Planning a Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Migration? What Should You Consider?
Hi everyone, Has anyone recently migrated from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365? I’m interested in knowing what challenges you faced during the migration, especially around mailbox data, calendars, contacts, user mapping, or the final cutover process. For those planning the migration, what are the key things you recommend preparing before getting started? Would like to hear your experiences and suggestions.
Microsoft Sign In Loop
I am trying to sing into Microsoft 365, but every time I do, it takes me back to the login screen. I sing in with my outlook account, but I can't reach the applications. I can sign in on the browser, but not the applications on my computer. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling M365, but the issue still persists[Community tool] Find the GPO, registry value and Intune setting for any Office ribbon button
Hi everyone, as a technical service owner for Microsoft 365 Apps, one question comes up for me again and again: which policy actually controls this button or option? The information is all there – in the Office ADMX/ADML templates, the Office Fluent UI control ID lists, the Intune Settings Catalog and many Learn articles. But I never found it in one place, so every answer meant connecting several sources by hand. Especially when onboarding new colleagues, this costs a lot of time. So I built a free community tool for it: Office Admin Explorer https://tools.pascal-donath.de/office-admin-explorer/ How it works It's a clickable mock of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook (ribbon, File menu, Options, Trust Center). Click any element and you get: idMso and Policy ID (for customUI and the "Disable commands" policy) the ADMX policy with its exact path in Group Policy Management the registry value it writes, with ready-to-copy PowerShell or .reg the matching Intune Settings Catalog entry Cloud Policy notes, step-by-step guides and Microsoft Learn links The search covers all Office ADMX policies (2,400+) and command IDs (8,000+), including elements that aren't part of the mock. Also included Ribbon builder – hide or disable buttons, groups or tabs and export the result as customUI XML, a macro-free add-in (.dotx / .xlam / .ppam) or the "Disable commands" policy for Group Policy and Intune Deployment view – configuration.xml generator for the Office Deployment Tool User Support view – typical user problems: symptom → cause → fix Policy names and registry values are checked against Microsoft's ADMX/ADML files, and the Intune mapping against the Graph settings catalog. It runs in the browser without sign-in and is available in English and German. Please test any configuration on a lab device or pilot group first. I'd like your input How do you handle this today – ADMX search, Group Policy Search, the Intune catalog, your own documentation? Which Office settings do you get asked about most often? I'd like to add the most requested ones next. If you find a wrong or outdated entry, every entry has a "Report it on GitHub" link – corrections are very welcome. Thanks! Pascal --- *Transparency note: The tool was developed with the help of AI. The content is based on my own admin experience, and policy names, registry values and Intune mappings are validated automatically against Microsoft's official sources (ADMX/ADML templates, Fluent UI control lists, Microsoft Graph settings catalog). This is a community project and not affiliated with Microsoft.*How to Recover Data from a Damaged or Corrupted OST File When Outlook Cannot Open It
Hi everyone, I have seen several cases where users still have an old OST file but cannot access the mailbox data inside it. This usually happens after an Outlook profile is removed, a Microsoft 365 or Exchange account is changed, a mailbox is no longer available, or the OST file becomes damaged or corrupted. One common misunderstanding is that an OST file can be opened on another computer in the same way as a PST file. However, an OST file is linked to the Outlook profile and mailbox that created it. If that connection is no longer available, Outlook may not be able to open the file normally. Before trying to recover the OST data, it is worth checking a few things: Is the original Microsoft 365 or Exchange mailbox still available? Can the Outlook profile be recreated and synchronized again? Is the issue related to the OST file itself or only the Outlook profile? Do you need the complete mailbox data or only specific folders/items? If the mailbox is still available, rebuilding the Outlook profile and allowing Outlook to create a new OST may be the better approach. However, if the mailbox no longer exists, the Outlook profile has been deleted, or the OST file is damaged and contains the only available copy of the mailbox data, recovery becomes a different process. In these situations, it is important to first check what information is still readable from the OST file. Scanning and previewing the mailbox data before export can help identify available folders, emails, attachments, contacts, and calendar items before creating a new PST file. A practical OST recovery workflow usually involves: Keeping a copy of the original OST file before making any changes. Checking whether the original mailbox can still be synchronized. Scanning the OST file to identify available mailbox items. Reviewing important folders and messages. Exporting the required data to PST. Validating the resulting PST in Outlook. A detailed overview of the OST to PST conversion process, including scanning, previewing, selecting mailbox items, and exporting recoverable data, is available here: https://www.edbmails.com/pages/ost-to-pst-converter.html One important point to remember is that recovery results depend on the condition and readability of the OST file. A conversion tool can help extract available mailbox information, but it cannot recreate data that is no longer present or readable inside the source file.Unable to Open an Old OST File After Outlook Profile or Mailbox Changes
Hi everyone, I am looking for suggestions on handling an old OST file where the original Outlook profile or mailbox is no longer available. The situation is that an OST file contains important mailbox data, but Outlook cannot open it normally after changes to the user account or profile. This can happen after a Microsoft 365 mailbox change, Exchange migration, user account removal, or when an OST file becomes damaged. Since OST files are linked to the Outlook profile and mailbox that created them, simply moving the file to another system does not always make the data accessible. Before attempting any recovery approach, I would like to understand the recommended steps: Is there any Microsoft-recommended method to access an orphaned OST file? What checks should be performed before trying to recover data from the OST? How do administrators usually handle old OST files when the original mailbox is no longer available? What is the best way to validate recovered mailbox data? I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has handled similar Outlook OST recovery scenarios after Microsoft 365 or Exchange changes.
Microsoft Account Login
HI All I recently reinstall windows on the same PC where I had my Microsoft account as a default. During the set-up process I wasn't able to create Hello Pin so I used another Hotmail account and also choosing to go offline option having tried several times with the Microsoft account which I have set-up as a profile but cannot login using my Microsoft account as nothing happens when I click on sign in with no option prompt to sign in. I have checked my Microsoft, but no issues found through troubleshooter as I'm logged into the account submitting this support discussion not via windows profile account. I can't work out why I'm no longer able to login using my Microsoft account. Help on this would be appreciated. Regards, SergioUltimate Polling and Quiz Experience with Polls app: The Replacement for Forms app in Teams meeting
Initially Forms app was launched in Teams - for different experiences based on the sync vs async user scenarios, as it points to polling experience in meetings for quick creation to launch, while it points to survey experience in the context of Teams channel.To provide an intuitive and easy-to-access experience , Polls app was launched - a dedicated app for all your polling and quiz needs in Teams meeting and chat. We are glad to see that hosting an effective and interactive meeting just got easier after the launch of Polls.
