Share via

Directing people how to reach “All Apps” in Office.com while on a mobile device

Tom Jackson 56 Reputation points
2026-04-17T18:17:46.8266667+00:00

I ran into the issue of not being able to access the desktop version of the Office.com page and get to “All Apps”. I had Copilot format a KB-style article for this purpose after fighting with it to give me the proper instructions. I thought it might be useful:

Title: Unable to Access “All Apps” on [Office.com] from a Mobile Browser

Summary: When signing in to [Office.com] on a mobile device, users may be redirected to the App Store or Microsoft 365 mobile app page. Returning to the browser results in a mobile‑only version of [Office.com] where the standard navigation menu (including the “All Apps” option) is not available. Additional steps are required to force the desktop version so the full app launcher can be reached.

--- Symptoms

• No 9‑dot “waffle” app launcher icon appears on [Office.com] when using a mobile browser.

• After signing in, [Office.com] displays a simplified mobile page with no left navigation bar.

• Selecting “All Apps” (once desktop mode is enabled) fails to redirect. • Users are unable to browse or launch the full list of Microsoft 365 apps.

--- Cause

[Office.com] detects a mobile device and forces a mobile‑optimized experience. Mobile redirection also occurs after being sent to the App Store or Microsoft 365 app download page during authentication. This prevents access to the desktop navigation UI, including the full “Apps” menu. --- Resolution / Workaround Follow the steps below to force the full desktop version of [Office.com] and successfully access the “All Apps” list.

Step 1 — Sign in normally

  1. Open your mobile browser.
  2. Navigate to https://office.com.
  3. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
  4. If redirected to the App Store/Microsoft 365 app page, return to your browser.

Step 2 — Open the browser’s site‑options menu

  1. In your address bar, tap the puzzle‑piece icon located beside the URL.
  2. Inside that menu, tap the three dots ( … ) to expand options.
  3. Select Request Desktop Version.

Step 3 — Re‑authenticate

• [Office.com] will reload and may require you to sign in again.

• After signing in, the mobile site may still appear.

Step 4 — Request the desktop version again

  1. Tap the puzzle‑piece menu a second time.
  2. Select Request Desktop Version again.
  3. This time, [Office.com] will load the full desktop interface, including the left navigation bar.

Step 5 — Access the full apps list

• In the left sidebar, select Apps.

• The All Apps link in this menu may fail to redirect. This is expected.

Step 6 — Use a direct URL to reach All Apps

  1. In the address bar, manually enter: https://office.com/apps
  2. The page will load successfully.
  3. Selecting All Apps from this page now works as expected.
Microsoft 365 and Office | Other

Locked Question. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Tom Jackson 56 Reputation points
    2026-04-17T18:37:55.3966667+00:00

    The original post has the answer. Microsoft’s auto-generated reply says to use the O365 app, but that app is “Copilot” and it doesn’t have the “Apps” option, let alone the ability to drill into the “All Apps” link/page.

    They say to also expect a reduced experience while on a mobile device. When we need access to apps within “All Apps”, such as “Business Central” to maybe add in a timesheet entry or maybe need to get to the “MyApps” dashboard of links, it doesn’t always make sense to restrict these solely to a desktop experience when a mobile device can allow you to use them just fine.

    The instructions provided partially came from Copilot, itself, when asking it how one might access it. It had some outdated instructions, saying to get to the “Request Desktop Version” option from the “aA” icon when, on iPhone, it’s actually a puzzle piece beside the URL on the address bar. Tap that, then the 3 dots menu to actually get there, now. And providing these updated instructions was actually my purpose for posting-since even though you can potentially muddle through and figure this out, there’s enough left out and that is now incorrect from what Copilot gives that a person can genuinely get confused, think it’s all either missing or completely broken, and give up. Instead, keep requesting the desktop version of the office.com/apps page until you get there and you’ll make it through!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments

  2. AI answer

    2026-04-17T18:18:07.61+00:00

    The provided KB-style steps describe a practical workaround, but the behavior and options on mobile are not officially documented in the supplied context. The context only confirms that:

    • On mobile devices, Microsoft recommends using the Microsoft 365 mobile app instead of the browser for Office experiences.
    • On a cell phone, Office documents opened from Microsoft 365 are typically viewed in the phone’s browser in a simplified, mobile-optimized experience.

    From the context:

    1. Mobile access is expected to be limited compared to desktop. The guidance is to either:
      • Use the Microsoft 365 mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, or
      • Use the phone browser to view documents in Microsoft 365 for the web with supported browsers.
    2. The context does not document a supported or guaranteed method to force the full desktop Office.com experience (including “All Apps”) from a mobile browser. It only describes that:
      • On a cell phone, documents open for viewing in the phone’s browser.
      • There is no phone-based web app for OneNote, and the OneNote app should be installed instead.

    Given this, the safest, supported guidance based on the context is:

    • Use the Microsoft 365 mobile app on iOS or Android to access Microsoft 365 services and apps on mobile devices.
    • When using a mobile browser, expect a simplified, mobile-optimized experience rather than the full desktop Office.com interface and app launcher.

    The workaround described (forcing desktop mode and navigating to “All Apps”) is not covered or validated in the provided documentation.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?