Just Click Here – IT Training and Resources

The B2 Secret: Why Good Spreadsheets Don’t Always Start in A1

gillmaguire — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:09:53 +0000

If you open a blank workbook in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, your cursor will automatically land in cell A1. It is the top-left corner, the starting line, the default. It feels completely natural to just start typing your headers right there.

But if you look over the shoulder of an experienced spreadsheet user, you may notice a slightly unusual habit: rather than starting immediately in A1, they’ll sometimes leave column A and row 1 blank and begin their main content in B2.

Why? It isn’t just a quirky habit. Leaving a little space around your working area can offer some surprisingly useful advantages, particularly when you’re building reports, trackers and spreadsheets designed for people to use. Let’s look at why…

1. Visual Breathing Room

When text or numbers sit directly against the top-left corner of the grid, the data can look cramped. It bumps right up against the software’s interface (the row numbers and column letters).

Leaving column A and row 1 blank creates an instant margin. It gives the sheet a clean, presentation-ready look immediately, without you needing to fiddle with gridlines or borders. Notice how much more polished this Moon & Mallow menu looks with a little bit of padding around it:

2. Flexible Navigation and Controls

As your spreadsheet grows, you might want to add high-level dashboard controls, filters, or status trackers. Reserving row 1 and column A makes it incredibly easy to add these elements later without disrupting your main data table.

Row 1: Perfect for placing a global drop-down filter or a dashboard summary.
Column A: You can shrink this column to just a few pixels wide as a permanent visual margin, or use it for status indicators (like a traffic light system) that sit neatly outside the main data.

Here is how The Cosmic Close tracks daily footfall, using Row 1 for a location filter and Column A for quick visual indicators:

3. Clearer Data Boundaries and Faster Navigation

If you like working quickly with keyboard shortcuts, leaving some blank space around your main data can be surprisingly useful.

The important part here isn’t B2 itself, it’s the blank boundary around your data. Excel and Google Sheets use blank cells to help distinguish one block of information from another when you navigate and select ranges.

For example, shortcuts such as Ctrl + Arrow Key and Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Key can move through or select blocks of data quickly. Keeping unrelated notes, calculations or instructions separated from your main table makes those shortcuts much more predictable.

In Excel, clicking inside a continuous block of data and pressing Ctrl + A (Cmd + A on a Mac) can also select the current data region before selecting the whole worksheet.

So that empty row and column aren’t doing anything magical – they simply help create a clear boundary between your main dataset and everything around it.

4. Give Yourself Some Printing and Layout Space

If a spreadsheet is going to be printed, turned into a PDF or shared as a report, a little whitespace around the content can make a big visual difference.

Starting your main content in B2 gives you some breathing room before the data begins and can help the finished document feel less cramped – especially for invoices, reports, schedules and other spreadsheets intended to be read rather than simply analysed.

You’ll still need to check Page Layout, margins, scaling and the Print Area before printing, but building a little space into the worksheet from the beginning can make creating a polished final layout much easier.

5. Room for Titles, Instructions and Workbook Information

A spreadsheet often starts simple and becomes more complicated over time. Leaving a little space around the main data gives you somewhere to add information later without immediately having to restructure the sheet.

Row 1 could eventually contain a report title, reporting period, “Last Updated” date or filter. Column A could hold status icons, checkboxes or simple user instructions.

For example:

Moon & Mallow Monthly Sales | September 2026 | Last updated: 7 September 2026

Even if you don’t need any of those things today, leaving yourself a little room gives the spreadsheet space to grow.

Ready to make the shift?

The next time you create a spreadsheet for people to read, use or present, try starting your main content in B2 rather than A1. It’s a tiny design choice, but the extra breathing room can make your worksheet feel cleaner, easier to navigate and much more polished.

So, should you always start in B2? Absolutely not.

If you’re creating a clean raw-data table for importing, exporting or analysis, A1 may still be the best starting point. Particularly a dataset that will be imported, exported, saved as CSV, used by Power Query or processed by another system, starting your dataset neatly in A1 is often a much better choice. But for reports, trackers, dashboards and spreadsheets designed for people to use, leaving that little bit of space can make a surprisingly big difference.

Think of B2 as a useful spreadsheet design technique rather than a rule: A1 for raw data; B2 when you want a little breathing room for the humans using it.

