Microsoft has made a public clarification following what it describes as “misleading reports” circulating about the future of its Office suite of products. In an official statement, the tech giant sought to dispel confusion over the rebranding effort that saw the familiar Microsoft Office name replaced by Microsoft 365 more than a year ago.
The response, which comes amid a resurgence of speculation online and in several media outlets, was first reported in a January 8 article titled “Microsoft Responds to Misleading Reports About Office Rebrand” on the technology news site Startup News FYI. The article outlines Microsoft’s efforts to reaffirm that the Office applications—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and others—continue to be fully available under the Microsoft 365 umbrella, despite the name change.
According to Microsoft, the move to rebrand Office as Microsoft 365 was not indicative of a product discontinuation but rather a shift to unify its suite under one cohesive brand identity. The company emphasized that while the standalone Office 2021 version remains available as a perpetual license, the majority of development and new features will focus on the Microsoft 365 platform.
This clarification comes after waves of user confusion on social media and in technology forums, where some interpreted the rebranding as meaning Microsoft was phasing out the Office suite altogether. Microsoft categorically denied this, stating that Office apps remain a core component of its productivity offering and are accessible through Microsoft 365 subscriptions, which also include cloud-based collaboration tools and regular feature updates.
Analysts note that Microsoft’s messaging around the rebrand has not always been straightforward. The legacy of the Office brand—whose roots date back to the 1990s—runs deep, and despite the company’s efforts to modernize and consolidate its services under the Microsoft 365 banner, the original name continues to resonate strongly with users. This has made the transition particularly challenging in terms of public perception.
In its communication, Microsoft reiterated that the rebrand aligns with broader shifts in the software industry, where companies are moving toward subscription-based models that emphasize connectivity, security, and continuous improvement. Microsoft 365, the company argues, reflects this new paradigm more accurately than the traditional Office nomenclature.
The original article on Startup News FYI suggests that Microsoft’s clarification is aimed not only at individual users but also at enterprise customers and IT managers, many of whom rely on Office software as a daily workplace essential. The company has indicated that it will continue to educate users about the evolution of its products and ensure that transparency around branding changes remains a top priority.
As Microsoft continues to refine its product offerings in line with modern usage patterns and cloud-first strategies, clarity around branding will likely be central to how the company maintains user trust and industry leadership.
