In 1985, the world was grooving to “Careless Whisper,” watching Back to the Future rocket Michael J. Fox into superstardom, and marveling at the discovery of the Titanic’s wreckage beneath the Atlantic. The Golden Girls had just premiered, and Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. was about to change gaming forever.
Amid this whirlwind of cultural and technological transformation, another revolution was taking shape, one that wouldn’t make headlines but would eventually reshape how the world works, calculates, and analyzes: the birth of Microsoft Excel.
Launched for the Apple Macintosh in September 1985, Excel arrived at a pivotal moment in tech history. Personal computers were becoming more accessible, graphical interfaces were replacing command lines, and the idea of empowering everyday users to manipulate data visually was groundbreaking. Excel’s intuitive grid, powerful formulas, and charting capabilities offered a glimpse into the future of productivity software. It wasn’t just a spreadsheet, but a tool that democratized data – giving businesses, students, and analysts the power to turn numbers into insights and quietly laying the foundation for a digital age where data would become king. Electronic spreadsheets, and in particular Excel, paved the way for advanced workflows on computers, during a time when there was skepticism around the value of PCs.
Since then, Excel has become a household and office favorite worldwide as the most high-performing, reliable, and secure workbook on the market. We’re so grateful to all the Excel fans whose passion for the app has continued to motivate us to build the best possible product for productivity.
In honor of its 40th birthday, here’s a look at how we got here, and where we’re headed next!
Looking back
Looking forward
We are as committed as ever to carrying the torch and building on the foundation that was put in place 40 years ago. Our goal is and will continue to be that Excel scales to support users as they complete any data task as efficiently and effectively as possible.
To that end, we’re investing in several areas and excited to share an overview of our plans with you!
- Accelerate Copilot growth for everyday tasks: Excel is making it easier for you to get instant, intelligent help right where you work. With improved inline AI assistance and the new Copilot Chat experience, customers can quickly write formulas, correct data, and get answers to complex questions, saving time and reducing frustration.
- Build the office of the future with agentic experiences: New agent features, like the Surveys Agent and Agent Mode, will empower you to automate repetitive tasks, analyze data more deeply, and generate insights with minimal effort. You will be able to describe what you want to achieve, and Excel will help you get there, making advanced analysis accessible to everyone.
- Deliver delightful product experiences: Every new feature is intended to be intuitive, high-quality, and genuinely useful. You can continue to expect a seamless, enjoyable experience – where updates are driven by real engagement and satisfaction.
Your feedback makes us better
We love to hear from you and appreciate the quality feedback you share. Please keep it coming and help us make Excel the best product it can be for YOU!
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