For a long time, Visio was only available to organizations as a separate purchase from Office. But now a lightweight, web-based version of Visio is available for free to Microsoft 365 business subscribers. It's called Visio in Microsoft 365. People in organizations or educational institutions that have a Microsoft 365 subscription now have access to Visio in Microsoft 365 and the ability to view and edit basic diagrams, such as:
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flow charts
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block diagrams
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Venn diagrams
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pyramid diagrams
The limits on what you can view and edit
This version of Visio is designed for working on basic diagrams. It doesn't have all the features of the Visio desktop app, so more complex types of diagrams—such as engineering diagrams and software development plans are not supported either for viewing or editing.
It's possible that someone who has the Visio desktop app could send you a complex diagram that Visio in Microsoft 365 can't open for you. In that case, Visio will show you a message to that effect.
Visio in Microsoft 365 supports the .vsdx file format, but it does not support the .vsd file format. You must use Visio Plan 1 or Plan 2 to work with the legacy .vsd file format. In addition, Visio in Microsoft 365 does not support .vsd files that have been converted to .vsdx. You can use Visio Plan 1 or Visio Plan 2 to edit such a .vsdx file, as long as it uses all compatible elements. To read more about compatibility, read Limitations to file editing in Visio for the web.
Who has access to Visio in Microsoft 365?
The lightweight Visio web app is being made available to all users in the following commercial Microsoft 365 plans. Not sure which plan you have? See What version of Office am I using?
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Business (maximum |
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Enterprise (unlimited number of users) |
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Education (unlimited number of users) |
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Apart from the above-mentioned Microsoft 365 plans, the lightweight web app will also be available to non-profit SKUs.
As of now, the lightweight web app is not available in sovereign clouds such as GCC, GCC High, China (21Vianet), and others. However, it might be available later after we get the required privacy approvals.
Access to this feature in non-profit Microsoft 365 plans
Currently, our non-profit plans—E1, E3, E5, Business Basic, and Business Standard—are offered at discounted prices to non-profit organizations. Each of these Microsoft 365 plans will include this new lightweight web app we're calling Visio in Microsoft 365. Compare Microsoft 365 and Office 365 offers for nonprofits.
Access to this feature in sovereign Microsoft 365 plans
We intend to include Visio in Microsoft 365 in GCC/GCCH and other sovereign clouds after the worldwide release. We are still working on all the required compliance signoffs needed to release in these environments.
Access to this feature in Microsoft 365 consumer and F1 plans
Visio in Microsoft 365 won't be available in Microsoft 365 F1 or in Microsoft 365 consumer plans such as Microsoft 365 Family or Microsoft 365 Personal.
When Visio in Microsoft 365 is being released
We will start a gradual rollout starting in August 2021 and by the end of the year, it will be available to all eligible Microsoft 365 commercial license subscribers.
No action is required to enable Visio in Microsoft 365 subscriptions. It will be turned on by default once it is made available to an organization, and there will be no admin control to turn it on or off. However, admins will be notified in advance before we make it available to their organizations.
Early access is only available through a signup process for a limited number of organizations.
Rollout of Visio in Microsoft 365 to organizations in the European Union has not been scheduled yet.
Capabilities included and comparison with other Visio plans
Nothing changes for existing Visio Plan 1 and Visio Plan 2 subscribers. They will continue to have access to those plans, and we will continue to add more capabilities to all subscription versions of Visio.
For details about supported diagram types and a comparison of the subscription plans, see Types of diagrams that are supported in Visio in Microsoft 365.
Microsoft 365 users using the lightweight Visio web app will be able to edit only Visio files with diagram types included in the lightweight web app, irrespective of whether a Visio Plan 1 or Visio Plan 2 user created it. However, Microsoft 365 users cannot edit diagrams created using diagram types that are available in Visio Plan 1 and Visio Plan 2 but not in the lightweight web app.
Currently, we have no plans to include a Visio desktop app in Microsoft 365.
Advantages of Visio Plan 1 and Visio Plan 2
Visio in Microsoft 365 offers several popular diagram types and features to meet essential diagramming needs. However, it is not a replacement for Visio Plan 1 or Visio Plan 2. People with specialized diagrams needs will continue to derive value from Visio Plan 1 and Visio Plan 2, as they offer more diagram types and features. For details, see Types of diagrams that are supported in Visio in Microsoft 365.
Collaboration features
Viewing and comment capabilities were available to all Microsoft 365 users before the availability of the new lightweight app and will continue to exist for all diagram types.
See Also
Types of diagrams that are supported in Visio in Microsoft 365
