How to Disable Startup Splash Screens in Microsoft Office Applications
Learn simple methods to remove the startup splash screens that appear when launching Microsoft Office programs, enhancing your workflow and reducing distractions.
In the early days of computing, when PCs were large and slow, startup splash screens in programs like Word and Excel served a purpose: they indicated that the application was loading and helped ease the wait. Today, with fast and compact computers, these splash screens have become more of an annoyance than a necessity. Fortunately, you can disable these startup images to streamline your experience. Here's how.

Method 1: Using Custom Shortcuts
- Create a new shortcut on your desktop by right-clicking and selecting New → Shortcut.
- In the command line field, enter the path to the Office program executable with the appropriate switch to suppress the splash screen. Adjust the path if your Office version differs:
- Name your shortcut and save it.
Launching Office applications via these shortcuts will bypass the splash screen. However, opening files directly will still show the splash screen.
Method 2: Editing the System Registry for Complete Splash Screen Removal
To fully disable splash screens when opening associated files, modify the registry entries for each Office application. Be cautious and back up your registry before making changes.
For Word 2003:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTWord.Document.8shellOpencommand]"C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14WINWORD.EXE" /q /n "%1"For Word 2007 and 2010:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTWord.Document.12shellOpencommand]"C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14WINWORD.EXE" /q /n "%1"For Excel 2003:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTExcel.Sheet.8shellOpencommand]"C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14EXCEL.EXE" /e /ddeFor Excel 2007 and 2010:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTExcel.Sheet.12shellOpencommand]"C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14EXCEL.EXE" /e /ddeFor PowerPoint 2003:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTPowerPoint.Slide.8shellOpencommand]"C:PROGRA~1MICROS~2Office14POWERPNT.EXE" /s "%1"For PowerPoint 2007 and 2010:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTPowerPoint.Slide.12shellOpencommand]"C:PROGRA~1MICROS~2Office14POWERPNT.EXE" /s "%1"By applying these registry modifications, splash screens will no longer appear when opening Office files directly.
With these simple tweaks, you can enjoy a faster, cleaner startup experience with Microsoft Office applications.
Discover engaging topics and analytical content in DIY as of 01-10-2013. The article titled " How to Disable Startup Splash Screens in Microsoft Office Applications " provides new insights and practical guidance in the DIY field. Each topic is meticulously analyzed to deliver actionable information to readers.
The topic " How to Disable Startup Splash Screens in Microsoft Office Applications " helps you make smarter decisions within the DIY category. All topics on our website are unique and offer valuable content for our audience.


