[Libs-Or] Tech-Talk: OFFICE - Pin It! Make a Favorite File So You Can Find It Fast

Wed Jan 7 08:40:21 PST 2026

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Webinars for You

NOTE: Webinars begin at 3 pm ET / 2 pm CT / 1 pm MT / 12 Noon PT and are one hour long.

January 7: [GRAPHICS] GIF Animations for Images, Websites and Social Media. Why Attend? You want your graphics to grab attention.

January 14: [CYBERSECURITY] Say Goodbye to Password Hassles with Passkeys! Why Attend? You want safer logins for your online accounts.

January 28: [COMMUNICATION] OurStoryBridge: Connecting the Past and Present! Why Attend? You want to capture people’s stories in your community, knowing that online, brief oral histories are the way to do it in the 21st century.

February 11: [GOOGLE FORMS & AI] Let AI Reveal the Story Behind Your Google Form Responses. Why Attend? You gather data with forms and want immediate analysis of trends and summaries.

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OFFICE - Pin It! Make a Favorite File So You Can Find It Fast

Intermediate

[An illustration of an open blue file folder with a large yellow star on the front cover and white pages inside.]

There are several files that I am constantly opening. The problem is, a lot of the time I can’t remember what folder I saved it in. Sounds familiar, right? You’ve probably scrolled through long lists of documents…thinking, “Where did I put that?”

There’s an easier way. You can save a file as a Favorite right inside each type of Office software. This way, when you open the app, the file is right there. Your file is always front and center.

Pinning the file you use frequently is perfect for reports you update each week, a spreadsheet you use for budgets, or meeting notes that you regularly update. It’s a tiny, one time step…but it makes your workspace feel more organized.

How to Create a Favorite File in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

You can easily “pin” any file in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. It is the same for Office and Office 365 on the web. Here are the two options for pinning a Favorite file:

#1: Pin from the Home Screen
1.  Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. The Home Screen opens automatically when the app starts.
2.  Look for your Recent Files. You’ll see templates at the top and a list of files you’ve opened before.
3.  Find the file you want to pin. Use the Recent list to locate it.
4.  Hover over the file.
5.  Click on the star icon on the right.

Once selected, the star icon turns solid. That means the file is now a Favorite.

[A file browser window shows three Excel files in OneDrive. The file "Librarian Data 24-25" is highlighted, with a cursor pointing to it. A star icon next to it is circled in red.]

#2: Pin from the Open Menu

This way is helpful if you haven’t opened the file recently. Here’s how:

1.  In Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, open the File Menu.
2.  Click Open from the menu on the left.
3.  Find the file you want to pin in your files.
4.  Hover over the file.
5.  Click on the star icon on the right. It will turn solid.

TIP: You can pin more than one file. Create a short, neat list of your most-used documents, so they’re always at your fingertips.

How Favorites Work in Google

You can pin your favorite files in Google, but it works a little differently from Office. Instead of pinning inside each app, Google uses Google Drive as the control center.

Favorites are called Starred files. When you star a file, it appears in your Google Drive in the Starred folder. Your most important files are one click away!

To star a file in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, there are two options. Here’s the first option:
1.  Open the document.
2.  Look at the file name at the top.
3.  Click the star icon next to it.

Once selected, the star icon turns solid, and it will show up in your Starred folder.

[A menu with three options: Move (Ctrl+Alt+M), Add shortcut (Ctrl+Alt+R), and Add to starred (Ctrl+Alt+S). "Add to starred" is highlighted with a gray background.]

The other way is to do it right in your list of documents in your Google Drive.

You don’t need to be inside Docs, Sheets, or Slides to manage favorites.
1.  Go to Google Drive.
2.  Right-click the file.
3.  Hover over Organize and select Add to Starred.

TIP: To find your Starred files in Google Drive, look for Starred on the left menu.

Pinning a file takes just a second, but it can save you time every day. Your go-to documents stay front and center, exactly where you expect them. Just open the app and get started.

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Communications: 12 Power Words #5

“Because” … followed by a Reason

Any time you ask someone for a favor, request they do something for you, or seek permission to take an action of your own … you are vulnerable.

They may agree and give you a favorable answer or they may not. If you want to increase your chances for a positive answer, always add the word “because” and follow that with a reason (even if it’s a weak one).

Examples:

·     A REQUEST: “Can I check out in front of you?”
·     BETTER: “Can I check out in front of you; I only have one item?”
·     BEST: “Can I check out in front of you because I only have one item?”

·     A REQUEST: “Can we move our meeting out?”
·     BETTER: “Can we move our meeting out, so that I won’t be late?”
·     BEST: “Can we move our meeting out because I don’t want to be late?”

Studies show that, even with a weak reason, people routinely respond more positively when the “because” word is added.

Example of a Weak Reason:

·     A REQUEST: “Let’s each put a $1 in the jar.”
·     BETTER: “Let’s each put a $1 in the jar, it’s important.”
·     BEST: “Let’s each put a $1 in the jar because it is important.”

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