M365 Changelog: File viewer for Microsoft 365: Updates to opening non-Office files in Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint

MC795081 – The enhanced file viewer for Microsoft 365 offers a quick and easy way to view your files in OneDrive for the web and Microsoft SharePoint Online. Microsoft enhanced the design of the file viewer to make it more useful and intuitive. Microsoft added a new toolbar, new panes, and collaboration features. The file viewer now supports more than 300 file types.

The enhanced file viewer has begun to roll out, and Microsoft acknowledges that our communication regarding this update has been delayed. Microsoft hope that the new productivity tool is already enhancing the experience of accessing non-Office files in OneDrive and SharePoint.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 381752.

When this will happen:

Targeted Release: Now available.

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): Microsoft began rolling out early May 2024 and expects to complete by late May 2024.

How this will affect your organization:

Before the rollout: The file viewer had a white background that made it challenging to focus on the content that blended into the background. The command bar was crowded with features with no room to add new features. The file navigation arrows to move from file to file were in the top right corner, and their purpose was not intuitive.

After the rollout: The new file viewer has a dark mode background, an updated command bar, and file navigation arrows positioned in the middle of the page. Learn more: Introducing New Capabilities for File Viewer in Microsoft 365 – Microsoft Community Hub)

The enhanced file viewer:

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What you need to do to prepare:

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified dates with no admin action required before the rollout. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation as appropriate.