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This question is similar to the question for Word 2013, but I am using Microsoft 365 Word. How can I disable the auto-hiding of the vertical scrollbar whenever I type or after a few seconds of inactivity? I would like to always see the scrollbar.

Note that I already have the option checked to 'Show vertical scroll bar' under File > Options > Advanced > Display. However, it still auto-hides when I begin typing.

AJVincelli
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1 Answers1

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Aha, I think I figured it out.

TL;DR: Adapting the answer of JohnL53 to the Word 2013 question, I recorded a macro and saved it in my Normal.dotm global template. It turned out to be the exact same macro as the Word 2013 post. Then I set the macro to auto-run for all new and opened documents as an AutoNew and an AutoOpen macro. It worked like a charm!

Here's what I did:

  1. Navigated to C:\Users[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
  2. RIGHT-clicked the Normal.dotm file, clicked Open
  3. Clicked the View tab --> Read Mode --> View --> Layout --> select Paper Layout, then press the Esc key to exit Read Mode. (This step is really important!)
  4. Clicked the Developer tab, then clicked Macros
  5. Clicked the "Macros In:" drop-down box, then clicked Normal.dotm (global template)
  6. Clicked any of the listed macro names (it doesn't matter which one), then clicked Edit.
  7. When the Visual Basic window opened, all of the macro(s) in the Normal.dotm template were displayed. I then added the following three blocks of code to the end of the existing text:
Sub AutoExec()
    Documents.Add
End Sub

Sub AutoOpen()
    ActiveWindow.View.ReadingLayout = Not ActiveWindow.View.ReadingLayout
    Selection.EscapeKey
    If ActiveWindow.View.SplitSpecial = wdPaneNone Then
        ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdPrintView
    Else
        ActiveWindow.View.Type = wdPrintView
    End If
End Sub

Sub AutoNew()
    ActiveWindow.View.ReadingLayout = Not ActiveWindow.View.ReadingLayout
    Selection.EscapeKey
    If ActiveWindow.View.SplitSpecial = wdPaneNone Then
        ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdPrintView
    Else
        ActiveWindow.View.Type = wdPrintView
    End If
End Sub
  1. Clicked the Save icon, then clicked the X to exit the Visual Basic window.
  2. Clicked the Save icon in the Normal.dotm document, then clicked the X to exit Word.
  3. The vertical scroll bar was then permanently visible when I clicked the Word icon on the taskbar, in the Start Menu, when opening an existing document, and when double-clicking the Normal.dotm file.

Note 1: If you see that you already have a pre-existing AutoExec or AutoOpen or AutoNew macro, just insert the relevant portion of the above code (between the Sub line and the End Sub line) into the existing macro, just before the existing End Sub line.

Note 2: This solution only works if new documents are based on the Normal.dotm template. If you've changed your default template to a different file, you are experienced enough to know what I'm talking about here! Feel free to add the code to whatever your default template file is.

Note 3: The AutoExec macro I listed first is needed in order to open a new document when you click the Word icon in the taskbar, or in the Start Menu, or when you click Blank Document in the Start Screen when Word opens (instead of just a "placeholder" document that doesn't obey AutoNew macros). Without the AutoExec macro, the AutoNew macro isn't invoked for new documents in these cases.

Note 4: I believe the AutoExec macro overrides the option to "Show The Start Screen When This Application Starts" located in File > Options > General (which I personally don't prefer). So if you want the Start Screen to show, you shouldn't add the AutoExec macro. However, your vertical scroll bar won't appear for any new documents generated when you click the Word taskbar icon or Start Menu icon or Blank Document in the Word Start Screen. It's a trade-off.

Note 5: The AutoExec macro will cause a second new document to open whenever you double-click a Word template file. When you do this, Document1 will be based on the template that you double-clicked, and Document2 will be based on the Normal.dotm template (because of the AutoExec macro). Happily, Document1 will have a permanent vertical scroll bar. (Document2 will have a hidden scroll bar, but you'll probably want to close that anyway since it isn't based on the template you wanted.)

Note 6: This solution appears to work regardless of your macro settings in the Trust Center (File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings). Apparently Word always trusts the macros in the Normal.dotm template, which is nice.

If anybody has any other thoughts, please let me know! Thanks for reading. :)

Edit 4/4/2021: Added Step 3, which apparently is critical for the macro to work.

Note: Somebody please accept this comment as the Answer if it works for you! Thanks!

AJVincelli
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