What you need to know
- Microsoft changed how Office files open on Android recently.
- Now, if you have Microsoft 365 and a standalone Office app on your phone, files will open in the standalone Office app by default.
- Microsoft explained that many users found the old default behavior confusing.
As a seasoned researcher who has spent countless hours juggling multiple Office files on my smartphone, I welcome Microsoft’s recent decision to allow standalone Office apps to open files by default on Android devices. This change will undoubtedly enhance the user experience for many of us who rely on multitasking and have grown frustrated with the limitations imposed by a single app approach.
On a smartphone, Microsoft 365 can be accessed in multiple ways, which is handy yet sometimes perplexing. Users have voiced their concerns to Microsoft about the way Office documents opened on iOS and Android devices, causing confusion. To resolve this issue, Microsoft has updated the default behaviors for how these Office files will now open.
If you have a standalone Office app installed, such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, files you open will open in their respective standalone apps. If you do not have any standalone Office applications on your smartphone, you’ll see no change and files will still open in the Microsoft 365 app. If you are sent an Office file but do not have any Microsoft apps to open it, you will now be directed to the App Store or Google Play Store page for the appropriate standalone app.
Microsoft broke down the changes in a Tech Community post:
Microsoft aims to enhance predictability in opening files from their main mobile platforms like OneDrive, Outlook, and Teams. This means that if the individual applications such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint are already installed, they will typically be used for handling file opening tasks.
If you prefer working with multiple Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files simultaneously, individual applications offer a smoother experience for side-by-side viewing and window management, which are features supported by today’s tablets and mobile operating systems.
The updates for OneDrive on both iOS and Android devices have been rolled out. Over the course of October and November, Microsoft plans to release the update to Outlook on these platforms gradually. The specific timeline for implementing this change in Teams on iOS and Android is yet to be decided by Microsoft.
Microsoft 365 vs standalone Office apps
For quite some time now, Microsoft’s Office applications have been accessible on both iOS and Android devices, but the way these apps are utilized has slightly changed over the years. In 2020, Microsoft launched a unified Office application that encompasses Word, PowerPoint, and Excel within a single platform. This app also incorporated Office Lens to simplify the process of scanning documents by making it more efficient.
Instead of finding an app called “Office” on Google Play Store or App Store, you won’t see one because Microsoft changed its name to Microsoft 365 in 2022. This rebranding also affected the naming of their mobile offerings. Now, Microsoft 365 serves as a central platform for all Microsoft services.
Instead of relying on a centralized hub for all your Office files, it’s beneficial to use standalone apps, as they allow for more flexibility in multitasking. Microsoft has emphasized this point, stating that opening multiple apps simultaneously, such as Word and Excel, is easier when you have separate applications installed on your device. For instance, if you wish to view a Word document and an Excel spreadsheet concurrently, you’ll need to ensure both Word and Excel are installed on your smartphone.
Back in the day, juggling between a spreadsheet and a document on a tiny screen would’ve been a joke. But with today’s big screens becoming the norm and foldable devices gaining traction, smartphone multitasking is no longer a pipe dream. It’s quite convenient, especially when you have a device that mimics a desktop environment like Samsung DeX. I must say, it’s a game-changer!
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2024-10-23 18:40