Index of articles

by | Mar 3, 2026

Click open the Index headers below to browse FAQ

Our support articles address the most common issues we deal with “in the field” about Windows, Microsoft 365 Business, web server support, and web design. Click open the accordion sections below to look for self-serve help. Often, issues rely on a knowledge of IT concepts and language. Also, Microsoft, cPanel, and other software houses featured in these articles often update practice notes and procedures without notice. We review our pages regulalry, however you are advised to contact us for further help about these articles especially concerning issues around sovereign account identity and Multifactor Authentication (MFA).

Microsoft Windows 11
  1. Windows Pro or Windows Home? A Practical Guide for Business Owners
  2. Windows Restart vs Shut Down, and Daily Power Management
  3. Laptop Battery Health: Tips to Prolong Your Battery’s Lifespan
  4. Windows 11 System Restore: How to Create and Manage Restore Points Safely
  5. Windows Recovery drive – why Microsoft recommends it
  6. Why BitLocker for Small Business Matters
  7. Why Small Businesses Struggle With Microsoft 365 on Windows Home PCs
  8. How to Set Up a New Windows PC to Sign In Directly with a Microsoft 365 Work Account
  9. Windows 11 Setup Guide: 1. How to Configure Your PC Securely with Microsoft Accounts
  10. Windows 11: Why One Microsoft Account Isn’t Enough for Home and Small Business Users
  11. Windows 11 Setup for Privacy-Focused Users: Why Microsoft 365 Business Matters
Microsoft 365 setup, licensing and user management
  1. How to Set Up Microsoft 365 for a Small Business
  2. Why Small Businesses Struggle With Microsoft 365 on Windows Home PCs
  3. Microsoft 365 Global Administrator: Why Business Continuity needs 2 global admins
  4. Microsoft 365 Global Administrator: Why You Need a Second Admin and How to Assign Roles
  5. How to Set Up a New Windows PC to Sign In Directly with a Microsoft 365 Work Account
  6. How to add a new employee with Microsoft 365 User Onboarding
  7. How to manage Microsoft 365 when an employee leaves
  8. How to Set Up Microsoft Authenticator MFA for 365
  9. How to Back Up MFA Credentials with Microsoft Authenticator Backup
  10. Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup
  11. Locked Out of Your Microsoft 365 Account? Here’s What to Do When MFA Recovery Fails
  12. What Is a Shared Mailbox in Microsoft 365 and Why Your Business Should Use One
  13. Change Microsoft 365/email password
  14. Change Office 365 credit/debit card information
  15. Why Switching PC Users to Microsoft 365 Sign-In Matters for Small Businesses
  16. How to Transition PC Users to Microsoft 365 Sign-In and Entra ID
  17. How to Use Microsoft 365 MailTips to Improve Email Performance
Microsoft 365, Exchange Online and Outlook
  1. How to Backup Microsoft 365 Outlook Email to a PST File
  2. Microsoft 365: Outlook Categories
  3. How to Manage Microsoft 365 Email Signatures
  4. About Microsoft 365 Outlook templates
  5. What Is a Shared Mailbox in Microsoft 365 and Why Your Business Should Use One
  6. How to Use Microsoft 365 MailTips to Improve Email Performance
  7. How to Use Outlook Sweep to Declutter Your Outlook Inbox
  8. Email migration from cPanel to Microsoft 365
  9. How to Use Microsoft 365 Inline Email Archiving
  10. Create a Microsoft 365 Exchange Online connector
  11. 2025 Email Security Guide for Business Owners: Avoiding Scams and Attacks
Microsoft 365 configuration and user tips and tricks
  1. How to Use Folder Color Coding in Microsoft 365 to Boost Productivity
  2. How to Set Up a Microsoft 365 SharePoint Site for a Small Business
  3. OneNote Sync Troubleshooting
  4. Create a Microsoft 365 Exchange Online connector
  5. Configure SPF, rDNS, DKIM, and DMARC for email

The following articles can be found using <Search> or scrolling through our list of articles. Procedures may have changed since and therefore this content is either being eidted or deprecated. So, although we are editing this content, you might still find useful information to help with issues.

