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Microsoft 365 Word user interface on Windows 10 and on Mac

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#1
sue.words

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My problem straddles Windows and Mac OS but I think it is more appropriate her than elsewhere.

 

 

We have a Microsoft 365 Family subscription, which I use on my MacBook (Catalina) and my husband (Paul) uses on a Windows 10 laptop.

He dislikes computers and only uses them because they are unavoidable. He uses only Word and the internet for finding information. He doesn’t do email and doesn’t buy things online. As for Word, he uses it in the most basic way imaginable. (He is, I hasten to say, extremely capable in many other ways; it’s just electronic and digital things he finds so alien)

I, on the other hand, love my computer and constantly strive to learn how to do more and more, especially with Word (mainly onscreen editing and the like).

One of the reasons I bought the Microsoft 365 was that I thought it would make my life easier as Paul’s onsite techie helper. I assumed that the same version of Word would look the same on my Mac and his PC. But they certainly do not.

If I remember correctly, I spent quite a long time finding out how to make Word on my computer look how I wanted it to – see first screenshot:

 

I have fairly recently learnt to make use of the Home Insert Draw Design [etc] toolbar, as well as the classic File Edit View Insert [etc] one I have used for many years, and now make use of both.

But with my husband’s PC I cannot find any way of making the Word screen look like this. 

It actually looks like second screenshot.

 

Is there actually any way I can make the PC Word look like it does on my Mac? When Paul asks me to help him – if, for example, the line spacing has done something funny – I really struggle to work out what has happened and remedy things. On my own computer I can almost invariably diagnose the cause of a problem and put it right.

 

Before I bought 365, I was using Word for Mac 2011 and Paul was using Word 2003. I was unfamiliar with Windows 10, but at least I had used Word 2003 myself on Windows XP before I changed to Apple computers

 

When I bought 365, I thought Paul and I would be using the same word-processing program even if our operating systems were different, but I still seem to have to contend with two different programs. I had to learn a lot when I moved from Word for Mac 2011 to 365, but it seems I need to learn yet more for the PC version.

 

Am I stuck with this situation or can I make the user interface on Paul’s computer the same as on mine? 

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#2
zep516

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Hello sue.words

 

See if anything here helps. Link below....

 

In my opinion, the Mac version looks a little rougher around the edges than the more streamlined look on the PC. Outside of the interface differences, you will notice that Mac Office doesn’t have all of the apps that the PC version has. And, some of the visual basic functions are missing in Mac. Mac does have a better layout look for more of the publishing aspects. Only Word for PC has that feature. The other apps do not have it.

Overall, when I need to do more expert level tasks in Office, I would use the PC version. If you do need to run both versions, you can do so in Mac using the Parallels Desktop for Mac and a subscription to Office 365.

 

https://versitas.com...erences-mac-pc/


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#3
sue.words

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zep516, thank you very much for your reply to my post – I do appreciate it.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think I explained my situation well enough. 

 

I am very happy (now I've got used to Word 365, and especially since I've managed to get the classic File Edit View Insert [etc] toolbar back), with how Word is working on my Mac.

 

The essence of my problem is that the way it works on a Windows 10 PC is so different. For example, on the Mac, when I am in an open document the last item on the dropdown menu below File is Properties. And the location of the document is shown on the General tab there. I can't find something on the PC version that corresponds to this but, even if it is there somewhere, I still have to find it.

 

What caused me to post this problem in (the wonderful) Geeks to Go was this. Paul asked me to investigate why he had a bigger space between two paragraphs in one place than in all the others. I don't doubt that someone proficient in Word and used to using it in W10 could have sorted this out – as I am sure I could have done on my Mac. But, in spite of my looking for routes to doing the kind of investigation of paragraph and line spacing I would have done on the Mac, I was unsuccessful.

 

I thought of emailing the file to my computer and sorting out the problem there, but because of Paul's haphazard way of saving files and there being no File>Properties>Location option, I was stymied – and instead resorted to Geeks to Go!


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#4
paws

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I hope Zep will forgive me jumping in here..... but I think what you are trying to do is very difficult ..perhaps even impossible!

 

Different operating systems give different controls and settings.

When trying to help its tricky if the helpers screen is different from the helpees ( so to speak) as I'm sure you have found out.

 

One possible quick solution might be to" migrate" your husband to an Apple Mac or for you to migrate to a Windows machine.....

 

It should be fairly easy for you.... as you are willing to experiment and learn new tricks,but it might be a tad more difficult for your husband, but its probably quicker and easier than both of you trying to figure out the solution to individual issues.

Regards

paws


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#5
sue.words

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Thanks for this, Paws. I have been urging Paul for ages that we should get him a Mac! This evening, after a particularly difficult time with an important document, he raised the possibility of perhaps looking into this!


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#6
paws

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Sounds as if you are almost there!

Best of luck with it all

Regards

paws


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#7
sue.words

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Thanks, paws – fingers – and paws – crossed!  


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#8
paws

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Yep

paws and fingers crossed!


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#9
peterm

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Hi Sue

On Paul's word doc if you open the document and then go to Save As it will give you the location where the document is.

If I was in your situation I would change the default location on Paul's word to C:\users\Public\Public Documents. You can then map your mac to this folder and open the document with your mac word.

Fix any problems then save them. This will keep the document still on Paul's computer but you would be editing the document with the layout you know.

To Change the default location on Paul's word. Open Word Click on options (Down the bottom) Click on Save and Change the location.

https://support.cent...Office-365-2016

 

Not Perfect but cheaper then a new computer.

Cheers

Peterm


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#10
sue.words

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Peter, Thank you so much for what looks like a very helpful response.

I knew I shouldn't embark on something like this on Christmas Eve when I have a lot of non-computer stuff to do, but I was so inspired that I did make a start.

I have now reluctantly abandoned the task of following your advice for the time being. (I was getting into the territory of having to reset passwords because I have forgotten my admin password for Paul's computer.)

I will report back – hopefully in a week or two.

Thank you again very much and happy Christmas

 

Sue


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#11
peterm

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Hi Sue

Was not expecting you to take any action over the Christmas/ New Year period.

You do not need your password  for Paul's computer. If you know his username and password you can login to his computer from your mac using them.

Merry Christmas and I hope you have a Happy New Year

Peter


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#12
sue.words

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Peter, I hardly dare ask this, but how can I recover Paul's user name and password? When I set everything up for him I did keep a careful note of all sorts of things, but that was quite a while ago and I'm afraid I can't remember much at all – certainly not where I put these details! I know I'm an idiot.

I have a password for his Microsoft account and for his Gmail account, but I imagine that what I'm missing is something related to his hardware – his HP laptop.


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#13
peterm

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Hi Sue

To find the username click on the start button and you should see a list Power-Settings etc etc you should see an icon that looks like a person move the mouse to that and it will show the username.

There is a good chance that the computer was set up as a Microsoft account as that is the default for windows 10.  


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