Microsoft Office Support Coming to Touch Bar on MacBook Pro - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Microsoft Office Support Coming to Touch Bar on MacBook Pro

by

During its keynote today, Apple briefly mentioned that Touch Bar will be gaining heavy support from third party applications when the laptop launches. Namely, Microsoft is working on introducing support for Touch Bar into Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Skype.

f1477591830
Apple didn't say specifically what the Touch Bar will be able to do within each app, but the company gave detailed demos of what users will be able to do in Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, and Djay Pro. Sketch, DaVinci Resolve, and many others apps will update with Touch Bar support on the new MacBook Pros, as well.

Top Rated Comments

123 months ago
Apple should just give in and release a computer with a full touch screen already.
Phil Schiller Says Apple Tested and Rejected Touch Screen Macs, Finding It 'Absurd' on a Desktop ('https://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/14/phil-schiller-touch-screen-macs/')
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
124 months ago
iWork will never compete with MS Office.

Anyone that says iWorks is close to office has never used office in a professional environment before.

For high-end jobs it's usually know your way around excel or go home - and Apple knows this (hence why they showed the Toolbar on Excel)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
124 months ago
What about Apple's own iWork suite? Why did they not feature Numbers, Pages, and Keynote being used with the TouchBar?
Because MSFT Office is the standard and Apple understands this.
I was wondering the same, especially as iWork has had some decent updates to compete with MS Office. Ditching "Aperture" with the promise that "Photos" extensions could produce an "all-in-one" consumer - professional level photo editing suite have fallen short. This much was obvious when a non-Apple pro-suite was used to demonstrate their new MacBook Pro's. Years back when we began moving away from professional markets, many clamored that it was "too niche" of a market. Unfortunately, that mentality has been proven wrong. We've seen a massive decline in profits from editing studio's, professionals, etc. who annually invested in an easy six figures for hardware updates and editing suites. Add that up and it's far from niche. Most have moved on to Adobe, Avid, Ableton, etc., requiring massive investments in new hardware, software, training, etc. We lost the creatives that heavily invested in Apple and will never get them back. iOS devices are reaching market saturation levels which leaves little recourse for Apple to grow as it was when Jobs was ultimately calling the shots.

Apple became successful again when Jobs slashed products upon his return ('http://www.casestudyinc.com/apples-four-quadrant-product-grid'), his focus while seeing the bigger picture in a rapidly evolving technological world while ensuring the core of Apple's success remained: the successful symbiotic relationship between hardware and software. Cook seems to be throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks, Jobs would look at that wall and find the one thing he knew would succeed and make it happen.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
124 months ago
So that's how Microsoft knew it could easily steal Apple's thunder.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vjl323 Avatar
124 months ago
What about Apple's own iWork suite? Why did they not feature Numbers, Pages, and Keynote being used with the TouchBar?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
28monkeys Avatar
124 months ago
During its keynote today, Apple briefly mentioned that Touch Bar will be gaining heavy support from third party applications when the laptop launches. Namely, Microsoft is working on introducing support for Touch Bar into Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Skype.



Apple didn't say specifically what the Touch Bar will be able to do within each app, but the company gave detailed demos of what users will be able to do in Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, and Djay Pro. Sketch, DaVinci Resolve, and many others apps will update with Touch Bar support on the new MacBook Pros, as well.

Article Link: Microsoft Office Support Coming to Touch Bar on MacBook Pro ('https://www.macrumors.com/2016/10/27/third-party-apps-touch-bar/')
"Incredible", "Amazing", "revolutionary", "great", "cool"
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

M5 Vision Pro Thumb 2

Apple Has Given Up on the Vision Pro After M5 Refresh Flop

Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:31 am PDT by
Apple has all but given up on the Vision Pro after the M5 model failed to revitalize interest in the device, MacRumors has learned. Apple updated the Vision Pro with a faster M5 chip and a more comfortable band in October 2025, but there were no other hardware changes, and consumers still weren't interested. The Vision Pro has been criticized for its high price tag and its uncomfortable...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro to Launch in September With These 10 New Features

Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:35 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
airpods pro 3 design

'AirPods Ultra' Rumored to Feature a Major Upgrade Over AirPods Pro

Thursday April 30, 2026 8:40 am PDT by
In a social media post this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that Apple is planning to release new AirPods with cameras "for Siri." Last month, Gurman said these AirPods will likely be priced above the current AirPods Pro 3, which Apple sells for $249. As a result, he said Apple is likely considering using "AirPods Ultra" branding for the camera-equipped AirPods. "AirPods Ultra"...