Excel 365 has access to the Python language and packages. We’ll explain what that means, who gets it and why Python in Excel is a big deal. Python is a high-end and widely used programming language with many features in its many packages or add-ons. It’s this last bit that
Excel, long known for its love affair with numbers, has now developed a taste for images—thanks to Python. Microsoft has rolled out a feature that lets users insert images into individual Excel cells and analyze them using Python code. Yes, the spreadsheet just got a little more artsy and a
Discover a smarter way to insert images directly into Excel cells with the IMAGE() function — no more awkward floating pictures. With just one formula, you can pull in external images using a secure URL, control how they fit or fill the cell, and even fine-tune dimensions with pixel-level precision.
Everyone knows that Word checks your spelling with red underlines but do you know everything that’s possible in the spell check menus. Simply click the underlined word to view suggested corrections. Choose the right option, and Word will replace it instantly. So far, so easy. More choices below the suggestions
The Office Watch head honcho, Peter Deegan, isn’t just a Microsoft Office nerd for over 25 years. He’s been a theatre junkie for even longer and goes to the famous Edinburgh Festivals each year. And each year he’s asked for recommendations and tips so now here’s some short reviews of
To prevent somebody ripping off your prized presentation or deck, you should password-protect your presentation, making it accessible only to people you trust. PowerPoint includes a built‑in password‑protection feature that ensures only authorized users can open and modify your presentation. Why password lock a PowerPoint presentation? To keep the deck
Sometimes whole folders or files seem to disappear from a Windows computer. Here’s how to find them again including places that Windows doesn’t normally check. Open Explorer and look for the “This PC” label that’s lower down the left-side menu, or type “This PC” in the address bar. This PC
The BBC has published a good history of the famous “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster from World War 2 but missed what, to us, is the most important 21st Century innovation. When “Keep Calm and Carry On” first became popular, we saw the opportunity to showcase what Word and
Finally, PivotTables are going ‘live’ and will automatically refresh if other parts of the workbook change. It’s something that Excel users have wanted for years. Auto Refresh turns your PivotTable into a live mirror—updates to source data within your workbook now instantly refresh any connected PivotTables, without you lifting a
Microsoft has finally rolled out two highly requested updates for OneNote users on Windows, macOS, and iPad: Merging table cells and a paste text shortcut. Merge Table Cells No more resorting to convoluted workarounds or dragging your content into Excel. Now, select two or more adjacent cells in a OneNote
Microsoft has officially warned all Microsoft 365 customers to update Office—or risk losing handy features like Read Aloud, Transcribe, and Dictate. Most people will already be OK but it’s worth checking to make sure. Microsoft is totally revamping the backend services that powers the voice related parts of Microsoft Office;
Excel 365 is getting (at last) a clear warning that some cells have not been recalculated aka a ‘stale cell’ with the addition of a ‘Format Stale Values’ option. This feature only applies if you’re using partial or manual calculation modes. Most of us use the default Automatic mode where
Some readers may know that the Office Watch head honcho, Peter Deegan, is a theatre junkie and goes to the famous Edinburgh Festivals each year. Here’s some tips from a Festival veteran. What I’m looking forward to at this year’s Edinburgh Festivals More than one Festival Edinburgh has many festivals
There was a sudden disappearance of the Ctrl + Shift + V Paste Special shortcut in Outlook classic for Windows. We explain what caused the issue, when Microsoft will finally roll out a fix, and why the delay happened, so you can get back to efficient email editing without the
Microsoft has quietly announced that the Microsoft Store version of Microsoft 365 apps will no longer receive feature updates after October 2025, nor security updates after December 2026. Microsoft 365 for Windows via the Microsoft Store was delivered via the Store’s Appx installation—sandboxed, safe, but increasingly outdated for modern enterprise needs.
OneDrive isn’t just used for documents and photos. Microsoft saves a lot of related files in secret, hidden folders taking up the space customers pay for and preventing proper backup. Let’s look at the messy mix of things hidden in OneDrive and other Microsoft online locations. You can see what’s
Looking for a way to revert to classic Outlook after trying the new Outlook for Windows? This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to switch back to classic Outlook, explains how both versions are probably on your PC. If you’ve tried the new Outlook for Windows and wish to return
Transform how you format Word documents with keyboard shortcuts—going beyond the built‑in ones for Headings 1–3 by adding your own for Heading 4, 5, 6 (and beyond) that Microsoft has forgotten. With these simple tweaks, your document structuring becomes faster and more consistent. Word’s in-built Heading styles come with some shortcut keys, but
Recent zero-day vulnerabilities in SharePoint have exposed serious “ToolShell” risks, prompting Microsoft to issue an update then an emergency patch when the original fix wasn’t enough. We break down the latest SharePoint security flaws and the steps administrators need to take which go beyond just applying patches. The ‘zero day’
In the ongoing race to win the “We’re Totally Green Now” medal, Microsoft has galloped ahead—by offloading human waste and investing in tree-planting projects that may or may not be in the same hemisphere as their data centers. Editors note: never, in the 30 year history of Office Watch, did
Worried about losing files in OneDrive or getting locked out of your Microsoft account? You should be worried. Reading about one horrifying OneDrive experience. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your data safe, why regular backups matter. Discover practical tips to protect your files and avoid the common
The upcoming end of Microsoft Publisher has left many loyal paying customers searching for answers and ways to express their frustrations. Here’s a realistic guide to the expectations and practical steps for anyone wanting to tell Microsoft how they feel about the end of Publisher Microsoft Publisher Ends in October
Don’t fall for the trap of a fake Cloudflare verification page that tries to trick people into running malicious code on their computer. We’ve all seen Cloudflare verification pages that try to protect web sites from unwanted automated attacks and only allow us humans. A real Cloudflare page looks like
Microsoft is dumping the long standing “Reuse Slide” part of PowerPoint 365 for no good reason, just the usual lame excuses. Reuse Slides (Insert | New Slide | Reuse Slides) is (was) a way to quickly copy slides from another presentation and drop it into your existing deck. It’s a
