That tiny paintbrush icon in Excel? It’s not just decoration

Open any spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel, and you’ll spot a small paintbrush sitting in the Clipboard group on the Home tab. Most people scroll right past it. They click Copy, they click Paste, maybe they dabble with Bold or Fill Color. But that brush? It sits there, untouched, day after day.

That’s a shame — because the Format Painter (its official name) is one of the fastest ways to clean up a messy spreadsheet. It copies formatting — font, size, color, borders, number formats — from one cell and slaps it onto another. No menus. No manual re-setting. One click, and your sheet looks consistent.

Here’s exactly how it works, and why you should start using it today.

What the Excel paintbrush button actually does

The Format Painter copies the look of a cell — not its value. Think of it as a formatting clone stamp. Select a cell that has the formatting you like, click the paintbrush, then click the target cell. Instantly, the target inherits the font, alignment, border style, number format, and fill color from the source.

It works on ranges, too. Select a formatted range, click the brush, then select a target range of the same size. Everything transfers. This is a godsend when you’ve spent ten minutes perfecting a header row and need to apply the same style to the rest of the table.

One important detail: the Format Painter does not copy the cell’s content. Only the formatting. Your data stays put.

How to use the Format Painter (single use vs. multiple use)

There are two ways to use the paintbrush, and they behave differently.

Single-use mode

Click the cell with the formatting you want to copy. Click the paintbrush icon once (it lights up). Then click the destination cell. The brush deactivates automatically. You’re done. This is the quickest way to fix one or two cells.

Locked-on mode

Double-click the paintbrush icon. It stays active, even after you paste formatting onto a cell. You can click cell after cell, or drag across multiple ranges, and each one gets the same formatting. To turn it off, press the Esc key or click the paintbrush icon again.

This locked mode is perfect for applying a consistent style across an entire worksheet — say, making every subtotal row bold with a light yellow fill.

Keyboard shortcut for the paintbrush (power users, take note)

If you prefer keeping your hands on the keyboard, Excel offers a shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + C to copy formatting, then Ctrl + Shift + V to paste it. Yes, it’s the same logic as copy-paste values, but for formatting only.

This shortcut works across worksheets and even between open workbooks. Select a formatted cell in Sheet1, hit Ctrl + Shift + C, switch to Sheet2, select a cell, and hit Ctrl + Shift + V. No mouse required.

It’s a small trick, but once it becomes muscle memory, you’ll wonder how you lived without it.

When the Format Painter saves you real time

Here are a few scenarios where the paintbrush really shines:

• Merging data from different sources. You import a CSV, and the formatting is a disaster. Use the Format Painter to copy the style from a properly formatted sheet onto the raw data. Everything snaps into alignment in seconds.
• Building dashboards. You design one KPI card perfectly — font, border, conditional formatting. Double-click the brush, then click each of the other KPI cells. Consistent formatting across the board, instantly.
• Applying number formats. You have a cell formatted as currency with two decimal places. You need five other cells to match. Click the formatted cell, click the brush, then select the five target cells. No need to open the Format Cells dialog.
• Copying conditional formatting. Yes, the Format Painter can copy conditional formatting rules. If you’ve set up a color scale or data bar on one range, you can paint it onto another range. The rules adapt to the new range automatically.

What the paintbrush does NOT do (common misconceptions)

The Format Painter is powerful, but it has limits. It does not copy column widths or row heights. If your source column is 20 pixels wide and your target column is 50, the target stays at 50. You’ll need to adjust column widths separately.

It also doesn’t copy merged cell structures. If you’ve merged A1 through C1, painting that formatting onto another cell won’t merge the target cells. You still have to merge manually.

And finally, it won’t copy data validation or cell comments. Those are separate properties that live outside the formatting layer.

Why most users ignore it — and why they shouldn’t

The paintbrush sits in plain sight, but it’s easy to overlook. The icon is small. The tooltip says “Format Painter,” which sounds technical. And many users simply never explore the Home tab beyond Copy, Paste, and Bold.

But here’s the thing: formatting is often the most tedious part of working with spreadsheets. Data entry is straightforward. Formulas are logical. But making a sheet look professional — consistent fonts, aligned columns, clear borders — that’s where time disappears. The Format Painter is a direct solution to that pain point.

If you spend more than 10 minutes a week formatting cells, learning this one tool will save you hours over a year. It’s not flashy. It’s not new. It’s just a brush. But it’s one of the most useful buttons Excel has ever shipped.

Next time you open a spreadsheet, try it. Select a cell you like, click the brush, and click another cell. You’ll see the formatting jump across. Then try double-clicking the brush. You’ll wonder why you never clicked it before.

What Is Temporary Location Access on Android 17?

