How To

I didn’t think Excel could handle these 3 tasks—but it did

Published

2 months ago

July 13, 2026

Excel is still full of surprises

You probably think you know Microsoft Excel pretty well. You’ve used it for budgets, charts, maybe even some basic formulas. But I recently discovered three things Excel can do that genuinely blew my mind. I didn’t think it was possible—yet here we are.

Let me walk you through each one. You might end up using Excel in ways you never imagined.

1. Excel can generate unique random values without duplicates

Need a list of random numbers, codes, or IDs? The old way was to use RAND() or RANDBETWEEN(), but those often produce duplicates. That’s not acceptable for things like raffle tickets, sample IDs, or password resets.

I assumed you’d need a macro or a third-party add-in. But Excel has a hidden function: RANDARRAY. Combined with UNIQUE, it creates a list of random values with zero repeats. Here’s a quick example:

=UNIQUE(RANDARRAY(10, 1, 1, 100, TRUE))

That formula gives you 10 unique random integers between 1 and 100. No duplicates. No VBA. Just clean, dynamic data. It’s perfect for Excel random number generation in real-world scenarios.

How it works

RANDARRAY generates an array of random numbers (rows, columns, min, max, integer/ decimal).
UNIQUE filters out any duplicates automatically.

This combo is incredibly useful for simulations, lottery draws, or assigning random IDs to participants. I use it all the time now.

2. Excel can pull live data from the web automatically

I always thought web scraping required Python or a dedicated tool. But Excel’s Power Query (Get & Transform Data) can fetch live data from websites, APIs, and even PDFs.

Here’s what I did: I set up a query to pull the latest exchange rates from a public API. Once configured, Excel refreshes the data with one click—or automatically on file open. No coding. No manual copy-paste.

Steps to try it yourself

Go to Data > Get Data > From Other Sources > From Web.
Paste the URL of a table or API endpoint.
Use the Power Query Editor to clean and shape the data.
Load it into your worksheet.

This is a game-changer for anyone tracking stock prices, weather data, or sports stats. Excel becomes a live dashboard, not just a static spreadsheet.

3. Excel can send emails directly from a worksheet

This one really surprised me. I needed to send personalized emails to a list of clients—each with a different subject line and body. I assumed I’d need Outlook mail merge or a third-party service.

But Excel has a built-in feature: Mail Envelope (part of the legacy Send to Mail Recipient tool). It’s not new, but most people don’t know it exists. You can also use VBA to automate the process with a simple macro.

A quick VBA example

Sub SendEmail()
    Dim OutApp As Object
    Set OutApp = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
    OutApp.CreateItem(0).Display
End Sub

With a bit of tweaking, you can pull recipient names, subjects, and body text directly from cells. No extra software needed. It’s a huge time-saver for Excel email automation tasks.

I now use this to send weekly status reports to my team—all from one spreadsheet.

Why these tasks matter for everyday users

These three examples prove Excel is far more than a number cruncher. It can generate unique data, pull live information from the web, and even act as a basic email client. For small businesses, freelancers, or anyone managing data, these features eliminate tedious manual work.

You don’t need to be a programmer to use them. Just a willingness to explore Excel’s hidden menus and functions. Trust me—it’s worth the effort.

What surprising things have you discovered in Excel? Share your finds in the comments below.

Social Media

Retro, the anti-algorithm photo app for friends, just banked $21M

Published

7 hours ago

August 29, 2026

Social Media Admin

Retro’s quiet $21M raise

The friend-focused photo-sharing app Retro has pulled in more than $21 million in Series A funding, according to an SEC filing spotted by Business Insider. The filing, dated August 19, sits under the startup’s legal name, Lone Palm Labs, and reveals the round actually closed back in December.

PitchBook now pegs the company’s valuation north of $100 million. Retro hasn’t commented publicly on the raise, and didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The money comes at a telling moment. Social media has become a firehose of creator content, algorithmically ranked and increasingly generated by AI. Retro’s pitch is almost contrarian: show photos to the people who actually know you.

