Microsoft Edge may bring Office side panel to the web

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Microsoft may make it a bit easier to hop into the Office suite when browsing in Edge.

Microsoft Edge Update Dev New2
Microsoft Edge Update Dev New2 (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft is testing an Office side panel in the latest version of Edge Canary.
  • The panel includes shortcuts to the most popular Office web apps, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams.
  • The feature is part of a controlled rollout, so you may not be able to try it out, even if you are running the latest build of Microsoft Edge Canary.

Microsoft is testing a new feature that brings Edge and Office closer together. First spotted by Leo Varela, the latest version of Edge Canary now includes an Office side panel. The feature provides shortcuts to the most popular Office web apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It also has buttons for Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, and OneNote.

At the top of the panel, Microsoft highlights that people can use Office apps for free on Edge. Of course, anyone can use the Office web apps for free on any browser. Some Office users may be unaware of the option to use the productivity suite for free, so the side panel could serve as a quick heads up.

Source: Leo Varela via Reddit (Image credit: Source: Leo Varela via Reddit)

As is the case with many features in Edge Canary, the Office side panel is part of a controlled rollout. That means that even if you're on the latest version of the browser, you still may not be able to try out the feature. If the Office side panel proves popular or is part of Microsoft's long-term plans, it should roll out to more Insiders in the future.

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Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.