Microsoft 365 – the subscription / annual fee plan for Microsoft Office on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android.
Includes Word 365, Excel 365, PowerPoint 365, Outlook 365 and many other ‘365’ programs, apps and services.
Why Microsoft’s “Connected Experiences” page is not an AI conspiracy
The idea that Microsoft is using Word, Excel or other documents to train their Copilot AI system won’t die. Let’s debunk one too often repeated myth about Office “Connected Experiences” which is not proof of a Microsoft conspiracy to steal customers work. We’ve gone into detail about what isn’t or might be used to train […]
How to look inside an Office document
Dig into a Microsoft Office document file, such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, and see its inner workings, here’s a straightforward method. It reveals the small files that comprise an Office document, mostly XML files, which you can easily explore with a text editor. Very occasionally it’s helpful or necessary to dig into the structure […]
Is Microsoft using your data to train Copilot AI – the facts
Social media is full of allegations that Microsoft is spying on customers Word and Excel documents to train their Copilot AI system. Here’s the facts and the ‘gotchas’ that Microsoft leaves unanswered. In this article we’ll go into the possibility of Microsoft ‘spying’ on customers. We’ll start with a summary then dig into the details […]
How to turn off Copilot model training
Microsoft provides almost useless instructions on how to stop your data being used for Copilot AI model training. Here’s how it really works. Like all AI companies, Microsoft uses the interactions with their Copilot system to help improve its responses. That’s called “model training”. Some people, understandably, don’t want their personal or business AI queries […]
Beware Black Friday Scams on Microsoft 365 and Office
Black Friday means many software deals, on Microsoft 365 and especially Microsoft Office. Here’s how to navigate the treacherous waters of Black Friday sales and ensure you get genuine products without falling prey to fraudulent offers and scams. Recognizing Too-Good-To-Be-True Deals It’s easy to be tempted by offers that seem too good to pass up. […]
Deal Alert for Aussie Microsoft 365 users
Australian Microsoft 365 customers have a chance to extend their Family or Personal plan for near the old price, before the recent price hikes. As part of the trial of Copilot with Microsoft 365 Family/Personal, prices in some countries rose by 20-30% overnight. See Copilot comes to Microsoft 365 with many limits and a high […]
Microsoft outage shows how vulnerable the new Outlook is
The latest major Microsoft server outage has shown how vulnerable the new Outlook for Windows is to any breakdown at Microsoft. Outlook (new) is the replacement for the Outlook (classic) for Windows that comes with Microsoft 365 and Office plans. Though the two look similar, Outlook (new) is very different ‘under the hood’ and relies […]
How to add Bates Numbering to Word documents
Bates Numbering is tricky in Word. We’ll explain how to add this special numbering system to Word documents and why it’s not recommended in most situations. What is Bates Numbering? Bates Numbering is a way to add a fixed number or serial number system to each page of a document. It’s often used in legal, […]
Four different ways to copy a list of file names or folders
There are many ways to get a list of file names and folders, here’s four simple ways including one that might be a surprise. Copy from Explorer In Windows Explorer, select the files you want then right-click and choose “Copy as path” or Ctrl + Shift + C. The list includes path. If you don’t […]
Select a vertical column of text in Word
Yes, Microsoft Word lets you select vertical (up or down) text blocks. Most text selection in Word involves selecting horizontally – selecting a line or a paragraph of text. Sometimes, though, you need to select a vertical slab of text. To do that, hold down the Alt key while you click and drag your mouse […]
New London Overground line colours in Office
Here are the exact colour codes and new names for the ‘Overground’ lines in London, plus how to add a thick double line in Office documents just like on a Tube map. The changeover is happening in late November 2024. Some old rail lines in London were coloured Orange on maps and just called ‘Overground’. […]
Office widgets come to Mac computers
The existing Office app “Recent documents” widgets for iPhone and iPad are now available on Mac computers. There are widgets for Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word. Each app has four widget options from small (one file) to a six file with thumbnails ‘extra large’ choice. The fastest way to find the Office/Microsoft 365 widgets is […]
Microsoft forces new Outlook on Microsoft 365 customers
The new Outlook for Windows (still in development) is being forced onto some Microsoft 365 customers from early next year unless users take action to stop the forced migration. From early January 2025, Microsoft 365 for Business Standard and Premium licenses users will be forced over to Outlook (new) unless they or their IT admins […]
Share your Office documents from Dropbox
OneDrive isn’t the only choice for sharing Office documents. Dropbox can also share Word, Excel or Powerpoint documents including real-time collaboration. The Dropbox and Microsoft Office integration allows users to open, edit, and save Office files directly from Dropbox. Use either Office apps on the web (Office Online) or modern Office/Microsoft 365 desktop apps. You […]
About the Copilot shortcut in Word, even Microsoft gets confused
The Copilot shortcut key in Word is unusual, so much that even Microsoft gets confused. We’ll look at the peculiarities in what seems like a simple keyboard shortcut. Office Watch reader, Fred J. from Wilmington let us know about this Microsoft social media post “Click ALT + I and ask Copilot to help” As Fred […]
Word ‘AI free’ cure is worse than the disease
Social media is spreading a false ‘tip’ that’s supposed to stop Microsoft spying on your work in Word and Excel. The suggestion might not work at all and worse, it’ll stop important Office features from working at all. And Microsoft is NOT spying on Word, Excel or PowerPoint for their AI. The ‘tip’ is supposed […]