Built by ex-Instagram engineers who saw the feed problem coming

Retro was founded by Nathan Sharp and Ryan Olson, two former Instagram product engineers. They watched the platform drift from a friend-sharing tool into a broadcast network dominated by influencers. Sharp told TechCrunch in December: “Something that has to be true and will be true is that people will still want to see more of their friends.”

His point cuts to the heart of the current social media malaise. The For You page is great for killing time, but it’s terrible for staying connected. Sharp again: “The photos and videos you take will need to find a place where they can reach the intended audience.”

Retro is that place. It strips away the algorithmic noise and puts the focus squarely on your inner circle.

From personal journal to shared photo space

Launched in 2023 as a personal photo journal, Retro has evolved. It now lets you privately share photos of your week with friends, create shared albums, view and share recaps, and even “rewind” to time-travel through old memories. The app has become a go-to for groups who want a shared visual history without the performance of posting to a public feed.

The growth numbers back up the concept. According to app intelligence provider Appfigures, Retro has been downloaded about 7 million times since launch. In-app spending has jumped more than 460% over the past 180 days — a sign that the people who do subscribe are sticking around and using it regularly.

No ads, just subscriptions

Retro’s business model is refreshingly simple: no advertising. Instead, the company offers in-app subscriptions that unlock features like video, GIF and sticker comments, more styles, unlimited history, and special app icons.

It’s a small subset of users who pay, but the company’s bet is that those who do are committed customers. The subscription model also aligns with the app’s ethos — your data and attention aren’t the product.

Who’s backing the anti-algorithm bet?

The investor list reads like a who’s who of tech and venture circles. Thrive Capital leads the round, joined by Figma CEO Dylan Field, Scribble Ventures, Box Group, Imaginary Ventures, Coalition, Conviction, Copper, Positive Sum, and a roster of angels.

The mix of strategic and financial backers suggests confidence in Retro’s vision. Field, who runs a design tool company, likely sees the value in a social app that prioritizes genuine connection over engagement metrics.

What Retro’s raise says about the future of social

The $21M round is more than just a milestone for one startup. It’s a signal that investors are betting on a future where social media returns to its roots — connecting real people with real friends. As AI-generated content floods mainstream platforms, the demand for authentic, private sharing spaces is only growing.

Retro isn’t trying to replace Instagram or TikTok. It’s carving out a niche for something more intimate. And with this fresh capital, the team plans to keep building features that make it easier to share moments with the people who matter most.

For anyone tired of doomscrolling through sponsored posts and AI slop, Retro’s photo-sharing app offers a quiet alternative. The question now is whether it can scale its niche appeal into something bigger. The early numbers suggest it’s on the right track.

How To

5 Overlooked Pixel Apps I Added to My Home Screen Because I Kept Forgetting to Use Them

Published

8 hours ago

August 29, 2026

Social Media Admin

Why Your Pixel Home Screen Deserves a Second Look

Google’s Pixel phones are stuffed with exclusive features. That’s not hyperbole—it’s practically the brand’s identity. But here’s the thing: many of those features are hiding in plain sight, tucked inside apps you’ve probably swiped past a hundred times.

I’m guilty of it too. I’d buy a Pixel, marvel at the camera, then completely forget about the software tricks that make the phone genuinely useful. So I did something about it. I moved five overlooked Pixel apps to my home screen. Now I actually use them.

1. Recorder: The App That Transcribes Everything

You know that feeling when you’re in a meeting or lecture, and you desperately wish you had a transcript? The Pixel Recorder app does exactly that—and it’s been on Pixels since the Pixel 4.

It’s not just a voice recorder. It transcribes audio in real time, even when you’re offline. You can search for specific words in a recording, which is a lifesaver when you’re trying to find that one action item from a two-hour call.

