known issues for new Teams on Mac.
Published 29 Aug 2023
SharePoint Online
Platform Android, Desktop, iOS
Roadmap ID 124803
Message Summary
With the new integration of SharePoint News into Outlook, news authors can preview and send full news posts as emails to their reader’s inbox. To help authors get started, we’re also adding six templates in Outlook and SharePoint. Finally, with our unified page analytics, authors will be able to see their total page reads across outlook and SharePoint as one number.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 124803
When this will happen:
Targeted Release: Rollout will begin in late August 2023 and is expected to be complete by early September 2023.
Standard Release. Rollout will begin in mid-September 2023 and is expected to be complete by late September 2023.
How this will affect your organization:
To create a News post for email:
- Select a “Made for email” template from the news template picker.
- When you are ready to publish, you can post your news and send it directly to email in one step.
Sending a page as an email will not change existing site permissions and will not give your recipients access to the original page if they don’t already have it.
What you need to do to prepare:
You do not need to do anything to prepare for this update. You may want to let your users know about this improvement.
Published 12 Sept 2023
Service & monthly active users
Microsoft Teams (0)
Platform Android, iOS
Roadmap ID 128652
Message Summary
Users can now view, edit, and create collaborative notes including agenda, notes, and follow-up tasks on Teams for iOS and Android, similarly with what users can do on Teams for desktop.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 128652
When this will happen:
Standard Release: We will begin rolling out early October and expect to complete by late October.
How this will affect your organization:
Users within your tenant will see a Notes button on meeting more options menu during the meetings. Participants can collaborate in real time, create an agenda, take notes and add tasks. When participants are assigned a task in the meeting, they will also receive an email notification and it will be synced with the Planner and To Do apps.
Users can also check collaborate notes after the meeting through Meeting Chat > More tab > Notes.
What you need to do to prepare:
Nothing is required to prepare. This capability will be enabled by default when it rolls out.
Note: the new Collaborative notes file will generate a Company Shareable Link (CSL) by default.
You can read more about admin controls here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/sharepoint/manage-loop-components#settings-management-for-loop-functionality-in-teams
Manage Loop experiences (Loop app and Loop components) in SharePoint.
What's new - Insiders Tips
With just a few clicks, you can now easily:
• Add headers and footers to your document—this supports consistency and organizational goals and adds a more professional look to your documents.
• Change the layout from single- to multi-column—this helps you increase the readability of your content, optimize the space, offer design flexibility, and much more.
• Display line numbers—this is particularly useful when you need to refer to specific lines in a document, such as a script or a legal contract.
How it works
1. Open a new or existing Word document.
2. To add headers and footers, select Insert > Header & Footer, and then choose to either keep the same header/footer across all pages or have different ones on different pages.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/new-formatting-options-in-word-for-the-web
We’ve heard from you that annotating images or PDF printouts in OneNote can be challenging. The ink doesn’t stay in place when the image or PDF printout is moved. Also, using the Lasso tool to select both can be cumbersome.
We’re happy to let you know that any ink you add to an image or a PDF printout will automatically move with it. Furthermore, any ink touching and outside of the image will also stay on the image or PDF printout, keeping the ink annotation and image or PDF printout together.
How it works
1. Go to Insert > Picture or Insert > File Printout to insert an image or a PDF printout.
2. Start inking on the image or the PDF printout.
3. Tap the image or PDF printout to select it and the ink using touch, your digital pen, or your mouse. https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/keep-ink-annotations-with-images-and-pdf-printouts-in-onenote
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/keep-ink-annotations-with-images-and-pdf-printouts-in-onenote
The ability to migrate your Google forms to Microsoft Forms is now available in the Microsoft 365 admin center, as a tenant-level feature that enable you to bulk migrate your Google forms to Microsoft Forms. Individual users can then access the migrated forms on the Forms website.
In the initial phrase, we’re leveraging the existing document migration process in the Microsoft 365 admin center to support forms migration under personal Google drives.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/migrate-your-google-forms-to-microsoft-forms
Hello, Microsoft 365 Insiders!
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/introducing-microsoft-clipchamp
We are excited to share with you a quick intro to Clipchamp as well as an overview of some of the new features we’re releasing to help meet all of your video creation and editing needs.
