February 5, 2026
Microsoft digital signage isn’t a single product you buy from Microsoft. Instead, it’s a practical way businesses use familiar Microsoft tools to show information on screens. Think announcements on a TV in the breakroom, dashboards in an office, or schedules at the front desk.
Many people assume Microsoft offers dedicated signage software. It doesn’t. What actually happens is that teams use tools they already know (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint) and display that content on screens. A PowerPoint becomes a looping announcement board. An Excel file shows live data. A Word document shares policies or updates.
This approach works well because the tools are familiar and easy to update. There’s no steep learning curve, and content owners stay in control. When you pair Microsoft content with digital signage software like Juuno, it becomes even more powerful. You can manage screens, schedule content, and scale across locations.
These setups often run on Windows devices, which makes windows digital signage a natural fit for many small and medium businesses.
Why are Microsoft tools popular for digital signage?
Microsoft tools are a natural choice for digital signage, especially for small and medium businesses. In many cases, the licenses are already there. With Office 365 or Microsoft 365, teams don’t need to buy new software just to get content on screens. They can start using what they already pay for.
Another big reason is familiarity. The people creating content—office managers, HR teams, store managers—already know PowerPoint, Excel, and Word. There’s no need for training or handoffs to a designer. Updates happen quickly, and changes don’t get stuck in a queue.
Real-time collaboration also plays a role. Multiple people can work on the same file, whether it’s a schedule, a dashboard, or an announcement. Once the file is updated, the change can appear on screens almost immediately. This makes office 365 digital signage especially useful for fast-moving environments.
Cloud-based storage through OneDrive and SharePoint keeps everything centralized and current. You’re always showing the latest version, not an outdated file. At the same time, Microsoft’s security and permission controls help ensure the right people can edit content while everyone else has view-only access.
All of this makes Microsoft tools a strong fit for offices, schools, healthcare settings, manufacturing floors, and retail back offices—anywhere clear, timely communication matters.
5 Microsoft digital signage use cases by tool
Microsoft digital signage works best when you match the right tool to the job, since each app shines in different screen-based use cases.
1. PowerPoint digital signage
PowerPoint is often the first stop for Microsoft digital signage, and for good reason. Slides are visual, flexible, and easy to control. Most teams already use PowerPoint for meetings, which makes it simple to repurpose that content for screens.
PowerPoint works especially well for looping content that needs to be clear at a glance. Slides can advance automatically, run full screen, and stay on-brand without much effort.
Common PowerPoint signage uses include:
Announcements and internal updates
Digital menus and pricing boards
KPIs and high-level metrics
Event schedules or rotating promotions
Because PowerPoint plays cleanly in full-screen mode, it’s ideal for:
Reception areas where visitors need quick context
Meeting rooms for agendas and reminders
Cafeterias where menus and notices rotate throughout the day
Teams can update a slide in minutes, publish it, and see the change reflected on screens without redesigning anything from scratch.
2. Excel digital signage
Excel digital signage is all about live information. Instead of showing a static image or screenshot, Excel lets you display data that updates as the file changes. This makes it a strong choice for operational screens.
Excel is commonly used to display:
Live spreadsheets
Dashboards and simple charts
Schedules and scoreboards
You’ll often see Excel used for:
Shift rotas and staff schedules
Production numbers on factory floors
Availability boards in offices or clinics
The biggest advantage of Excel signage is freshness. When data changes, the screen updates too. There’s no need to export files or re-upload images. This reduces errors and saves time, especially when information changes throughout the day.
Compared to static images, live Excel displays are more trustworthy. Staff know they’re looking at current data, not something that was updated last week.
3. Word digital signage
Word may not seem like a digital signage tool at first, but it still plays an important role. Many businesses rely on Word for clear, structured communication, and that content often needs to be visible on screens.
Word is well suited for:
Company policies
Notices and reminders
Safety information
Longer text displays
This is especially useful in workplaces where clarity matters more than visuals. A clean Word document can be easier to read than a busy slide or graphic. It also keeps messaging consistent with printed or emailed documents.