Looking to build your confidence in Excel, Google Sheets, or the wider Microsoft 365 suite? At Just Click Here, we specialise in friendly, professional IT training designed to make your workday easier. Get in touch to find out more or just click here to browse our courses.

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Microsoft Publisher Is Retiring: What Are the Best Alternatives?

gillmaguire — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:42:41 +0000

Microsoft Publisher has been used for years (since 1991!) to create newsletters, worksheets, booklets, certificates, posters and other printed materials.

It has been particularly popular in schools and small organisations because it offers more control over page layout than Word, without the complexity or cost of professional publishing software.

Unfortunately, Publisher is being retired. If you still rely on it, now is the time to protect your existing files and decide what you will use instead.

This image was created with ChatGPT and reviewed by Just Click Here

The good news is that there are several excellent alternatives. The slightly less convenient news is that there is no single perfect replacement for every Publisher project.

The important thing is to choose the right one for the type of work you create.

When is Microsoft Publisher retiring?

Microsoft Publisher reaches the end of support on 1 October 2026.

From that date:

Publisher will no longer be included with Microsoft 365.
Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to access Publisher.
Existing on-premises versions will no longer be supported.
Publisher will no longer be available to install or download through Microsoft 365.

People with a perpetual version of Publisher may still be able to install and use it, but the application will no longer receive updates or technical support.

Microsoft recommends converting important Publisher files before the deadline. You can continue using Publisher normally until then, so there is still time, but please don’t leave the job until the last minute.

You can read the full announcement on the Microsoft Publisher support page.

What will happen to my Publisher files?

Publisher files normally use the .pub file format.

After October 2026, Microsoft 365 users will no longer be able to open or edit these files in Publisher. Other design applications will not necessarily open them correctly either.

Before Publisher disappears, I recommend that you:

Search your computer, OneDrive and SharePoint for .pub files.
Identify the files you still use.
Export important files as PDFs;
Rebuild frequently used templates in your chosen replacement.

A PDF will preserve the appearance of a document, but it is not always easy to edit. Microsoft suggests opening a converted PDF in Word when editable text is needed, although complex layouts and graphics may move during conversion.

Is there a direct replacement for Publisher?

Not exactly.

Publisher combined several different types of work in one application. It could handle everything from labels and mail merges to posters and complex printed booklets.

No single alternative is best at all of those tasks.

Instead of asking, “What replaces Publisher?”, it is more useful to ask:

What do I create in Publisher, and which application handles that particular job best?

Here are the strongest options.

1. Canva: best for worksheets and visual resources

Canva is likely to be the most attractive option for teachers, trainers and small organisations creating:

Worksheets and handouts
Posters and classroom displays
Certificates
Flyers
Simple brochures
Social media graphics
Presentations
Visual learning resources

It is easy to use, works in a web browser and includes a huge collection of templates, photographs, illustrations and design elements. Designs can be shared with colleagues, edited collaboratively and reused as templates.

Eligible primary and secondary teachers can also access Canva Education, which includes many premium features at no cost.

However, Canva should not be treated as “Publisher in a browser”. The way it handles text, pages, templates and printing is very different.

Long, text-heavy documents can become awkward, and Canva does not reproduce every advanced Publisher workflow. Booklets should always be test printed, particularly when using double-sided printing, folds, trimming or bleed.

Choose Canva when: the resource is short, visual and likely to be shared or adapted by other people.

My verdict: The best general option for visually engaging teaching resources, worksheets and everyday designs.

2. Microsoft Word: best for text-heavy documents

Word is the most sensible choice for:

Long worksheets and manuals
Newsletters containing substantial text
Forms
Letters
Envelopes and labels
Mail merges
Reports
Accessible documents
Documents requiring headings, page numbers or contents pages

Microsoft itself recommends Word for many common Publisher tasks, including labels, envelopes, letterheads, newsletters and folded-paper projects.

Word is not as visually flexible as Publisher, but it handles long text far more effectively than Canva. Styles, section breaks, tables, columns, headers and footers can be used to produce professional documents.

It is also likely to be familiar and may already be included in your organisation’s Microsoft 365 subscription (if you have one).

Choose Word when: the words and structure are more important than free-form visual design.

