By default, a sway is vertically arrangedyou scroll down, but the Navigation menu gives you a couple more choices: Horizontal scroll and Optimized for Presentation. You should switch to a better presentation program to quickly solve S. Lastly, users recommend using the Sway website instead if the Microsoft Sway app is not working. Building a Sway You start by clicking or tapping Create New, after which new options abound. Sway is a new app from Microsoft Office that makes it easy to create and share interactive reports, personal stories, presentations, and more. But when youre sitting with a blank Sway sheet in front of you, its not entirely clear what youre meant to use it for. Presentations can be mixed up,too, toggling the format (such as changing a story that scrolls vertically to one that scrolls horizontally) or functionality (such as changing a swipeable stack of photos to a static gallery). For this reason, Sway doesnt have slides;it has a single storyline. There you go, several quick and easy solutions that can help you solve problems with Microsoft Sway. You can switch between different presentation sections as and when needed. Your options are pretty limited, though. If this still doesnt solve your problem, check our other solution below. Microsoft PowerPoint is known to be a powerful tool for presenting the already calibrated content and materials in slideshows. I was able to include a Vimeo video and a SoundCloud song in my Sway using this. View an example. This tool has not yet been rated by our privacy team. When I first saw Microsoft's new Sway app for Windows 10, I wasn't sure whether it should be considered a website builder, a photo-album creator, or something else. We are glad you have chosen to leave a comment. You can make a video or audio call, work on files without leaving a chat, and schedule a meeting or share a task with people from a channel. Theres a lot of potential for this tool in education. Its simply brilliant. It is software in which you are creating documents. I added a quote as a Text content block, but it was just floating text, so I set it as a Heading instead and it looks quite nice. Teachers and students log in with their Office credentials and follow the short tutorial to get oriented on how to add text and images and then how to customize the way users will scroll through a story --layouts include Horizontal, Vertical, and Slideshow. You could use Sway to create: A presentation for work. Its apps are regularly updated as well, so you always have access to the latest innovations. There is a Start From a Topic option which will bring up a topic selector from which to choose. Pros and Cons of Microsoft Sway Pros It helps you create interactive presentations. This make users hard to make their slides if it's for serious work. Weve used Google Chrome as an example. The accessibility feature gets rid of the extra animations that help Assistive Technology and allows the reader to focus solely on the content. These templates include things like business presentations, portfolios, resumes, and newsletters. It removed grid lines and stacks in order to give the readers a bigger and clearer space for the content. Sway does a great job of combatting that with its easy navigation view. But while PowerPoint centers around the slideshow format, Sway's. Ana ivkovi (Serbia, @teacherka) is an English as a second language (ESL) teacher in Serbia. After reviewing Microsoft Sway I can say that its a nice programme, Im not going to argue that with anyone. Lets take a look at some of the main disadvantages of Microsoft Office 365. Sway also suggests images by searching Bing based on key words in your Sway. Sway is certainly an attention-grabber, but you dont want prospective customers looking at the means by which youre showing your presentation, rather than the presentation itself. After 7 th grade literature classes at her school and a partner school in Mexico both studied Antoine de Saint-Exupry's "The Little Prince," they made artwork, animated film and live action videos to bring the narrative to life and outline its lessons. But dont worry; even if youre not a storyteller, the professional presentation tools will give you everything you need to shine. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Sway? The iPad app is also intuitive and, of course, supports finger input for selecting content and swiping through templates and options. Since we last reviewed Sway (5 years ago! Some of the integrated services are owned by Microsoft, including OneNote, Bing, and other Sway sites. There are some differences between the free version and the Office 365 version, but these are mainly on the admin side and let you do things like password protect a Sway (oh yeah, Sway documents are called Sways) or remove the footer. This fear has always been one of the biggest problems with PowerPoint. Offices in Manchester, Bristol, & London (UK) and Boston/Cambridge (USA). Microsoft Planner is part of the Microsoft 365 platform and serves as a to-do list app rather than a legitimate project planning software due to its lack of project management features. No downloadable/transferable files. Enter a title into the Title card. Sway is a simple tool that can produce some great results. Any card you've added displays a Plus button allowing you to add another card below it; if there's already one below it, the new card squeezes in between the two. Compared to Powerpoint, your design options in Sway are limited. This might distract from your business or personal brand you want to reflect on the page. You might end up paying for programs that you only use once every few months. There are many others available; you just need to choose one most suited to your preferences. And while it really is easy to figure out, there's no help aside from an explanatory video. For this particular feature, Microsoft makes use of a format that goes by the name of Video Text Tracks (.vtt). Review by Marianne Rogowski, Common Sense Education This makes it a popular choice for people who