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How to get the best out of Microsoft WordMicrosoft Word has long been regarded as one of the best document processing applications in history. And Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels, as it continues to bring more features for users to enjoy. Here are some productivity features you should take advantage of. Work online Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, […]

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How to get the best out of Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has long been regarded as one of the best document processing applications in history. And Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels, as it continues to bring more features for users to enjoy. Here are some productivity features you should take advantage of.

Work online

Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, or smartphone? Go to office.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and open Word Online, the web version of Word. This is particularly useful for users who have limited free storage space on their devices, as the Word app can be pretty hefty in terms of storage space (2.11 GB for Windows and 1.2 GB for Mac). It allows for the same level of functionality without the storage burden.

Collaborate effectively

You and your colleagues can now edit the same Word document simultaneously and in real time. Simply save the document to your Microsoft OneDrive account, click Share, and send the link to the file to your coworkers. People with the link can access and edit the document using the Word desktop app or Word Online.

Maintain editorial control

Use the Track Changes function of Word to monitor all edits made to your document. To turn on Track Changes, click on the Review tab, and then select Track Changes. You will then be able to view all changes made to the file by every user, and you will also have the ability to reject or accept suggestions and edits as you see fit.

Use Smart Lookup for research

The Smart Lookup feature helps you do online research while you’re working on a document — no need to open another tab and type in a query. Simply highlight and right-click the word or phrase you want to look up, and select Smart Lookup from the menu that appears. Word uses Microsoft’s Bing search engine to conduct a search on the selected word or phrase, and displays the results in a pane that appears on the right side of your screen.

Format your documents

The Styles gallery contains predefined formatting options for text. You can also add your own styles, or those you use frequently, to the gallery. By saving your own style preferences, you can apply them anytime without having to manually format everything. Just follow these steps:

  1. Select the text you want to format as a new style (e.g., a heading or a certain phrase).
  2. Specify the formatting you want on the mini toolbar that appears. For instance, click Bold and Red if you want the text to appear as such.
  3. Click the More arrow in the lower-right corner of the Styles gallery. Select Create a Style. This will open the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box.
  4. Give the style a name and click OK. Your new style will appear in the Styles gallery, ready for you to use anytime.

Search and use images quickly

With Word, there’s no need to open your browser to look for images for your document. Just place the cursor in the area where you want to insert the photo, click the Insert tab and select Online pictures (type “clip art” in the search box if that’s what you need), select an image, then click Insert.

Edit PDFs

Word’s PDF editing function allows you to make quick changes to PDF files without having to download and use a PDF editing app or software. But before you can edit a PDF file in Word, you have to convert it to a file format that Word can display. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Click File > Open > Browse
  2. Choose the PDF file you want to edit, then click Open
  3. Click OK to make a copy of the PDF file and convert its contents into a format that can be opened in Word. (Note: The original PDF will be preserved.)
  4. Make edits to the copy of the PDF file.
  5. When you’re done, click File > Save as > PDF

Microsoft is constantly rolling out nifty new features for its popular word processor. To stay updated on the latest Word features and functionalities, reach out to our Microsoft experts now.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Why should you use Microsoft Edge?Microsoft has just leveled the playing field for web browsers by bringing major changes to Microsoft Edge. The internet browser’s stunning new features help users stay organized and save time as well as protect their online data and identity. If you haven’t tried the upgraded browser yet, now is a great time to check it […]

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Why should you use Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft has just leveled the playing field for web browsers by bringing major changes to Microsoft Edge. The internet browser’s stunning new features help users stay organized and save time as well as protect their online data and identity. If you haven’t tried the upgraded browser yet, now is a great time to check it out.

1. Vertical tabs

Vertical tabs are a handy feature if you often find yourself opening dozens of tabs at once at any given time. Instead of having to hover over or click on one to see which page it’s on, you can easily find and manage your tabs on the side with a single click. You’ll never have to lose track of or accidentally close tabs again.

