Typing common fractions in Word and Outlook
Fractions like 1/2 1/4 3/4 can look better in Word and Outlook as ½ ¼ ¾ that can be done for other common fractions too ⅘ ⅚ ⅐ ⅛ among many. Either type directly with a shortcut or using AutoCorrect. We have a full table of the fractions available as symbols. As you may know, […]
Make your own fractions in Word and Outlook
There’s an easy way to make a good looking symbol for any fraction, no matter how unusual it might be. There are symbols and shortcuts for common fractions but beyond that you need a little Word trickery. But not very tricky because all you need is on the Home tab. Superscript then Subscript Use a […]
Thumbs Down👎emoji in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Thumbs Down or Dislike 👎 can be typed into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Thumbs Down symbol 👎 or emoji is used to suggest disapproval or dislike. Partnered against Thumbs Up / Like 👍 symbol. How Thumbs Down Sign 👎 looks in different fonts. Here’s […]
Zero-day Windows security bug spreads to Europe and USA
The serious Windows and Office security bug is now used to target organizations in Europe and USA. Despite plenty of warnings, Microsoft still doesn’t have a fix, just ‘mitigations’. Last week Office-Watch.com told you about “Follina, or CVE-2022–30190” a relatively simple hack that exploits a security bug in Microsoft’s own Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (msdt). It’s […]
Word Designer: the quick way to better looking documents
Word in a web browser has a Designer feature, like Designer in PowerPoint, to quickly make great looking documents. Designer uses Microsoft’s templates collection to suggest formatting and design change for the document. One problem with Designer, like similar Office features, is that they can be overused and too many documents or slides end up […]
Suggested Images and Visual Emphasis in Word – a mystery new feature
Suggested Images and Add Visual Emphasis options have appeared in our Microsoft Word … looks like a new but not yet announced feature. We’ve been editing Word documents with Word in a browser, when a small blue diamond icon appears in the left margin: ◇ Clicking on it added a Stock Image to the top […]
Microsoft Word is beaten (again) by a 14 year-old spelling champ
Our annual Microsoft Word vs the Spelling Bee Champions contest is on again for 2022. Word has done better than in the past but was still beaten by another extraordinary 14 year-old. 2022’s Spelling Bee Champ is Harini Logan, 14, from San Antonio TX who narrowly beat Vikram Raju a mere 12-year-old from Denver, CO. […]
Zero-day security hole in Word, Microsoft very slow to act
A large security risk has appeared in Microsoft Word, a zero-day security problem which can infect even fully updated Word. Microsoft has taken at least 14 months and still hasn’t fixed the security hole. We’ll explain the problem and what you can do. It’s a relatively simple hack which takes advantage of gaps in Word, […]
Dictation controls in Word 365 move and get smaller
The Dictation controls in Word 365 for Windows are moving to another place and getting a lot smaller. The new Dictation toolbar appears on top-right of the document, often just below the Dictate button. That’s the same location as the Read Aloud toolbar. Dictate – when dictation is ‘listening’ the button is a solid blue […]
Three Microsoft Word modes now on a single menu
Microsoft Word has many different ways to view a document and now three primary options are available on a single menu; Editing, Reviewing plus Viewing which is a simple ‘read only’ mode to stop accidental changes while reading. The new menu appears on the top-right between the existing Comments and Share buttons. Editing The standard […]
Elizabeth Line designs for Word, PowerPoint and Office
The Elizabeth Line (aka Crossrail) is now open in London, a major new tube line crossing the city. Here’s the roundel and color scheme for the new line in a format ready for Word, PowerPoint and Office. The same design elements can be used for any other London Tube line (real or imaginary) or totally […]
Otter 🦦 emoji in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Type the fun Otter 🦦 emoji into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Otter 🦦 emoji represents a light-brown otter (a member of the weasel family) on its back with its paws held together. But the emoji can just be used for a bit of fun. […]
Duck 🦆 emoji in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Add the Duck 🦆 emoji into Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Duck 🦆 emoji represents the quacky bird with webbed feet. The emoji is usually depicted as a Mallard. Sometimes used as a substitute for the f-word, because of iPhone’s tendency to autocorrect to the obvious […]
Real words for really big numbers in Microsoft Word
What are the real words for really big numbers, waaay over a trillion? Does Microsoft Word’s dictionary recognize them? (Answer: most but not all and there’s even a spelling mistake in Word!). How many is a billion anyway? We’ve looked at the informal words for vague large numbers such as zillion, gazillion etc. There are […]
Read Aloud from locked screens on iPhone and Android
A small but important change is coming to Word mobile app for iPhone, iPad or Android. You’re able to continue listening to a ‘Read Aloud’ document from the lock screen. At the moment, Word will stop reading a document to you if the lock screen is enabled (usually because there’s been no screen taps for […]
Does Office 2021 / 2019 need sign-in to a Microsoft account?
Does Office 2021 or Office 2019 insist on a Microsoft account Sign-In (login) to use the software and edit documents? We’ve done some tests to check and we’ll explain the details too. It’s a good question. Microsoft 365 software does require a Microsoft account login but what about the ‘perpetual licence’ Office 2021 or Office […]
