Microsoft Office Support Coming to Touch Bar on MacBook Pro - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
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

126 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)
126 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)
126 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)
126 months ago
So that's how Microsoft knew it could easily steal Apple's thunder.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vjl323 Avatar
126 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
126 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.

MacRumors content image

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

iCloud iPhone 17 Pro

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Get Two New Perks on iOS 27

Thursday July 2, 2026 6:10 am PDT by
If you pay for certain iCloud+ storage plans beyond the 5GB that Apple offers for free, you will receive two more perks on iOS 27 at no additional cost. A summary of the two new iCloud+ perks on iOS 27:Increased daily usage limits for some new Apple Intelligence features, including image generation in the revamped Image Playground app. HomeKit Secure Video cameras receive generated video...
American Express Gold Apple Pay Feature

American Express Announces New Apple Pay Feature

Tuesday June 30, 2026 10:27 am PDT by
American Express today announced that you can now redeem Membership Rewards points when checking out with Apple Pay on the web and in apps on the iPhone and iPad. When checking out with Apple Pay on iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 or later, tap on your eligible American Express card (Platinum, Gold, Green, and others) and select the Membership Rewards points option. You can use points to cover all or...
series 10 apple watch titanium digital crown

Report: Apple Watch Redesign Coming Next Year With New Band System

Tuesday June 30, 2026 8:45 am PDT by
A "major overhaul" of the Apple Watch's design is due to arrive next year with a new system for connecting bands, according to a known Weibo leaker. In a set of recent posts, the leaker known as "Instant Digital" linked the new claim to older rumors about an "Apple Watch X" model, which was said to introduce a fresh design and break compatibility with the existing watch band system. Citing...