I added it to my home screen because I kept forgetting I had it. Now, whenever I’m about to take notes on a conversation, I just hit record instead. The transcription is shockingly accurate, and it’s one of the most underrated Google Pixel features.

2. Now Playing: Your Personal Shazam, Always On

Every Pixel has a feature called Now Playing. It listens in the background and identifies music playing around you—no app needed. The catch? It’s buried in the settings, and most people never turn it on.

Here’s what I did: I added the Now Playing history shortcut to my home screen. It’s a widget that shows a list of every song the phone has recognized recently. Tap a song, and it opens in YouTube Music or your streaming app of choice.

Why does this matter? Because you won’t have to pull out your phone and open Shazam every time you hear a tune you like. The Pixel does it silently, and you just check the history later. It’s one of the best Pixel exclusive apps you’re not using.

3. Digital Wellbeing: More Than Just a Timer

Digital Wellbeing sounds like a guilt-trip app, but it’s actually a goldmine of hidden tools. The app tracks your screen time, sure, but it also has a Focus mode that silences distracting apps when you need to concentrate.

What really sold me, though, is the Wind Down feature. It shifts your screen to grayscale at a set time, which makes doomscrolling feel less appealing. I put a shortcut to Digital Wellbeing on my home screen because I kept forgetting to set it up properly.

Now I use it every evening. It’s a small nudge, but it’s genuinely changed how I wind down. If you’re looking for Pixel productivity tips, this is a good place to start.

4. Files by Google: The Cleanup Tool You Actually Need

Files by Google isn’t exclusive to Pixel, but it comes pre-installed and is deeply integrated. It’s not just a file manager—it has a smart cleanup feature that suggests old photos, memes, and unused APKs to delete.

I used to ignore it because I thought it was just a boring file browser. Then I checked the “Clean” tab one day. It found 2 GB of junk I didn’t know existed. That was the moment I moved it to my home screen.

The app also lets you share files offline with nearby devices, which is handy when you’re in a dead zone. If you’re tired of “storage full” notifications, this is the overlooked Pixel app you need.

5. Google Lens: The Visual Search Powerhouse

Google Lens is technically part of the Google app, but it deserves its own spot on your home screen. It’s a visual search tool that can identify plants, translate text in real time, and even solve math problems by pointing your camera at them.

I kept forgetting it existed because it’s hidden behind a few taps in the Google app. So I added the Lens shortcut directly to my home screen. Now, when I’m at a museum and want to know more about a painting, or when I’m trying to read a menu in another language, it’s one tap away.

It’s one of the most versatile hidden Google Pixel features, and it’s free. No reason not to use it.

How to Add These Apps to Your Home Screen

Adding any of these to your home screen takes about ten seconds. Here’s how:

Open your app drawer and find the app you want.
Press and hold the icon.
Drag it to your home screen.
For widgets like Now Playing, press and hold an empty spot on your home screen, tap “Widgets,” and search for the app.

That’s it. You’ll actually see them every time you unlock your phone, which is the whole point.

Don’t Let These Features Collect Dust

Pixels are packed with Google Pixel tips and tricks, but they only help if you remember they exist. Moving these five overlooked Pixel apps to my home screen was a small change that made a big difference in how I use my phone.

Try it. You might be surprised at how often you reach for them.

How To

Windows 11 August 2026 Update: Apps Open Way Faster Now — KB5121003 Tested

Published

10 hours ago

August 29, 2026

Social Media Admin

Imagine clicking an app icon and watching it spring to life instantly—no spinning cursor, no gray freeze, just pure speed. That’s exactly what Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 update promises, and after testing it myself, I can confirm: the difference is real. The August 2026 patch, KB5121003 (build 26200.9168), takes the CPU boost feature that previously only sped up the Start menu and search and extends it to your actual applications. The result? Apps open noticeably faster, and that annoying gray screen freeze after idle or boot is gone. Here’s what’s happening under the hood, why your CPU isn’t in danger, and why Microsoft probably should’ve done this years ago.