  1. – Exchange Online – room and equipment resources
  2. – Reset Office 365 password expiration policy
  3. – Exchange Email – EOP antivirus/spam
  4. – Exchange Online Protection – EOP
  5. – Microsoft 365 Exchange Email – data leakage & loss protection
  6. – Microsoft ActiveSync
Support Articles - cPanel | web server | DNS
  1. How to Change Your Email Password in Roundcube Webmail
  2. What Is cPanel BoxTrapper And Why Email Users Should Care
  3. Email Management in cPanel: Save Space, Cut Costs, and Go Green
  4. 2025 Email Security Guide for Business Owners: Avoiding Scams and Attacks
  5. Safeguard your .uk domain names – Nominet
  6. Email migration from cPanel to Microsoft 365
  7. How to manage a web site contact form
  8. How to configure DNS for a contact form
  9. Configure SPF, rDNS, DKIM, and DMARC for email
  10. Create a new email address with cPanel
  11. How to use cPanel Web Disk
  12. How to back up your web server with cPanel
  13. Add SPF to your DNS zone record
  14. Configure DMARC using cPanel
  15. Configure DKIM in cPanel
  16. Configure Reverse DNS (RDNS)
  17. cPanel email account considerations
  18. Why Authoritative Nameservers Matter for Your Web Hosting Setup
Support Articles - Sitejet web design software
  1. How to back up your web server with cPanel
  2. Move a Sitejet website from a subdirectory to the root in cPanel
  3. Adding background images with Sitejet
  4. Schedule your social media posts with Social Bee
  5. 5 Best Calendar Booking Widgets for Sitejet Websites in 2025

OneNote Sync Troubleshooting: Fixing Missing Sections and Notebook Conflicts on Android

by | Mar 2, 2026

Case Study: OneNote Sync Troubleshooting

When OneNote works well, it offers a seamless experience across devices: imagine having your post-it notes: searchable, everywhere you go. Sometimes sync issues appear without warning, though. This case study explains a real example of OneNote sync troubleshooting where a user found that some notebook sections were missing on Android, Quick Notes were not syncing correctly, and another notebook caused unexpected behaviour.

This guide shows what happened, why it happened, and how a simple OneNote sync troubleshooting fix restored proper synchronisation across desktop, web, and mobile devices. This article uses an Android deployment as an example, and a workflow is included in *** explaining how to resolve OneNote sync in Apple iOS in section <How to reset OneNote for mobile sync> below.

Click open the headers below to learn more about keeping OneNote firing on all cylinders.

You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

OneNote sync symptoms

The issue arose when a user noticed that the 2026 section of their notebook was visible on OneNote for Windows desktop and OneNote for the web, but the 2026 section did not appear on OneNote Mobile for Android. The older sections (2022–2025) appeared normally, and Quick Notes worked on desktop, but new Quick Notes did not show up in the correct place on mobile.

The user colour-coded his sections so that the current year is always coloured green. However, on his Android phone, last year’s section – 2025 – was coloured green. On his desktop and web notebook instances, 2025 was coloured grey and 2026 was green. This turned out to be instructructive as we will see later.

So, only part of the notebook structure was syncing, and section colours on Android mobile did not match the desktop or web versions. Partial mismatches are a classic signal that OneNote Mobile has cached an outdated version of the notebook.

At the same time, the user noticed a second notebook on his mobile. Let’s call this “Charlie’s Notebook.” This notebook was not open in Charlie’s desktop version, yet OneNote app on Charlie’s Android treated it as the default notebook on his mobile phone. This meant a feature called Quick Notes that were created on the phone were silently routed into Charlie’s Notebook whch the user never used, instead of the main M365 notebook where our user keeps all his client meeting notes in a date ordered journal. This meant that notes created in his desktop “Quick Notes” did not sync to the expected location on his mobile phone – instead, the “quick notes” were routing to Charlie’s notebook too.

This combination of missing sections, mismatched colours, and a phantom notebook is a common pattern addressed through OneNote sync troubleshooting. It is easily fixed – when you know how.

Click open the next section to find out more about fixing this OneNote sync problem.

Root Cause: A Cached Notebook Structure on Android

OneNote Mobile caches each notebook’s structure when it is first opened. It continues to use that cached structure until the app is forced to refresh it. Even when new sections are added on desktop or web, Android may not notice new sections unless the OneNote cache on the Android handset is fully cleared.

In this case, the “Charlie’s Notebook” entry was an old OneDrive notebook created years earlier when the user first setup OneNote. Android had continued treating it as the default notebook. The result was:

  • Quick Notes were sent to the wrong notebook
  • New sections like 2026 never appeared
  • Notebook colours stayed out of date
  • Recent Notes showed pages from two different notebooks

All of this pointed toward a stale cached notebook that needed a proper reset.

