Microsoft's 365 suite expands with new applications, set to integrate with Windows 11
Microsoft 365 Expands with New Companion Apps for Windows 11
In an exciting development, Microsoft is set to release a suite of new companion apps for its Microsoft 365 suite. These apps, which are expected to be available to a wider audience in the near future, are scheduled to ship in the coming weeks, according to the Microsoft 365 roadmap.
The new apps, including the Calendar, People, and File Search companion apps, are designed to provide quicker and easier access to contacts, files, and calendar events.
The Calendar companion app draws data from your Microsoft 365 calendar, allowing you to quickly access your schedule, view upcoming events, join meetings, and search appointments directly from the Windows taskbar.
The People companion app, on the other hand, allows you to easily look up anybody in your enterprise, browse organizational charts, view contact information, and communicate with colleagues. To use the People companion app, you'll need to be part of a Microsoft 365 plan that includes Teams.
The File Search companion app enables users to find Microsoft 365 files, preview file contents, send files to colleagues, and easily access recently used documents. It pulls information from OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and other services.
These apps are exclusive to Windows 11 and are automatically installed for users with Microsoft 365 desktop apps and appropriate commercial SKUs. The release dates for the People, File Search, and Calendar companion apps for Microsoft 365 on Windows 11 are part of a rollout process that began with beta availability earlier in 2025. The apps are expected to be fully rolled out this month, August 2025.
It's important to note that the planned release date for the new Microsoft 365 apps is August, but dates on the roadmap are subject to change. The new apps are powered by Microsoft Graph, which can access data from Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra, and other Microsoft cloud services.
At the moment, the companion apps are limited to the Microsoft 365 Insider Program for Business and Windows 11. The search functionality of the new Microsoft 365 apps is robust and flexible, allowing users to search for contacts within the People companion app by entering a name, title, location, department, or skills a person has.
The new Microsoft 365 apps provide a shortcut to information and gather together information from other apps, making it easier for users to manage their workflow. Stay tuned for more updates as these apps become more widely available.
[1] Microsoft 365 Roadmap: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap [3] Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-365-blog/microsoft-365-apps-for-windows-11-people-file-search-and/ba-p/3397293 [5] Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-365-blog/microsoft-365-apps-for-windows-11-calendar-app-preview-rollout/ba-p/3397295
- Microsoft's new suite of companion apps for Microsoft 365, including the Calendar, People, and File Search apps, will be available on Windows 11 in the coming weeks.
- The Calendar companion app for Windows 11 pulls data from your Microsoft 365 calendar, allowing you to quickly access your schedule, view upcoming events, join meetings, and search appointments.
- To use the People companion app on Windows 11, you'll need to be part of a Microsoft 365 plan that includes Teams.
- The File Search companion app for Windows 11 enables users to find Microsoft 365 files, preview file contents, send files to colleagues, and access recently used documents.
- These new Microsoft 365 apps for Windows 11 are exclusive to Windows 11 and are automatically installed for users with Microsoft 365 desktop apps and appropriate commercial SKUs.
- These apps for Windows 11 are powered by Microsoft Graph, which can access data from Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra, and other Microsoft cloud services.
- The search functionality of the new Microsoft 365 apps for Windows 11 is robust and flexible, allowing users to search for contacts within the People companion app by entering a name, title, location, department, or skills a person has.
