Navigate Through Microsoft Office Applications and Windows Across Multiple Generations with These Comprehensive Guides.
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</div>Whether you’re looking to master the newest Excel features, tackle challenges with an older Word version, or maximize your experience with Windows 10 or 11, Computerworld‘s concise cheat sheets offer user-friendly guidance for Microsoft’s essential productivity software.
This centralized hub provides detailed articles on various iterations of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook for Windows, highlighting key updates in each major release. Additionally, you’ll discover guides for Windows operating systems, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive (desktop and web versions), OneNote, Loop, Whiteboard, Forms, Visio, Planner, and Power Automate.
Microsoft 365 (or Office 365), the subscription-based office suite, receives continuous feature updates. Consequently, we regularly refresh our cheat sheets for the “365” editions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other integrated applications. Recognizing that many organizations and users still rely on perpetual license software (like Office 2021), we also provide dedicated cheat sheets for several previous generations of these products.
Essential Guides: Windows and Office Tutorials
- Windows 10 and 11
- Microsoft 365/Office 365 apps
- Office 2021 and 2024
- Office 2016 and 2019
- Office 2013
- Office 2010
- Windows 8
Windows 10 and Windows 11 Guides
Updated: Windows 11 Quick Reference Guide
Windows 11 largely mirrors Windows 10 in appearance and function, though it introduces several subtle distinctions that require adjustment. This guide details all significant alterations, such as Copilot integration and new three- and four-finger touchscreen gestures.
Windows 10 Quick Reference Guide
While Windows 10 no longer receives updates, users still relying on this robust operating system will find essential features outlined here. Explore our compilation of useful gestures and shortcuts specifically for Windows 10.
Microsoft OneDrive Quick Guide: Harnessing OneDrive within Windows
OneDrive is pre-installed if you have Windows 10 or 11. Learn how to efficiently back up, synchronize, and share your files using both personal OneDrive and OneDrive for Business directly from your Windows desktop.
Additional Advice for Windows 10 and 11
- New: Strategies to Minimize Hallucinations in Copilot (and Other Generative AI Tools)
- Updated: Microsoft Copilot Tips: 9 Effective Ways to Utilize Copilot
- 18 Methods to Enhance Windows 10 Performance
- Updated: 15 Strategies to Accelerate Windows 11
- 8 Techniques for Increased Productivity in Windows 11
- Managing Windows 10 and 11 Updates
- Safeguarding Your Privacy in Windows 10
- Updated: Protecting Your Privacy in Windows 11
- Sharing a Windows 10 or 11 PC Securely
- Ransomware Protection for Windows 10 and 11 PCs
- 12 Classic Yet Essential (and Free!) Utilities for Windows 10 and 11
- 30+ Free and Affordable Applications for Windows 10
- Four Steps to Repair Windows 10 or 11
Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Applications
Updated: Microsoft Loop Quick Guide
Microsoft’s innovative Loop application offers collaborative shared workspaces for teams. This quick guide demonstrates how to effectively utilize the Loop app.
Updated: Leveraging Loop Components Across Microsoft 365 Applications
A key benefit of Loop lies in its capacity for collaborative work on content snippets, known as Loop components, integrated across various Microsoft 365 applications. Discover how to implement Loop components within Outlook, Teams, and other M365 apps.