Introducing Microsoft Clipchamp
Clipchamp is a video editor designed to make video creation easy for everyone, even for those with no prior experience. It allows you to combine your videos, images, and audio files, as well as add text and effects, and then save the finished video to your computer. You can also add stock videos, and stock music or sound effects.
What’s new in Clipchamp
Auto compose (Clipchamp’s AI video editor)
Reflect on your memories, upload your content and watch it transform into a professionally crafted video, ready to be shared on social media.
Using the auto complete feature, you can:
• Simply upload your photos and videos, pick a video style and let our AI create a professional-looking video.
• Turn memories from your life events, travel or holiday season into videos that stand out on social media.https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/introducing-microsoft-clipchamp
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/whats-new-in-the-microsoft-365-app-december-2023
Hi, Microsoft 365 Insiders! My name is Lisa Svensson, and I’m a Senior Product Marketing Manager for the Microsoft 365 app (formerly the Office app) available on the web, desktop, iOS and Android devices. I’m excited to share another round-up of new features rolling out over the next month for the Microsoft 365 Insider community and Microsoft 365 consumers with a free account or paid subscription.
What’s new in the Microsoft 365 app on the web and for Windows
On the web at Microsoft365.com and the Microsoft 365 app for Windows, we’ve released the following new features that recommend apps best suited for your daily tasks, while reducing the number of steps needed to share content, edit, or delete files right from your Home screen.
Find the right app for the job
You can now get personalized app recommendations based on the role and activities you’re focused on. By answering a short 2-question survey, you can find the best tool for your tasks and make the best use of the various Microsoft 365 apps available.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/get-organized-at-work-with-microsoft-loop
Hello, Microsoft 365 Insiders, and happy 2024! As we head into the new year, many of us look to make positive changes. Would you like to get more organized, productive, and collaborative in your work? We have just the tool for you. Meet Microsoft Loop, your flexible AI-powered collaboration app.
Get organized at work with Microsoft Loop
Planning an event, managing a project, or even writing code? Loop can help you get things done faster and easier. Let’s explore how you can use Loop to organize your projects and collaborate better with others.
• Planning an upcoming team event or the next big project? As you coordinate and plan, use Loop components in your Microsoft Teams channel:
• Collect information from others using a component like a table.
• Stay in sync as your teammates update the component from whichever app they prefer by sharing it in a Teams chat or an Outlook email.
Research shows that good design can make documents more credible, persuasive, and engaging. We are introducing a series of automatic typography features that enable you to reach these goals, without any effort on your part.
The first set of these research-backed refinements brings intelligent, adaptive justification, kerning, and OpenType ligatures to Read Mode in Word for Windows and the Reading Pane in Outlook for Windows.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/typography-improvements-in-word-and-outlook-for-windows
Availability
The new typography features are currently available Beta Channel users running Version 2312 (Build 17116.20000) or later.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/decorate-your-background-in-teams-meetings
Hello, Microsoft 365 Insiders! We’re very pleased to announce that Microsoft Teams Public Preview and Microsoft 365 Targeted Release users with a Teams Premium license can now use the Decorate feature to personalize your background.
Decorate your background in Teams meetings
As a Teams Premium user, you now have the option to leverage AI to augment your real-life surroundings and create a personalized atmosphere for your meetings when using camera.
How it works
• Before a meeting starts:
1.
1. On the pre-join screen, select Effects and Avatars > Video effects,, and then select Decorate button.
2. In the Background settings pane, choose a theme, and then click the Generate backgrounds button.
3. Pick one of the two options offered, or click the Generate more button if you want to see additional backgrounds.
4. When you have selected the background you want to use, click the Apply and save background button.
• During a meeting:
1.
1. Select More > Effects and Avatars > Video effects, and then select the Decorate button
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/present-more-effectively-and-inclusively-with-video-and-closed-captions-in-powerpoint-for-the-web
Hi, Microsoft 365 Insiders! I’m Peter Wu, a Principal Software Engineer on the PowerPoint team. I’m excited to share with you that PowerPoint for the web now supports inserting videos with closed captions and subtitles.
Present more effectively and inclusively with video and closed captions
Make your next presentation more engaging by incorporating videos into it. In PowerPoint for the web, you can now upload and embed videos into your presentation. You can also insert closed captions and subtitles to go along with your videos.