Word still matters for signage because it’s accessible. Anyone can edit it, formatting stays predictable, and updates are straightforward. For compliance messages, HR updates, or safety guidelines, Word-based signage often does the job better than more visual tools.
4. Teams as digital signage
Microsoft Teams is designed for communication, which makes it a natural source of signage content. Many organizations already post updates in Teams channels, so displaying that information on screens can extend its reach.
Teams content used for signage often includes:
Channel posts
Company-wide announcements
General updates and reminders
Town hall and all-hands reminders
This works well for internal screens where employees pass by but may not check Teams constantly. A screen can reinforce important messages without adding noise.
That said, Teams has limits when used on its own for signage. It isn’t built for full-screen playback, scheduling, or multi-screen control. Content can also become cluttered if channels aren’t well managed. Teams works best as a content source, not a full signage solution by itself.
5. OneDrive & SharePoint for signage content
OneDrive and SharePoint often sit behind the scenes, but they’re essential to Microsoft digital signage. They act as the backbone for storing and managing content.
Their role includes:
Central file storage for all signage content
Version control, so changes don’t overwrite the wrong file
Permission settings to control who can edit or view
Clear ownership by department or team
With SharePoint, different departments can manage their own content without stepping on each other’s work. HR can own policy screens. Operations can own schedules. Marketing can own promotional content.
This structure keeps signage organized as it grows. Instead of files living on personal laptops, everything stays centralized, current, and easy to manage across locations.
The simple 3-step process for setting up Microsoft digital signage
Setting up Microsoft digital signage is straightforward when you break it into clear steps and plan for how the content will actually be viewed on screens.
Step 1: Create and prepare your content
Good signage starts with content that’s easy to read from a distance. Files that look great on a laptop often need a few adjustments before they work well on a TV or large display.
For PowerPoint, start by choosing the right slide size. Most screens use 16:9, but portrait screens are common in offices and retail spaces. Pick the orientation first, then design to fit it. Keep slides simple, use large text, and limit each slide to one clear message.
For Excel, resist the urge to show everything. Dense spreadsheets are hard to read on screens. Focus on the most important numbers, totals, or charts. Hide extra columns and rows so the information feels calm and intentional.
For Word, structure matters. Break text into short sections, use headings, and add spacing. Long paragraphs can work, but only if they’re easy to scan.
Across all file types, a few best practices apply:
Use large fonts and high contrast colors
Design for viewing from several feet away
Avoid small details and fine lines
Stick to one purpose per screen
When content is clear, people actually read it. That’s the goal of any digital sign.
Step 2: Generate Microsoft display / embed links
Once your content is ready, the next step is creating display links that can be shown on screens. Microsoft makes this possible through sharing and embed-style links.
For PowerPoint, you’ll generate a sharing link that allows the presentation to play in a browser. This lets slides advance automatically without someone clicking through them.
For Excel, you’ll use a live view link. This shows the spreadsheet in real time, so updates appear on screen as soon as the file changes.
For Word, a display link allows documents to be viewed cleanly in a browser without opening the editing interface.
For SharePoint, you can link directly to pages, files, or dashboards that are already designed for viewing.
Permissions are critical here. Set files to view-only so screens don’t prompt for edits. Make sure links don’t require a login on the screen itself, since login pop-ups can break playback. A quick test on a separate device usually catches issues before content goes live.
Step 3: Choose how to play Microsoft content on screens
After your links are ready, you need to decide how the content will actually run on your screens. There are two common approaches, and each has its place.
Browser-based signage: This method uses a web browser on a TV or computer to display content. It’s quick to set up and flexible, especially if you’re starting small. You simply open the display link and let it run.
Dedicated media players: These are devices or apps designed specifically for digital signage. They offer more stable playback, automatic recovery, and fewer interruptions. This is the better option for screens that need to stay on all day, every day.