want to access it on the go. He's also worked as a trainer, technical support person, delivery manager, system administrator, and in other roles that involve getting people and technology to work together. He was the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Wake Up Show as one half of the duo Sway & King Tech. Mobile App Accessibility and Ease of Use, 8. Easy migration: use the Opera assistant to transfer exiting data, such as bookmarks, passwords, etc. Cons No complex navigation options like that offered by website builders. Many have pigeonholed Sway as a lightweight, consumer version of PowerPoint, and there's some validity to that. As the world shifts more and more into a digital space or Modern Technology, productivity tools are becoming increasingly important. Presentations can, therefore, be accessed from anywhere or with the mobile app. You may create and share interactive reports, presentations, and more with this application. For easy, full-capability site building, our Editors' Choice is Weebly. Sway requires a Microsoft account (but not Office 365). Those little changes can help teachers create original, slick, sophisticated presentations to share withstudents orcolleagues. Known as Sway, he is known for hosting music, news, and culture programming. Different rates and plans are depending on which package you choose, but typically you can expect to pay a yearly fee. Microsoft also uses a multi-layered approach to security with firewalls, malware scanners, anti-spam filters, and intrusion detection systems to protect against unwanted intrusion. Cons: The navigation is a bit outdated, and classroom-friendly options are lacking. It uses the same object (an octopus if youre interested) and shows how three people respond to it, creating a Swayfor each of them. Recapping a class project in Sway. It is a powerful app that can change the way you work and learn with innovative tools for collaboration, communication, content management, and more. Theres a great promotional video for Microsoft Sway. Sometimes, the presentations hinder learning when the slides contain distracting elements or contain only text and narration that viewers tune out. You can choose between horizontal or vertical scrolling. Choose the subtype of the card to add, such as Heading, Image, or Grid. The lack of editability hints that Sway is aimed at people who dont have a design eye but still want to create something slick and stylish. Well, this cloud-enabled platform has the answer for you. Its odd using a new piece of software like this. The trouble is, what should you use it for? There are also Sway apps for iPad and iPhone. Office 365 offers enhanced security and flexibility over traditional, on-premises productivity applications. The layout changes with Accessibility View mode. Select the + button to add a new card. If you want to just try something different, hit Remix! Malware execution method using Sway as a delivery platform. The downside of that is that you can't take it to another site for hosting, though that's par for the course in today's Tumblr and Facebook world. Can Power Companies Remotely Adjust Your Smart Thermostat? More and more conferences and events are taking place online. The good thing is that Sway will auto-suggest you pictures based on your . When you turn the accessibility view on, the following happens: This is another important feature. This issue is not unrelated to other problems you may face with the service. If you had additional options that enabled you to change things like font, sizes of pictures, placement of text boxes (anything and everything!) Lately, when I join technology education forums, one of the most talked-about webtools is Microsoft Sway.Though fairly new, Sway has taken over classroom production of visual presentations because the result is visually appealing while minimizing the amount of time students spend formatting a project, giving them lots more time to research and write. In such cases, sway.office.com would have refused to connect. In such cases, sway.office.com would have refused to connect. Guiding you with how-to advice, news and tips to upgrade your tech life. When we talk about Sway, Microsoft has things organized in this department. These presentations can be used for lectures, seminars, and webinars. Using it on a laptop feels like youre not getting the most out of it it feels a bit clunky using a mouse or touchpad. My kingdom for the alignment tools! Keynote, like the worldwide pattern, is lower but a steady constant. Office 365 also offers Business Continuity capabilities that allow organizations to continue operations in the event of a disaster. As of July17, 2021[update], the Sway iOS app's discontinuance in 2018 was the last piece of news posted in the Sway tech blog. The Pros of Microsoft Office 365 are that you can save your documents anywhere and view them anywhere. The idea is that Sway can be used for everything, by anyone. Are We Swayed? Select Sign in on the top menu bar with your Microsoft account or work or school account for Microsoft 365. At the time of writing, they are roughly equal. One of the major talking points in the industry was when Microsoft launched its unified communications channel - Microsoft Teams. But Sway is really an exampleof a new class of software that lets you create "stories," similar to the iPad-only Adobe Slate. Slick presentation: A major issue with PowerPoint presentations is that they can seem unprofessional or lack finesse. There are also hundreds of applications, thousands of templates, and other useful add-ins that make it the best productivity suite you can get. There are six basic layout theme classes, with 50 choices within each group sporting different fonts and colors. Many options in MS Word helps you to create amazing documents and later you can print the document also. Learn more about our privacy ratings. Since we last reviewed Sway (5 years ago! What Is It? Office 365 is constantly being updated to ensure you have the latest and greatest features. Copyright