The Fix: Resetting OneNote’s Data on Android

The correct solution for this type of OneNote sync troubleshooting is not reinstalling the app, but clearing its cached notebook data through Android’s app settings. This approach forces OneNote Mobile to:

  • Forget all cached notebook versions
  • Re-download the correct structure from SharePoint
  • Rebuild section lists and colours
  • Refresh the default notebook
  • Drop any old notebooks that should no longer sync
How to reset OneNote for mobile sync

This workflow was performed on Android 12. The steps might vary from device to device, but the process is similar. For Apple iOS devices, see 2. Apple iOS below.

1. Android

  1. Open Android Settings
  2. Go to Apps
  3. Choose OneNote
  4. Open Storage & Cache
  5. Tap Clear Storage
  6. relaunch OneNote and sign in again if asked
  7. Reopen only your principle notebook
  8. do not open other notebooks

2. Apple iOS

iOS does not offer a “Clear data/cache” button like Android. So, to achieve the same result:

  1. Remove the app (or offload it), which deletes local data.
  2. Reinstall the app, which causes OneNote to rebuild its notebook list and download fresh copies from the cloud.

Once your mobile app downloads a fresh notebook structure, sections and notes will sync properly. Check for icon and colour-coding behaviours and compare to your OneNote desktop installation. Now, all Quick Notes (automatically installed when a notebook is created) will sync across desktop, web, and mobile exactly as expected. Test this by creating a test note in Quick Notes

Summary

The important point here is that when a notebook has changed significantly on OneNote desktop or Web, Android and Apple may need a full cache reset to see the updated structure.

This problem is not uncommon. Unfortunately, users often shrug their shoulders when this kind of sync fails and OneNote loses its utility as. Not unreasonably, users are not sure where to look for the problem or even what the problem is. Happily, functionality is easily fixed and this article should help you understand that OneNote caches on mobile devices can be easily remedied.

If you would like help exploring OneNote features implementing OneNote across devices, feel free to get in touch, or use out contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup

by | Feb 7, 2026

Backup Microsoft Authenticator credentials to iCloud

iPhone users can use Microsoft Authenticator iPhone Backup utility to save Microsoft 365 credentials to their iCloud account.

Using Microsoft Authenticator iPhone Backup, you can restore your existing 365 MFA credentials to a new iPhone. Also, you can restore your MFA account if your iPhone’s working MFA settings are corrupted. If you are a 365 tenancy owner or a Global Administrator (GA) ou would need another global administrator (GA) to create new credentials. Without a second GA (see this article about creating a secondary “break-glass” Global Administrator) a Microsoft 365 tenancy owner could lock themselves out of their tenancy. So, backing up 365 Authenticator settings is critically important if you are a tenancy owner.

This article explains how to configure your handset, iCloud, and Microsoft Authenticator iPhone Backup.

Click open the headers below to learn more about Microsoft Authenticator iPhone Backup. Support options are available for professional assistance. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

How Microsoft Authenticator iPhone Backup Works

On an iPhone, Microsoft Authenticator does not use a Microsoft account for backup. Instead, Microsoft Authenticator relies entirely on Apple iCloud.

There is no backup button inside the app in Microsoft’s version of Microsoft Authenticator for iPhone. Instead, once your iPhone is set up correctly, your MFA settings are synchronised and periodically checked in iCloud and iCloud keychain in the background.

The key requirement is that your iPhone is:

  • Signed in to your Apple ID
  • Using iCloud
  • Using iCloud Keychain

If those conditions are met, Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup is already working. Click open the next sections to learn how to set up your iPhone.

Important note about your Apple ID – your Apple ID, like a Google, Microsoft (personal) and a Microsoft 365 account – is what is called a sovereign account. Be sure that sovereign accounts are configured with secondary sign-in alternatives, and be sure to verify your record and review your user account contact preferences no less than annually.

Step‑by‑Step: Enabling Microsoft Authenticator iPhone Backup

These steps take about two minutes and only need to be done once. Please read through the workflow before you begin. Also, bear in mind that Microsoft and Apple can change processes from time to time and the workflow may vary depending on your iOS version and iPhone model. In any event, the objective is to enable iCloud, iCloud keychain, and enable iPhone to execute connectivity for Microsoft Authenticator.

1. Confirm You Are Signed In to Your Apple ID

  1. Open iPhone Settings
  2. Look at the very top of the screen
    1. If you see your name, then you are signed in
    2. If not, sign in with your Apple ID

Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup needs to be associated with your Apple ID, so this step is essential.

2. Make Sure iCloud Is Turned On

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap your name
  3. Tap iCloud
  4. Ensure iCloud is switched ON

Without connectivity to iCloud, Authenticator cannot backup your credentials.

