Microsoft announced a unified Office app for mobile devices back during its Ignite conference in 2019. The app was then made generally available for Android and iOS in February 2020. It serves as a unified solution for not only working on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, but also for PDF files, and provides other functions such as the ability to transfer files between the PC and mobile devices.
The iOS version of the app is receiving an update today that brings with it a few new features. These include the addition of support for HEIC (High Efficiency Image File Format) files in the file transfer feature, a Dictate feature for typing using users’ voice in Word files, and a multi-select option for images in the ‘Media’ tab in the app. The addition of support for HEIC files was made available to Insiders earlier this month.
Here is the full changelog:
- Media Tab Multi-Select: The images in the media tab can be multi-selected to do interesting actions.
- HEIC File Transfer: Adds support for HEIC files in the file transfer action of the Office app.
- Type with Your Voice: Select Dictate and watch Word type while you talk.
The features being added are minor and improve the usability of the app for iOS users. The Dictate feature is a welcome addition for those that use accessibility options on Word. It would also be a handy tool for when users want to quickly transcribe content into text for a document. The HEIC file support is also a nifty addition since iOS devices use this format for images.
iOS users can head to the App Store to download the Office app or to check for updates. It is possible that the update will not be offered to all users right away, but it should make it to all devices in the next few days.