Gradient Effects and Text in Word – in depth
Adding color gradient effects to your text, shapes and borders is a good way to give it a bit more zing to Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or other Office docs. The gradient feature is quite sophisticated, with a wide range of options and adjustments available but not obvious. To add a gradient effect to text, select […]
How to put a calendar on a Windows or Mac desktop
How to add a calendar as quick reference to your desktop on Windows or Mac. It can be a yearly, monthly or weekly calendar, just like the old paper calendar / blotting paper on an office desktop in olden times (i.e. 20 years ago)! A handy place to put a calendar is on your Windows […]
Lambda upper Λ or lower case λ in Word and Office
Type the Lambda upper case Λ, and Lambda lower case λ symbols (aka Lamda) in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Lambda/Lamda (uppercase Λ / lowercase λ) is the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet. The uppercase symbol has various uses, it is used for the likelihood ratio […]
Delta upper Δ or lower δ symbols in Word, PowerPoint and more
The Delta upper case Δ or Delta lower case δ symbols in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Delta (uppercase Δ / lowercase δ) is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. It’s the “d” sound in Modern and Ancient Greek. Delta uppercase Δ symbol is used […]
Great Christmas images and clipart in Microsoft Office
Looking for some Christmas images, pictures or graphics? Microsoft Office has some in-built Xmas options for the festive tide of Yule. Add these images into Word documents, Outlook emails, PowerPoint slides or even Excel worksheets. Unsubtle Hint: Christmas Cheer with Office has a collection of festive cards, letters, gift tags, emails ready to open, edit […]
Add Santa Hats to your Xmas photos and emails
There are many red and white Santa hats that you can quickly add to any photo using Word, Outlook, PowerPoint or any Microsoft Office app. I’ll explain where to get some Santa hats and how to add them to a picture. A Santa Hat can add a little festive fun to a photo, like this […]
Airplane ✈ symbol in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Type the Airplane ✈ symbol, icon, emoji into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Airplane ✈ symbol is often used for signs, directions or an itinerary, possibly in combination with symbols for other transport like train, car, walking. For more ‘airplane’ related graphics see Even more […]
PowerPoint 365 Recording Studio in depth
Recording Studio lets you make a video of your entire PowerPoint presentation. Not just the slides but hear the presenter talking and even seeing the presenter/s on screen, pointing or drawing on slides. The video you make can be shared and streamed just like any other video. gives users the ability to easily share their […]
Windows Movie Maker is still available
Windows Movie Maker is a simple and free video editor from Microsoft that still works in modern Windows. Officially it’s no longer available but it’s still available if you know the magic spell. We’ve explained how to get the much-loved Office Picture Manager even though it’s been officially removed from Office. Movie Maker was part […]
What is RGBA color and how to use in Microsoft Office
RGBA color codes are an extension of the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color system which you can use in modern Microsoft Office with a little trickery. There’s an annoying difference (reversal) in settings on Office for Windows vs other Microsoft services and Office for Mac. RGB colors have been around for a long time to […]
Grab photos from Android direct to Word or PowerPoint
A new way to insert a picture directly from an Android device into a Word document or PowerPoint slide on a Windows or Mac computer. Plus alternatives you can use now and might be more reliable. How it’s (supposed) to work In the online (browser) versions of Word and PowerPoint, Microsoft is gradually rolling out […]
Set your own Shape default settings in Microsoft Office
You’re not stuck with the Microsoft automatic settings when inserting a new shape. Change the defaults to whatever you like for faster shape formatting in Office; Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. When you Insert | Shape, something like this probably appears. Blue fill, 1pt black single line outline, no effects and Text Wrapping in front […]
Change the PowerPoint audio/music speaker icon
In late 2016, Microsoft removed the PowerPoint audio ‘Change Picture’ option from the right-click menu for the music icon and they show no interest in bringing the choice back. The feature hasn’t gone away, it’s just not on the right-click menu where it should be. The workaround is on the Audio Format | Adjust ribbon where the Change […]
Bypass Office Backstage and get to ‘real’ Open or Save dialogs
If you don’t like the large Office Backstage pane, the older and more powerful Open and Save dialog boxes are still available via shortcuts or changing a Microsoft Office setting. Microsoft has spent a lot of time and effort changing the Word, Excel and PowerPoint File panes to add more features and unsubtle hints to […]
Viva Magenta! Pantone’s 2023 color in Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Pantone has announced their “Color of the Year” for 2023 is “Viva Magenta” and, as usual, we’ll explain how to use that exact color in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. And we’ll look at the purple prose that’s become a hallmark of Pantone’s annual promotion. The color of 2023 is … Viva Magenta As usual […]
Word: Finding and Fix Highlighted text
One major use for Find and Do in Microsoft Word is to find highlighted text and let you change them. Highlighted text is often used to mark parts of a draft that need more work. There’s always the risk that the final document will go out with highlighted, unfinished, text still in place! This […]
