The idea that Microsoft is using Word, Excel or other documents to train their Copilot AI system won’t die. Let’s debunk one too often repeated myth about Office “Connected Experiences” which is not proof of a Microsoft conspiracy to steal customers work. We’ve gone into detail about what isn’t or
Dig into a Microsoft Office document file, such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, and see its inner workings, here’s a straightforward method. It reveals the small files that comprise an Office document, mostly XML files, which you can easily explore with a text editor. Very occasionally it’s helpful or necessary
Social media is full of allegations that Microsoft is spying on customers Word and Excel documents to train their Copilot AI system. Here’s the facts and the ‘gotchas’ that Microsoft leaves unanswered. In this article we’ll go into the possibility of Microsoft ‘spying’ on customers. We’ll start with a summary
Microsoft provides almost useless instructions on how to stop your data being used for Copilot AI model training. Here’s how it really works. Like all AI companies, Microsoft uses the interactions with their Copilot system to help improve its responses. That’s called “model training”. Some people, understandably, don’t want their
Black Friday means many software deals, on Microsoft 365 and especially Microsoft Office. Here’s how to navigate the treacherous waters of Black Friday sales and ensure you get genuine products without falling prey to fraudulent offers and scams. Recognizing Too-Good-To-Be-True Deals It’s easy to be tempted by offers that seem
Australian Microsoft 365 customers have a chance to extend their Family or Personal plan for near the old price, before the recent price hikes. As part of the trial of Copilot with Microsoft 365 Family/Personal, prices in some countries rose by 20-30% overnight. See Copilot comes to Microsoft 365 with
Microsoft is ending their Publisher desktop publishing product completely. Here’s the vital details you need to know, including how to keep your Publisher software after the end date. Publisher is Microsoft’s desktop publishing software that’s been available since 1991 mostly as part of some Microsoft Office bundles but also sold
The latest major Microsoft server outage has shown how vulnerable the new Outlook for Windows is to any breakdown at Microsoft. Outlook (new) is the replacement for the Outlook (classic) for Windows that comes with Microsoft 365 and Office plans. Though the two look similar, Outlook (new) is very different
Bates Numbering is tricky in Word. We’ll explain how to add this special numbering system to Word documents and why it’s not recommended in most situations. What is Bates Numbering? Bates Numbering is a way to add a fixed number or serial number system to each page of a document.
There are many ways to get a list of file names and folders, here’s four simple ways including one that might be a surprise. Copy from Explorer In Windows Explorer, select the files you want then right-click and choose “Copy as path” or Ctrl + Shift + C. The list
Here are the exact colour codes and new names for the ‘Overground’ lines in London, plus how to add a thick double line in Office documents just like on a Tube map. The changeover is happening in late November 2024. Some old rail lines in London were coloured Orange on
OneDrive isn’t the only choice for sharing Office documents. Dropbox can also share Word, Excel or Powerpoint documents including real-time collaboration. The Dropbox and Microsoft Office integration allows users to open, edit, and save Office files directly from Dropbox. Use either Office apps on the web (Office Online) or modern
The Copilot shortcut key in Word is unusual, so much that even Microsoft gets confused. We’ll look at the peculiarities in what seems like a simple keyboard shortcut. Office Watch reader, Fred J. from Wilmington let us know about this Microsoft social media post “Click ALT + I and ask
Social media is spreading a false ‘tip’ that’s supposed to stop Microsoft spying on your work in Word and Excel. The suggestion might not work at all and worse, it’ll stop important Office features from working at all. And Microsoft is NOT spying on Word, Excel or PowerPoint for their
Office Watch how has an account on BlueSky social media so you can get the latest independent news, tips and help for Microsoft Office Head over to https://bsky.app/profile/officewatch.bsky.social and click Follow. That’s in addition to our presence on other social media platforms: Twitter/X Twitter Facebook Facebook Meta Threads Threads
Microsoft has unveiled several significant updates to its Microsoft 365 and other commercial products. A monthly payment option for Copilot addons and an increase in prices for monthly billing of many other plans. The usual Microsoft phrases are being thrown around. Lot’s of talk about “standardization” plus “consistency and transparency”.
Some Microsoft 365 customers have started seeing Copilot appearing in their Microsoft 365 / Office apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Why is Copilot there when you haven’t paid for it? Microsoft is rolling out new Microsoft 365 Family and Personal plans which include a limited Copilot component. We’re calling
Here’s two Outlook for Windows bugs to watch out for. One is too easy to trigger and the other will affect people with a LOT of email to handle. Copy bug with Input Method Editor With Outlook 365 (classic) and using the Input Method Editor, Outlook might crash or hang
The Copilot icon in Word 365 is annoying clutter in the left-margin of Word documents. Customers expect a way to remove it and there’s a lot of misinformation that wastes time. First the bad news … There’s no way, at the moment, to disable or hide the left-side Copilot icon
There’s a new special Microsoft 365 plan for consumers called “Microsoft 365 Classic” that Microsoft isn’t talking about but is very, very real. Microsoft 365 Classic is a hidden part of the Copilot trial for Microsoft 365 Family/Personal in some countries. For the moment just Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore,
Understanding the difference between Excel’s stored value for a cell and its displayed value is important. It happens a lot and can make a big difference to the results. Back in the day we detailed a bug in Excel 2007 where the wrong number appears on the screen yet Excel
Australians are now paying up to 31% more for Microsoft 365 after the prices were quietly raised. A limited Copilot trial is now included. Both the Microsoft 365 Personal (one person) and Family (six people) plans have risen in price. Microsoft 365 Personal now AUD$159 Microsoft 365 Family now AUD$179
Microsoft 365 Family and Personal plans are getting Copilot AI integration into their Office apps but it comes with a big price increase and many limits to what people get for the extra cost. Customers in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand have just seen massive prices rises
A PowerPoint action button is a shape you can add to your slides, allowing you to hyperlink to another slide or webpage, play a sound, or trigger other actions. It’s an easy way to add interactivity and navigation to your presentation with very little effort. It’s also a way
