Using the Function Key Display Toolbar

One of the hidden features of Word is a handy toolbar that lets you know what's what on the function keys. This is officially known as the Function Key Display Toolbar. You can display the toolbar, if you are using Word 2000, 2002, or 2003 by following these instructions:

1. Choose Customize from the Tools menu. Word displays the Customize dialog box.
2. Make sure the Toolbars tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog box.

3. In the list of available toolbars, select the Function Key Display toolbar. There should be a check mark next to the toolbar, and it should appear at the bottom of the screen.
4. Click on Close to make the dialog box disappear. The toolbar should remain.

Notice that the toolbar occupies only a single line at the bottom of your screen. It would be more helpful if you detached the toolbar into its own dialog box. Simply use the mouse to grab the vertical bar at the left side of the toolbar, and then drag it up and away from the bottom of the window.

Note that when you press some modifier key (Ctrl, Alt, or Shift), the keys shown in the Function Key Display toolbar all change. This makes the toolbar a great help in learning how to use the function keys.

Word 2007 has done away with toolbars and, as might be expected, with the Function Key Display toolbar. Instead, users of Word 2007 can see what various function keys do by simply pressing the Alt key. When you do, Word displays small letters over the options available through the ribbon. This allows you to easily see what key you should type next in order to initiate a particular command or display a particular ribbon option.