Updated: Word for Microsoft 365 Comprehensive Guide
Explore the most impactful features rolled out in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows throughout recent years. This article details all capabilities introduced in Word 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024, alongside additional features exclusive to Microsoft 365 subscribers and those possessing a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
Related:
- Convenient Word Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and Mac
- Updated: Enhance Your Writing in Word, Outlook, and OneNote with Microsoft Copilot – A Guide
- Microsoft Word for Android (and iOS) Quick Reference Guide
Updated: Excel for Microsoft 365 In-depth Guide
Discover the most significant features added to Excel over recent years, with a particular focus on those available exclusively to Microsoft 365 subscribers and users holding a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
Related:
- Practical Excel Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and Mac
- New! 11 Powerful Capabilities of Copilot in Excel
- Mastering PivotTables and PivotCharts in Excel
- Utilizing Slicers Effectively in Excel
- Excel Fundamentals: Starting with Data Tables
- Excel Fundamentals: Creating Charts and Sparklines
- Applying Excel Formulas and Functions
- When and How to Apply Conditional Formatting in Excel
- Automating Tasks and Saving Time with Excel Macros
- 10 Innovative Methods for Data Presentation in Excel
- Excel: Your Gateway to Data Analytics
- Leveraging Excel as a Data Visualization Instrument
- 8 Straightforward Approaches to Clean Data Using Excel
Updated: PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 Extensive Guide
Explore the premier features rolled out in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 on Windows over recent years. This article details all significant functionalities introduced in PowerPoint 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024, alongside additional features available exclusively to Microsoft 365 subscribers and those holding a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
Related:
- Useful PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and Mac
Updated: Outlook for Microsoft 365 Comprehensive Overview
Uncover all principal features introduced in Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024, along with additional functionalities exclusive to Microsoft 365 subscribers — featuring a streamlined Ribbon displaying only the most frequently used commands.
Related:
- Convenient Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and Mac
- Updated: Elevate Your Writing in Word, Outlook, and OneNote with Microsoft Copilot – Learn How
- Organize Your Workflow with Outlook’s New Calendar Board View
- 8 Outlook Add-ins for Enhanced Collaboration
- Filtering Outlook Emails Across All Your Devices
- Viewing Other Users’ Schedules in Outlook
- Managing Appointments Across Time Zones in Outlook
Updated: Microsoft OneDrive Quick Guide: Maximizing OneDrive for Web
OneDrive for Web enables seamless cloud storage, access, sharing, and management of your files directly through your preferred browser. Discover how to leverage its web interface, integrating Copilot AI, for a significant increase in productivity.
Microsoft Teams Quick Start Guide
As Microsoft’s solution for group communication, Teams delivers group messaging, voice and video calls, and valuable integrations with other Microsoft 365 applications. This guide will walk you through setting up and navigating Teams.
Related:
- 28 Advanced User Tips for Microsoft Teams
- 14 Best Practices for Microsoft Teams Video Conferences
- Top 10 New Meeting Features in Microsoft Teams
- Conducting Teams Meetings with External Participants
- 18 Microsoft Teams Apps for Enhanced Content Collaboration and Management
Updated: Microsoft OneNote Quick Reference Guide
Integrated into Windows 10 and 11, OneNote is a powerful note-taking application included in the Microsoft Office suite, also available as a complimentary standalone product. Here’s how to begin using OneNote effectively.
Related:
- Update: How Microsoft Copilot Can Enhance Your Writing in Word, Outlook, and OneNote
Updated: Microsoft Forms Quick Start Guide: Getting Started
Online forms are invaluable for conducting research, gathering feedback, assessing knowledge, and more. This guide shows you how to utilize Microsoft Forms to build surveys, feedback questionnaires, quizzes, and various interactive forms.
Updated: Microsoft Visio Quick Guide: Initialization
Within Microsoft 365, Visio serves as an outstanding tool for developing customized diagrams, simplifying the illustration of concepts challenging to convey solely through text. Learn its usage here.
13 Strategies to Maximize Microsoft Whiteboard Utility
Microsoft 365 users will find Microsoft Whiteboard a valuable addition to their collaborative toolkit. Discover how your team can fully leverage this versatile digital whiteboard.
Updated: Microsoft Planner Quick Reference
For Microsoft 365 users, Planner provides an integrated task-management solution, enabling small teams to monitor plans, assignments, and overall progress. Our guide details how to use Planner both via the web and directly within Microsoft Teams.
Updated: Microsoft Power Automate: Initial Setup and Usage
Power Automate facilitates the creation of automated workflows for diverse business tasks across numerous applications and services, all without requiring any coding. This guide covers initial setup and offers advice for building dependable automations.
SharePoint Online Quick Reference
Master the fundamentals of navigating and utilizing SharePoint Online (the Office 365 iteration of SharePoint), including site creation, document sharing and management, calendar usage, Outlook integration, and more. Further your knowledge with 5 advanced tips for working with SharePoint Online.
