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Microsoft Office apps arrive on Meta Quest VR headsets
Users can now download Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint from the Meta Quest store for free.
Microsoft Office's simplified visual update is now available
Microsoft has released a visual update for Office that promises a simpler, sleeker look with extras like better theming.
Video editing and audio recording are coming to Microsoft Office apps
Microsoft is bringing video editing to Office by adding Clipchamp — and PowerPoint will finally get audio recording.
Microsoft Word can now transcribe your conversations on the web
Microsoft Word on the web can now capture the text in your conversations with a new transcription feature.
Adobe browser shortcuts make it easier to create PDFs
Adobe's .new browser shortcuts give you quick access to useful PDF tools.
Microsoft details potential new designs for the Office UI
Some might think that Microsoft should pick a user interface for its Office products and stick with it, but its UX designers are having none of that. The company has unveiled yet more potential changes to its Microsoft 365 user interface in an ambitious Medium post.
Office for iPad will reportedly get trackpad support 'by the fall'
Microsoft is actively working to update its Office mobile apps to take advantage of the iPad's new and more robust trackpad support.
Microsoft releases its unified Office app for Android
Microsoft has followed through on its promise of a unified Office mobile app -- for some people, anyway. Following months of beta testing, the company has released the all-in-one productivity app for Android phone users. Like before, this lets you edit Excel, PowerPoint and Word documents without having to switch apps. You can also sift through your OneDrive files, scan real-world documents with Office Lens and read QR codes.
Microsoft's redesigned Office apps for iOS are faster and simpler
Microsoft is acting on its promise to give its mobile Office apps a makeover. It just released new iOS (and iPadOS) versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word that all tout a "simpler, faster and more beautiful" redesign. Really, that's another way of saying they have a more consistent look with an interface that helps you quickly edit documents when you're away from your desk.
MS Word and PowerPoint can tap into Adobe Creative Cloud libraries
You might not have to scramble to find pictures for your next company presentation. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint now have direct access to Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries that store everything from company logos to font styles. In other words, you don't have to bug a team member just to grab a relevant image, or visit a style guide just to find out if your report is on-brand.
Microsoft previews transcription and expanded stylus support for Office
As with any Microsoft product launch, the company spent a good portion of its fall hardware event talking about how Office 365 integrates with its new devices. While those enhancements didn't take centerstage, Microsoft has detailed them in a separate blog post the company posted to its website.
Microsoft Word uses AI to improve your writing
Microsoft is about to challenge Grammarly (not to mention Google) on its home turf. The company is developing an Ideas feature for Word's online version that uses AI to suggest grammar changes, among other assists. In addition to catching basic errors, it can recommend rewriting phrases to improve concision, clarity and inclusiveness. Your report might be more to-the-point without requiring quite so much proofreading.
Office 365 for Mac now supports Dark Mode
As promised, Office 365 is ready to wring more out of macOS Mojave. Microsoft has updated the Mac version of its subscription productivity suite with several helpful features, two of which are tied to Apple's latest software. The obvious one is Dark Mode support -- you won't strain your eyes quite so badly if you're writing a school essay at night. And if you need to quickly add a photo to your presentation, PowerPoint now supports Mojave's Continuity Camera feature to let you directly import pictures from your iPhone or iPad.
Microsoft's redesigned Office icons reflect its move to the cloud
Microsoft's Office icons on Windows and the web have been conservative, to put it mildly. They've been functional things you click while you scramble to finish a business spreadsheet or school report. The company would like you to sit up and take notice this time around, though. It just unveiled redesigned Office icons that will reach apps and the web in the "coming months," and they're decidedly more interesting. To Microsoft, they're a reflection of how much Office has changed in the five years since the icons last received a makeover.
Microsoft adds dictation to Office web apps to help with dyslexia
Microsoft has made voice dictation available for desktop Office users for months. Now, though, it's making the feature available to web users in the name of aiding those with dyslexia. The browser versions of both Word and OneNote will enable dictation sometime in the "coming weeks" so that dyslexic students can write more effectively than they would by typing. This should also help for dysgraphia (a condition that makes it difficult to write coherently) and people with mobility issues, Microsoft added.
Microsoft releases Office 2019 for Mac and Windows
Just because Microsoft is bent on moving everyone to cloud-based subscriptions doesn't mean it has forgotten about those who want a one-and-done purchase. The company is rolling out Office 2019 for Mac and Windows, giving you a "subset" of the upgrades that have come to Office 365 ProPlus in the past three years. They're not revolutionary, but they could be helpful if you've stuck to Office 2016 or earlier releases.
Microsoft releases its LinkedIn resume helper for Word
Microsoft is now ready to polish your job applications -- the company has released its LinkedIn-powered Resume Assistant for Office 365 subscribers. The AI-based helper sifts through LinkedIn profiles to find prominent examples of work experience and skill listings for your dream job, giving you some helpful tips for customizing your CV. You can also tap the ProFinder marketplace to talk to experts who can offer career advice, and search for relevant jobs without leaving Word.
Google Drive enables commenting on Microsoft Office files
It's not that hard to convert Microsoft Office files into G Suite docs, sheets or slides, so you and your teammates or clients can collaborate via Google Drive. But thing is, it's just so much easier if you don't have to. Now, Google has rolled out a feature that gives you the power to comment directly on Microsoft Office files, PDFs and images uploaded on Drive. You simply have to highlight the part you want to comment on in Preview mode (like what you'd do on a G Suite file), click the Comment icon that pops up and type what you want to say.
Microsoft adds real-time collaboration to Office 2016 for Mac
Microsoft's latest update for Office 2016 on Mac adds features that make it a much better tool for collaborative projects. (Or worse, depending on how you prefer attacking group work.) It gives you the ability to work with others in real time à la Google suite -- the apps will even show your who's currently editing via thumbnails in the upper right corner of the window.
Microsoft adds more AI smarts to Office 365
Microsoft has been adding cloud-based artificial intelligence to its popular Office suite for years now. In addition to new AI-focused upgrades to Cortana and Bing, the company also announced several new tools for Word, Excel and Outlook to help you make the most of your data, organizational content and more.