My verdict: The best option for documents where the words and structure matter more than decorative page design.

3. PowerPoint: surprisingly useful for posters and flyers

PowerPoint is often overlooked as a Publisher alternative, but it is excellent for single-page visual layouts.

You can change the slide size to A4 or another custom size and then position text, pictures and shapes freely. The completed design can be exported as a PDF for printing.

PowerPoint works particularly well for:

Posters
Signs
Certificates
Flyers
Simple brochures
Visual instructions
Classroom displays
One-page information sheets

It feels more like Publisher than Word because objects can be placed freely on the page.

However, it is not ideal for long documents or publications where text must flow automatically between several pages.

Choose PowerPoint when: you want precise visual positioning and already work within Microsoft 365.

My verdict: An excellent option for posters, certificates, signs and other highly visual single-page resources.

4. Affinity: best for professional page layout

For people who used Publisher for complex booklets, magazines or print-ready publications, Affinity may be the closest alternative.

The former separate Affinity Publisher, Designer and Photo applications have been combined into one professional creative application. Its Layout tools are designed for books, magazines, brochures and other detailed publications.

Affinity offers more advanced control over:

Linked text frames
Master pages
Typography
Colour management
Bleed and crop marks
CMYK colour
PDF/X output
Professional print preparation

The current Affinity application is available to download free, although some connected Canva features may depend on your Canva account.

It is considerably more powerful than Canva, but it also has a steeper learning curve. Existing Publisher publications will generally need to be rebuilt rather than simply opened and converted.

Choose Affinity when: accurate layout and professional printing matter more than simplicity.

My verdict: The strongest free option for people who need a serious desktop publishing replacement.

5. Scribus: best free open-source publishing option

Scribus is a free, open-source desktop-publishing application.

It includes professional features such as:

Master pages
Linked text frames
Layers
Colour management
Precise object positioning
Print-ready PDF output

It is a credible option for booklets, newsletters and other complex publications, particularly when budget is the main concern.

The disadvantage is that Scribus is less immediately friendly than Canva, Word or PowerPoint. Its interface and workflow can take time to learn, especially for people who only create occasional publications.

Choose Scribus when: you need genuine desktop-publishing features and want a completely free, open-source application.

My verdict: Powerful and completely free, but better suited to confident users than occasional designers.

6. Adobe Express: another easy visual-design option

Adobe Express is similar to Canva and works well for posters, flyers, simple handouts and social media content.

Its free plan includes templates, fonts, Adobe Stock assets and basic document-editing tools. Adobe also offers a free education plan for eligible primary and secondary educators.

It is attractive for organisations already using Adobe products, although it is not a direct replacement for Publisher’s more advanced booklet and print-layout features.

You can compare the current options on the Adobe Express UK pricing page.

Choose Adobe Express when: you want quick template-based design and already use the Adobe ecosystem.

My verdict: The strongest option for people who are already familiar with Adobe software.

Which Publisher alternative should you choose?

Here is my practical starting point:

What you create	Best place to start
Worksheets and handouts	Canva or Word
Posters and classroom displays	Canva or PowerPoint
Certificates and flyers	Canva or PowerPoint
Long manuals and workbooks	Word
Labels, envelopes and mail merges	Word
Simple visual booklets	Canva, with careful print testing
Complex professional booklets	Affinity
Free professional desktop publishing	Scribus
Adobe-based visual content	Adobe Express

For many schools and organisations, the answer will not be one application.

A sensible combination might be:

Canva for visual resources and collaborative templates
Word for long or structured documents
PowerPoint for posters and precisely positioned one-page layouts
Affinity for complex, professional print work

Do not convert everything automatically

You probably have Publisher files that have not been opened for years.

Rather than rebuilding every file, sort them into three groups:

Keep

Current publications that are still accurate and regularly used.

Rebuild

Important templates and resources that will continue to be edited.

The most important step is to start now

Publisher will continue working until October 2026, but the files will not become easier to deal with after it disappears.

Begin by locating your .pub files and saving PDF copies of anything important. Then experiment with the alternatives using a real publication—not just a blank template.

Your existing design skills have not been wasted. Alignment, spacing, hierarchy, consistency and careful print testing remain important in every application.

The software is changing. Good design principles are not.

Need help moving away from Publisher?

