Microsoft Visio

Name: Microsoft Visio
Author: Microsoft Visio

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What Microsoft Visio is

Microsoft Visio is diagramming software for turning complex information into diagrams that can be understood at a glance. It covers formats including flowcharts, process and cross-functional diagrams, organization charts, UML and ERD models, network diagrams, floor plans, timelines, Gantt charts, and business matrices. The web app and Microsoft Teams app support real-time collaboration, comments, and sharing. Listed integrations include Teams, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, OneDrive for Business, and Azure. Visio Plan 2 can link diagram shapes to data in Excel, SharePoint lists, and SQL Server. Plans include Microsoft Information Rights Management support and GDPR compliance support. IRM permissions must be set in the desktop app, although they are honored for online files opened in the web app. Accessibility features include Narrator, Accessibility Checker, and high-contrast display. Visio is available on the web and Windows; Mac users can work with files in a browser, but there is no Visio desktop app for macOS. Plan 1 costs $5 a month billed yearly, and Plan 2 costs $15 a month billed yearly. First-time trial users with a work or school account can try either plan free for 30 days.

Who it suits

Visio suits people who need to create diagrams across business, process, technical, or spatial formats. It can also suit teams that need real-time collaboration and users who work with Microsoft’s listed integrations.

What it does well

Supports a wide range of diagram types.
Real-time collaboration, comments, and sharing.
Plan 2 links shapes to listed data sources.
Supports Narrator and high-contrast display.
First-time eligible users get a 30-day trial.

What to know first

No desktop app for macOS.
IRM permissions can only be set in the desktop app.
No free plan; paid plans start at $5 a month billed yearly.

Limits

Visio in Microsoft 365 includes limited templates for general diagrams and basic flowcharts. Plan 1 and Plan 2 include 2 GB of OneDrive for work or school storage; Plan 2 costs $15 a month billed yearly and supports up to five PCs per user.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Visio in Microsoft 365	Included in Microsoft 365 commercial plans · Limited templates for general diagrams and basic flowcharts · real-time collaboration, commenting, and sharing · web and Teams app	Free
Visio Plan 2	user/month, paid yearly; annual or monthly commitment · Web and desktop apps · more than 250,000 shapes · offline and local file support · 2 GB OneDrive for work or school storage	$15 a month
Visio Plan 1	user/month, paid yearly; annual or monthly commitment · Web app · thousands of shapes · Power BI integration · 2 GB OneDrive for work or school storage	$5 a month

As microsoft.com lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Visio website.
Choose Visio in Microsoft 365, Plan 1, or Plan 2.
First-time trial users with a work or school account can start a 30-day trial of Plan 1 or Plan 2.
Use Visio on the web or Windows; on macOS, work with Visio files in a browser.
Use the web app or Microsoft Teams app for collaboration and sharing.

Verdict

Visio combines a broad selection of diagram types with collaboration and links to supported data sources. Mac users can work in a browser, but cannot use a Visio desktop app for macOS.

Questions

Does Visio have a free plan?

There is no standalone free plan listed. Visio in Microsoft 365 is included in Microsoft 365 commercial plans and provides limited templates for general diagrams and basic flowcharts.

How much do Visio plans cost?

Visio Plan 1 costs $5 a month billed yearly. Plan 2 costs $15 a month billed yearly.

Is there a free trial?

First-time trial users with a work or school account can try Plan 1 or Plan 2 free for 30 days.

Which platforms does Visio support?

Visio is available on the web and Windows. Mac users can work with Visio files in a browser; there is no Visio desktop app for macOS.

Can Visio diagrams connect to data?

Visio Plan 2 supports linking diagram shapes to Excel, SharePoint lists, and SQL Server data.

What file formats can Visio export?

Listed export formats include PDF, PNG, JPG, SVG, EMF, GIF, TIF, BMP, and WMF.

Facts from Microsoft Visio's own pages

Accessibility: Visio includes support for Narrator, Accessibility Checker, and high-contrast display. · support.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Collaboration: Visio supports real-time collaboration, commenting, and sharing through its web app and Microsoft Teams app. · microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Data visualization: Visio Plan 2 supports linking diagram shapes to data sources including Excel, SharePoint lists, and SQL Server. · support.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Diagram types: Visio supports diagrams including flowcharts, network diagrams, mind maps, organization charts, UML diagrams, floor plans, and engineering diagrams, with availability varying by plan. · microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Founded: 1975 · microsoft.com, 23 Sept 2026
Free plan: No · microsoft.com, 20 Sept 2026
Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, USA · microsoft.com, 23 Sept 2026
Integrations: The product page lists integrations with Teams, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, OneDrive for Business, and Azure. · microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
IRM limitation: IRM permissions can only be set in the Visio desktop app, though those permissions are honored for online files opened in the web app. · support.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Mac limitation: Microsoft does not offer a Visio desktop app for macOS; Mac users can work with Visio files in a browser. · support.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Maker: Microsoft's global headquarters are in Redmond, Washington, and Microsoft was started in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. · news.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Platforms: Visio for the web runs in a browser on Windows or macOS, while the full-featured desktop app is Windows-based and included with Plan 2. · support.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Purpose: Visio helps users draw diagrams that communicate complex information at a glance. · support.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Real-time collaboration: Yes · microsoft.com, 20 Sept 2026
Security and compliance: The compared Visio plans include Microsoft Information Rights Management support for diagrams and support for GDPR compliance. · support.microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Paid from: 5 · microsoft.com, 20 Sept 2026
Storage: Visio Plan 1 and Plan 2 include 2 GB of OneDrive for work or school storage. · microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Trial: First-time trial users with a work or school account can try Plan 1 or Plan 2 free for 30 days. · microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026