Answered By: Bob Glass
Last Updated: Aug 12, 2025     Views: 112

How Do I Access Microsoft Editor?

All Piedmont University students, faculty, and staff have access to the University's license to the Microsoft 365 platform, which includes Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and several other applications.

You can access Microsoft 365 with this URL, among others: https://office.com/ You login with your University username and password and can immediately use the web-based versions of Office applications. You can also download the Office applications and install them on your personal devices.

While spelling and grammar checking have been a part of Microsoft products for a long time, Microsoft Editor was added to Word only recently. Unless you have actively removed it, you will see the Editor icon toward the right side of the Home ribbon in both the web-based and installed versions..

Basic spelling and grammar checking are active by default, but to use Editor's advanced features, users must click the Editor icon. 

 

What are the features of Microsoft Editor?

A separate frame will appear on the right side of an open document when you click the Editor icon. It appears to be identical in the Word desktop client and the Word web client.

1. When Editor opens, it analyzes your document and assigns a score. Each time you revise your text or change an option, Editor refreshes its score.

You can use the next option to shape Editor's analysis.

Editor's suggestions are not infallible; you should consult with your professor if you remain unsure. 

2. Tone or level of writing - Formal, Professional, or Casual - is a setting you can change, via a drop-down menu, to tailor your writing to your audience.

The Corrections and Refinements that follow next allow you to interact with Editor's suggestions for improvement.
3. Corrections: Spelling and Grammar. If Editor has no suggestions, you’ll see a check mark. Otherwise, click on the tabs to work through the suggestions for improvement.

4. The next several suggestions are called Refinements. The Refinement categories are:

  • Clarity
  • Conciseness
  • Formality
  • Inclusiveness
  • Punctuation Conventions
  • Resume
  • Sensitive Geopolitical References
  • Vocabulary

If Editor has no suggestions, you’ll see a check mark. Otherwise, you can click on the tab to work through the refinement suggestions.

4. Similarity check is similar to Turnitin’s originality or plagiarism checking. However, the accuracy and reliability of this feature are unknown. Editor's Similarity checking should not be considered a replacement for Turnitin, especially for plagiarism checking.

5. Text Predictions (when it appears) is a feature you can enable to provide word and phrase suggestions as you type.

6. Insights gives word counts and readability scores that use the Flesch-Kincaid system.

Editor Settings

There are a great many default settings that already provide a very useful and helpful environment. There are also many advanced settings you can choose that can be very helpful with questions of advanced grammar and writing style. They are beyond the scope of this FAQ, but you access the Advanced MS Editor Options in Word following this path on the ribbon: File > Options > Proofing > When correcting spelling and grammar in Word > Writing Refinements > Writing Style.

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