Getting Rid of ScreenTips

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 28, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

ScreenTips are the small yellow boxes that appear as you position the mouse pointer over a toolbar button or over another control on the Word program window. Some people find these ScreenTips distracting, so Microsoft provided a way for you to control whether they are displayed or not. To turn off ScreenTips, follow these steps:

Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 or a later version display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
Click General (Popular in Word 2007) at the left side of the dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The General options of the Word Options dialog box.

Using the ScreenTip style drop-down list, choose Don't' Show ScreenTips.
Click on OK.

Despite what the option in the dialog box implies in Word 2007, this setting turns off ScreenTips for controls other than toolbars, as well. For instance, ScreenTips normally appear as you position the mouse pointer over the different areas of the Status Bar. With the ScreenTip style set to not show ScreenTips, they don't appear for Status Bar options, either. If you are using later versions of Word, ScreenTips still appear for Status Bar options even with the ScreenTip style set to not show ScreenTips.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6048) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Maximum Length Limit for a Macro

Make your macros too long, and Excel may just refuse to run them at all. This tip explains what the limit is for macros, ...

Discover More

Macro, while Running, Stops Excel from Responding

When running a macro, have you ever seen Excel appear to stop responding? This can be frustrating, but there are a couple ...

Discover More

Filling a Set Number of Cells

The fill capability of Excel is quite handy, allowing you to easily fill a range of cells based on the content in a ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Default Units that Change

Word allows you to specify the unit of measurement you would like used in dialog boxes throughout the program. It can get ...

Discover More

Turning Off Background Repagination

When you use Word, it normally performs several tasks in the background while you are typing. One of those tasks is to ...

Discover More

Resetting a Function Key

Function keys are often used, in Word, for common operations. You can, if desired, change the way in which a function key ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 3 + 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.