The Microsoft Office app was rebranded to Microsoft 365 Copilot a year ago — why is the news trending now?

The internet can be a tricky place sometimes. This week, you've likely seen stories or Reddit posts about Microsoft Office being rebranded to Microsoft 365 Copilot. While a rebrand did happen, it was an app that was rebranded and that change occurred a year ago. So, what gives?

First, a quick refresher. In January 2025, Microsoft made the decision to rename its Microsoft 365 app as "Microsoft 365 Copilot." That was the second major rebrand for the app. It was known as "Microsoft Office" for years before it shifted to the Microsoft 365 moniker.

The new name is awkward and doesn't reflect the main reason people use Microsoft. While a Microsoft 365 subscription now includes Copilot and a bunch of other services, many still associate the service primarily with the Office apps.

The change was made more awkward when it became clear the Microsoft 365 Copilot app icon was difficult to distinguish from other Microsoft apps.

Our Executive Editor Jez Corden commented on the change at the time and his comments hold true today:

"The rebrand of Microsoft Office was dumb to start with, trampling on a legacy spanning decades. The second rebrand attaching Copilot is even more dumb, and follows the Copilot+ PC thought process of firmly putting the cart several miles before the horse. Copilot hasn't earned the right to be showcased alongside a technological cultural milestones like Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word."

Corden's comments are warranted. Microsoft's obsession with AI is hurting the experience of general consumers. "Microslop" is trending on social media following a blog post from Satya Nadella that asked people to stop calling AI "slop."

Microsoft's leaders were snubbed by TIME, suggesting people do not view the tech giant as an innovator in AI. The company is also getting outpaced by Google and other competitors.

But there's one major difference between Corden's comments and the comments shared on social media over the last few days — Corden said what he said when the news was... new.

While I can't claim the following is the original source of the trending topic this week, it appears to be one of the first mentions of the Microsoft 365 Copilot rebrand this week to gain traction (pardon the language):

That information is true, but it lacks the context that the change happened a year ago and that the rebrand was of an app. Microsoft Office is still a term used by the tech giant. Once people caught onto that fact, a surge of corrections occurred, such as the Reddit post on the topic being removed.

I'm not defending Microsoft. I think the rebrand exemplifies the company's obsession with AI. I also agree with Steven Sinofsky — yes, that Steven Sinofsky — that Microsoft made the change to increase Copilot usage metrics.

I just think people should know the change is almost 12 months old at this point.

Should Microsoft promote Google products in ads? Do you think Chrome's inclusion was a mistake? Let us know in the comments.

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