Microsoft investigates Outlook.com outage that leaves users unable to send and receive emails
Is Outlook down? For many people this is most definitely the case. Microsoft is currently investigating an outage with its email service which it says primarily affects users in North America, but acknowledges that there will be impact in other parts of the world.
The problems means that many people are not able to send or receive emails using Outlook.com, and even searching messages is not possible. The company is yet to give much in the way of details about the cause of the issues, blaming it on a "recent change".
Full-screen Microsoft 365 trial offer is blocking access to the Windows 10 desktop
Apparently not content with irritating Windows 10 users with a rather deceptive invitation to upgrade to Windows 11, Microsoft is also causing annoyance by displaying an unskippable full-screen ad that essentially forces users to install Microsoft 365 Family.
Affected users report that the nag screen is blocking access to the desktop until they agree to start a free trial of Microsoft 365 Family (which most people are still referring to as Office 365). As part of agreeing to the trial, users are asked to provide payment details, and although no charges are made until the end of the trial period, the danger is that some people will forget to cancel and will end up paying.
Microsoft is investigating a massive global outage affecting Teams, Skype, Outlook and OneDrive
Multiple Microsoft 365 services have been hit by an outage that is affecting users around the world. The problems have disrupted access to a large number of services including Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and Outlook.
Microsoft says that it may have found the source of the issues, but they are yet to be resolved, and no specific details have been revealed. The company is also looking into Azure connectivity problems.
The Office Insider program is dead; long live the Microsoft 365 Insider program
Microsoft has killed off the Office Insider program, used to gain feedback from testers about new features and changes. The death is not one to be mourned, however -- it is followed by an immediate resurrection as the Microsoft 365 Insider program.
The rebranding is in line with Microsoft's announcement last year that Office 365 would become Microsoft 365. In addition to the change in name, the company says that it will be providing information and publishing blog posts about a wider range of products and services that fall under the Microsoft 365 banner.
5 best accessibility features in Microsoft 365
Software developers and tech companies are striving to expand their customer base by increasing accessibility to their products and services. The Microsoft 365 suite is leading the way in designing accessible interfaces and tools for diverse users in increasingly digital learning and work environments.
Learn more about how Microsoft 365 is innovating accessibility features in their assigned categories -- vision, hearing, neurodiversity, learning, mobility and mental health -- that revolutionize computer usage for a more accepting age.
New Microsoft 365 Basic tier includes 100GB of cloud storage, ad-free Outlook, Windows 11 help and more for just $2 per month
Microsoft has announced a new low-cost Microsoft 365 tier, giving access to a cloud storage boost and more. Priced at just $1.99 per month, Microsoft 365 Basic includes 100GB of cloud storage, removes advertising from the mobile and web versions of Outlook, and also includes access to the free web-based versions of various Office components.
Microsoft 365 Basic is replacing the current OneDrive Standalone 100GB plan, with existing users being automatically migrated later this month. Microsoft is quick to point out that while there is no change to plan costs, there are now more benefits for the same price -- including technical support for Windows 11.
Four out of 10 work emails are unwanted
Analysis of over 25 billion emails from Hornetsecurity reveals that 40.5 percent of work emails are unwanted.
We're tempted to say, "only four out of 10?" but it all depends how you define unwanted. The report looks specifically at the use of email to deliver malicious payloads -- so those emails from your boss that you'd rather not receive don't count!
Almost 19 percent of phishing emails bypass Microsoft Defender
For many organizations, Microsoft 365 has become their default service for email. But for attackers this makes it attractive as a point of compromise.
New research from cloud and email security specialist Avanan shows that the missed phishing rate for Microsoft Defender is 18.8 percent. A previous analysis in 2020 showed 10.8 percent of phishing emails reaching inboxes, so Defender's missed phishing rates have increased by 74 percent.
Windows 11 could save you millions*
As the latest update to Windows 11 rolls out with new features focusing on productivity and collaboration, IT management efficiency and security, Microsoft is understandably keen for businesses to adopt the OS.
To that end it's commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a Total Economic Impact (TEI) study and examine the potential return on investment (ROI) enterprises may realize by deploying Windows 11 and Microsoft 365.
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This book will help not only developers but also business people and those working with information to discover tips and tricks for making the most of the apps in the Microsoft 365 suite.
Microsoft introduces 'update under lock' so Microsoft 365 apps can be updated without users interruption
Keeping software updated is not only an important part of keeping on top of security, but also making sure that you have access to all of the latest features and options. But installing updates can also be annoying and disruptive, with notifications interrupting workflow -- so Microsoft has come up with a solution.
The company has developed a new technique called "update under lock" that makes it possible to apply updates to Microsoft 365 apps while a machine is in idle or locked mode. Updates can be installed even if apps are running, and there are no notifications or disruptions to irritate users.
Will Microsoft never learn? The company hits paid-up Office 2021 users with ads for Microsoft 365
There are various business models for software these days, ranging from simple purchases to subscriptions. There are also freemium apps and games that are cost-free but feature advertising. If you have spent money on software, you might rightly expect it to be free from ads, but not in the case of Microsoft Office 2021.
Microsoft is certainly no stranger to using its products -- such as Windows 11 -- as platforms to advertise other products and services. Office 2021 is just the latest example, with Microsoft using the software -- for which users have paid a one-off fee -- to advertise the subscription-based its Microsoft 365 products.
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Microsoft performs an about-face on Office macro security policy -- albeit a temporary one
VBA macros in Microsoft Office are an incredibly common means of delivering malware, and this is precisely why Microsoft made an announcement earlier this year that macros would be blocked by default. But now the company has changed its mind.
The change will not be permanent, however. Microsoft still plans to block macros in documents obtain from the internet -- it's just not quite clear when. The company says that the change of heart is a result of user feedback, and while macros will remain enabled by default for the time being, this will change at some point in the future; it's just not happening as soon as we thought.
Microsoft releases public preview of Windows Autopatch
It is only a couple of months since Microsoft first talked about Windows Autopatch, a new service for users of Windows 10 and Windows 11 designed to ensure that software is kept up to date. The company has now released a public preview of the free service.
As well as keeping Windows 10 and Windows 11 updated, Windows Autopatch will also take care of updating firmware, drivers and Microsoft 365 apps. Microsoft says that the launch date for the service is July, so the release of a public preview gives interested users a chance to try it out a few weeks early.
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