Microsoft Tips, Tricks & Info
2025JAN28
Table of Contents / Source:
Microsoft 365 Vs. Office 2024: Which One Should You Get?
Microsoft's Office applications have long been the de-facto option for productivity. Apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are the Kleenex of their respective tasks. Because they're so essential to students, workers, and plenty of people in between, Microsoft has found new ways to monetize them over the years. Today, there are two paths by which you can access them: either by buying them outright with Microsoft Office 2024, or by paying a monthly subscription to access not only those main apps, but a whole slew of other Microsoft apps and services as well.
Here's everything you need to know to decide whether you should get Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office 2024.
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Your Microsoft 365 subscription cost is going up for the first time in 12 years — but don't worry, it now includes a "monthly allotment" of Copilot
Copilot is coming to Microsoft 365 Personal and Home subscriptions, but you'll be paying $3 more a month for it.
Further reading:
- Why has there been a 50% increasing the price of Microsoft 365 - Microsoft Community
- Office and Microsoft 365 will soon cost more, and it's all Copilot AI's fault - windowscentral.com
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Users say they would upgrade to Windows 11 if their older PCs would support it\
Will Microsoft listen?
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How to set up a senior-friendly Windows computer
Computers can be overwhelming for seniors, especially with all the settings and features that may not feel intuitive at first. Thankfully, there are plenty of settings you can customize when you are setting up a Windows computer to be used by a senior.
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Windows 11 KB5050009 & KB5050021 cumulative updates released
Microsoft has released the Windows 11 KB5050009 and KB5050021 cumulative updates for versions 24H2 and 23H2 to fix security vulnerabilities and issues.
Both KB5050009 and KB5050021 are mandatory cumulative updates as they contain the January 2025 Patch Tuesday security updates for vulnerabilities discovered in previous months.
Further reading:
- I'm absolutely sick of Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 update, as it's now causing Bluetooth and webcam issues - techradar.com
- Windows 11 24H2 KB5050009 issues break audio, camera. KB5050021 affected too - windowslatest.com
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Microsoft releases KB5050081 for Windows 10 with the new Outlook and fixes for audio issues
In addition to the first non-security update for Windows 11 in 2025, Microsoft released a similar update for those still on Windows 10. Build 19045.5436 (KB5050081) is now available, and it fixes several issues (including the recently reported one with USB audio bugs), adds the new Outlook, and more.
Microsoft releases KB5050081 for Windows 10 with the new Outlook and fixes for audio issues - Neowin
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Why I Only Use Gmail on Microsoft Outlook (And You Should Too)
I'd bet that when you think about Outlook, you think of using it for your work emails or maybe your Microsoft personal accounts. I used to think of Outlook the same way until I added my Gmail accounts to Outlook and discovered a number of great features.
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Feature comparison between new Outlook and classic Outlook
We've put together a feature coverage matrix to help you and your teams understand what's available and coming soon, compared to what exists today in the classic Outlook experience.
We are actively listening to your feedback and will make updates and changes to our feature roadmap based on what you tell us. If you have feedback on what we should consider adding to new Outlook, please use the in-app Help > Give Feedback link.
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How To Empty Your Trash In Gmail (And Permanently Delete Emails)
Google provides 15GB of storage per account across its services — Drive, Photos, and Gmail. It's not a lot of space, and it can fill up quickly if you don't manage it regularly. That's why it's important to make a habit of cleaning up your Gmail inbox by deleting old, irrelevant, or spammy emails (and unsubscribing from annoying promotional emails that clutter your inbox and take up space).
However, when you delete an email in Gmail, it doesn't disappear completely. Deleted emails are moved to the Trash folder, where they remain for 30 days before being permanently removed.
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What really happens if you don't use airplane mode on your flight? Here's the answer to that, and other common travel questions.
In partnership with Visible, Stacker looked at recommendations from manufacturers and consumer experts for smart and safe ways to fly with your phone. Can you use an unprotected Wi-Fi network at a cafe? Should you trust the chargers on the plane? Find out the answers to those questions and more.
