It’s time for our end-user focused catch up of updates from the 1st – 7th February 2021 across Microsoft 365. Generally, these updates look at topics of interest to end users and anyone supporting them such as trainers and super users.
Here’s what we’re covering today:
- Microsoft Edge Legacy support to end
- iOS:
- Office app optimised for iPad
- New buttons and AI coming to Outlook
- Dark mode on OneDrive for web
- OD/SP Send link to Outlook sharing being retired
- Text predictions in Outlook for Android and Windows
- Teams:
- Revised in-meeting Share Experience
- Meeting participant report updates
- Registration page for meetings
- Get a Meet now meeting link
- Viva Insights app
We’ll start with an update on Edge, go into Office then end with Teams:
Edge
Microsoft Edge Legacy support to end on March 9, 2021 – Microsoft Edge Legacy (the rubbish one) support will end on March 9, 2021. It will not receive new security updates.
To continue using a supported browser, transition to the new Microsoft Edge (personally, I use Edge for work and Chrome for play). If you don’t do this, an optional Windows update will take care of the upgrade for you, learn more about that here: New Microsoft Edge to replace Microsoft Edge Legacy with April’s Windows 10 Update Tuesday release.
Support will end on March 9, 2021.
iOS
Microsoft Office app is now optimised for iPad – The Microsoft Office app for iPhone is already available on the iPad. This release provides an optimised experience for the iPad.
Microsoft are bringing the Office app to the iPad, combining the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps you know, plus additional tools to keep you more productive than ever. Optimised for iPadOS, users can now also use keyboard, mouse, and trackpad to create and collaborate on documents, sign PDFs, jot down notes, or create using your camera, and more from within the Office app.
This feature should be available by mid-February 2021.
New buttons and Conversational AI with Cortana coming to Outlook for iOS (US only for now) – Outlook for iOS (iPhone and iPad) will soon support Cortana, your personal productivity assistant that offers AI-powered experiences to save time and focus attention. Outlook for iOS will also feature updates event and new message buttons. Outlook for iOS is rolling out new message and calendar buttons. When tapped, these buttons expand to provide quick actions such as Ask Cortana, New Event, and New Message.
Cortana enables voice input in Outlook for iOS. Use voice interaction to start Teams calls; schedule events and meetings in Outlook, including adding participants; and update existing events. In addition, Cortana can help you begin composing messages.
There are multiple points in Outlook where users will see the microphone icon:
If you have not used other Cortana in Microsoft 365 experiences you will be prompted to accept the Terms of Use and activate your microphone the first time you tap any of the microphones in Outlook for iOS.
This is a slow one; rollout will begin at the end of February and should be complete by the end of April 2021. This update is only for English-speaking customers in the United States using a work (not education) account.
OneDrive
(Updated timeline) Dark mode on OneDrive for web – Microsoft are introducing dark mode for OneDrive for web.Dark mode is intended to reduce eye strain. Users will be able to enable and disable dark mode for OneDrive for web under Settings (the gear icon) in the Microsoft 365 OneDrive suite header:
This feature rollout will begin any day now (early February).
OneDrive/SharePoint Send link to Outlook sharing option is being retired – Microsoft had rolled out this retirement, but have temporarily restored the functionality to ensure you have time to prepare yourself and colleagues. Retirement 2.0 will start again soon though.
You will soon be unable to share a link directly via Outlook with the sharing option in OneDrive and SharePoint. You can still copy a link to your clipboard and paste that link directly into an Outlook message:
This feature will be retired between early and late March 2021.
Outlook
Text predictions in Outlook for Android – Text predictions help Microsoft 365 users write more efficiently by using intelligent technology to suggest text during composition, they are coming to Outlook for Android for users in the US and Canada soon. When this update rolls out, users will see text predictions when writing an email message in English. They can swipe right to accept it or continue typing to ignore:
Text predictions are on by default; users can disable them in Account Settings in Outlook for Android:
This feature rollout for US and Canadian users will begin mid-February 2021 and is expected to be complete by late March 2021. It is already available for Outlook on the web, Outlook iOS and Outlook on Windows.
(Updated timeline) Introducing text predictions in Outlook for Windows – Text predictions help users write more efficiently by using intelligent technology to suggest text during composition, Microsoft are extending support for these text predictions to Outlook for Windows.
When this update rolls out, users will see text predictions when writing an email message in English. When they see suggested text in Outlook for Windows, users can accept the suggested text with the tab or keep typing to ignore:
Text predictions are on by default; users can disable them in the Mail options in Outlook for Windows:
Note, disabling this feature in Outlook for Windows will not affect text predictions in Outlook on the web or Outlook for iOS.