Browser-based signage works well for simple setups or short-term use. It’s easy and doesn’t require extra hardware. That said, browsers can crash, update unexpectedly, or lose focus, especially on shared devices.
Dedicated media players are built for reliability. They restart automatically, handle power loss better, and keep content playing without intervention. For businesses that rely on their screens, this matters.
Juuno supports both approaches. You can run Juuno in a browser if you want to move quickly. For more reliable playback, especially across multiple locations, we recommend using one of Juuno’s supported media players. This gives you peace of mind while still letting you manage Microsoft-based content from one simple platform.
Our platform supports Chromecast, Android, Amazon Firestick, Amazon Signage Stick, and Raspberry Pi.
Limitations of using Microsoft alone for digital signage
Microsoft tools are powerful, but on their own, they weren’t designed to manage digital signage. As long as you’re running one or two screens, this may not be a problem. As soon as your setup grows, the gaps become more noticeable.
One of the biggest limits is scheduling. Microsoft apps don’t let you control what plays on which screen at what time. If you want different content in the morning, afternoon, or evening, you’re left making manual changes.
There’s also no centralized screen management. Each screen has to be handled individually, which makes updates slow and inconsistent. You can’t group screens, apply changes in bulk, or quickly check what’s playing where.
Other common challenges include:
No playlists to rotate multiple pieces of content
No mixed layouts that show different content at the same time
Manual updates when content changes
A setup that becomes hard to maintain beyond a few screens
Over time, this leads to workarounds. Files get duplicated. Screens fall out of sync. Content goes stale because updating it feels like a chore.
This is where digital signage software comes in. It doesn’t replace Microsoft tools. Instead, it adds the management layer Microsoft is missing. With the right signage platform, you get scheduling, screen control, and consistency without changing how your team creates content. In the next section, we’ll look at how that works in practice.
7. Using Juuno for Microsoft digital signage at scale
Juuno turns Microsoft-based content into a system you can manage, schedule, and scale across as many screens and locations as you need.
What Juuno adds on top of Microsoft
Microsoft tools are excellent for creating content, but Juuno handles everything that happens after the content is created. It acts as the control center for your screens.
With Juuno, you get centralized screen management, so all screens are controlled from one place. You can see what’s playing, make changes once, and apply them everywhere they’re needed.
Juuno also introduces playlists and schedules. Instead of showing one file all day, you can rotate content or change it based on time. Morning announcements can switch to afternoon updates without manual work.
As your setup grows, multiple screen support becomes essential. Juuno lets you group screens by location, purpose, or audience. You can manage a single screen or hundreds with the same workflow.
For more advanced layouts, zones and layouts allow different content to appear on the same screen at the same time. A dashboard can live next to announcements, or a menu can share space with promotions.
Juuno also supports role-based access, so the right people can update content without risking accidental changes elsewhere. Everything stays clean and controlled. On top of that, Juuno offers a whitelabel experience, which means your screens show only your content, never someone else’s branding.
Microsoft embed options available in Juuno
Juuno doesn’t integrate directly with Microsoft apps. Instead, it displays Microsoft content using Microsoft’s own display and sharing links, embedded cleanly on screens through Juuno’s Embed app.
This approach keeps your existing workflows intact. You continue creating and updating content in Microsoft, and Juuno handles how that content appears and plays on screens.
Using the Embed app, you can display:
Microsoft PowerPoint slides and presentations
Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and live dashboards
Microsoft Word documents, notices, and policies
You can also embed:
Teams channels, posts, and announcements
SharePoint pages and dashboards
OneDrive-hosted files
Any Microsoft web app that works in a browser
It’s important to be clear: Microsoft content is shown using Juuno’s Embed app together with Microsoft’s display or sharing links. Juuno doesn’t change how content is created or stored. It simply makes Microsoft-based content screen-ready, reliable, and easy to manage at scale.
