It’s been a year of new experiences for Visio. In 2021, we announced the rollout of Visio in Microsoft 365 that brought the power of diagramming to all Microsoft 365 commercial subscribers. So far in 2022, we’ve been working to bring together the tools you love with the diagrams you use every day. And more recently, we’ve been focused on enhancing the diagramming experience for Visio in Microsoft 365, Visio Plan 1, and Visio Plan 2 users to include new diagram types.
Keep reading for a quick recap of recently introduced tools, tools that are coming soon, and new sample diagrams—available to all Visio for the web users, unless otherwise noted.
New collaboration and diagramming tools in Visio for the web
@mentions (available): Earlier this year, we released @mentions in Visio for the web. As a quick recap, when adding a comment in a Visio file, you can use the @-sign with someone’s name to tag them for feedback. The person you mention will receive an email with a link to your comment that brings them into the Visio file and into the conversation. The ability to @mention your colleagues is available in both the Visio Viewer and Visio Editor in Visio for the web and Microsoft Teams.
An image demonstrating a flowchart with a list of names that auto-populates when using the @mention feature in Visio for the web.
Format Options pane (available): The new Format Options pane in Visio for the web brings Fill, Line, and new Dimension options right next to your diagram. Now, you can set the exact width and height of the shapes in your diagram and rotate the shapes in one-degree increments from -360 to 360 degrees. Try different options to see what works best for your diagram. As you adjust values, you’ll be able to see your changes take place in real time in the Visio canvas. Learn more about formatting a shape, changing the size, rotation, and order of a shape, or applying transparency to a shape in Visio for the web.
An image demonstrating how to right-click a shape or connector in a diagram to select Format Options.
An image demonstrating the Format Options pane that will open to the right of the diagram.
Improved interoperability between the Visio web and desktop apps (available): With this update, Visio for the web users can open files that were previously not supported for editing in Visio for the web and edit shapes with certain properties such as rectangular gradients and those containing OLE objects. Please note, some interactions will be blocked or optimized.
An image demonstrating how a user can open and edit a Visio file consisting of shapes with gradients in Visio for the web.
Grid and Snap to Grid (coming soon!): Previously available only in the Visio desktop app, the Grid and Snap to Grid options are currently rolling out to Visio Plan 1 and Visio Plan 2 subscribers only in Visio for the web. Align your shapes visually using grids and choose to snap them to the lines of the grid, which crisscross the Visio canvas just like lines on traditional graph paper. You can also change the grid size. Learn how to show, hide, or change the grid in Visio for the web and how to turn snap on or off.
An image demonstrating how to show the grid by selecting the Grid check box, and how to align shapes to the grid by selecting the Snap to Grid check box.
Teaching Callouts (coming soon!): Experience a guided walkthrough of Visio for the web capabilities on the first use of Editor and learn more about newly launched features with in-context Teaching Callouts. Teaching Callouts offer clear and concise next steps to avoid disrupting a user’s workflow—while also onboarding them to Visio for the web.
An image demonstrating the new Teaching Callouts feature (coming soon), which takes new users on a guided tour of how to get started in Visio for the web.
New shapes and sample diagrams in Visio for the web
In May, we introduced new shapes and sample diagrams in Visio for the web that will enable you to quickly create business frameworks and infographic timelines. You can access the entire library of diagram types available in Visio for the web at aka.ms/visio-templates.
Business frameworks (available): We’ve introduced sample diagrams for popular business frameworks, including PESTLE analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, 5 whys, the 4 Ps of marketing, and the strategy diamond. These new templates are the building blocks for creating, visualizing, and communicating efficient business models, business strategies, value chains, and more.
An image demonstrating how to access new business frameworks by selecting See All in the Basic Diagrams template library in Visio for the web.
Infographic timelines (available): We’ve also added new templates to help you create visual timelines for smart yearly goals, employee growth plans, marketplace rollouts, and product launch roadmaps—to name a few. Take a look at our post on the Office Insider blog to learn more about creating business frameworks and infographic timelines in Visio for the web.
An image demonstrating how to access new infographic timelines by selecting See All in the Infographic Timelines template library in Visio for the web.
These new sample diagrams are available to all Visio for the web users worldwide—currently supported in U.S. English only. We will continue to add new diagram types to enhance the diagramming experience in Visio for the web. We also invite you to send us your ideas and requests, so please add a comment to this post in the Visio Feedback Portal. And keep an eye out for new diagram types that will soon be available!
*Bonus announcement for Visio desktop users*
Visio files Shared with Me (available): We’ve introduced Shared with Me in the Visio desktop app, so you can more easily find important files shared by your colleagues. Any Visio file that has been shared with you will automatically appear in your list of shared files. This list is available to users who have a Microsoft 365 subscription.
To see the files that were shared with you, open the Visio desktop app (if you already have a drawing open, select File). Scroll down and select the Shared with Me tab or select Open > Shared with Me. Learn more about how to see files others have shared with you.
An image demonstrating how to access shared files from the Home tab: Select Shared with Me on the Home tab of the File menu.
An image demonstrating how to access shared files from the Open tab: Select Shared with Me on the Open tab of the File menu.
Give us your feedback! Please tell us what you think of the new tools and diagram types in the comments below. You can also send feedback via the Visio Feedback Portal or directly in the Visio web app using “Give Feedback to Microsoft” in the bottom right corner.
Did you know? The Microsoft 365 Roadmap is where you can get the latest updates on productivity apps and intelligent cloud services. Check out what features are in development or coming soon on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, or to view the roadmap items for Visio for the web, click here.
Microsoft
