Microsoft releases Office for iPad update with PDF exporting, presenter view, third party fonts, more

In the past, Microsoft launched enhanced versions of its OneNote app and later its Office suite for iOS devices, including iPhone, iPad, and Mac. One significant upgrade was Office for iPad, Version 1.1, which introduced numerous new features to boost tablet productivity. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint all received valuable updates, providing users with new conveniences and enhanced usefulness.

In the 1.1 update, Microsoft Excel for iPad began offering the option to export Excel files as PDFs, a handy ‘Flick to Select’ feature for rapid data selection, superior support for external keyboards, PivotTables interaction, expanded printing options, and photo processing tools. The update also saw the integration of third-party fonts.

The PowerPoint for iPad 1.1 update introduced a Presenter View that allowed users to see and edit speaker notes and view the upcoming slide while presenting. Other new features were multimedia playback, video insertion from the Camera Roll, photo editing tools, the incorporation of erasing highlights and drawings on presentations, the capacity to email PowerPoint files as PDFs, hyperlinking features, and finally, access to third-party fonts.

Microsoft Word for iPad 1.1 provided the ability to email Word documents as PDFs and offered image editing tools along with the inclusion of third-party fonts.

The Office for iPad suite made its debut on the App Store the same year, with each app available to download free of charge. However, users needed a Microsoft service subscription to access all features.

Light edits were made in 2025 to improve clarity and relevance.