Microsoft’s Office Insider Program provides users with access to early access preview features. On the other side, those users give feedback to Microsoft so it can perfect the feature before a wider release. After more than seven years of availability, Microsoft is now rebranding the program to become the Microsoft 365 Insider Program.
In recent years, Microsoft’s cloud versions of Office apps have been available under the Microsoft 365 branding. Office 365 was rebranded into the subscription service back in 2019. So, it makes sense that Microsoft is moving ahead with rebranding properly from Office to Microsoft 365.
But let’s not ignore the fact that Office is one of Microsoft’s most successful services and brands. It is a strange decision for Microsoft to rebrand the Insider Program to the more derivative and less-known Microsoft 365.
However, Microsoft points out that the Office brands is not being removed entirely. It will still be attached to apps on the Microsoft 365 subscriptions and it is still the name for the one-time purchase suite (Office 2021).
Changes
The company has yet to update the official Office Insider Program website, but the change has already been made on Twitter. Microsoft 365 Insider Program is more than just a rebranding. The company says that the program will now expand to cover previews from more than just standard Office apps.
Microsoft also says the release notes for the program will now be on the Microsoft Learn website (learn.microsoft.com).
There is nothing that needs to be done for current Office Insiders as the switch to Microsoft 365 Insider Program will happen automatically. Microsoft will continue to deliver Office preview updates through the Current Channel (Preview) and Beta Channel.
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Last Updated on January 25, 2023 2:20 am CET by Luke Jones
