Recently, Microsoft introduced the
new version
of the popular Office 2024 suite, which comes packed with updated features inspired by “Microsoft 365”. These versions (released every three years) target consumers who do not wish to pay periodic subscriptions for Microsoft 365 and instead receive some new features along with security updates and improvements over the next five years. In any case, the Office 2024 version introduces a set of innovations that redefine how we work and communicate in the modern office environment, with improvements seen in each program in the package. If you are interested in learning more, the following lines highlight the key features of Office 2024.
new version
of the popular Office 2024 suite, which comes packed with updated features inspired by “Microsoft 365”. These versions (released every three years) target consumers who do not wish to pay periodic subscriptions for Microsoft 365 and instead receive some new features along with security updates and improvements over the next five years. In any case, the Office 2024 version introduces a set of innovations that redefine how we work and communicate in the modern office environment, with improvements seen in each program in the package. If you are interested in learning more, the following lines highlight the key features of Office 2024.
New Features in Office 2024
Before we delve into the features, it’s worth noting that Office 2024 is currently available in two versions: the Home & Student version starting at $150 (or equivalent to 3,200 Egyptian pounds) and can be purchased from the
Microsoft Store. The second version is tailored for Home & Business, priced at $250 (or equivalent to 8,300 Egyptian pounds) and can also be purchased from the
official Microsoft store. Once purchased, the license is linked to your Microsoft account, providing a download link for the ISO file to install the version on your device, whether you are using Windows 10, 11, or macOS from Apple.
Microsoft Store. The second version is tailored for Home & Business, priced at $250 (or equivalent to 8,300 Egyptian pounds) and can also be purchased from the
official Microsoft store. Once purchased, the license is linked to your Microsoft account, providing a download link for the ISO file to install the version on your device, whether you are using Windows 10, 11, or macOS from Apple.
Regarding the difference between the different versions, the Home & Student version includes the basic Office programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, while the more expensive Home & Business version allows for the use of the Outlook email program and grants usage rights for commercial purposes. It is also noteworthy that this is the first version in Microsoft Office’s history to be released without Publisher, which Microsoft announced the end of support for earlier this year. Taking these points into consideration, let’s highlight the key features included in Office 2024.
What’s New in Outlook
Office 2024 offers improvements in searching within the Outlook email program, showing you the most relevant suggestions when searching in emails, including searching in email attachments, contact lists, and calendar events. It also provides more options for managing meetings, allowing for breaks to be scheduled automatically between calls based on their duration. Microsoft has also enhanced
accessibility features to help you consider points that aim to present content better to others, ensuring clarity in items like colors, texts, images, and other elements that may be challenging to read.
accessibility features to help you consider points that aim to present content better to others, ensuring clarity in items like colors, texts, images, and other elements that may be challenging to read.
What’s New in PowerPoint
PowerPoint now includes the “Recording Studio” feature, allowing you to create video clips for your presentations, complete with recorded audio and hand-drawn graphics used in the presentation, then saving it as a video file for others to watch without needing to download PowerPoint on their devices. The program also supports “Captioned Comments” Closed Captions, allowing subtitles to be added to video clips and audio files in your presentations to make them understandable to a wider audience, including those with hearing impairments and those speaking languages other than those used in the presentation.
Additionally, the program now allows you to
import pictures from your Android phone
(connected wirelessly to the computer) to directly insert them into presentations with minimal effort. Microsoft has enhanced PowerPoint with another feature called “Cameo,” which allows you to integrate a live stream from your webcam into presentation slides, meaning you will appear on-screen in real-time while presenting content. You can also add animations, transition effects, and even hand-written notes during the presentation to make it more realistic than ever before.
import pictures from your Android phone
(connected wirelessly to the computer) to directly insert them into presentations with minimal effort. Microsoft has enhanced PowerPoint with another feature called “Cameo,” which allows you to integrate a live stream from your webcam into presentation slides, meaning you will appear on-screen in real-time while presenting content. You can also add animations, transition effects, and even hand-written notes during the presentation to make it more realistic than ever before.
What’s New in Excel
The Office 2024 version has greatly enhanced Excel’s capabilities to provide greater flexibility in data processing. Starting with easier data analysis and efficient problem-solving with reduced delays and interruptions that arise when opening multiple sheets or workspaces simultaneously. Thanks to the
Dynamic Charts/Arrays feature, it is now possible to add arrays or charts that visualize data sets in line with the latest changes. Meaning, if you change the numerical data values, the chart or array format will be updated automatically instead of being fixed to a certain number of data points.