More people than ever are watching TV, movies, and streaming services with closed captions or subtitles on all the time. It is one of the many inventions, originally designed for people with disabilities, that is benefiting so many more people. Some people find it hard to hard to hear the dialogue over all the noise, while others struggle to understand heavy accents. Some people need to watch quietly without disturbing others in the room while others want to watch great content from around the world in other languages. Everyone has their reasons for enjoying more videos and understanding them better with closed captions or subtitles on.
Adding videos with closed captions and/or subtitles to your presentation will allow you to both connect with your audience in the format they are familiar with and enjoy while also being inclusive of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
AUG 31, 2023
New Microsoft 365 app enhancements to use across your devices
Feature deep dive
LISA SVENSSON
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/new-microsoft-365-app-enhancements-to-use-across-your-devices
Designer and Clipchamp templates
Microsoft 365 Browser Extension
What’s new in the Microsoft 365 mobile app
Microsoft 365 widgets for iOS
We know (based on your feedback!) that using your pen to insert and edit text in Microsoft 365 applications, such as Microsoft Word, can be challenging. This is especially true when you are adding content with your pen but also want your handwriting to be converted to text.
With the new Ink to Text Pen tool on the Draw tab in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote for Windows, you can have your handwriting convert to text as you write. In addition, when working with text you can use pen gestures to select, delete, split or join text, and even create a new line.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/introducing-the-ink-to-text-pen-tool-in-word-onenote-and-powerpoint-for-windows
Availability
This feature is available to all Microsoft 365 Insiders running Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote for Windows, and meeting the requirements listed above.
Microsoft Loop is a co-creation app which enables you and your team to bring everything you need for your project together in one place and collaborate across the apps and devices you already use today.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-loop-transforming-the-way-we-work-together
Let’s get started!
Availability
The Microsoft Loop app and the features mentioned in this post are generally available to customers with Business Standard, Business Premium, E3, and E5 work accounts on web and mobile.
The Dictate feature removes typing constraints and harnesses the power of AI-backed voice commands to help you effortlessly articulate your messages. It currently supports over 50 languages and ensures your thoughts flow freely, transforming the way you communicate.
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/dictate-comes-to-the-new-outlook-for-windows-and-outlook-on-the-web
Availability
This feature is available to all Outlook on the web and new Outlook for Windows users.
Access Ink Help on the Draw tab
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/access-ink-help-in-the-draw-tab
Having trouble remembering how to use one of our ink gestures? Or, are you interested in learning more about what drawing tools are available and how to use them? You can find Ink Help on the Draw tab in OneNote, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel on Windows. It’s a one-stop shop for all ink help. Save time and stay in your workspace.
You can search and find information about all our ink features available in the Microsoft 365 application you have open. We’ll continually update the help with relevant information about features.
How it works
1. Create or open a document in OneNote, Word, PowerPoint, or Excel.
2. On the Draw tab, select Ink Help.
AUG 24, 2023
Enhancements to cameo in PowerPoint for Windows and Mac
Feedback in action
ROLLY SETH
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/enhancements-to-cameo-in-powerpoint-for-windows-and-mac
Enhancements to cameo in PowerPoint for Windows and Mac
Thanks to many of you who have been using cameo in PowerPoint for Windows and Mac, and have shared your feedback, we acted on some of your suggestions.
For example, we made it possible to turn camera preview on or off or change the camera source in Slide Show View or Presenter View mode. We also helped make your deck look more cohesive and aligned to the overall theme of the deck through fresh, new cameos on the PowerPoint slide. With these updates, you can now insert cameo into all your slides with a single click and apply a personalized cameo style to all your slides.
How it works
Open a PowerPoint presentation in Windows.
To insert cameo into all slides at once, go to Insert > Cameo > All Slides. You’ll see the default circle cameo in the corner on all your slides.
OCT 18, 2023
Cameo in PowerPoint for iOS and web
Feature deep dive
ROLLY SETH
https://insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/cameo-in-powerpoint-for-ios-and-web
Cameo in PowerPoint for iOS and web
With cameo in PowerPoint for iOS and web, you can:
Add a camera or live video feed within your presentation
Preview your camera in Slide Show view
Format cameo
Add effects in your slide
Present with an integrated camera source