The classic ribbon across the top, where menu options like 'Home' and 'Insert' exist, will be condensed to simplify the look so that it isn't all or nothing the way it is now.
The classic three-row version will still be available to switch back to, unlike the new Gmail, which will be removing the choice to opt-out of its redesigned version later this year, Microsoft says it doesn't intend to take that option away: "Users will always be able to revert back to the classic ribbon with one click."
The web version of Word will be the first of the apps to get it. Microsoft says it'll start to roll it out to select users of Office.com today, and then "Select Insiders" will see it in Outlook for Windows in July.
Collaboration commands will all be in the upper right-hand corner inside Office documents.
Collaborators will be represented by an avatar and a color, so that each person's cursor can be identified using that designated color as everyone edits the same document — similar to the way it is in Google's G Suite apps.
The icons for all of the commands that you see in the toolbar — copy, paste, print, folder, for example — will be updated so that the graphics are more "crisp" for larger screens.
These will also only appear in the Word for Office.com at first, but they'll roll out a little further than the simplified ribbon when they go to Windows: the aforementioned select Insiders will see the updated icons in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows later this month.
Outlook for Windows will get the icons in July and Outlook for Mac will get them in August.
AI-powered search will bring up recommendations on actions, content or people you're looking for, based on your work habits, right when you place your cursor in the query box.
This is already available to some commercial users of Office.com and the Outlook mobile app.
