Microsoft is launching its new Loop app in public preview today. This app has been available in private beta since last year, and it lets teams collaborate in real time using Loop components, pages, and workspaces.

Loop components were already available in apps like Microsoft Teams, the Word web app, Microsoft Whiteboard, and Outlook for Windows. Loop components can take various forms such as paragraphs, tables, or bulleted lists that support co-authoring. These components can also be shared across Microsoft 365 apps.

With Microsoft Loop, Microsoft created a new web and mobile app that can serve as a flexible canvas where teammates can collaborate in real time. The app can be used for brainstorming and managing projects, and it can be seen as an alternative to Notion, a popular note-taking app that evolved into an all-in-one workspace.

“At its core, Microsoft Loop is about people – people who want to create together with ease, no matter where they are or what tools they use. It’s a transformative co-creation experience that brings together teams, content, and tasks across your tools and devices,” explained Wangui McKelvey, General Manager, Apps & Endpoints at Microsoft.

To get started with Microsoft Loop, users will need to create a first workspace and then use templates to create different pages. Any content on a Loop page can be turned into a Loop component, which can then be shared across Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Microsoft Whiteboard, and Word on the web.

It’s also possible to share an entire Loop page, either via a link or as a live page that can be included in an email. All changes will sync in real-time. Microsoft Loop also supports notifications for mentions, assigned tasks, and replies.

Microsoft Loop also has some AI-powered capabilities with the integration of the Microsoft 365 Copilot. “Copilot in Loop gives you AI-powered suggestions to help transform the way you create and collaborate. It guides you with prompts like create, brainstorm, blueprint, and describe,” explained McKelvey. Summarization capabilities for Loop pages and documents linked in a workspace are also coming in the next few months.

Microsoft Loop is available starting today on the web, iOS (via Testflight), and Android. On mobile, using a work account is currently required but support for personal accounts is coming soon. For IT admins, Microsoft also provided instructions for enabling Microsoft Loop for their organization.