Hi Daniel, The Startup Task Pane is used to see what document you want to open or if you want to start a new document. That's why it's called the Startup Task Pane. The "Task Pane in Startup" option is disabled by going to Tools and then Options. Make sure you are in the View page tab. The first check box in the View page tab is Startup Task Pane, and is normally checked. To turn it off when you start Word, make sure this check box is not checked. However, when you are opening a template or searching the Thesaurus, a task pane turns on in the same spot where the Startup Task Pane shows. It will come on even if you have the Startup Task Pane disabled. You can turn it off, or even turn it on, with Control F1. You move between it and your document with F6. I don't know why they came up with this thing, except perhaps to drive us crazy. Francis -- To post a message to the list, send it to jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send a message to jfw-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line. Archives located at: //www.freelists.org/archives/jfw If you have any concerns about the list, post received from the list, or the way the list is being run, do not post them to the list. Rather contact the list owner at jfw-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx