The July 2025 security bug fixes list plugs another 137 problems found in Microsoft software. Some are really serious and need patching right away for all Microsoft 365 and Office users. BitLocker also gets some security fixes. This months load of Microsoft Office security updates includes a fix for a
There’s a new feature in Microsoft 365 Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for the web to request elevated permissions directly within the application. Anyone with view-only access can ask for higher editing or reviewing rights without leaving the document. Microsoft, as usual, buries an important condition deep in their promotional blurb
Add the US National flag “Old Glory” “The red, white and blue” into Office documents, Word, Excel or PowerPoint, then use some Office picture tools to enhance the image. The same help can be used for any other national flag, just look for a different source or our articles about
Autosave in Microsoft 365 and Office is one of the more frustrating features with annoying limitations. One of them is not automatically saving any macro-enabled Word, Excel or PowerPoint file. We’ve talked before about how Autosave is used to push customers into using OneDrive to save documents. Autosave could work
Take control of Microsoft 365 by learning how to enable or disable Copilot in each app—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to customize Copilot settings per application and explains why sometimes you can’t turn it off. Copilot integration into Microsoft 365 is a mess. Microsoft
Some Microsoft 365 consumer plans come with a monthly allowance of “AI credits” but it’s hard to find out how many are left. The AI credit balance does not show up in the Microsoft 365 apps nor Windows 11 account information. It should be there and maybe Microsoft will eventually
Microsoft has given Copilot in Excel 365 some smarts to choose the table or cells to work on. Previously, Copilot relied on the user’s selected cell to determine context, often defaulting to the nearest structured table. We explain how it works in the real world and the important limitation. Enter
Still using .doc, .xls, or .ppt files? These outdated Microsoft Office formats are not just relics—they’re major security risks and should be banned. Hackers exploit these older files to spread malware, ransomware, and steal data, as they often bypass modern antivirus protections. After our suggestion to ignore old style Office
Microsoft has extended a nifty new feature to include Android users: the ability to view shared Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without needing to sign in with a Microsoft account. Previously, this was an exclusive perk for iPhone/iPad users—but Android’s finally been invited to the party. That said, if users
Struggling with a sea of worksheet tabs at the bottom of your Excel window? Whether you’re managing dozens of tabs or juggling shared workbooks with tight screen space, discover how to fit more visible tabs across your Excel workbook can transform your workflow. In this guide, we walk through both
Aggregate() is the grown up version ‘all in one’ function that can replace common functions like Sum() and Subtotal() plus powerful options not available in those older functions. AGGREGATE() function is a more advanced alternative to the SUBTOTAL function, offering significantly expanded capabilities. Almost an ‘all in one’ solution instead
Whether you’re managing schedules, tracking deadlines, or analyzing time-based data, comparing dates in Excel is a critical skill. This guide walks you through how to use the powerful IF function to compare dates—such as determining if one date is before, after, or equal to another. Learn essential Excel formulas that
Be careful comparing text in Excel because it looks easy but there are traps when comparing exact text (including upper/lower case) or not. Whether you’re cleaning data or ensuring accuracy in sensitive fields like usernames or product codes, we’ll help you get the results you need every time. Case-insensitive IF
Navigating the evolving landscape of Microsoft 365 and Copilot AI can be challenging amid frequent update, varying features and so much hype. Our independent guide breaks down what Copilot is, its capabilities within Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Onenote and Outlook, and the distinctions between different Microsoft 365 plans. Microsoft has changed
In Excel there are various options for making sure a text label singular (e.g. person) or plural (people) matches the quantity. There’s the standard answer (IF() functions) or clever cell formatting tricks. For example if the cell has 1 item you want the singular label: 1 cookie But if the
Use Excel with visual indicators to make lists easier to understand. Use IF function together with Conditional Formatting to display icons, text based on specific conditions There are so many possibilities available using Conditional Formatting or simple IF statements like these. Use IF Formula to show icons First, decide the
There’s a little trap in Excel when figuring out the number of days between two dates. Excel has one way, but the real world has two others. It’s easy to forget the differences and it can matter when the date calculation is close to some limit, for example in a
Good news for Excel on Mac users who like to “live dangerously” with more than one worksheet at a time. Excel for Mac is finally catching up with Windows to view multiple worksheets from the same workbook side-by-side. No more tabbing back and forth like you’re playing Whack-A-Mole with your
A tech enthusiast named has achieved the improbable: running the Linux operating system within Microsoft Excel. It’s a clever trick that no-one has been asking for. The 18-year-old named NSG650 created a project, aptly titled “Linux In Excel,” transforms the spreadsheet application into a minimalist Linux terminal. Opening the provided
Data nerds can have a lot of fun with the Australian election which has a lot of Excel compatible data for the 2025 and past elections. Daily updated stats as 2025 vote counting continues. Australian federal elections are run by an independent body, the Australian Electoral Commission. The AEC manages
Importing text files into Excel can sometimes lead to unexpected data conversions—like turning product codes into dates or trimming leading zeros from IDs. To avoid these issues, Excel’s Get & Transform feature (also known as Power Query) offers a more reliable method for importing text data. You can ensure your
Excel 365 and Excel 2024 let you control automatic text data conversions with stop mistakes creeping into your sheets. Whether you’re opening a CSV file or pasting from the web, you can now decide how Excel handles your text, numbers, and dates—finally putting you in charge of your own data.
Microsoft has two mobile apps with the “Copilot” AI name. “Microsoft 365 Copilot” and “Copilot” apps for iPhone, iPad or Android. What’s the difference and which is best for you? Microsoft’s Copilot hype “Your AI companion for everyday life” (see below) always reminds me of “Your plastic pal who’s fun
AI systems have got a lot better at making and fixing Microsoft Office VBA code. We compare Copilot and ChatGPT to see which is best choice for coping with the complexities of Office VBA. Early in 2024 we tried asking ChatGPT for Office VBA code in some simple examples, the