3. Turn On iCloud Keychain (Most Important Step)

  1. Go to Settings → your name → iCloud
  2. Tap Passwords & Keychain
  3. Turn iCloud Keychain ON

iCloud Keychain securely stores your 365 MFA settings so that they can be retreived later. If you store Microsoft Authenticator credentials for other services, you can back these up too.

4. Allow Microsoft Authenticator to Use iCloud

  1. Go to Settings → your name → iCloud
  2. Tap Show All
  3. Ensure Microsoft Authenticator is switched ON

If Microsoft Authenticator is turned OFF, Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup will not work. So, be sure to check this setting.

Using Microsoft Authenticator Day to Day

Once these settings are in place, you can use Microsoft Authenticator normally:

  • Add your Microsoft work account if 365 MFA is not already configured
  • Add any other supported accounts
  • Approve sign‑ins as usual

There is nothing else to manage. On an iPhone, backup happens automatically in the background.

What Happens When You Get a New iPhone?

If your phone is lost, damaged, or replaced, restoring Microsoft Authenticator is straightforward:

  1. Sign in to the same Apple ID on the new iPhone
  2. Turn on iCloud and iCloud Keychain
  3. Install Microsoft Authenticator from the App Store
  4. Open the app

Your Microsoft Authenticator accounts/credentials will reappear automatically. You may be asked to sign in again to some services, but the Authenticator entries themselves are restored. This is why Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup is so important to set up early.

Hot Tip: Microsoft Authenticator requires iOS 16 or later to work. If Microsoft Authenticator is not available in your App Store inventory, it is usually because your iPhone does not support minimum hardware/software requirements.

Common Questions About Microsoft Authenticator iPhone Backup

Do I need a Microsoft personal account for backup?

  • No. On an iPhone, backup uses Apple iCloud only.

Can I choose where the backup is stored?

  • No. Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup always uses iCloud.

Is the backup secure?

  • Yes. The data is encrypted and protected by iCloud Keychain.
Summary

For iPhone users, Microsoft Authenticator iPhone backup is simple, automatic, and secure — as long as iCloud and iCloud Keychain are enabled, and iOS is configured to connect Microsoft Authenticator to iCloud. Microsoft does not back up your MFA credentials to your Microsoft 365 account because if you have lost your credentials, you cannot login to 365 to retreive them. Therefore, MFA credentials need to be stored elsewhere.

Google users and Microsoft (personal) account users save their MFA settings in Microsoft (personal) accounts. Click here for guidance to backup 365 MFA settings using Android.

Spending two minutes checking these settings now can save hours of disruption later, and possibly catastrophic loss. For 365 tenancy owners and Global Administrators, this is a critically important utilitiy. If you manage devices or Microsoft 365 for your business and want help configuring this service correctly, Comstat can assist: feel free to get in touch, or use out contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable.

You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here

How to Backup Microsoft 365 Outlook Email to a PST File

by | Nov 9, 2025

Introduction

Backing up your email is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your data. If you use Microsoft Outlook for desktop app, you can backup Outlook email to create a PST file to save your emails, contacts, and calendar entries. This guide explains how even non-technical users can do this easily, why PST files are useful, and what limitations exist.

Click open the headers below to learn more about  Microsoft 365 work accounts. Support options are available for professional assistance.

What is a PST File and Why Use It?

A PST file (Personal Storage Table) is a data file used by Outlook to store your email messages, contacts, and calendar items. Here’s why it matters:

  • Backup: If something goes wrong with your mailbox, you can restore your data from the PST file.
  • Migration: Moving to a new computer? A PST file lets you transfer your Outlook data easily.
  • Archiving: Free up space in your mailbox by storing older emails in a PST file.

Important: You can only backup Outlook email this way using Outlook for desktop. The feature is not available in Outlook Web Access (OWA). This is because OWA is server-based (not PC-based), so Microsoft does not provide a PST export option OWA.

In Exchange Online, network administrators backup Outlook email mailbox using Exchange Admin Center (EAC) or PowerShell export tools, which require admin-level permissions and technical expertise. You can read about these procedures here. If you are not familiar with Powershell or admin-level procedures in Exchange Online please contact us for help. 

What Can You Backup with a PST File?

When you create a PST file, you can include:

  • Emails from all folders or just one mailbox.
  • Contacts so you don’t lose important details.
  • Calendar entries for meetings and reminders.

You can even export specific folders or individual mailboxes if you don’t need everything.