Just Click Here provides friendly, practical IT training for people who want technology to feel useful rather than intimidating.

If your school, team or organisation is moving from Microsoft Publisher to Canva, Word or PowerPoint, I can help you understand the differences, rebuild useful templates and develop a workflow that works for the resources you actually create. Use our contact form here or browse our courses here.

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Using the Background Remover Tool in Canva

gillmaguire — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:23:00 +0000

The Background Remover effect in Canva can be used (if you are a pro user) to erase the background of a photo or image. If you aren’t a Canva Pro user (i.e. you use the free version) DON’T PANIC – there’s a great alternative for you to use.

How to Remove the background of a photo WITH Canva

Time needed: 2 minutes

To use the background remover effect in Canva,

Open Canva and create a (or open an existing) design
Insert the image into your design (either from photos or your own uploads)
Make sure the image is selected (i.e. has handles around it)
Click on Effects
Choose Background Remover
It may take a few seconds…
And your background is removed!
If you want to restore any of the removed background, click on Restore
Use the slider to amend your brush size
Remember to use the Zoom slider in the bottom right-hand corner to zoom in on your design
Click and drag where you want to restore part of your image/photo
When you are happy, click on Done (If you don’t like your amendments, click Cancel!)
If you want to remind yourself of how your original image looked, click on Show Original Image
The original background will appear as a transparent image
To remove more of the image, click on Erase
Use the slider to amend your brush size
Remember to use the Zoom slider in the bottom right-hand corner to zoom in on your design
Click and drag where you want to remove more of your image/photo
When you are happy, click on Done (If you don’t like your amendments, click Cancel!)
Finally, click on Apply 🙂

How to Remove the background of a photo WITHOUT Canva

You can easily remove the background of an image or photo using a free online tool called remove.bg

How to Remove the Background of an Image or Photo using Remove.BG

To remove the background of an image or photo without Canva, access the website remove.bg

Either drag and drop your image onto the browser page, or, click on upload image, navigate to your image, click on your image to select it then click open.

The background is automatically removed. 🙂

You can toggle between the original image and the one with the background removed here.

If you are happy with your image either click on it (to download it) or click on the blue download button

(To download an HD image, you will need to either purchase individual credits or or sign-up to a subscription plan)

Adding a Different Background

You can make more adjustments (e.g. add a new background image or colour) by clicking on edit in the top right-hand corner of your image.

On the background tab, in the editor, scroll down and choose a new image for your background.

Alternatively, to choose one of your own images or photos to use as a background, click on Select Photo, navigate to your image, click on your image to select it then click open.

You can use the Blur icons to blur your background (if you want).

Alternatively, click on Color, to change your background to a solid colour.

Select a colour from the pane, or choose the multicoloured icon (in the top left of the pane) to select your own colour

Click on the Erase/Restore tab to add some of the erased parts back to your photo, or erase more.

Click on either Erase or Restore (depending on what you want to do.

Use the slider to increase or decrease the size of the brush

Click and drag on your image to add to or subtract the original background from it.

Remember you can use the undo button!

Click Download to download your image onto your device.

Click on the X to close the editor…and that’s it! 🙂

Remove the background of an image/photo with or without Canva

I hope you enjoyed reading about the background remover in Canva. To see more resources about Canva, just visit our resource page here. If you’re interested in other software applications, just click here. For a list of FREE image/photo editors, just click here.

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How to find out a font from an image?

gillmaguire — Sun, 21 May 2023 15:23:04 +0000

If you want to find out what font or font style is being used in an image, you have several options…

Use an Online Font Recognition Tool

Lots of websites offer font recognition services. You can upload your image to these platforms, and they will analyse it to identify the font being used. Some popular options include WhatTheFont by MyFonts, WhatFontIs and the Font Macherator (by FontSpring)

Use Image Editing Software

If you have access to image editing software (for example, Adobe Photoshop or GIMP), you can use the Text or Type tool to select the text within the image (only if you have access to the file with the text still as a text layer). Once the text is selected, you can view the font name in the software’s font selection dropdown menu. If the text is part of the image, and you have access to Photoshop you can use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select the area of the image that contains the text you want to match. Then, from the toolbar, choose Type, then Match Font.

