Office 2021 is the personal and small business ‘perpetual licence’, non-subscription version of Microsoft Office. For Windows and Mac.
Office LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) is the volume licence ‘perpetual licence’, non-subscription version of Microsoft Office for organizations, companies and governments. Also for Windows and Mac.
The features in Office 2021 and Office LTSC are very similar, if not the same.
Explore Cloud Fonts: A Fast, Free Design Boost in Office 2024 and Microsoft 365
Cloud fonts—your next creative shortcut—are now seamlessly integrated into Office 2024/2021 and Microsoft 365. These lightweight fonts download instantly when needed, bypassing the hassle of system installations and making them ready for use across your Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook (and more) apps in mere moments. Whether on Windows or Mac, simply pick the font from the dropdown, […]
Protect or Encrypt Your Excel Workbooks
In Excel there are various ways to either protect sheets or cells from access, make a them read-only or totally encrypt the workbook with a strong password. It’s important to understand the difference in Excel between Protect and the stronger Encrypt feature. Excel’s password protection is more complicated than in Word or PowerPoint because there […]
Excel increase/decrease decimal buttons change
Keep a close eye on the increase/decrease decimals buttons on the Excel ribbon because Microsoft has changed them for one version of Excel. Increase / decrease decimals is a very common Excel feature to change the visible accuracy of a number. For example, choosing Currency or Accounting style (which defaults to two decimal places / […]
How to protect Excel sheets from unwanted changes – Part 1
Protecting an important Excel worksheet from careless editing, or allowing only specific cells to be modified is all part of a powerful and highly flexible feature in Microsoft Excel known collectively as “Protect”. It’s been there for a long time but is little understood, so we’ll do our humble best to fix that. The idea […]
Make a Word table with picture background
How did we make a Word table with a picture background for a recent article – asks an Office Watch friend? She meant this table of Zoom shortcuts for toggling audio and video . There’s a similar table for Teams shortcuts. The quick answer is … we cheated! Word can’t have a table with a […]
How to Get Old-School WordArt Back in Modern Microsoft Word
Miss the classic WordArt from Word’s glory days — the arched text, the rainbow slopes, the wavy headlines that screamed “1990s”? Those old gallery styles are still alive inside every modern version of Word, including Word 365 and Word 2024. They’re just well hidden. Here’s the simple compatibility mode trick that unlocks all the retro […]
Simple ‘one click’ force an update to Microsoft Office
A simple way to update Microsoft Office 365 for Windows with one click instead of digging into the menus to do it. We’ll show you the simple command line with options that make it possible. Normally, the Windows versions of Microsoft Office 365, Office2024, Office 2021 and Office 2019 all update automatically and you don’t […]
Discover more in Word’s spelling corrections
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 What people often overlook are […]
Password-Protecting Your PowerPoint Decks: What You Need to Know
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 safe from prying eyes either […]
Make your own “Keep Calm and Carry on”
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 PowerPoint can do beyond standard […]
Secret stuff saved on your OneDrive
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 saved on your OneDrive storage […]
How to Switch Back to Classic Outlook from New Outlook
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 to the classic version, follow […]
Why doesn’t an Outlook change of address stick?
If you’re wondering why a contacts address change in Outlook doesn’t stick, you’re not alone—many Outlook users face this frustrating issue. There are three possible reasons starting with a little known quirk in how Outlook saves email addresses. An Office Watch reader asks why Outlook keeps remembering an old email address despite updating the contact […]
Add shortcuts for all Word heading styles
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 not enough for most people. […]
Easy Way to Copy Slides Between PowerPoint decks
Microsoft is retiring the Reuse Slides feature, however you can still copy slides manually—and it’s simple. Whether you’re preparing for a meeting, a lecture, or a project presentation, knowing how to quickly and efficiently move or copy slides between presentations can save you both time and hassle. To get started, you will need to have […]
Protect Your Files from OneDrive: Beware Microsoft Account Lockouts
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 pitfalls of relying on a […]