Android 17 introduced a quiet but powerful shift in how apps can request your location. Instead of the old binary choice — “Allow all the time” or “Deny” — you now get a third option: temporary location access. Tap it once, and the app sees your location for that session only. Close the app, and the permission resets.

It sounds simple. It is simple. But most people haven’t touched it yet. According to Google’s own usage data from early 2026, fewer than 12% of eligible Android 17 users have ever granted a temporary location permission. That’s a shame, because this feature solves a real headache.

Why You Should Care About One-Time Location Permissions

Think about the last time you opened a food delivery app just to check an ETA. Or used a weather widget to see if you’d need an umbrella. Or searched for “coffee near me” in a browser. In each case, the app probably asked for your location — and you probably tapped “Allow while using the app.” Fine for that moment. But many apps keep that permission active indefinitely.

Temporary location access cuts that chain. You grant permission for exactly one use. The next time you open the app, it has to ask again. No background tracking. No lingering access. No surprise location history logs.

Where It Helps Most

• Ride-hailing and food delivery: You want the app to know where you are right now, not where you sleep at night.
• Navigation: Google Maps needs your location for turn-by-turn directions. It doesn’t need it when you’re just browsing restaurants.
• Social media: Instagram or TikTok might ask for location to tag a post. Temporary access means they can’t check in on you later.
• Local search: A quick “gas station near me” search shouldn’t become a permanent permission.

How to Use Temporary Location Access on Android 17

Using it is straightforward. When an app requests location permissions for the first time, look for the new option labeled “Only this time” or “Allow for this session” (the exact wording depends on your device manufacturer’s skin). Tap that instead of “While using the app.”

If you’ve already granted permanent location access to an app, you can switch it. Go to Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Permissions > Location. Change the setting from “Allow all the time” or “Allow only while using the app” to “Ask every time”. That effectively forces temporary access on future launches.

A Quick Note on Compatibility

This feature is baked into Android 17, but not every phone maker exposes it the same way. Samsung devices running One UI 7.0 or later include it. Google’s Pixel line has it natively. Some Xiaomi and Oppo phones hide it under an advanced permissions menu. If you don’t see the option, check your phone’s software version — you may need to update to the latest security patch.

Why Nobody Is Using It Yet

Three reasons. First, habit. Users have been trained for years to tap “Allow” and move on. Changing that reflex takes time. Second, visibility. The temporary option appears only during the initial permission prompt. If you already granted location access before upgrading to Android 17, you’d never see it unless you manually revoke permissions. Third, app behavior. Some apps nag you if you keep denying persistent access. They might show a pop-up saying “This feature works best with location always on” — which pressures users into giving more than they want.

Google could do more here. A one-time notification when an app uses background location after you’ve granted only temporary access would help. Or a monthly privacy summary that highlights apps still holding location permissions. For now, the feature exists, but it’s buried.

How Temporary Access Compares to Other Android Privacy Tools

Android has been stacking privacy features for years. Android 12 added the Privacy Dashboard, which shows which apps accessed your location, camera, and microphone in the last 24 hours. Android 14 introduced photo picker so apps can’t see your entire gallery. Android 16 gave users the ability to share approximate location instead of precise coordinates. Temporary location access is the logical next step — it’s not about hiding your location, but about controlling when and how often it’s shared.

The difference is granularity. Approximate location hides your exact address. Temporary location hides nothing — it just expires. Used together, they’re powerful. Set a maps app to approximate + temporary, and it can guide you to a coffee shop without ever knowing your home address.

What About iOS?

Apple introduced a similar “Allow Once” option in iOS 13 back in 2019. Android is playing catch-up here, but the execution is solid. On iPhone, the permission resets when you leave the app. On Android 17, it resets when you close the app — a subtle difference that gives you slightly more flexibility if you switch between apps quickly.

Should You Change Your Settings Right Now?

Yes. It takes two minutes. Open your location permissions list, find the apps that don’t genuinely need constant access — weather apps, shopping apps, games, social media — and switch them to “Ask every time.” You’ll get a prompt the next time you open each one. Tap “Only this time” and move on.

You’ll lose a tiny bit of convenience. A weather app won’t auto-update your local forecast. A food delivery app might ask for your location again if you reopen it after a few minutes. That’s the trade-off. For most people, it’s worth it.

Android 17’s temporary location access isn’t flashy. It doesn’t add a new visual feature or speed up your phone. What it does is give you back control — one permission prompt at a time. Start using it.

ChatGPT catches up — but is it enough?

For months, Google Gemini users could hold a live, real-time video conversation with their AI assistant. You’d point your phone at a plant, ask what’s wrong with it, and Gemini would see the leaves, hear your voice, and talk back instantly. ChatGPT users? They got a text box and a voice mode that felt more like a walkie-talkie than a conversation.

That changes now. OpenAI’s new GPT-Live feature finally brings real-time voice and video to ChatGPT. It’s a major update — and one that levels the playing field between the two leading AI assistants.

