Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity software that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other applications. It is one of the most widely used software suites in the world, and it is constantly evolving to meet the needs of businesses and individuals.
In this article, we will compare the latest version of Microsoft Office, Office 2021, with its predecessor, Office 2016. We will look at the new features and improvements that have been made in Office 2021, as well as the differences between the two versions.
Office 2016
Office 2016 was released in September 2015, and it was a major update to the previous version of Office, Office 2013. It included a number of new features and improvements, such as:
- A new version of the Office ribbon, which was designed to be more intuitive and easier to use.
- A new “Tell Me” feature, which allowed users to easily find commands and features within the Office applications.
- Improved collaboration features, including the ability to co-author documents in real-time and the ability to leave comments on documents.
- Enhanced data analysis tools in Excel, including new chart types and improved pivot table functionality.
- New themes and design options in PowerPoint, including the ability to create interactive presentations with PowerPoint Designer.
In addition to these new features, Office 2016 also included updates to the existing applications, such as new chart types in Excel and improved formatting options in Word.
Office 2021
Office 2021 was released in October 2020, and it builds on the features and improvements introduced in Office 2016. Some of the new features and improvements in Office 2021 include:
- A new version of the Office ribbon that is optimized for touchscreens and high-resolution displays.
- Improved collaboration features, including the ability to collaborate on documents in real-time from anywhere with an internet connection.
- Enhanced security features, including the ability to protect sensitive data with data loss prevention (DLP) and threat protection tools.
- Improved accessibility features, including new tools for creating accessible documents and presentations.
- New data analysis and visualization tools in Excel, including the ability to create maps and funnel charts.
In addition to these new features, Office 2021 also includes updates to the existing applications, such as new formatting options in Word and improved slide design options in PowerPoint.
Comparison
Now that we have looked at the new features and improvements in both Office 2016 and Office 2021, let’s compare the two versions.
One of the main differences between the two versions is the focus on collaboration. Office 2016 introduced the ability to co-author documents in real-time, but Office 2021 takes it a step further by allowing users to collaborate on documents from anywhere with an internet connection. This is a major improvement for remote teams and individuals who need to work together on documents and presentations.
Another difference is the focus on security. Office 2021 includes enhanced security features, such as data loss prevention (DLP) and threat protection tools, which help to protect sensitive data and prevent cyber attacks. These tools are important for businesses and organizations that handle sensitive information, as well as for individuals who want to keep their personal data secure.
In terms of design and usability, both Office 2016 and Office 2021 have made improvements. Office 2016 introduced a new version of the Office ribbon that was designed to be more intuitive and easier to use, and Office 2021 has further optimized the ribbon for touchscreens and high-resolution displays. Both versions also include new themes and design options in PowerPoint, as well as improved formatting options in Word
