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Hate the Awful New Microsoft Office Icons? Here’s How to Master the Chaos
Microsoft’s recent update to its Office icons has sparked significant conversation. The company’s goal was to create a fresh look for what it calls the “AI era,” but the changes have left many people confused and frustrated. This shift is part of a larger trend in the tech industry to visually represent the integration of artificial intelligence.
The Core of the Problem
The new icons embrace a minimalist design, featuring mostly white backgrounds with small hints of color. This has created a “sea of sameness,” making it difficult for users to quickly tell the difference between applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. When looking at a folder of documents, the icons can blur together, slowing down workflow. Some users have noted that in list view, it’s nearly impossible to distinguish files without reading the file extension.
Key issues with the new design include:
- Lack of clear identification The minimal use of color and the removal of letters from some icons make them hard to recognize at a glance.
- Obscured status indicators Sync status overlays can completely cover the small colored parts of the icon that identify the app.
- Inconsistent application While major apps like Word and Excel have new icons, others like Access and Publisher have not been updated, leading to a disjointed user experience.
User Reactions and Workarounds
The response from users has been overwhelmingly negative, with many taking to platforms like Reddit to voice their complaints. Some have even created Microsoft support accounts specifically to complain about the redesign.
In response to the changes, users have been actively seeking solutions:
- Some have attempted to roll back to previous versions of Office, although Microsoft has warned this could create security risks.
- Others have found ways to manually replace the icon files in their system, but these fixes may not be permanent.
Microsoft’s official stance is that the new icons are here to stay, and they encourage users to provide feedback through their official channels. The company states that the redesign is intended to be “unified, intuitive, and designed for flow across every canvas,” but for many, the changes have had the opposite effect. While some in the design community have praised the new look, particularly its integration with Apple’s “Liquid Glass” UI, the everyday user experience has been a source of frustration.