Microsoft’s current Excel for Microsoft 365 “Discover new features” page lists two non-Copilot additions: unhiding multiple worksheets at once and creating a custom data type in Power Query. A third useful tool, Show Changes, helps review collaborative edits, but Microsoft does not identify it as a newly released feature on that page. Here’s what each does, where it fits, and what to check if it isn’t available in your Excel installation.
What’s new in Excel? Two listed additions, plus a useful review tool
The three capabilities address different jobs: restoring workbook tabs, shaping imported data, and reviewing collaborators’ edits. Microsoft lists the first two as new on its Discover new features in Excel page. Show Changes is documented separately as a workbook-review capability; its release status is not established by that new-features page.
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| Capability | What it helps with | How Microsoft characterizes it |
|---|---|---|
| Unhide multiple sheets | Make several hidden worksheet tabs visible together | Listed as a new feature for Excel for Microsoft 365 |
| Custom data type in Power Query | Keep multiple related pieces of information together in one column | Listed as a new feature for Excel for Microsoft 365 |
| Show Changes | Review who changed a workbook, what changed, when, and the previous cell value | Documented capability; not identified as new on the current new-features page |
How to unhide multiple sheets in Excel
When a workbook has several hidden tabs, unhiding them one at a time can slow down a review or handoff. Microsoft says Excel for Microsoft 365 can unhide many sheets at the same time, so you do not have to repeat the operation for every tab. This is useful when you need to inspect a workbook’s structure or bring several previously hidden sheets back into view.
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Microsoft’s feature page does not give a dated rollout or confirm availability in non-Microsoft 365 editions. If the option is missing, check your Excel version and update channel before assuming the workbook itself is at fault.
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Create a custom data type in Power Query
Power Query can create a custom data type from a data source, gathering multiple related pieces of information into one column. That can make sense when a record is better represented as a group of related fields rather than as separate, disconnected columns in the loaded data.
Microsoft describes the capability this way: “Use any data source to create a custom data type that lets you load multiple related pieces of information into one column.” The statement comes from Microsoft Support’s Discover new features in Excel. The page does not specify connector-by-connector support, so availability for a particular source should not be inferred from the broad description.
Use Show Changes to review collaborative edits
Show Changes is useful when several people edit the same workbook and you need an audit trail at the cell level. The pane can identify who made a change, what changed, when it happened, and the cell’s previous value. You can narrow the view to a worksheet, range, or individual cell, and Microsoft says the pane covers changes from the past 365 days. See Microsoft’s Show Changes documentation.
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What the pane records—and what it doesn’t
Show Changes tracks cell values and formulas, including changes involving moving, sorting, inserting, or deleting cells and ranges. It is not a complete history of every workbook operation: Microsoft says the pane does not currently show edits to charts or other objects, PivotTable operations, formatting, hiding, or filtering. Some changes may also lack a previous value, including edits made through VBA or an Office Add-in.
What you need for tracking to work
For tracking to work as intended, collaborators should use Excel apps that support co-authoring. Microsoft lists Excel for the web, the latest Microsoft 365 desktop version, and mobile apps among the supported options. Older versions and one-time-purchase editions can clear the Changes pane. For older workbook states, use Version History; the Changes pane itself only covers the last 365 days.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why an Excel feature may not appear
Feature availability depends on the Microsoft 365 update channel. Microsoft says users eligible for new features may currently receive them every six months. In Excel, choosing Get new features offers an option to move to Current Channel, where features are available as soon as they are ready. If an item is absent, check the installation’s update channel and version; a feature listed on Microsoft’s page may not yet have reached every eligible installation.
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These capabilities are complementary: unhiding sheets helps with workbook organization, Power Query custom data types help shape related data, and Show Changes helps inspect collaborative edits. The first two are the items Microsoft currently lists as new; treat the third as a separately documented tool rather than a confirmed new launch.
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