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Voice and tone guidelines

  • Article

As you design your Office Add-ins, consider the voice that you use in your UI text and elements. Strive to match the voice and tone of the Office UI, which is conversational, engaging, and accessible to users.

  • Use a natural style. Write the way that you speak. Avoid jargon and overly technical words and phrases. Use terms that are familiar to your users.
  • Use simple, direct language. Use short words and sentences, and active voice in your text.
  • Be consistent. Use the same words for the same concepts throughout.
  • Engage the user. Address the user as "you". Avoid using third person. Use imperatives for user tasks.
  • Be helpful and empathetic. Make your text positive, polite, supportive, and encouraging. Emphasize what users can accomplish ― not what they can't.
  • Know your customers. Be mindful of cultural considerations and globalization when you use idioms or colloquialisms.

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