Windows Report 2023. If you like what you see here, we strongly encourage you to subscribe! With the benefits of MS Office, you can view your documents on different devices at the same time. A PowerPoint presentation design company. Sway is web-based, with a Sway app from the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 devices. When I visited a Sway created by another account and then chose "Duplicate this Sway," the Web version of Sway opened, but the duplicated Sway was also now in my app's My Sways page. You may not be . This means you dont need to install anything on your computer, tablet, or smartphone; its all stored online so it can be accessed regardless of where you are. They also provide several get inspired presentations to give you an idea of things Sway can do. Required fields are marked *. Sway on the Web is best experienced when using Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11, Firefox 17 or later, Chrome 23 or later, and Safari 6 or later. Furthermore, you can show these presentations live or upload them onto a public platform. You also have choices for object groupings in stack, comparison, slideshow, and grid. Buying the Software on its own doesn't come with storage like with the Suite. Here are a few pros and cons: Sway is hip. Slideshow apps and websites that let student work shine. Sway is now also available for Windows 10 as a desktop app which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Full background images slowly zoom to keep the eye engaged, and elements fly in at angles when you scroll a page up to reveal them. Liven up a lab report by having your students import charts, graphs, and images from their latest lab into Sway, and then have them enter their written responses in between. You can kind of see what its trying to do, but the jury is still out on whether it achieves it. Students can also collaborate on presentations via a shared URL. Microsoft put a limit to send or receive per day. Javascript is required. Sway may not offer as many design templates, clip art items, animations, and editing tools as PowerPoint, but it makes up for this with the ease with which it lets you create beautiful Web documents. But we at BrightCarbon do presentations, so its only right to try and use Sway for that purpose. If the problem comes from their side, wait for them to fix it. From the Authors button, you can also send a link to give access to a co-editor. How do you make sure your presentations are clear and compelling when you're not face-to-face? Sway is ideal for school projects. As with any good Web publishing platform, Sway lets you link selected text or images to other URLs. Let's take a look at some of the main disadvantages of Microsoft Office 365. One of the most important concerns for people using todays technology is the safety aspect of the applications in question. There are various thumbnails that make it easier for the reader to understand the context. But does it work? Here you can use either the system keyboard or the Assistive Technology. Another advantage of using Office 365 is its collaboration tools such as Skype for Business and Sway. Sway has automated options for easy usage. There are some disadvantages, too: The domain is too generic: sway.office.com. If you enter a termwe used technologySway will produce the outline of a presentation for you, with definitions, uses, areas to cover, suggested linked topics, images, and more. With the help of this option, you can put all the slides and content pages in a loop. Presentation Approach. Also Read: 15+ Cool Features of MS Office You Should Know in 2022. It comprises of numbered tiles. And theres always a but. Sway handles the rest once youve added your text and images and searched for and imported pertinent material from other sources. Thankfully Microsoft has recognized this, and theyve gone to great lengths to prevent this fear with Sway. In that case, youll have to contact Microsoft support and explain your problem. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/microsoft-sway-for-windows-10, $8.25 Per User Per Month with Annual Commitment, How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files, How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac, Read Our Squarespace Website Builder Review, Read Our Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 Review, The Best Project Management Software for 2023, Document Editing on the Cheap: How to Use Microsoft Office for Free on the Web, Easy Collaboration: 35 Must-Know Tips for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Important elements are: the flexibility, easy integration of many different files, and the sharing. This keeps the listeners engaged in the whole act. Related Products Axero. Various Text Placement Styles. Sway comes with a lot of design templates and engines that can help you with your presentation. (aka Project Moca), How to Get New Office 365 Features Up to Six Months Sooner, How to Watch UFC 285 Jones vs. Gane Live Online, 2023 LifeSavvy Media. Updated September 2019, Create dynamic visual presentations on flexible storytelling platform, Arts, Communication & Collaboration, Creativity, Assessment, Creating Media, Media Literacy, Presentation. On the other hand, PowerPoint is cross-platform with both web and desktop applications for Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Sway is a presentation tool from the Microsoft Office line of products. I review Microsoft Sway and ask Is this the new PowerPoint? Spoiler alert: its not! Sway: Whats the Difference? PowerPoint vs. How to Run Your Own DNS Server on Your Local Network, How to Check If the Docker Daemon or a Container Is Running, How to Manage an SSH Config File in Windows and Linux, How to View Kubernetes Pod Logs With Kubectl, How to Run GUI Applications in a Docker Container. The Office Online version of Sway is remarkably similar to the installed Windows 10 app. Microsoft Sway is a great way to create newsletters, pres. Select the type of card you want to add. Theres a chance that you will be downloading a version of Office 365 that is not compatible with your computer. Microsoft has a history of building solid and dependable tools. Once shared, Sways can be grouped together in Collections. But recently, as video conferencing took off because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Microsoft has added Zoom to its gunsights. You have a chat tool that also has all the other apps in it. The most common cause of Sway not working is issues relating to Microsoft servers; Microsoft Sway may be down. Disadvantage #1: Fewer Export Options On the flip side, Keynote doesn't let you export your presentations in as many formats as PowerPoint does. They can be viewed and edited from any web browser through Office on the web. The text or content of Sway is now displayed in a vertical manner so that the readers can focus on only one part of the content at a time. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. With its REST APIs, you can use Office 365 tools to create innovative workflows such as automating data entry or tracking project status. Users can obtain PowerPoint on their own but the cost is high. If youve ever worked in an office environment, you most likely associate PowerPoint with shiny-suited salespeople and managers with no public speaking skills. With all the amazing features of Office 365, there are a few downsides to consider. Please keep in mind that comments are moderated according to our comment policy. Microsoft OneNote. Sway's self-paced experience is nice, but more interactive features such as tools for annotation or commenting would make it even better. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. In this article, we take a look at this issue and recommend to you the best fixes. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The last actually does render your presentation in a step-through, PowerPoint-like fashion rather than a scrolling Web-like presentation that the other choices produce. For example, you can show the design tools at the left, the editing area in the middle, and a preview on the right, or devote the whole window to just the editing area or the preview. Highlight a Row Using Conditional Formatting, Hide or Password Protect a Folder in Windows, Access Your Router If You Forget the Password, Access Your Linux Partitions From Windows, How to Connect to Localhost Within a Docker Container. What is Microsoft Word Microsoft Word or MS Word is a word processing software that was created on 25 October 1983. How would you know if a particular tools closed captioning feature is turned on or not? It also integrates with email, calendar, and other Microsoft tools to make it easy to communicate with customers or clients. Like Adobe Slate, Sway lets you choose a focus point for an added image if one part of the photo is most important. Sway sites are stored on Microsoft's servers and are tied to the user's Microsoft account. Of course, this depends on your privacy settings and who you share your presentation with. Platform. Office 365 can be accessed on iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, and other mobile devices. If you use PowerPoint a lot, chances are youll have seen your fair share of glitches and malfunctions. Its part of the Microsoft Garage Experimental Project, so you can imagine its not perfect yet, but it promises big. Most people are not specialists in design and layout, so Microsoft has provided a bunch of templates (18 at the time of writing) for common presentations to help get you past the creators block and started designing. All without registration and send SMS! This is one of the biggest disadvantages of office 365, but it is important to understand. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. As of July 17, 2021, the Sway iOS app's discontinuance in 2018 was the last piece of news posted in the Sway tech blog. and Sway will generate a new style for you. And you can Customiseyour Sway by editing the Colour inspiration, Colour palettes, font, Animation emphasis and Text size (small, medium, large). Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). Please enable javascript before you are allowed to see this page. Cons: The navigation is a bit outdated, and classroom-friendly options are lacking. You can also pay an annual rate or even a one-time fee if your budget requires it. OneDrive storage is 15 GB per user, including those who arent paying for subscription services. Students can share their work with peers in a virtual show-and-tell-style gallery walk. If your company doesnt regularly purchase Office 365, it might be easy to forget about renewing the subscription and end up paying much more than you should. The program also provides native integration with other services, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Mixcloud, and Infogram.[10]. Ive attended trade shows of Microsoft, Google, and Apple and written about all of them and their products. One of the disadvantages of Google Slides is that it is lack of features that fulfil users need. With an Office 365 subscription, all data is encrypted in transit and at rest. The site offers a short tutorial and a few lessons that highlight what's possible and provide some inspiration to teachers or students who want to make their presentations pop, but without a decent-sized gallery of ideas or lessons, they'll find themselves largely on their own to think of creative ways to present material. There's great potential for exploring storytelling and presentation skills, from writing clearly to choosing the sequence of text and images effectively. When used correctly, most professional presentation software allows you to create fascinating presentations with minimum effort and leverage templates power to focus and polish the material to be delivered. 6) Security and Privacy One of the most important concerns for people using today's technology is the safety aspect of the applications in question. Microsoft Planner is a task management software that's equipped with kanban boards and to-do lists.