Use a Font Identification App

Instead of using image editing software, you can use an app! There are many mobile apps available that can help identify fonts. For example, Adobe Capture (available for iOS and Android) has a feature called “Find My Font“. With it you can take a picture or import an image then identify the font style.

Online Font Identification Communities

Yes, these do exist! There are actually many online communities where you can ask for help from font enthusiasts and designers. Websites such as Reddit and TypographyGuru have dedicated sections where you can post your image and request assistance in identifying the font.

I hope one of these methods has allowed you to find out what font is being used in your image! Finally, Just click here to look at other blog posts. A link to GIMP and other Image Editing software can be found here. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel for video tutorials here.

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Canva Presentation Quiz – how to dim the wrong answers!

gillmaguire — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:11:57 +0000

You can create great presentations in Canva – either by starting from scratch or using one of their templates. In this post, I’m going to go through how you can create a multiple choice quiz during a presentation in Canva, and easily dim the incorrect/wrong answers! Quizzes and questions are a great way to make your presentations more interactive and involve your audience.

Time needed: 2 minutes

Create your multiple choice question on a slide in a presentation
Click on the three dots (the more icon) in the top right-hand corner of your slide in the outline (at the bottom of your screen)
Choose Duplicate (or press Ctrl + D)
Click on Slide 2
Select an incorrect answer (click on it)
Click on the Transparency icon (top right-hand corner)
Use the transparency slider to reduce the opacity
Repeat steps 5-7 until all of your incorrect answers are faded
If you want, you could make the correct answer stand out more.
You could change the colour for example, or click on animate and choose an animate option for it.
Click on Slide 1
Click on Present, then present again (or use the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + P)
Your question slide should be visible. When you want to reveal the correct answer, press the spacebar to move to slide 2

Note – this works better if you simply move from the slide with all of the answers to the slide with the faded answers with no effects.

Video Tutorial – How to highlight the correct answer in a Canva Presentation

Hope you enjoyed this quiz in a Canva presentation tutorial. Just click here to look at other Canva Resources. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel for more video tutorials here.

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Canva – Keyboard Shortcuts for Presentations (Updated 2026)

gillmaguire — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 07:01:41 +0000

Canva can be used to create stunning presentations, either from many of their pre-existing templates (which can easily be customised) or by starting from scratch with a blank presentation.

The essential takeaway: Canva has a dedicated set of presentation‑mode shortcuts that let you navigate slides, trigger Magic Shortcuts, animations, draw on slides, and jump to specific pages, but all without touching the mouse. Very useful for people who frequently deliver presentations, or want to look professional while delivering.

Keyboard shortcut to start a presentation in Canva

To enter presentation mode in Canva, use the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + P (on Windows, or Cmd + Option + P if you’re on a Mac)

Starting and controlling your presentation

Action	Windows	Mac
Enter Presentation mode	Ctrl + Alt + P	Cmd + Option + P
Move to the next slide	Right Arrow → or Spacebar	Right Arrow → or Spacebar
Move to the previous slide	Left Arrow ←	Left Arrow ←
Jump to the first slide	Home	Home or Fn + Left Arrow ←
Jump to the final slide	End	End or Fn + Right Arrow →
Jump to a specific slide	Ctrl + Alt + G Type the slide number Press Enter	Cmd + Option + G Type the slide number Press Enter
Exit the presentation	Esc	Esc
Open the Magic Shortcuts menu	? or Shift + /	? or Shift + /

Canva keyboard shortcuts while presenting

You can add some fun effects during a presentation. Canva calls these “Magic Shortcuts”. A Magic Shortcut is triggered live, during the presentation, and is shown on whichever slide is currently on screen. The magic shortcuts include:

What it does	Key to use	Why you might use it
Blurring a presentation	Press B	use B to bring attention back to the presenter
Adds Confetti	Press C	use C to celebrate a result
Adds a Drum roll	Press D	use D before revealing quiz answers
Mic drop	Press M	use M after a strong final point, key takeaway or surprising fact
Adds Bubbles	Press O	use O to create a sense of ideas appearing
Quiet (shhh!)	Press Q	use Q before starting your presentation
Curtain Call	Press U	use U to temporarily cover the slide before revealing something important
Add a Timer	Press a number key (For example, pressing 1 counts down from 1 minute, pressing 2 counts down from 2 minutes etc) If you press 0 (zero) you get a 3 second timer.	use 1–9 for learner activities, use 0 to get answers quickly e.g. in an online poll or quiz
Stop the Timer	Press X
To move forward to the next slide	Press → (right arrow)
To move back a slide	Press ← (left arrow)

With most of these magic shortcuts, you press the letter once to start the effect, then again to stop it. So, for example if you press B during a presentation, the slide will be burred. This would allow the audience to focus on you, rather than the slide. Pressing B again will remove the effect. A lot of these magic shortcuts suit friendly training sessions, classroom activities and creative presentations better than serious business updates.

