Microsoft introduced the Excel spreadsheet program in 1985.
Excel first appeared for Apple Macintosh computers on September 30, 1985. Microsoft designed it as a graphical spreadsheet, distinguishing it from command-driven programs that were common at the time. Its interface used menus, tools, and charts to make calculations and data presentation more accessible.
A common mix-up is the release platform: Excel debuted on the Macintosh, not Windows. The first Windows version arrived in 1987, after Microsoft released Windows 2.0. Excel eventually became part of Microsoft Office, alongside Word and PowerPoint.
Excel was not Microsoft’s first spreadsheet product. The company had previously developed Multiplan, released in 1982. Excel’s graphical interface and strong charting capabilities helped it overtake earlier spreadsheet software and become one of Microsoft’s best-known applications.