Is Office 365 and Microsoft 365 the same thing? Find Out
When you search for Microsoft cloud suite on the internet you will find two terms: Microsoft 365 and Office 365. Both the terms are used interchangeably as they offer many similar functions and features, but are different to each other.
“Before 2020, people were using Office 365 in their business activities to improve productivity, collaboration and communication. But, now it has become part of Microsoft 365 with many new functions and features.”
Know About Microsoft Office Suite
To know Microsoft 365 vs Office 365, we have to understand the purpose of introducing the cloud suite. So, in 2011, Microsoft launched Office 365 suite. The purpose of introducing the suite is to integrate Office applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook with Cloud computing. It was a subscription based program where users would get productive tools with email client, calendar and cloud storage. It was targeted for businesses and educational institutions to enhance the workplace productivity and real-time collaboration with teams and devices.
However, after 9 years they did a major upgrade and named it Microsoft 365. Now, many individuals and big organizations use Microsoft 365 in their work. Why this sudden rebranding. We will explain this below in detail.
Why is Office 365 Renamed to Microsoft 365?
The reason for rebranding Office 365 is to provide an all-in-one platform to manage your data. Microsoft 365 not only integrates with Word, Excel and PowerPoint but also advanced tools such as Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Exchange Online, robust security measures and many other things.
Also, the Microsoft brand Office became outdated because they added more advanced services. With Cloud and AI driven features they need to rebrand old Office 365 to suit the new capabilities of the services. Therefore,
Benefits of Renaming Microsoft 365 Suite
- By rebranding the Microsoft suite, it becomes easier to identify it from the vast similar products that provide similar services. It also makes it easier for the customer to easily recognize the products.
- The Office name was primarily associated with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. But, Microsoft 365 explains the full scope of the suite.
- Microsoft 365 works in a hybrid work environment with more collaboration, mobility and security. So, by rebranding the suite, many users see this program as more of a productivity tool.
Therefore, rebranding makes it easier to understand the scope of this suite and is easily recognizable. Also, many businesses switch from Office 365 to Microsoft 365.
Office 365 VS Microsoft 365 [Comparison with Key Differences]
Now, let’s see the difference between these two and what changes Microsoft made in the rebranded program.
|
Functions |
Office 365 |
Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| When it is Launched | In year 2011 | Microsoft introduced the brand Microsoft 365 in 2017. But rebranded in 2020. |
| Main Applications | It provides core apps of Microsoft (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) | It also provides the same core apps of Microsoft. |
| Additional Services | The program provides you Exchange Online, OneDrive SharePoint and Teams. | Here, you will get all the Office 365 services in addition to advanced security, compliance, device management, and Windows OS in some plans. |
| Security Measures | You will get basic security and productivity tools. | In this, you will get advanced security features, conditional access, Intune Defender and many more. |
| Targeted to | The program is created for businesses and educational institutions. | Anyone can purchase this suite whether they are individuals, SMBs, enterprises, and workers. |
| Does it Integrated with Operating System | No, it does not include the OS. | There are certain plans that contain Windows 10 or 11 licensing. |
| Availability in 2025 | It mostly phased out. | Today, it is actively used by many users. |
So, Microsoft 365 subscription is the same as Office 365. Many products change their name. Below we have provided the old and renamed name of the Microsoft Office suite.
Renaming Office 365 Products in Microsoft 365
|
OLD NAME |
NEW NAME |
|---|---|
| Office 365 Business Essentials | Microsoft 365 Business Basic |
| Office 365 Business Premium | Microsoft 365 Business Standard |
| Microsoft 365 Business | Microsoft 365 Business Premium |
| Office 365 Business | Microsoft 365 Apps for Business |
| Office 365 ProPlus | Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise |
Important Note: None of the Office 365 plans are getting changed at all. Microsoft has just altered their names of plans.
So, Office 365 is now Microsoft 365. Many users are transferring their Office 365 data to the new Microsoft 365 account. Then, we have a method that you can use.
How to Move Data from Office 365 Account?
If you have decided to pack up your entire data from your Office 365 account, then a do-it-yourself approach is the best bet! For this, we have a solution that can easily backup your complete Office 365 data items to another account – BitRecover Office 365 Backup Wizard. A specialized tool that can help you to easily move your data from one account to another while keeping your original data secure. The program is available in both Windows as well as Mac OS without any issues. So, there would be no issue in installing the account.
Frequently Asked Queries
Q. What is the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365?
Ans. The main difference between these two are- Office 365 provides you core applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. to improve productivity. However, Microsoft 365 has broader programs, which include Office 365 and other advanced features to improve productivity, collaboration and communication.
Q. Does Microsoft 365 replace Office 365?
Ans. Yes, in 2020, Office 365 rebranded into Microsoft 365 with more features and functions.
Q. Why is Office 365 changing to Microsoft 365?
Ans. The purpose of renaming Office 365 to Microsoft 365 is to provide features beyond the Office applications. Such as advanced security, robust cloud services and AI tools.
Q. When did Office 365 become Microsoft 365?
Ans. On April 21, 2020 Microsoft changed to rebranded Microsoft 365.
Q. What is the new name for Office 365?
Ans. Microsoft 365 is the new name of the previous suite Office 365.
Q. Is Office 365 Obsolete?
Ans. No, it is not obsolete. But rebranded as Microsoft 365.
Time to Conclude
If you are confused between Microsoft 365 and Office 365. This article explains Office 365 vs Microsoft 365. Here, we explain the story behind rebranding the Microsoft Office suite. Then, discuss the key difference between these two suites. We also mentioned the plans that are renamed in Microsoft 365. If you have old data in your Office 365 and want to move them to the new suite. So, we have provided a method that will help you.
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