Additional Advice for Microsoft 365 and Office Online
- 10 Exceptionally Useful Add-ins for Microsoft Office
- 5 Collaborative Tools to Augment Microsoft Office
- Updated: Five-Step Guide to Repair Microsoft Office
Office 2021 and Office 2024
Office 2021 and 2024 Feature Guide
While Microsoft 365 often garners significant attention, the traditional Microsoft Office suite consistently receives valuable enhancements with each new release. This guide outlines how to leverage the most impactful new features found in Office 2021 and Office 2024.
Office 2016 and Office 2019
Word 2016 and 2019 Feature Guide
Discover how to utilize Word’s real-time collaborative editing capabilities, “Tell Me” and “Smart Lookup” functions, and the updated Translator pane in Word 2019. This resource also provides a compilation of useful keyboard shortcuts for Word 2016 and 2019. For locating specific commands on the Ribbon, download our Word 2016 and 2019 Ribbon quick reference.
Excel 2016 and 2019 Feature Guide
Recently updated for Excel 2019, this guide explores various beneficial chart types introduced in Excel 2016 and Excel 2019 for Windows, alongside instructions for several powerful new data analysis tools. Additionally, we provide a list of practical Excel keyboard shortcuts and the Excel 2016 and 2019 Ribbon quick reference.
PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 Feature Guide
Similar to Word and Excel, PowerPoint 2016 and PowerPoint 2019 for Windows integrate “Tell Me,” “Smart Lookup,” real-time collaborative editing, and a selection of new chart types. We detail these, along with practical features introduced in PowerPoint 2019, our compilation of PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts, and the PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 Ribbon quick reference.
Outlook 2016 and 2019 Feature Guide
Outlook 2016 for Windows features enhancements like “Smart Lookup,” “Tell Me,” and functionalities designed to assist in locating attachments and maintaining an organized inbox. Be sure to consult our list of keyboard shortcuts for Outlook 2016 and 2019, as well as the Outlook 2016 and 2019 Ribbon quick reference.
Microsoft Office 2013
Word 2013 Feature Overview
Key additions in Word 2013 include a dedicated Start screen, a Design tab, Read Mode, and OneDrive synchronization. Our guide explains how to utilize these features and offers useful keyboard shortcuts for Word 2013, alongside a Word 2013 Ribbon quick reference.
SharePoint 2013 Quick Guide
Master the essentials of SharePoint site navigation and usage, including how to access customization options, complemented by 5 advanced SharePoint 2013 tips.
Microsoft Office 2010
Word 2010 Feature Guide
Discover how to utilize Word 2010’s Navigation pane, image editing functionalities, text effects, and other updated features. Additionally, consult our list of practical keyboard shortcuts for Word 2010 and our Word 2010 Ribbon quick reference charts.
Excel 2010 Feature Guide
Excel 2010 brought innovations such as Sparklines, Slicers, and further refinements to PivotTables and PivotCharts. This guide details their usage, provides keyboard shortcuts for Excel 2010, and includes a quick reference for locating your preferred commands on the Excel 2010 Ribbon.
PowerPoint 2010 Feature Guide
Explore how to employ PowerPoint 2010’s multimedia editing tools, sharing functionalities, and other convenient features. As always, we include keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint 2010 and a reference guide for locating legacy PowerPoint 2003 commands on the PowerPoint 2010 Ribbon.
Outlook 2010 Feature Guide
While the Ribbon was partially implemented in Outlook 2007, it became fully pervasive in Outlook 2010. Significant alterations also include Conversation View for grouping emails, Schedule View for meeting arrangement, and an improved search function. We demonstrate how to utilize each feature, offer practical keyboard shortcuts for Outlook 2010, and pinpoint the location of former Outlook 2003 commands within Outlook 2010.
SharePoint 2010 Quick Guide
In contrast to its predecessors, SharePoint 2010 adopted the Ribbon interface. This guide explains how to navigate and commence using a SharePoint site.
Microsoft Windows 8
Windows 8 Quick Reference
Few users remain on this challenging operating system, which dramatically altered the traditional Windows interface to emulate a mobile OS. Nevertheless, for those who still require it, this resource offers assistance with navigation.
