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10+ Cool Microsoft 365 Features You Should Be Using Right Now

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Microsoft 365 has become more than just the home for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. With AI-powered tools, real-time collaboration, and integrations across apps, it offers features that can significantly boost your productivity and creativity, many of which go unnoticed by everyday users.

Let’s explore 10+ powerful and cool features in Microsoft 365 that you should start using right away.

Table of Contents

1. Unleash the Power of AI with Copilot for Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 Copilot is revolutionizing how we work by embedding generative AI directly into the apps you use every day—Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, and more. Think of Copilot as your AI-powered assistant, helping you write, analyze, summarize, and generate content faster than ever before.

Word can draft documents based on prompts.
Excel analyzes trends, creates formulas, and summarizes data.
PowerPoint builds slides from text or data.
Outlook helps you draft professional emails or summarize threads.
Teams can create meeting recaps and action items.

Copilot drastically reduces the time you spend on repetitive tasks and enables higher-level thinking and creativity.

2. Chat with Yourself in Teams

It may sound quirky, but chatting with yourself in Microsoft Teams is an incredibly useful feature. Introduced to help you take notes, store links, test formatting, or draft messages before sending them to others, this private space can serve as your digital scratchpad.

You can:

Save personal to-do lists or notes.
Test out rich formatting before sending messages to teams.
Drop links, files, or reminders for later.

It’s like having your private productivity room right inside Teams.

3. Microsoft Loop Integration

Microsoft Loop is a game-changer for collaborative work. Think of it as real-time, modular collaboration that works across the Microsoft Office 365 ecosystem. Loop components—like lists, tables, or task checklists—can live inside Teams chats, Outlook emails, or Word docs, and everyone can update them simultaneously.

Benefits of Loop include:

Seamless cross-app collaboration.
Real-time data synchronization.
Keeping everyone aligned without switching tools.

Loop is especially powerful for fast-moving projects and brainstorming sessions.

4. Effortlessly Export Word Docs to PowerPoint Presentations

If you’ve ever spent hours converting a long Word document into a presentation, this feature will save you a ton of time. With just a few clicks, Microsoft Word lets you export your document as a PowerPoint presentation.

How it works:

Use the “Export” feature in Word.
Select “Export to PowerPoint Presentation.”
Word uses AI to extract headings and content and build slides.

This feature is perfect for meetings, reports, or training decks that begin as documents.

5. Effortlessly Create Engaging Videos with Clipchamp Integration

Clipchamp, Microsoft’s easy-to-use video editor, is now integrated into Microsoft 365. Whether you’re a marketer, teacher, or just trying to spice up a presentation, Clipchamp allows you to create professional-looking videos without needing advanced skills.

With Clipchamp, you can:

Drag and drop media to build stories.
Add subtitles, transitions, and templates.
Export for Teams, PowerPoint, or social media.

Clipchamp is especially handy for internal comms, training, and promotional content.

Read Also:- Microsoft Office 365 for Android

6. Use Your Mouse as a Laser Pointer in PowerPoint

Giving a presentation in PowerPoint? Your mouse can double as a laser pointer, making it easier to guide your audience’s attention.

How to activate:

Go into Slide Show mode.
Press Ctrl + L or right-click and select Pointer Options > Laser Pointer.
Your cursor becomes a red dot that moves with your mouse.

It’s a simple but impactful feature that makes your presentations feel more interactive and engaging.

7. Unleash the Power of Real-Time Data with Excel Data Types

Excel is no longer just about static spreadsheets. With Data Types, you can turn simple text into connected, rich data powered by Wolfram Alpha and other sources.

Example uses:

Convert “New York” into a geography data type with population, timezone, and weather info.
Turn company names into stock data with market cap, PE ratio, etc.

This feature helps you build interactive, data-rich sheets without leaving Excel. It’s a game-changer for researchers, analysts, and educators.

8. Transcribe and Translate Meetings in Real-Time with Teams

Microsoft Teams takes meeting productivity to the next level by offering real-time transcription and translation. This is incredibly valuable in global teams or for accessibility.

With Teams, you can:

Enable live transcription so participants can read what’s being said.
Use real-time translation into 40+ languages.
Get post-meeting transcripts and summaries (with Copilot).

These features reduce misunderstandings, support multilingual collaboration, and improve meeting inclusivity.

9. Craft Compelling Emails with Copilot in Outlook

Emails are often the most time-consuming part of our day. With Copilot in Outlook, that pain is reduced significantly.

Key capabilities include:

Drafting replies based on a thread.
Writing professional emails from bullet points.
Summarizing long email conversations.

You can even ask Copilot to change the tone of an email—from formal to friendly or concise, making your communications more effective and less effortful.

10. Improve Project Management with Microsoft Planner

Not every team needs a complex project management system like MS Project. Microsoft Planner provides a simple, Kanban-style board that’s perfect for small to medium-sized teams.

Key features:

Visual task boards with labels, due dates, and assignments.
Integrates directly with Teams and Outlook.
Offers charts and schedules for tracking progress.

Planner makes it easy to delegate, organize, and track work in an intuitive way—great for marketing campaigns, product launches, or internal initiatives.

11. Create Scroll-Stopping Content with Microsoft Designer

Microsoft Designer is your secret weapon if you struggle with design or simply want to create beautiful visuals faster. Think of Canva, but it is integrated directly with Microsoft 365 and powered by AI.

With Designer, you can:

Generate professional-quality graphics with just a prompt.
Access thousands of templates for social media, print, and web.
Edit, animate, and brand your content with ease.

Whether you’re a solopreneur or part of a large marketing team, Designer makes branding and visual storytelling simple.

12. Craft Dynamic Documents with Editor and Copilot in Word

Beyond grammar and spell-checking, Microsoft Editor and Copilot in Word now work together to help you write smarter, clearer, and faster.

Capabilities include:

Intelligent grammar, style, and clarity suggestions.
AI rewriting of selected paragraphs.
Summarizing long content or generating intros and conclusions.

Whether you’re writing reports, resumes, or blog posts (like this one!), Editor and Copilot combine to be your on-demand writing coach and assistant.

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Final Thoughts

Microsoft 365 isn’t just a software suite—it’s a powerful ecosystem that evolves with how we work. With AI integration, enhanced collaboration tools, and smart automation, it’s easier than ever to work faster, smarter, and more creatively.

So if you’re only using Microsoft 365 for its basic functionality, it’s time to dig deeper. Try out these 12 underused but powerful features and take your productivity to the next level.

Cloudtechtiq 4 weeks ago

0 122 5 minutes read