How to see the Magic Shortcuts during a presentation

Seasonal?

Canva also add some extra shortcuts tied to the time of year, for example S for spider and G for ghost around Halloween, and I for pie or F for falling leaves around Thanksgiving. These aren’t part of the permanent set above, so pressing S when it isn’t Halloween doesn’t add a spider to your presentation.

To end a presentation in Canva…

To end presentation mode in Canva, press Esc

Quick Canva Keyboard Quiz

How well do you know Canva presentation shortcuts?

Test your knowledge of the essential keyboard shortcuts for Canva presentations.

Question 1 of 8 Score: 0

Quiz Complete!

What do the Magic Shortcuts look like?

This blog post covers using keyboard shortcuts in Canva during presentations. For information about all other keyboard shortcuts in Canva, just click here.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Presentations Video Tutorial

I hope you enjoyed these keyboard shortcuts during presentations in Canva. If you know of any other ones, please add them to the comments section below 🙂

A quick reference guide showing all Canva keyboard shortcuts (or, at least all the keyboard shortcuts that I know of!) is available on my blog here and as a downloadable .pdf in the Resources Section of this website.

There is also a blog post about general keyboard shortcuts in Canva available here, and one about keyboard shortcuts when working with text here.

I hope you find them useful!

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Curved Text in Canva

gillmaguire — Thu, 20 May 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Creating curved text or curved writing is really easy in Canva!

Video tutorial – how to curve text in Canva

How to Curve Text in Canva

Time needed: 1 minute

Type your text
On the toolbar, click on Effects
Choose Curve
Use the slider to adjust the shape of your curve
Sliding to the left curves your text upwards and adjusts the size of the circle, sliding to the right curves your text downwards and also adjusts the size of the circle.
You can either use the resize handles to resize your text or the font size icon
Click on the spacing icon on the toolbar to adjust the letter spacing
This allows your curved text to become a full circle!
You’re done! 🙂

Edit Your Curved Text

To edit your curved text,

Double-click on your text
A box showing your text will appear over your curved text
Make any edits that you want
Click away (in a blank area of your design)
You’re done! 🙂

Ideas using Curved Text

Curves within Curves

To create curves within curves:

Create your curved text (instructions above)
Click on Duplicate
Resize your duplicated curved text to be smaller
Reposition it within your original curved text

Making Circles

To create a circle with text:

Create your curved text (instructions above)
Click the Spacing icon on the toolbar
Increase the letter spacing until your curve becomes a circle

Reflections

To create a reflection effect:

Create your curved text (instructions above)
Click on Duplicate
Use the slide to invert the curved text so that it is curving the other way

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial about curved text in Canva. Just click here to look at other Canva Resources. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel for more video tutorials here.

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Download Canva for Windows Now!

gillmaguire — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 11:03:39 +0000

Canva is available now to download as a desktop app for Windows.

Time needed: 1 minute

To download Canva –

Access the webpage www.canva.com/download/windows
Click on the turquoise Start Download button
A thank you message will display
Double-click on the .exe file to start installing Canva
Canva will install
Canva will launch when finished
Click on Login (if you already have a Canva account) or choose Sign up with Google/Facebook/Email to create a new account
Type in your login details and click on login
Canva will then open as a desktop app.

I was using Chrome when I downloaded Canva. If your screenshots differ to mine, it may be because you are using a different browser (e.g. Firefox or Edge).

I hope you found this short tutorial on how to download Canva for Windows useful. Please click here to return to my main blog page. If you are looking for tutorials, you may want to look at my Resources page, or if you fancy browsing links to free software, just click here.