With the recent Microsoft Edge update, users will now be able to hide the horizontal title bar at the top of the screen so there’s additional vertical space to work with. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Appearance > Customize toolbar and select Hide title bar while in vertical tabs.

2. Tab groups

Microsoft Edge allows you to group related tabs so you can better organize your web browser and workspace. For instance, you can have all project-related tabs grouped together and designate another tab group for recreational YouTube video watching. Using tab groups is as easy as right-clicking on an open tab and selecting Add tab to a new group. From there, you’ll be able to create a label and choose a color to identify the tab group. When the tab group is set up, you can add tabs to the group by clicking and dragging.

3. Collections

Collections allows you to gather information from different sites, then organize, export, or return to it at a later time. Doing these can be especially difficult if you’re working across several sites and multiple devices. To use this feature, simply click on the Collections button and a pane will open on the right side of your browser window. Here, you can easily drag and drop web pages, text, images, videos, and other elements into a group, which you can then import to a Word document or Excel workbook.

4. Tracking prevention

Whenever you visit a site, online trackers can collect information about your internet activity, including pages you visit, links you click on, your search history, and more. Companies then use the data collected to target you with personalized advertisements and experiences.

The tracking prevention feature in Microsoft Edge is designed to keep you from being tracked by sites that you aren’t accessing directly. It’s enabled by default, and it gives you control over the types of third-party trackers to be detected and blocked, thereby enhancing your online privacy.

5. Password Monitor

Millions of online personal credentials are frequently exposed due to data breaches and sold on the dark web. To keep your online accounts safe from hackers, Microsoft developed the Password Monitor. When enabled, this feature notifies you if the credentials you’ve saved to autofill are on the dark web. It then prompts you to take action, allowing you to view a list of all the leaked credentials and then leading you to the respective site to change your password.

6. Immersive Reader

Built into the new Microsoft Edge, Immersive Reader makes reading online easier and more accessible by removing distractions on the page and creating a simplified environment that helps you to focus. This feature also gives you access to a variety of capabilities, including hearing text read aloud or adjusting the text size.

7. Easy switching

Microsoft Edge is available to download for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. What’s great is that you can easily copy or migrate your bookmarks, form fill information, passwords, and basic settings to the new Microsoft Edge with just a single click.

If you want to learn more about the latest features of Microsoft Edge and how to enjoy these benefits on your business computers, give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Take notes the modern way with OneNoteNote-taking is a vital skill in life. Whether you’re in a board meeting, conference, or lecture, you’re bound to list, quote, or summarize certain points in order to recall and better understand them later. Thanks to new technologies, you now have more ways to take notes than just using pen and paper. With your mobile […]

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Take notes the modern way with OneNote

Note-taking is a vital skill in life. Whether you’re in a board meeting, conference, or lecture, you’re bound to list, quote, or summarize certain points in order to recall and better understand them later. Thanks to new technologies, you now have more ways to take notes than just using pen and paper. With your mobile device and Microsoft OneNote, you can easily record your notes and even customize and share them. Read on to discover how to get the most out of this app.

Organize your digital notebook

While both Microsoft Word and OneNote let you create text-heavy documents, they store and display saved information differently. Word displays one document at a time, while OneNote can show you all your documents at once.

When you open the desktop version of OneNote for the first time, it shows you a default Notebook called “My Notebook.” If you want to create another Notebook, click on the < button beside the name of your current one, then choose +Notebook at the bottom of your screen.

You can customize a Notebook by separating it into subcategories called Sections, which are like dividers in a physical notebook. For instance, you can dedicate one Section for notes regarding a particular client or product. Sections are shown as color-coded tabs along the top of the screen, next to the name of your Notebook. You can add more sections by clicking on +Section at the bottom left of your screen.

You can add individual pages to a Section by clicking +Page, and you can use this feature to separate information. For example, you can add pages pertaining to a client’s contact details, project statuses, and billing information.

