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.
How to Change Word Field Code Colors or Formatting Based on Number Values
Did you know you can make Microsoft Word automatically change text color or formatting depending on whether a number is positive, negative, or zero? With field codes like {SEQ} or {MERGEFIELD}, it’s easy to apply different font styles, colors, or highlights directly in your document—no macros required. This simple formatting trick lets you visually distinguish […]
How to Add Prefix and Suffix Text in Microsoft Word Styles (Workarounds Included)
Microsoft Word lacks native support for adding prefix and suffix text through styles—but clever workarounds can make it possible. This guide from Office Watch shows how to simulate prefixing and suffixing paragraphs or character styles, just like CSS’s :before and :after elements. Learn how to format consistent labels, product codes, or custom paragraph markers using […]
Microsoft Word Misses a Common Grammar Mistake: Largest to smallest
Microsoft Word’s grammar checker might help with commas and verb tenses, but it misses one subtle yet frequent English mistake, putting numbers, amounts, times, or dates in the wrong order. After our article on adjective order in English , Aussie Office Watch reader “MJ” pointed out something that Word doesn’t check for. Maybe it should […]
Why Windows Replaces Helvetica with Arial — The Hidden Font Substitution Explained
Did you know Windows quietly swaps out Helvetica font for Arial every time you open certain documents? This subtle substitution affects how text looks in Word, browsers, and more. Learn why Helvetica isn’t included in Windows, how Microsoft handles font replacements behind the scenes, and what you can do to regain control of your document’s […]
Is Microsoft Word Casually Homophobic? Why Grammar Checkers Differ
A viral post sparked debate over whether Microsoft Word’s grammar checker shows hidden bias, but the truth is more technical than cultural. Office Watch investigated and found that Word and Google Docs simply make different choices about what to flag in grammar suggestions. There’s no homophobia here, just decisions that shape how language tools interpret […]
Microsoft’s Aptos Fonts for Free — Use the New Office Font Anywhere
Microsoft’s default font family, Aptos, isn’t limited to Microsoft 365 or Office 2024. Anyone can download and install the complete Aptos font set directly from Microsoft to use across any app or platform. Whether you’re running Office 2021, older Office versions, or non-Microsoft software like LibreOffice, this quick download ensures full compatibility and access to […]
Excel dates: How to Reveal Year, Month & Day Details in many different ways
Want to show only the year, month, or day from an Excel date? We explain how to use the TEXT(), YEAR(), MONTH(), and DAY() functions or cell formatting to display or calculate date details efficiently. Learn when to use each method, which is fastest, and how your choice affects Excel performance and spreadsheet clarity. Once […]
How to Create a Striped Border in Microsoft Word for Emergency or Warning Signs
Need an attention-grabbing border for safety notices or urgent messages? Creating a striped border in Microsoft Word isn’t as simple as it seems—but with the right technique, you can design professional-looking emergency or warning signs in minutes. This step-by-step guide from Office Watch shows how to use Word’s background picture feature and text boxes to […]
Create Better Striped Borders in Microsoft Word with This Simple Trick
Want to make your Microsoft Word pages or signs stand out? Skip the frustrating page background tool and try this smarter way to add diagonally striped borders. Get full control over stripe position, color, and layout — perfect for eye-catching warning signs, notices, or creative designs that look sharp on every version of Word. A […]
Beware “Evil Kerning”: How Hackers Trick You with Fake Email Addresses
Cybercriminals are exploiting a subtle typography trick called evil kerning to disguise fake domains as trusted ones like Microsoft.com or Gmail.com. By tightening letter spacing, “rn” can appear as “m,” making scam addresses like rnicrosoft.com or grnail.com nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Here’s how the scam works, why it’s so dangerous, and what you […]
Your Outlook.com Emails Could Kill Your OneDrive Storage—Here’s Why
Microsoft has quietly changed how storage is handled in Outlook.com: email attachments now count against your OneDrive quota. For users on free Outlook.com accounts with only 5GB of OneDrive space, this shift can quickly consume cloud storage and even disrupt email if quotas are exceeded. Here’s what this means for your mailbox, storage limits, and […]
Edit Locally Saved Documents with Office Online – Free and Easy
You don’t need Microsoft 365 or desktop Office to edit your Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files. With Office Online, anyone can upload documents from their computer, make changes directly in a browser, and save the updated file back to their hard drive—all for free. This simple method works across Windows, Mac, and even Linux, making […]
Ask Excel to Write or Fix Your Formula, Copilot and Beyond
Struggling with complex Excel formulas? Microsoft’s latest update brings AI-powered assistance directly into Excel, making it easier than ever to write, explain, or fix formulas. Or use free alternatives to quickly solve formula errors, create advanced calculations, or understand unfamiliar functions without needing deep technical knowledge. Here’s how Excel and AI tools can transform the […]
Restrict Editing in Word Documents (and Why It’s Not True Security)
Restricting editing in Microsoft Word is a handy way to control how others interact with your document—whether that means locking formatting, limiting changes to comments, or allowing only form filling. But don’t mistake it for true security. Word’s “Restrict Editing” feature is about managing collaboration, not protecting sensitive content. We explain how to set editing […]
Why doesn’t Find File work in Word?
Microsoft Word’s hidden “Find File” command has been broken for years, and despite repeated reports, the issue remains unfixed in Word 365, 2024, 2021 and 2019 on both Windows 10 and 11. Instead of opening documents as intended, the feature fails entirely—leaving users to wonder why Microsoft has ignored such a long-standing flaw in one […]
Microsoft Word Accepts “Accidently” as Correct — Here’s How to Fix It
Fed up with Microsoft Word’s refusal to fix “accidently”? You’re not imagining things—Word’s spellchecker lets this typo slip through. If you want to finally solve the “accidently” vs “accidentally” debate, you’ve come to the right place. Office Watch reader Steve D. noticed something strange in the Microsoft Word dictionary. According to Word ‘accidently’ is a […]
