Apple Liquid Design, now Microsoft Fluid. Would Gas & Smoking Mirrors be next?

How a subtle refresh of our Microsoft 365 icons signals deeper change. A collage of Microsoft Office app icons, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, and others, floating over a light background with abstract shapes and interface elements.

When it comes to outsized impact, it’s hard to debate the almighty icon. No bigger than a postage stamp, these tiny symbols are gateways to entire experiences, distilling complex ideas, product abilities, and brand identities into a single, memorable image. By evoking emotion, sparking curiosity, and giving intuitive guidance, they make technology more accessible and approachable.

Today, as we roll out refreshed icons for Microsoft 365 apps, small but significant design changes are a reflection and a signal. As a reflection, they encapsulate how AI is shifting the discipline of design and the nature of product development. As a symbol, they embody an ethos rooted in connection, coherence, and fluid collaboration. While these principles guided previous redesigns, their meaning has shifted—connection today isn’t about visual consistency so much as the seamless flow of human intent across every Microsoft 365 canvas.