The status bar is the area at the bottom of the Word window that indicates information about the current document. It displays information about what page you are on, as well as your line number on the page and character number on the line. It also shows information about which editing toggles you have turned on. If you need more room to view a document, or you don't need the information provided by the status bar, you can turn it off. To control display of the status bar, follow these steps if you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007:
Figure 1. The View tab of the Options dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1202) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!
How to find your setting information in Word.
Discover MoreWant to use the mouse to control the zoom level for your document? You can do it by combining your mouse use with the ...
Discover MoreText boundaries can help you better visualize where text can appear in your document. The feature is easy to turn on and ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2017-11-30 12:19:32
Mirkat
Oops.... Following up on my own comment. I deselected "maximize" and resized vertically, making the document shorter.... And lo and behold, there was the status bar.
2017-11-30 12:07:39
Mirkat
That options box does not exist in MS-Word 2013!
Like some others here, I came a cross this page by searching for a way to get the status bar to display in MS-Word 2013. I don't usually maximize my document, but I decided to see what would happen if I did--and lo and behold, I have a status bar. This goes away if I undo the maximize setting. Which is a bummer, because I prefer custom sizing.
2017-09-15 10:53:39
Elizabeth
I guess there's not a way to change the order of the stuff in the status bar? I'm a freelance writer and the only thing I need to see is word count; currently I have to make documents really wide to see it.
2016-10-24 15:22:42
Shaista
How to get tool manu
2016-08-21 05:30:40
GeordieLad
Unless I'm at cross-purposes with everyone (in which case, my apologies) I find it useful with modern widescreen monitors (16x9 aspect ratio) to have the Status Bar at the right hand side of the screen, at least form most applications where a very wide screen is not needed.
If I'm not teaching "granny to suck eggs", this is achieved by clicking on the space adjacent to the Start icon and dragging to the right hand side of the screen.
The width of the new Status Bar can then be adjusted to suit one's needs. This results in a tidy grouping of current program icons with a table of open folders and files below.
2016-08-20 08:39:52
Daniel
This worked for me: Thanks Tommy
"Using WORD 2013, I could not see my status bar. After MUCH searching the internet with no solution, I accidentally clicked the button on the upper right where you can Maximize, Minimize, or close the window. Mine was already on Maximize - I clicked on the Maximize button again and it made the window smaller - AND I COULD SEE THE STATUS BAR. I dragged the corner of the window to make it almost "full screen", leaving room to see the status bar at the bottom."
2016-08-04 07:32:11
sally
I did not find the status bar when I used the upper right hand Maximize, Minimize button. How do I keep track of word count? Is there no easy fix for this? I've been searching all night online!
2016-04-21 10:37:55
Finally got my answer
2016-04-01 04:15:46
Jan
What Tommy said. Thank you!!!!
2016-03-02 07:35:10
Frustrated word user
@Tommy: Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
2016-02-25 17:22:50
Marlene Smith-Baranzini
I'm in Word 2013 and find that some documents don't open with the status bar showing. I need it! Is there a way to find it and restore it?
Thank you,
Marlene
2016-01-20 18:36:03
Tommy
Using WORD 2013, I could not see my status bar. After MUCH searching the internet with no solution, I accidently clicked the button on the upper right where you can Maximize, Minimize, or close the window. Mine was already on Maximize - I clicked on the Maximize button again and it made the window smaller - AND I COULD SEE THE STATUS BAR. I dragged the corner of the window to make it almost "full screen", leaving room to see the status bar at the bottom.
2015-10-28 18:35:16
Charles Kenyon
I just discovered that the settings for the status bar are saved in the registry. Passing that on.
2015-08-07 08:33:55
Michael
When I right-click on the status bar it says that all features are on (page number, word count, etc.) However, in reality my status bar shows NOTHING. It happened just a few days ago. Before, everything was OK.
2015-03-05 09:06:11
vensent
How do you get the status bar to display on Word 2010?
2014-07-05 20:02:11
David
How do you get the status bar to display on Word 2010?
2014-02-07 21:37:14
Donna Manning
I need to know how to eliminate the status bar in Word 2013, the green bar that runs across the bottom of the window. When I type on the bottom line, it falls below it so that half of the line is cut off. I use Word 2013 for work, transcripts, and cannot change line numbers, spacing or anything like that.
2013-12-20 08:55:20
awyatt
IIRC, there is no way to turn off the status bar in Word 2013.
-Allen
2013-12-20 00:40:21
Michael
What if you are using Word 2013? I don't want the status bar at the bottom of the document and I can't figure out how to get rid of it.
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2019 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments