Question :
I am trying to use Microsoft 365 (previously Office 365, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and OneDrive), and even though everything used to work fine up until recently… today it gave me an error message saying that it need JavaScript to enable me to use the options I am trying to use…

What is wrong and how do I fix this ?


Answer :
Microsoft 365 (previously named Office 365) relies on JavaScript for most (if not all) functionality that is web-based, so if you have (accidentally) switched JavaScript OFF, you will need to turn it back on before you can fully use Microsoft 365 again.

The problem probably is that you recently switched OFF JavaScript by accident… so the solution is probably simple : just switch JavaScript back ON.

To switch JavaScript back ON in your Safari browser, do this :
– open Safari.app
– click Safari in the top menu bar (top left, next to the Apple logo)
– in the pulldown menu, click on Settings
– in the window that opens, click on the Security icon/tab
– then at ‘Web content:’ make sure there is a checkmark for ‘Enable JavaScript’

To switch JavaScript back ON in Google Chrome browser, do this :
– open Chrome.app
– click the three-dot-button (top right)
– then click Settings
– click Privacy & Security
– then click Site Settings
– then click JavaScript
then choose one of three options :
– allow JavaScript for all sites, by choosing “Sites can use JavaScript” as the default behaviour
– allow JavaScript for most sites, by choosing “Sites can use JavaScript” as the default behaviour AND excluding specific websites
– allow JavaScript for very few sites, by choosing “Don’t allow sites to use JavaScripts” as the default bahaviour AND excluding specific websites

To switch JavaScript back ON in the Opera browser, do this :
– open Opera.app
– click Opera in the top menu bar (top left, next to the Apple logo)
– in the pulldown menu, click Settings
– on the Settings webpage that opens, clcik on ‘Privacy & security’ in the left menu bar
– in the list page that opens, click on ‘Site Settings’ (in the Privacy & Security chapter)
– in the Site Settings page that opens, click on ‘JavaScript’ (in the Content chapter)
– in the JavaScript page that opens, choose “Sites can use JavaScript”
– then, if adjustement to the general rule are needed, go to the “Customised behaviours”, where you can exclude or include specific websites to use JavaScript

To switch JavaScript back ON in the Microsoft Edge browser, do this :
– open Edge.app
– click Edge in the top menu bar (top left, next to the Apple Logo)
– in the pulldown menu, click Settings
– op the Settings webpage that opens, click on ‘Cookies and Site Permissions’ in the left menu bar
– in hte list page that opens, clcik on ‘JavaScript’ (in the All Permissions chapter)
– in the JavaScript that opens, set the slider to the right (so it will turn blue) and it will say “Allowed (recommended)”
– then, if adjustments to the genaral rule are needed, at “Block” add the sites you want to specifically prevent from using JavaScript and/or at “Allow” add the sites you want to allow specifically to use JavaScript

Note : in the Firefox and DuckDuckGo browsers, JavaScript is enabled by default and there is no user-friendly setting to switch it OFF (or ON).

That’s it !

enjoy 😉