Microsoft may be testing 'Project Centennial' versions of Office desktop apps

Windows 10 customers can already download touch-based versions of Microsoft's Office apps from the Windows Store. It appears, though, that the company is also preparing to release the full Win32-based desktop versions of those apps in the store as well, using the ''Project Centennial' tools.

Project Centennial is one of Microsoft's three "bridges" for developers to convert apps to Windows 10 so they can be published in the Windows Store. Project Centennial is supposed to covert normal Win32-based Window apps to ones that can be made available in the store. In a recent status update, Microsoft said that it is currently testing the Project Centennial tools with a limited number of developers.

Well, it appears that Microsoft has gone ahead and begun testing those tools to covert Office 2016 desktop apps to ones for the Windows Store. A listing was spotted in the store labeled "Centennial Office Test1". The download link does work, and will install the full suite of Office 2016 desktop apps on your Windows 10 PC... sort of. The apps themselves can be launched but they don't really work, which shows this is a very early version indeed.

Keep in mind Microsoft has not officially announced plans to release the desktop Office apps in the Windows Store, so take this listing with a little grain of salt.

Check out the Centennial Office Test1 listing in the Windows Store

Via: WalkingCat (Twitter)