Excel Online has been updated with a new UI (User Interface). Let's see what's new.
What is Excel Online?
Excel Online is the web-based version of Microsoft Excel, part of the Microsoft Office Online suite of applications. It allows users to create, edit, and share Excel spreadsheets from a web browser without installing Excel on a local computer.
Excel Online is integrated with Microsoft's cloud storage services, primarily OneDrive and SharePoint. This integration ensures that all documents are automatically saved and accessible from anywhere.
Excel Online also serves as a platform for the latest updates to Excel. Many new features are first introduced in Excel Online before being added to Excel 365 desktop. For example, the new Excel UI is currently only available in Excel Online.
New design and new features of Excel UI
At first glance, Excel looks the same. But if you put your mouse cursor between 2 columns, you can see a new separator. This is the indication you are running the new Excel UI.
Now, when you expand a column, a new dotted line helps you precisely adjust your column.
But the most important thing is how to swap columns. In the desktop version, when you want to move a column, Excel wants to write the destination column's contents over.
But now, when you move a column, the new Excel UI will automatically swap the column 🤩👍 In fact, if you want to replace the content, you must press Shift. That's exactly the opposite of today.
Also you can notice that the cursor becomes a hand and not a cross.
Inserting a column is simpler
If you work with a professional Microsoft account, you have another great feature: insert a column before or after. This option is not available with a free version of Excel Online
When you select a column, you see 2 dots above the column letter.
When you move your mouse on one of these dots, a + sign appears. This means you will insert a column
Like that, you have better control of the position of your new column 👍