You can rename your Notebook, or any Section or Page, by right-clicking on it and choosing the rename option.

Start experimenting

There’s no hard-and-fast rule to enjoy OneNote because each person’s note-taking habits are unique. It’s best to try out all the features and decide which are most useful for you. Here are some things you can try:

  • Add tags to your notes so you can search for them efficiently.
  • Instantly turn your drawings into shapes or text using the Ink to Shape and Ink to Text functions, respectively.
  • Solve equations by using the Ink Math Assistant (which can help you graph or solve math problems).
  • Use Immersive Reader to read texts out loud.
  • Write on a web page in Microsoft Edge and save your annotations to OneNote.

Keep in mind, however, that these work only in OneNote for Windows 10. If you’re using an older version of the app, you’ll need to upgrade to the latest version to enjoy these features.

Share your OneNote

So you’ve created a detailed plan for an upcoming event complete with visual pegs and handwritten instructions and you want to share this with your team. That’s as easy as pie with OneNote. Just go to the upper right corner of your ribbon, click on the Share button, and type in the email addresses of the people to whom you wish to send your notes. You can also set the sharing permissions to either “can view” or “can edit,” giving you more control over your data.

OneNote has numerous features and it can take months for you to master all of them. Call us today, and we’ll make sure you’ll get the hang of OneNote in no time.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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4 Quick ways to speed up your Windows 10 PCIf your Windows 10 PC is showing signs of slowing down, there are ways to speed it up. Here are some quick, easy ways to improve your computer’s performance without spending hundreds of dollars on a replacement. Prevent programs from launching at startup Windows makes certain programs readily available by loading them at startup. While […]

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4 Quick ways to speed up your Windows 10 PC

If your Windows 10 PC is showing signs of slowing down, there are ways to speed it up. Here are some quick, easy ways to improve your computer’s performance without spending hundreds of dollars on a replacement.

Prevent programs from launching at startup

Windows makes certain programs readily available by loading them at startup. While Microsoft likely has good intentions for doing this, this auto-launch feature slows down your computer. To fix this issue, you’ll need to adjust your settings.

Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc. On the Startup tab, select a program you don’t want launching at startup — such as a media player or an optional accessory that doesn’t have to be active all the time — then click Disable. To be on the safe side, however, keep essential apps such as antivirus software enabled.

Get rid of useless applications

Having too many programs installed on your computer uses up valuable memory and hard disk space. This slows down your machine and makes it work harder than necessary. Quickly uninstall programs you don’t need by following these steps:

  • Tap the Windows key on your keyboard and type “Add or remove programs” in the search bar. Selecting the first result opens a System settings window.
  • Under Apps & features, you will see all the apps stored on your computer.
  • Select the program/s you no longer want, and click Uninstall.

You’ll then be guided through several steps to complete the uninstallation process.

Organize your disks

It’s important to regularly clean out your computer of data you don’t need. Thankfully, Microsoft’s Disk Cleanup tool makes it easy to do so.

To find the tool, tap on the Windows button on your keyboard and type “Disk Cleanup.” If you click on the first result, the tool will launch and automatically find files that take up too much memory space, such as temporary internet and system memory dump files. Make sure that the checkbox before each option is selected, then click OK to send these files to your Recycle Bin.

Turn off apps running in the background

You may not know it, but there are a lot of programs that run in the background as you use your computer. Even when you’re not actively using them, these apps run in the background so they can receive information, send notifications, and download and install updates. However, they also slow down your CPU. Disabling these apps will reduce the burden on your computer and speed it up.

To find out what programs are running in the background, press the Windows button on your keyboard, type “Background apps,” and hit Enter. Find the programs you don’t need running and toggle the On-Off button.

By following these four steps, you’ll see a noticeable difference in your PC speed. If you want to learn how to optimize your Windows system further or need assistance with other Microsoft products, give us a call.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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