All about Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, Microsoft 365, Office 2021 and earlier versions.
Microsoft’s Defender VPN ending
Microsoft is ending their VPN part of Microsoft 365 Defender for no good reason. At the end of February 2025, the VPN (Virtual Private Network) service in Microsoft Defender for individuals will be stopped. Microsoft reason is a typically contradictory word salad that means nothing: “Our goal is to ensure you, and your family remain […]
Keep safe after this change to Microsoft account logins
There’s important change in the way Microsoft handles browser logins to Microsoft accounts. If you’re using someone else’s computer or a public terminal, you need to know about this new security hole. Whenever you’ve signed into a Microsoft account for a web site, you’ve almost certainly seen this box. Stay signed in ?Stay signed in […]
Another trap when buying Microsoft 365 and how to escape
There’s another expensive trap when buying Microsoft 365 Family or Personal with automatic renewal from a Microsoft “partner” like Amazon, Best Buy or computer retailer. An Office Watch reader fell into this trap but found a way out. For years we’ve warned against buying Microsoft 365 from companies like Amazon or Best Buy which include […]
Beware Microsoft 365 buying traps from Amazon, Best Buy and more
With help from major retailers, Microsoft has another way to make people pay more for Microsoft 365 Family or Personal. Amazon and Best Buy and other offer Microsoft 365 renewals charging full price for the first and later years. Ever since Microsoft 365 plans started, Microsoft has enticed people with low prices in the first […]
Stop predictive text adding suggestions in Word
Stopping predictive text in Word 365 for Windows, Mac or Web is quite simple, once you know where the switch is hiding. We’ll go beyond that to explain all you need to know because the basic tip doesn’t tell the whole story. Predictive Text adds some suggested text ahead of what you’re typing. It appears […]
Microsoft Word isn’t always right, example 3,141,592
Word’s grammar checker is good, very good but it’s not perfect. Here’s the latest example of wrong advice under that blue underline. Office Watch reader, Simone J from Berlin sent us this English language anomaly in Word. “Your Latin and calligraphy skills are some of the best I’ve even seen” It’s the same error in […]
2025 changes to Workplace Discount/Home Use Program for Microsoft 365
The popular employee discount program for Microsoft 365 (Workplace Discount Program or Home Use Program) has some changes in 2025 at the same time as the price rise and Copilot addition to the Family and Personal plans. Office Watch compares the two options with a suggestion about what to do. From January 2025, the cost […]
Smart Percentage Change in Excel
Calculating a simple percentage increase in Excel seems simple but, as usual, there’s a traps for the unwary. Here’s a smarter and more consistent way to figure out % change. First we’ll go over some basics which you’re welcome to skip … The formula for calculating a percentage change is simple: In other words, find […]
Forget what you’ve heard, Word still has a Thesaurus
Ignore the clickbait headlines and social media experts, Microsoft Word still has a Thesaurus feature. A slightly related feature has gone but Synonyms is still alive and kicking. Here’s Word’s Thesaurus or “Synonyms” still in Word 365 using Microsoft’s example word. And here’s Synonyms in Word 2024, using a more appropriate example word for this […]
What Microsoft ‘forgot’ say in an email to Microsoft 365 customers
Microsoft sent a promo email headed “Your Microsoft 365 subscription just got better”, be aware of the details that Microsoft either missed. ‘forgot’ or buried in the fine print. That email explains about Copilot arriving in Microsoft 365 but little on the severe limitations and nothing on the price rise. As the old song goes […]
How to Disable Copilot in Microsoft 365
Microsoft is slowly adding an option to disable Copilot AI from their Microsoft 365 apps, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Here’s what you’re supposed to see on your computer, but won’t necessarily. An option to disable Copilot is being rolled out to Microsoft 365 for Windows and Mac. First in Word 365 for Windows and later […]
Copilot Pro brings AI into Microsoft Office
AI technology without limits is available in Microsoft Office with Copilot Pro. AI features are integrated into Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook for personal customers. Here’s how to get Copilot Pro and the secrets to getting it working. Copilot is Microsoft’s name for their AI based cloud services. They have been around for a little […]
Fixed: Microsoft 365 Crashes on Windows Server Systems
Microsoft has fixed an embarrassing bug that caused Microsoft 365 applications and Outlook (classic) to crash on Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 systems. The problem stemmed from a recent Office update that integrated the React Native framework to support certain Microsoft 365 apps’ features. The impact was limited to Microsoft 365 users who […]
Microsoft 365 price increases around the world
See how the price of Microsoft 365 Personal and Family has risen in USA, Canada, UK, Europe and many other countries. The new prices for Microsoft 365 consumer plans include Copilot with many limits and a high price. In some countries, it’s the first price rise in many years, despite inflation and many more features […]
Stop new Outlook landing on Windows 10
There is a way to stop Outlook (new) from being forced onto Windows 10 computers, but you have to act now before Microsoft does. There’s a registry entry that will block the February 2025 security update from forcing Outlook (new) onto your Windows 10 computer. See New Outlook coming to Windows 10, like it or […]
Office 2016 / Office 2019 end support – what to do
Support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 will end this year. Find out when and how to upgrade to newer Office software or other cheaper options. First and most important, follow the advice of Douglas Adams (much missed) and Don’t Panic. People trying to sell you stuff will use plenty of tricks and misinformation to […]