If you are interested in alternatives to Canva, you may want to have a look at Stencil or Snappa. Both of these (like Canva) are free to get started with, and both have pricing plans for professional use.

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Zoom – Annotating, Sharing your screen and using the Whiteboard

gillmaguire — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

I recently posted an introduction to using Zoom, tips on staying safe and secure on Zoom and other features (such as putting participants on hold and changing your background) but I though it was about time I wrote about some of the practical features such as sharing your screen, annotating and using the whiteboard.

Zoom – Annotating, Sharing your screen and using the Whiteboard

Sharing Your Screen

Sharing you screen is a useful feature for all sorts of reasons – whether you (as the presenter) want to run through a presentation, or you want to show someone else a problem you are having with your device or a specific application. During a meeting, you can share your entire desktop or phone screen, part of your screen or a specific application. (You can also share video from a secondary camera or audio from your speakers)

To share your screen –

During a meeting, click on Share Screen in the meeting controls at the bottom of your screen
You will then be asked to choose what you want to share
In the Basic tab you can share your entire desktop, specific application window, whiteboard (see below) or iPhone/iPad screen
The Advanced tab allows you to choose to share part of your screen (a green resizable box will show you the part of your screen that you are sharing), share music or computer sound only, (i.e. only share your computer’s audio – not your screen), or share Content from 2nd Camera (e.g. an integrated camera on your laptop)
In the Files tab you can choose the location of a document to share (e.g. Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox)
Optional – if you click Share Computer Sound, any sound played by your computer will be shared in the meeting with your attendees
Optional – if you click Optimize for full screen video clip, you will share any video clip in full screen mode (Only select this option if you want to share a video clip as it may cause the shared screen to be blurry)
Click on Share – Zoom will automatically switch to full screen
To exit full-screen, click Exit Full Screen in the top-right corner (or press the Esc key)

Note – If you selected Content from 2nd Camera, click Switch Camera in the top-left corner to switch the shared camera.

The Share Screen Menu Bar

Note – By default, any participant in a meeting can share their video, screen, and audio. However, hosts and co-hosts can prevent participants from sharing their screen. To do this, in the host controls click the arrow next to Share Screen and choose Advanced Sharing Options. Under Who can share? select Only Host.

Annotating

You can use the annotation tools on a shared screen or whiteboard in Zoom.

Note – Before using annotation, make sure it has been enabled in the settings. In the Zoom web portal, click on Settings then click on the Meeting tab. Under Meeting (Basic), ensure that Annotation is enabled. (If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it.)

Annotating (if you started screen sharing)

If you shared your screen or whiteboard, the annotation controls will be displayed. (If you don’t see the annotation tools, click Annotate (if you are sharing your screen) or Whiteboard (if you are sharing a whiteboard).

Annotating (if you are viewing a shared screen)

Click on View Options then choose Annotate.

The Annotating tools

Note – The Select, Spotlight, and Save options are only available if you actually started the shared screen or whiteboard.

Using the Whiteboard

The whiteboard feature will allow you to share a whiteboard that you (and other attendees – if allowed) can annotate (draw/write) on.

Click the Share Screen icon in your meeting controls at the bottom of the screen
Choose Whiteboard in the Basic tab
Click on Share
The annotation tools will be displayed – if you don’t see the annotation tools, click Whiteboard in the meeting controls to toggle them on and off
You can use the page controls in the bottom right-hand corner of the whiteboard to create new pages and switch between pages

Note – Only the person that started sharing the whiteboard can create and switch pages.

I hope you enjoyed reading about annotating, sharing your screen and using the whiteboard in Zoom and learned something useful! If you aren’t a fan of Zoom, have a look at Zoom alternatives here. To sign up for zoom, click here.

The post Zoom – Annotating, Sharing your screen and using the Whiteboard appeared first on Just Click Here - IT Training and Resources.

Zoom – more features

gillmaguire — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

I recently posted an introduction to using Zoom, and tips on staying safe and secure on Zoom, but I thought it was about time I wrote about other features available in Zoom – such as changing your background and putting participants on hold during meetings.

Zoom – More Features

Changing Your Background

Yes, you too can star in Dr Who, Play School or The Simpsons… The BBC released over 100 pictures of empty sets (link here) including Dr Who, Blake’s Seven, Strictly, Absolutely Fabulous, Play School, Blue Peter and Match of the Day.