Dynamic Charts/Arrays feature, it is now possible to add arrays or charts that visualize data sets in line with the latest changes. Meaning, if you change the numerical data values, the chart or array format will be updated automatically instead of being fixed to a certain number of data points.
You can also add images to worksheets using copy and paste or use the IMAGE function to add images from the internet. Additionally, you can easily move, resize, sort, and filter images within an Excel sheet without the image moving. The program has also added
14 new text and array functions designed to help you process text and arrays in your workbooks. These functions facilitate extracting textual strings, splitting them, merging arrays, reformatting, and resizing them with ease.
14 new text and array functions designed to help you process text and arrays in your workbooks. These functions facilitate extracting textual strings, splitting them, merging arrays, reformatting, and resizing them with ease.
What’s New in OneNote
OneNote in the Office 2024 suite comes with a highly useful new mode called “Full-screen Mode,” allowing you to dedicate the entire screen to drawing, writing, or note-taking, keeping distractions at bay. The new version also provides enhanced drawing tools in OneNote in addition to integrating the
new Sticky Notes app
from Microsoft, offering important upgrades as it integrates with OneNote for note-taking and syncing seamlessly across various devices linked to your Microsoft account. Users can now run the Sticky Notes app through OneNote, and with the “Screenshot capturing” feature, source information is automatically saved, making it easier to review notes written while reviewing this source, such as notes taken while watching a YouTube video, the app will display these notes upon revisiting the video.
new Sticky Notes app
from Microsoft, offering important upgrades as it integrates with OneNote for note-taking and syncing seamlessly across various devices linked to your Microsoft account. Users can now run the Sticky Notes app through OneNote, and with the “Screenshot capturing” feature, source information is automatically saved, making it easier to review notes written while reviewing this source, such as notes taken while watching a YouTube video, the app will display these notes upon revisiting the video.
What’s New in Word
As with Word and other Office applications, it is now easy to upload an image from your Android phone directly by clicking on the “Insert” tab, then “Pictures,” then “Mobile Device,” and uploading the image from there without needing to place it on the device first. The program also now supports the
OpenDocument Format 1.4 in addition to the AutoSave feature that was previously exclusive to Microsoft 365 subscribers, allowing documents to be saved and changes updated automatically, aiding in recovering unsaved documents if the program is accidentally closed, making it easy to pick up where you left off.
OpenDocument Format 1.4 in addition to the AutoSave feature that was previously exclusive to Microsoft 365 subscribers, allowing documents to be saved and changes updated automatically, aiding in recovering unsaved documents if the program is accidentally closed, making it easy to pick up where you left off.
New Font and Updated User Interface Design
The Office 2024 version introduces the most significant change in the user interface of the well-known office applications, presenting a
new design that aligns with Windows 11’s interface. This design offers stability and ensures a familiar and seamless user experience across all applications. The new design follows the Fluent Design approach used in various modern Microsoft applications, ensuring that colors are harmonious with a slightly transparent and foggy background to show subtle shades of the background. This design also ensures that motion effects are smoother on Windows 11 specifically, with applications running optimally on Windows 10 to a slightly lesser degree. Another major change in the new design of the Office apps is that their interfaces now adapt automatically to the Windows theme, whether in light or dark mode.
new design that aligns with Windows 11’s interface. This design offers stability and ensures a familiar and seamless user experience across all applications. The new design follows the Fluent Design approach used in various modern Microsoft applications, ensuring that colors are harmonious with a slightly transparent and foggy background to show subtle shades of the background. This design also ensures that motion effects are smoother on Windows 11 specifically, with applications running optimally on Windows 10 to a slightly lesser degree. Another major change in the new design of the Office apps is that their interfaces now adapt automatically to the Windows theme, whether in light or dark mode.
In addition to the interface update, Office 2024 introduces a completely new font that will be the default in various Office applications called
“Aptos”, belonging to the Sans-Serif font family. Microsoft first introduced this font in 2023 as part of its efforts to update default fonts across various Office applications to replace the previous default font, Calibri, used since 2007. Overall, Aptos features a simple and
“Aptos”, belonging to the Sans-Serif font family. Microsoft first introduced this font in 2023 as part of its efforts to update default fonts across various Office applications to replace the previous default font, Calibri, used since 2007. Overall, Aptos features a simple and
