Share via

For MAC: In Word, how to get top-most bar to stop automatically hiding/showing?

Anonymous
2021-03-26T16:17:25+00:00

Hi there -- Recently the top-most bar in Word has been automatically hiding — i.e., I have to hover for a second for it to appear, and next time I pull up a Word doc I have to do that again. Until recently it always stayed there permanently, and that's what I'd like back. 

I'm not sure what this bar that's not staying on is called -- it's the top-most one, like this: 

A couple of days ago I was learning/experimenting with split-screen features - maybe I clicked something by mistake?

What I've researched/tried and has NOT worked:

  • MacOS advice says: Choose View > Hide Toolbar or View > Show Toolbar (See attached -- Under "View" in Word, there is no "Hide or show toolbar" option)

MS Word for Mac, version 16.46

MacOS: Big Sur; 11.2.3

Thanks for any help -- this is driving me crazy(er)!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 434.8K Reputation points
    2021-03-26T19:54:25+00:00

    In some previous versions of Word for Mac & for Windows there was a Preference to Automatically Show/Hide the ribbon, but that was eliminated.

    Since that isn't what you're referring to, however, that really isn't relevant. What you're referring to is the Title Bar of the document window. The fact is that there is not nor has there ever.been an option in Mac Word to not have it displayed... It's an integral component of the document window & should be displayed in any open document window.

    If you're experiencing an intermittent disappearing act there must be caused by something of a systemic nature which may be related to a variety of display issues in Big Sur. I'd suggest using Help> Feedback in Word while you have a problem window displayed & include a screen shot by way of the check box in the I don't like something dialog. That goes directly to the development team.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments

2 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2021-03-26T18:29:02+00:00

    Thanks very much, Bob. I'm not having a problem with the Ribbon -- it's the one that looks like this (which, in my setup at least, is a couple of bars "above" the Ribbon that  you mention):

    And I'm not sure what you mean by a "different edition"? I just double-checked, and my MS Word version is indeed shown as version 16.46

    In any case, I certainly do appreciate your reply! :)

    0 comments
  2. Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 434.8K Reputation points
    2021-03-26T17:48:46+00:00

    I have a feeling you may be looking at information which pertains to a different edition of the program...

    Go to the View menu & select Ribbon. Display of the Ribbon also can be toggled On/Off by the Option+Command+R keyboard shortcut.

    0 comments