This feature rollout has begun for some customers* and should be fully available by early March. Eventually, text predictions will support additional languages, which will not require an update to the application or settings.
* Text predictions will be part of the November version available to customers in Current Channel (Preview) in early February (previously January) and Current Channel early March (previously late February). Note: an earlier version was rolled out to customers in Current Channel (Preview) in December which will be updated with this new release.
Teams
Microsoft Teams Revised In-meeting Share Experience – Microsoft Teams desktop users on Windows and Mac will soon have a revised sharing experience while in meetings. Look out for a new design when sharing your screen, window, Whiteboard, or PowerPoint during meetings. As shown below the sharing tray from along the bottom of the screen is now more of a pop-out in the top right:
I especially like how the ‘Include computer sound’ option is more prominent:
(Updated) Teams meeting participant report updates – Additional participant data for the Teams meeting report. There are two areas of improvement:
1 – The Teams meeting organiser can download the Attendance Report from the meeting chat once the meeting is over.
Only the meeting organiser will see the Attendance Report. The recording, transcript and participant list will be grouped together in chat if the meeting is recorded. Otherwise, only the participant list will be available in chat:
2 – New participant data. The report will now include duration, email address, meeting start time, and meeting title.
This feature is still disabled by default, speak to your admin if you want it enabled. Rollout will begin out mid-February and you can expect the rollout to be complete at the end of February 2021.
New feature: registration page for Microsoft Teams meetings – As a Microsoft Teams meeting organiser, you will soon be able to create a custom registration page for any meeting (although really, the feature is designed for webinar style online sessions). The feature will be available for Teams desktop applications (Win/Mac) and Teams on the web. Following registration, attendees receive an email confirmation with a calendar invite.
The meeting organiser can set up a registration page from the Meeting scheduling form. The organiser will then customise and save the registration page in a pop up window. When a meeting organiser uses the custom registration option, those who are invited receive an email with the registration link.
By default, the registration page will be accessible only to those from the same tenant. Meeting organizers who want to schedule a public webinar which allows anyone to register will need to contact an admin. This waiver is specific to the meeting organiser, not the meeting. So, once meeting organisers can use the registration page for a public meeting, they will have this permission until it is revoked.
The organiser can monitor registration activity via the registration report download that is provided on the Meetings ‘Details’ tab pre, during and post meeting.
Microsoft will roll this out early March and expect it to be complete early April 2021. By default, this new meeting registration function will be available to all users. Recurring and channel meetings do not currently support registration functionality.
New: Get a Meet now meeting link in Teams What you need to know: Microsoft are making it easier to create meetings and get a meeting link using the Meet now button in the Teams calendar. I’m pleased to see this feature is available for Teams desktop (Mac/Windows) as well as web (it’s great to see all 3 getting it at the same time).
When you click the Meet now button in the Teams calendar tab, they will see a flyout panel with options to either start the meeting instantly or get a meeting link for future use. Users can choose to copy and share the link in advance.
This feature rollout will begin mid-February and should be complete by late February 2021.
Viva
Viva Insights app in Microsoft Teams available now. Microsoft Viva Insights provides personalised recommendations to help you do your best work. Get insights to build better work habits, such as following through on commitments made to collaborators and protecting focus time during the day for uninterrupted, individual work. Here’s what Microsoft say about Insights as you add it to Teams:
Improve your productivity and wellbeing with Microsoft Viva Insights – Microsoft Viva Insights provides personalised recommendations to help you do your best work. Get insights to build better work habits, such as following through on commitments made to collaborators and protecting focus time during the day for uninterrupted, individual work.
Strengthen relationships with collaborators – Pin your important contacts to receive personalised suggestions for keeping in touch. Insights will help you stay up-to-date with your network with 1:1 reminders, outstanding tasks, and unread shared documents.
Protect time for deep work – Meetings, emails, and chats are necessary to get work done, but they often leave little time during the workday for uninterrupted, individual work. Reserve time for distraction-free, deep work by protecting time to focus on your calendar. During focus time, Teams chats and calls will be muted to help you concentrate.
Early users will need to install Viva Insights. Open Teams > on the App Bar click the More added apps ellipses > search for Insights:
Read the overview and click Add:
Remember to click on the ellipses again and click Pin:
Viva Insights is now installed and pinned:
- The “Stay Connected” tab which makes it seamless to pin an important collaborator to see communications from emails, chats and shared documents that might require follow up in one place, and schedule regular 1:1s to maintain strong relationships.
- The “Protect Time” tab which makes it seamless to schedule time in the week before it fills up with meetings for focused, uninterrupted work.
This feature rollout has begun and should be complete by late April 2021.
That’s it for this week. If you like your updates in another format search for ‘Super Simple 365’ on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or your podcast player.
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