Microsoft Office owner: Microsoft owns Office, now sold as Microsoft 365
Who owns Microsoft Office? Microsoft does, and the suite is sold as Microsoft 365. Here is who owns Microsoft, how Office was renamed and what the Copilot app is.
Microsoft owns Microsoft Office. The suite, which includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint, is made and sold by Microsoft and is now marketed under the Microsoft 365 name. The Microsoft Office owner is therefore Microsoft, and Microsoft itself is owned by public shareholders, with Vanguard (7.48%) and BlackRock (7.30%) the largest, according to its 2026 proxy statement. 12
Microsoft Office owner: who owns Office?
People who search “Microsoft office owner” are usually asking one of two things: which company owns Office, and who owns that company. The first answer is Microsoft. The second is its shareholders, because Microsoft is a Nasdaq-listed company with no single owner. We break that down in our report on who is the owner of Microsoft. 2
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Owner of Office | Microsoft Corporation |
| Core apps | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Subscription name | Microsoft 365 |
| Office hub app, November 2022 | Renamed Microsoft 365 app |
| Office hub app, 15 January 2025 | Renamed Microsoft 365 Copilot app |
| Chairman and CEO | Satya Nadella |
Did Microsoft rename Office?
Not the apps themselves. Microsoft told Windows Central that Word, Excel and PowerPoint are unchanged. In November 2022 it renamed only the Office hub app, used on the web and mobile, to the Microsoft 365 app, and in January 2025 it renamed that hub again to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. 3
The confusion grew because office.com now sends visitors to the Copilot hub, which made some reports claim the Office brand had been dropped. Microsoft denied that, Windows Latest reported in January 2026, and Office Watch reached the same conclusion. 45
Who runs the company that owns Office?
Satya Nadella is chairman and CEO of Microsoft, having led it since February 2014. Microsoft was started in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who no longer control it. Read our guide to the Microsoft founders and the Microsoft company page. 2
What happens next
Expect more Copilot branding across Microsoft’s apps. Microsoft says the Office apps and the Microsoft 365 subscription stay in place, so the owner of Office remains Microsoft whatever the hub app is called. 34
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Microsoft Office owner?
Microsoft Corporation. Word, Excel and PowerPoint are Microsoft products, sold today through Microsoft 365.
Who owns Microsoft, the company behind Office?
Public shareholders. Vanguard held 7.48% and BlackRock 7.30% as of 30 September 2026, according to Microsoft’s proxy statement.
Did Microsoft rename Office to Copilot?
Microsoft says no. It renamed only the Office hub app, first to Microsoft 365 in November 2022 and then to Microsoft 365 Copilot in January 2025.
Does Bill Gates own Microsoft Office?
No. Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft, but Microsoft, not any individual, owns Office.
