Word: The Write Stuff

Interface Makeovers

The default interface that greets you in Word and WordPerfect is somebody else's idea of the best arrangement of toolbars, menus, and other elements. Follow these steps to give your word processor the layout you want.

Menus Your Way

The smart menus in Word 2000 and 2002 show only the commands you've used most recently. To see all available commands, you must either wait a few seconds or click the double arrow at the bottom of the menu. There's an easy way to shut off this 'enhancement' once and for all.

In Word 2000, choose Tools, Customize, click the Options tab in the Customize dialog box, uncheck the Menus show recently used commands first box, and click Close. In Word 2002 the steps are the same, but in the Customize dialog box you select Always show full menus.

Unclutter Your View

Word's default interface resembles the controls in a jet's cockpit. An array of toolbars, icons, drop-down menus, scrollbars, rulers, and task panes (in Word 2002) fill more than half the screen. To remove a toolbar from Word's interface, including any that appears when you select a table or graphic, right-click it and uncheck it in the list that pops up. To delete other elements, select Tools, Options and click the View tab in the Options dialog box. Then deselect the scrollbars, vertical ruler, status bar, and any other unneeded items.

Fix Word 2002's Task Panes

Though Word 2002's task panes are handy, they take up a lot of screen space. To force Word 2002 to hide the New Document task pane each time it opens, select Tools, Options and uncheck Startup Task Pane under the View tab. Click OK to implement the change. Click the Styles and Formatting icon on the Formatting toolbar to open or close the Styles and Formatting task pane. You can usually prevent the Styles and Formatting task pane from opening by using menu commands, toolbars, and keyboard shortcuts to reformat your document.