Step-by-Step: How to Create a PST File in Outlook

Follow these steps to backup Outlook email, and/or contacts, and/or calendars:

  1. Open Outlook (Desktop Version).
  2. Click File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
  3. Choose Export to a file and click Next.
  4. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
  5. Select the folders you want to back up (e.g., Inbox, Contacts, Calendar).
  6. Choose a location to save the PST file and click Finish.
  7. (Optional) Add a password for extra security. If you add a password, record the password in a place that you can be sure to refer to in future. If you lose this password, you will not be able to access the backup.

Your PST file is now ready. You can store it on an external drive or cloud storage for safekeeping.

Limitations and Advanced Options
  1. You can only backup Outlook email using Outlook for desktop. The feature is not available in Outlook Web Access (OWA), for reasons explained above.
  2. You can backup Outlook email using Exchange Admin Center (EAC): PST export/import is possible here, but it requires advanced skills. See these guidance notes. In addition to importing/exporting individual accounts, network administrators can manage procedures at scale. For instance, EAC is appropriate for importing multiple user accounts simultaneously. If you need this kind of support, contact us for expert help.

How to Use Outlook Sweep to Declutter Your Outlook Inbox

by | Oct 7, 2025

What Is Outlook Sweep and Why Should You Use It?

If your inbox is overwhelmed with newsletters, promotions, and recurring emails, use Outlook Sweep to help you regain control. Available in both the Outlook desktop app and Outlook Web Access (OWA), Sweep lets you create simple rules to automatically manage emails from specific senders. 

Sweep is especially useful for:

  • Automatically deleting old messages
  • Keeping only the latest email from a sender
  • Setting expiration rules for newsletters or updates

Whether you’re using Outlook at work or at home, Sweep can help you stay focused by reducing clutter and keeping your inbox tidy.

Click open the headers below to learn how to Outlook Sweep to manage your email Inbox. Support options are available for professional assistance.

How to Use Sweep in Outlook Desktop and OWA

Using Outlook Sweep is straightforward. Here is how to get started in desktop and web versions of Outlook.

outlook sweep button

Outlook Sweep is available by default in Outlook toolbar. The button’s position differs according to how you might have customized your toolbar in Outlook desktop and OWA

 Outlook Sweep in Desktop App

  1. Open your inbox and select an email from the sender you want to manage.
  2. Click on the Home tab.
  3. Select Sweep from the toolbar.
  4. Choose one of the available options:
    1. Move all messages from the sender
    2. Always keep the latest message and delete the rest
    3. Delete messages older than 10 days
    4. Move messages to a folder

Outlook Sweep in Outlook Web Access (OWA)

  1. Log in to Outlook on the web (OWA).
  2. Select an email from the sender.
  3. Click the Sweep icon in the toolbar above your inbox.
  4. Choose your preferred rule and confirm.

These rules apply automatically to future emails from the same sender, saving you time and effort.

Smart Ways to Use Sweep: Real-Life Examples

outlook sweep control panel

Outlook Sweep avoids the perceived complexity of Outlook Rules

 

Sweep does more than deleting emails—it’s about finessing your inbox. Here are a few clever ways to use it:

1. Scan and Auto-Delete Newsletters with Outlook Sweep

Often, we want to scan an incoming email newsletter but we do not need to see it again. You can use Use Outlook Sweep to delete messages older than 10 days. This gives you time to read the newsletter, and then purges the spent content to keep your Inbox clean.

2. Keep Only the Latest Update with Outlook Sweep

Some services send frequent updates—like DMARC delivery notifications, login confirmations, or system alerts. Use Sweep to keep only the latest message from the sender. This way, you always have the most current info without the clutter.

3. Organize by Category

You might want to keep promotional emails but store them separately. Use Outlook Sweep to move messages to a folder like “Promotions” or “Newsletters.” This keeps your main inbox clean while preserving the content.

See this 90 second video for other quick tips for dealing with unwanted emails in your inbox.

Summary
  • Combine Sweep with Rules and Focused Inbox for even better control.
  • Review your Sweep settings monthly to adjust for new senders or habits.
  • Don’t forget to check your folders—Sweep moves emails but doesn’t delete them unless specified.

Outlook Sweep is a simple and powerful way to automate your inbox management. User feedback suggests that it the utility plays an increasing way to surgically prune bloat from inboxes. Espeically as inboxes start reaching storage capacity, Outlook Sweep is a great way to delet email in bulk without having to scroll, select, and delete manually.

About ComStat.uk: Internet Service Provider Comstat provides IT support, web hosting, and media services including website design, Microsoft 365 setup, and audio/video production, serving businesses across Denbighshire, North Wales and Wirral from Ruthin, and Lancashire and the Northwest from Bolton.