Managing Microsoft content across locations
Once Microsoft content flows through Juuno, managing it across locations becomes simple. Offices can share company-wide updates while still showing local content. Stores can display the same promotions with location-specific details. Campuses can tailor screens by building or department.
Departments can own their own content without interfering with others. HR manages policy screens. Operations controls schedules. Leadership shares updates when needed.
With time-based scheduling, the right content appears at the right moment. What used to require manual updates now runs automatically, even across dozens of screens. This is where Microsoft content stops being just files and starts working like real digital signage.
Best practices for Microsoft digital signage
Microsoft tools make it easy to get content on screens, but good digital signage still needs a bit of intention. These best practices help keep your screens clear, useful, and worth paying attention to.
Design for distance: Assume people will view your screens from several feet away. Use large text, strong contrast, and simple layouts. If it’s hard to read at a glance, it won’t work as signage.
Use fewer words: Screens aren’t meant for long explanations. Focus on short headlines, key numbers, or single messages that can be understood in a few seconds.
Automate where possible: Scheduling and live data reduce manual work and keep content fresh. Automation also helps prevent screens from showing outdated information.
Assign content owners: Every screen should have a clear owner. When responsibility is defined, content stays accurate and doesn’t get neglected.
Test on real screens: Always check content on the actual display. What looks fine on a laptop can feel cramped or unreadable on a TV.
Combine Microsoft content with other formats: Microsoft files are most effective when mixed with visual and dynamic content. Pair them with Canva designs, quick announcements, social proof like reviews, and video to keep screens engaging.
When Microsoft content is supported by simple design rules and managed through a platform like Juuno, digital signage feels intentional rather than static.
Windows digital signage: what to know
Using a Windows PC for digital signage is common, especially in offices where the hardware already exists. For windows digital signage, a PC can act as the screen’s player, usually by running content in a web browser.
The upside is flexibility. Windows devices are easy to configure, support most browsers, and work well for small setups. The downsides show up over time. Power settings can put screens to sleep, updates can trigger restarts, and browsers may crash or lose focus.
Auto-login and careful power management help, but they don’t eliminate every risk. When screens need to run all day without interruption, it’s often better to move to a dedicated media player built for signage reliability.
Frequently asked questions
Does Microsoft have digital signage software?
Microsoft doesn’t offer a dedicated digital signage product. Instead, businesses use Microsoft tools like PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Teams, and SharePoint as content sources, then rely on digital signage software to manage screens, scheduling, and playback.
Can I use PowerPoint as digital signage?
Yes, PowerPoint is one of the most popular tools for digital signage. Slides can auto-advance, run full screen, and update easily. It works especially well for announcements, menus, and simple dashboards.
Is Office 365 good for digital signage?
Office 365 is a great foundation for digital signage because many businesses already use it. The tools are familiar, cloud-based, and easy to update. Pairing Office 365 with signage software makes it much easier to manage screens at scale.
Can Teams be used for signage?
Teams can be used as a content source for signage, such as showing announcements or reminders. On its own, Teams isn’t designed for scheduling or full-screen playback, so it works best when combined with digital signage software.
What’s the best way to display Excel dashboards on TVs?
The best approach is using Excel’s live view links so data updates automatically. This keeps dashboards current without manual uploads. It’s ideal for schedules, metrics, and scoreboards that change throughout the day.
Is browser-based signage reliable?
Browser-based signage works well for simple setups and quick launches. However, browsers can crash or update unexpectedly. For screens that must stay on all day, a dedicated media player is usually more reliable.
What hardware works best for Microsoft digital signage?
Windows PCs, smart TVs, and media players can all work. For long-term reliability, dedicated signage players are best. They’re designed for continuous playback and handle restarts and power issues more smoothly.
How does Juuno work with Microsoft tools?
Juuno displays Microsoft content using Microsoft’s own display links through built-in apps and the Embed app. It adds scheduling, screen management, and reliability, turning everyday Microsoft files into scalable digital signage.
For the easiest, most reliable digital signage, check out Juuno.