Monday, December 29, 2025

Most Popular Microsoft 365 Cool Tips of 2025

Most Popular Microsoft 365 Cool Tips of 2025

Two small Microsoft 365 habits can prevent big mistakes, and one overlooked presentation tool can make your work look far more polished in minutes. If you create slides, collaborate on documents, or live in Excel, this trio will pay you back fast.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor
December 29, 2025
 

Microsoft 365
Have you ever sent a deck that looked “fine” but not impressive, restored a file only after hours of rework, or discovered an Excel model was quietly showing old numbers? 

The most popular Microsoft 365 Cool Tips of 2025 are not flashy tricks. 

They are workflow upgrades that reduce rework, improve output quality, and lower the chance of decisions based on stale data. 

Tom Microsoft 365 Cool Tip 2025

Feature Explanation

This “best-of” set is really one modern Microsoft 365 pattern:
  • Create stunning presentations fast with Sway when you want something that looks designed, scrolls beautifully, and is easy to share. Sway is a web-based storytelling and presentation tool with themes, layout intelligence, and a “Remix!” style button that can instantly re-skin your work.
  • Use Version History like a safety net in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint so you can review prior versions, open a clean copy, or restore when collaboration goes sideways. Version History is easiest and most reliable when files live in OneDrive or SharePoint. 
  • Spot stale Excel values before they burn you with Stale Value Formatting, which visually marks cells (often via strikethrough) when calculation mode is partial/manual and values have not been recalculated after upstream changes. This is the quiet productivity win for finance, ops, and anyone who models outcomes. 

What You’ll Gain

Outcomes you can feel this week:
  • Fewer “redo the deck” moments because the design looks intentional from the start.
  • Faster recovery when a file gets overwritten or a teammate change breaks something.
  • Less risk of reporting or decisions based on outdated spreadsheet results. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's How to Do It!
Here's how to do it.

1.  Create a stunning presentation with Sway (Web)
  1. Go to sway.cloud.microsoft/ and sign in with your Microsoft account.
  2. Click on "Create New" to begin a new project.
  3. Use the "Insert" button to add text, images, videos, and other multimedia elements.
  4. Choose from the available templates or let Sway's design engine suggest a layout for you.
  5. Adjust the layout, fonts, and colors to match your preferences.
  6. Use the "Preview" button to see how your presentation will look on different devices.
  7. Once you're satisfied, click "Share" to get a shareable link or embed code.


2.  Use Version History (Word/Excel/PowerPoint Desktop and Web)
  1. Open your document, spreadsheet, or presentation in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
  2. Double-click the document title at the top of the window.
  3. Select Version History from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose a previous version from the list, then click Restore or Compare to review changes.



3. Excel: Use Stale Value Formatting (Windows Excel for Microsoft 365)

Update Cell Values
  1. Click the Stale Format icon when a cell is Stale.
  2. Select an option to "Calculate Now (F9)" or "Switch to Automatic Calculation".

Turn On or Off
  1. To disable stale value formatting, go to "Formulas" on the menu bar.
  2. Select "Calculation Options".
  3. Select/Deselect "Format Stale Values".

Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Sway: Extremely fast path to “designed” output, great for newsletters, reports, and scrolling presentations. 
  • Version History: Reduces fear of collaboration and enables rapid rollback when something breaks. 
  • Stale Value Formatting: Prevents silent Excel errors in manual/partial calc workflows. 

Cons
  • Sway: Web-first; if your org is “PowerPoint-only,” you may need to sell it internally.
  • Version History: Most dependable when your file lives in OneDrive/SharePoint and versioning is enabled. 
  • Stale Value Formatting: Only relevant when you use partial/manual calculation; some users may dislike visual strikethrough clutter (though you can toggle it). 
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Feature Access
  • Sway: Available on the web; you can create a Sway from scratch or from a topic. Sharing options vary by personal vs organizational accounts.
  • Version History: Available across Microsoft 365 apps with best support when files are stored in OneDrive/SharePoint; restore steps are documented by Microsoft. 
  • Stale Value Formatting: Available in Excel for Windows and documented by Microsoft; Excel Insider communications describe rollout and behavior in partial/manual calculation modes. 
Score

Criterion  |  Score (0–10)  |  Justification

Value  10
Prevents rework (Version History), improves output quality (Sway), and reduces decision risk (stale values).

Usability  8
Easy once you know where the menus live, but mobile/tenant differences can hide Version History for some users.

Wow Factor  7
Not flashy, but Sway’s instant polish and Excel’s stale warnings create “how did I miss this” moments.

Total: 25/30   🌟 Excellent
This is a practical “quality + safety” bundle that beats most shiny features because it saves you from real-world failures.

Key Takeaways

If you want Microsoft 365 to feel modern, treat it like a workflow: create in a tool that speeds design, protect collaboration with Version History, and verify spreadsheet truth with stale formatting. 

These three popular 2025 Cool Tips reduce the cost of mistakes more than almost anything else you can learn in an hour. 

Cool Tip Snapshot
  • Feature Name: Microsoft 365
  • Platform(s): Web (Sway), Web/Desktop/Mobile (Version History varies), Windows (Excel stale formatting)
  • Quick Benefit: Better presentation polish, safer collaboration, fewer spreadsheet accuracy surprises
  • Access Type (Free, Subscription, Beta): Mixed; depends on Microsoft 365 plan and environment.

Try It Yourself

Pick one file you care about this week: convert your next update into a Sway, confirm you can open Version History on the source doc, and in Excel toggle on Format Stale Values so you can trust what you send. 

Then drop a comment with what changed for you, subscribe to the One Cool Tip newsletter, and share this with your team, family, and friends. 


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Rodger Mansfield, a seasoned technology expert and editor of OneCoolTip.com, transforms complex tech into practical advice for everyday users. His Cool Tips empower readers to stay productive, secure, and one step ahead in the digital world.



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