But here’s the real question: does catching up matter when Gemini has already spent months refining the experience? Let’s break down what GPT-Live actually does, and whether it’s a genuine leap forward or just a necessary correction.

What is GPT-Live? A quick primer

GPT-Live is OpenAI’s answer to Gemini Live — a real-time, multimodal interaction mode for ChatGPT. Instead of typing a query and waiting for a text response, you can now speak naturally, show the AI what you’re looking at through your camera, and get spoken answers back in near real-time.

The feature works across the ChatGPT mobile app on iOS and Android. It uses the same underlying GPT-4o model but optimized for low-latency streaming. You don’t need to press a button to start talking; the system detects when you’ve finished speaking and responds.

Key capabilities include:

• Real-time voice conversation — natural back-and-forth, with interruptions and follow-ups.
• Live video analysis — point your camera at an object, scene, or document, and ChatGPT describes or analyzes it on the fly.
• Screen sharing — on supported devices, you can share your screen and ask questions about what’s displayed.
• Context memory — the AI remembers what you discussed earlier in the session, allowing multi-turn conversations.

It’s a significant technical achievement. But it’s also something Gemini users have been doing since early 2025.

How GPT-Live compares to Gemini Live

At first glance, the two features are nearly identical. Both let you hold a real-time, multimodal conversation with an AI assistant. Both support voice, video, and screen sharing. Both are designed for hands-free, natural interaction.

But there are differences — and some of them matter more than others.

Latency and responsiveness

In early tests, GPT-Live feels slightly snappier than Gemini Live. OpenAI has optimized the streaming pipeline to minimize delay between when you stop speaking and when the AI begins its response. Gemini, while impressive, occasionally has a half-second pause that breaks the flow. GPT-Live’s responses feel more conversational, closer to talking to a human.

That said, Gemini has had months to refine its real-time capabilities. OpenAI is launching GPT-Live with a solid foundation, but Google’s version has been battle-tested across millions of interactions. Reliability may favor Gemini for now.

Video analysis quality

Both AIs can identify objects, read text, and describe scenes from live video. But they approach the task differently. Gemini tends to give concise, direct answers — “That’s a Monstera deliciosa, and the yellowing leaves suggest overwatering.” GPT-Live is more verbose, often providing additional context or asking clarifying questions.

Which is better depends on your use case. If you want a quick answer, Gemini wins. If you want a tutor-like explanation, GPT-Live might be more helpful.

Integration with other services

This is where Gemini still holds a clear edge. Because it’s built into Google’s ecosystem, Gemini Live can pull data from your Gmail, Google Calendar, Maps, and YouTube in real time. You can ask “What’s my schedule for tomorrow?” and it reads your calendar. You can say “Show me that restaurant we passed yesterday” and it searches your Maps history.

GPT-Live, for now, is largely self-contained. It can access the internet via Bing search, but it doesn’t have deep hooks into your personal data or third-party apps. OpenAI has announced plugin support is coming, but it’s not here yet.

Why this update matters — and what it doesn’t fix

GPT-Live is a big deal for ChatGPT users who have felt left behind. Real-time voice and video aren’t just gimmicks — they fundamentally change how you interact with an AI assistant. Instead of typing and reading, you can have a conversation while cooking, fixing something, or walking down the street.

For OpenAI, this update closes a critical gap. If you’re choosing between ChatGPT and Gemini, the lack of live video was a dealbreaker for many. Now that gap is gone.

But GPT-Live doesn’t solve ChatGPT’s other weaknesses. The free tier still has strict usage limits. The knowledge cutoff remains mid-2024 for most users. And while the model is powerful, it still hallucinates — sometimes confidently — on factual questions.

Gemini, meanwhile, has its own issues: a less polished conversational style, occasional factual errors, and a reputation for being overly cautious in its responses. Neither assistant is perfect.

What’s next for real-time AI assistants

The launch of GPT-Live signals that real-time, multimodal interaction is now table stakes for AI assistants. Both OpenAI and Google are racing to make their AIs more natural, more responsive, and more useful in everyday situations.

Expect the next wave of improvements to focus on:

• Better context retention — remembering details from previous sessions, not just the current one.
• Deeper app integration — letting the AI act on your behalf, not just answer questions.
• Improved accuracy — reducing hallucinations through better grounding and verification.
• Multilingual support — both assistants already handle multiple languages, but real-time translation is a natural next step.

For now, the choice between ChatGPT and Gemini comes down to ecosystem and personal preference. If you live in Google’s world — Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube — Gemini Live is the more seamless option. If you prefer OpenAI’s model quality and conversational style, GPT-Live makes ChatGPT a much stronger competitor.

Either way, the era of typing to your AI assistant is ending. Talking — and showing — is the new normal.