Microsoft on Tuesday announced the release of updates for many of its Microsoft 365 for Mac apps to provide native M1 processor support for Apple’s latest Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.
Microsoft has updated its core flagship 365 apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Microsoft used the Universal App Binary approach, so the apps will also continue to run on Intel-based Macs.
We are excited to announce that starting today we are releasing new versions of many of our Microsoft 365 for Mac apps that run natively on Macs with M1. This means that now our core flagship Office apps—Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote—will run faster and take full advantage of the performance improvements on new Macs, making you even more productive on the latest MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. The new Office apps are Universal, so they will continue to run great on Macs with Intel processors. The apps are not only speedy, but they also look fantastic as they have been redesigned to match the new look of macOS Big Sur.
Microsoft says the updates are going out today, and users can check the Mac App Store, run the AutoUpdate option in a Microsoft app, or wait for an automatic update.
Microsoft also announced support for iCloud accounts in the new Outlook for Mac. The company says this will enable users to organize work and personal emails, contacts, and calendars together in one app making it is easier for them to stay connected to what matters. The Redmond firm says it will start to roll this out to Outlook for Mac users in the coming weeks.
Microsoft has also released a new version of its Visual Studio Code app for M1 Macs. It is available to users who participate in Microsoft’s Insider program.