Newsletter Archives
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User interface annoyances
WINDOWS 11
By Will Fastie
The user interface for Windows 11 is changing almost monthly, and sometimes even more quickly.
It’s not clear why, nor are the benefits of the changes explained. Many of the changes arrive silently and are noticed only when something doesn’t work as expected.
Here are a few of my personal aggravations.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.37.0, 2024-09-09).
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Replacing WordPad (and more) with Office Online
ISSUE 21.07 • 2024-02-12 MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Anyone can view and even edit a Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or OneNote file on a computer by using Office in a browser. It’s free for anyone.
Word for the Web is Microsoft’s recommended replacement for the soon-to-be-deleted WordPad app in Windows. The browser-based apps are worth keeping in mind. They let you keep working with Word, Excel, or PowerPoint docs if Office isn’t working or you’re at another computer. All you need is:
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.07.0, 2024-02-12).
This story also appears in our public Newsletter. -
What the &$@!*& is Microsoft Loop?
MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Should you care?
Microsoft Loop is a new way to collaborate online. A Loop component could pop up in an email, chat, or Word document. I’ll explain what they are and how to work with one, so you’ll know what to do when Loop appears on your screen.
As usual, there’s a lot of Microsoft hype about Loop.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.32.0, 2023-08-07).
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Microsoft 365: Year in review
MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Let’s take a minute to check the rearview mirror and review what’s happened this year with Microsoft Office. We’ll also peer over the horizon to speculate about 2023.
There were obvious (and not-so-obvious) changes to Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365. I’ll look at just some of the changes. They might not be the most hyped changes coming from the never-ending road that is Microsoft marketing, and some of them might be overlooked but yet interesting.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.52.0, 2022-12-26).
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The surprising truth about ultra-cheap Microsoft Office
MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Ever wondered about those ultra-cheap deals for Microsoft Office? Are they safe to buy, or a scam? Is the license legal and recognized by Microsoft?
The answers might surprise you as much as they surprised me.
It’s part of the modern world that’s widely advertised but not much talked about. My research includes feedback (generally positive) from many readers, plus my own purchases from a well-known site. I’ll focus on Office 2021, but the same info and warnings apply to cheap offers for Windows or other software.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.37.0, 2022-09-12).
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Discover the useful but hidden extras at Office.com
MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Microsoft has done a lot of work on the Office.com home page, especially for business and enterprise users.
There’s a lot more available on those pages than first appearances indicate. In fact, some of the most useful features are hiding behind faint, almost hidden, icons.
Office.com is a useful portal to access recent documents saved on OneDrive or SharePoint/Teams across all your Office apps and document types. I’ll first look at the many changes for Business, Enterprise, and Education users, and then I’ll explore some hidden extras for Microsoft 365 Family/Personal.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.21.0, 2022-05-23).
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The twists and turns of Office Fast Account Switching
ISSUE 19.20 • 2022-05-16 MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Fast Account Switching lets you quickly “change hats” between work, home, and other Microsoft accounts in Microsoft 365, Office 2021 and 2019, and now the browser-based Office.com apps.
Most of us have more than one online life, usually a work account — and a personal account and possibly more for other work or voluntary commitments. For Office users, that means separate Microsoft accounts and switching between those accounts to see recent documents and online storage related to that part of your life. In the past, and still in Office for Mac, changing accounts meant reopening the Office app.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.20.0, 2022-05-16).
This story also appears in our public Newsletter. -
OneDrive app support ending on older Windows
ISSUE 18.47 • 2021-12-06 MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Microsoft dropped a minor bombshell with the announcement that the OneDrive app would stop working for some Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users beginning in March 2022.
The changes have some unusual elements, such as a split between personal and work use. Microsoft has (deliberately?) added confusion with poor and incomplete communication.
Office 365 users are affected by these changes, yet Microsoft hasn’t said a word about that.
Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.47.0 (2021-12-06).
This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.47.F (2021-12-06).