To save a background…

Click on an image to bring up a full quality downloadable version
Right- click on the image
From the menu that appears, choose Save image as…
Find your preferred destination
Name the file
Click Save

To Upload to Zoom

Open Zoom
Access Zoom’s settings (click on the cog in the top right-hand corner of the screen, under your profile picture)
Select Virtual Background from the menu bar on the left
Click the Plus Icon

Choose Add Image
Navigate to where you saved your background image
Select it (by clicking on it)
Click on Open

Putting Attendees on Hold

Note – the Waiting Room feature must be Disabled to put an attendee on hold. You must be a host to put a participant on hold.

Placing a specific attendee or attendees on hold temporarily stops video and audio to that attendee or attendees, allowing the host and other participants to continue the meeting. Foe example, this feature could be used if interviewers want to discuss a candidate for a job, or if a particular attendee is disrupting a meeting.

To place a participant on hold…

During a meeting, click on Manage Participants
Hover over the name of the attendee you want to put on hold
Click on More
Then select Put on hold
The Participants List will now show that this attendee is on hold
The attendee will see a screen indicating that the meeting host will let them in shortly

To take a participant off hold…

Click on Take off hold in the participants’ list
The attendee will re-enter the meeting

I hope you enjoyed reading this and learned something useful! If you aren’t a fan of Zoom, have a look at Zoom alternatives here.

The post Zoom – more features appeared first on Just Click Here - IT Training and Resources.

Just Click Here – IT Training and Resources

The B2 Secret: Why Good Spreadsheets Don’t Always Start in A1

1. Visual Breathing Room

2. Flexible Navigation and Controls

3. Clearer Data Boundaries and Faster Navigation

4. Give Yourself Some Printing and Layout Space

5. Room for Titles, Instructions and Workbook Information

Ready to make the shift?

So, should you always start in B2? Absolutely not.

Microsoft Publisher Is Retiring: What Are the Best Alternatives?

When is Microsoft Publisher retiring?

What will happen to my Publisher files?

Is there a direct replacement for Publisher?

1. Canva: best for worksheets and visual resources

2. Microsoft Word: best for text-heavy documents

3. PowerPoint: surprisingly useful for posters and flyers

4. Affinity: best for professional page layout

5. Scribus: best free open-source publishing option

6. Adobe Express: another easy visual-design option

Which Publisher alternative should you choose?

Do not convert everything automatically

Keep

Rebuild

Archive

The most important step is to start now

Need help moving away from Publisher?

Using the Background Remover Tool in Canva

How to Remove the background of a photo WITH Canva

How to Remove the background of a photo WITHOUT Canva

How to Remove the Background of an Image or Photo using Remove.BG

Adding a Different Background

Remove the background of an image/photo with or without Canva

How to find out a font from an image?

Use an Online Font Recognition Tool

Use Image Editing Software

Use a Font Identification App

Online Font Identification Communities

Canva Presentation Quiz – how to dim the wrong answers!

Video Tutorial – How to highlight the correct answer in a Canva Presentation

Canva – Keyboard Shortcuts for Presentations (Updated 2026)

Keyboard shortcut to start a presentation in Canva

Starting and controlling your presentation

Canva keyboard shortcuts while presenting

How to see the Magic Shortcuts during a presentation

Seasonal?

To end a presentation in Canva…

Quick Canva Keyboard Quiz

Quiz Complete!

What do the Magic Shortcuts look like?

Keyboard Shortcuts for Presentations Video Tutorial

Curved Text in Canva

How to Curve Text in Canva

Edit Your Curved Text

Ideas using Curved Text

Curves within Curves

Making Circles

Reflections

Download Canva for Windows Now!

Zoom – Annotating, Sharing your screen and using the Whiteboard

Zoom – Annotating, Sharing your screen and using the Whiteboard

Sharing Your Screen

To share your screen –

The Share Screen Menu Bar

Annotating

Annotating (if you started screen sharing)

Annotating (if you are viewing a shared screen)

The Annotating tools

Using the Whiteboard

Zoom – more features

Zoom – More Features

Changing Your Background

To save a background…

To Upload to Zoom

Putting Attendees on Hold

To place a participant on hold…

To take a participant off hold…