How can I get rid of that ^$#*@& paperclip?
This page last revised: 19 Feb 2026 11:59:15 -0500
(Office 97, Office 2000)
a. To keep it from being a nuisance but still have it available:
Call up the Office Assistant Help è Microsoft Word Help .
Click on the Options button.
Uncheck the following boxes:
__ Respond to F1 key
__ Display Alerts
__ Using the mouse more effectively
__ Keyboard Shortcuts
__ Using features more effectively
__ Show tip of the day at Start Up
You will probably want to leave the one about wizards unchanged and I have left the one about programming checked. Click on the OK button.
When you have done this, the Office Assistant will no longer delay you when you start Word by offering some tip you may already know. If you press F1, you will get the traditional Windows help screen with Contents, Index, and Find (W97) or (W2k) the Word IE help screens. If you want the Office Assistant, click on the question mark icon on the Standard toolbar or select HelpèMicrosoft Word Help .
If you are a new user, though, I would recommend keeping the tips turned on for quite a while. There are features to Word that will help you do your job that you probably won't find out about any other way.
b. Quick and dirty method
Find the folder "Actors" and rename it something like "Actors was my name. I hold the Office Assistants." (To turn it back on you just rename it "Actors".) This will disable the Office Assistant. (Any different name will do.) Write down what you did in case you want to turn it back on. Store that information in a file named something like "How I turned off the Office Assistant.doc." That file should be some place where it can be found by Windows Explorer.
If you want to read more about taming the Office Assistant
try:
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/TameAssistant.htm
The up-to-date version of this FAQ may be found at:
http://www.addbalance.com/word/
Download this FAQ in Word 97 format
Changes / suggestions / ideas can be sent to Charles Kenyon.
views since 13 April 2004
