how can I open word without the control toobox becoming active

[Janet B]

Can anyone tell me how to prevent the control toolbox popping up (and being
active) when I open a new word template? I suspect that whoever created the
template has used 'form fields' in the document, and as a consequence each
time a new document based upon the template is opened the control toolbox
apprears, and the document starts up in Design Mode.

 

[Jay Freedman]

Can anyone tell me how to prevent the control toolbox popping up (and
being active) when I open a new word template? I suspect that
whoever created the template has used 'form fields' in the document,
and as a consequence each time a new document based upon the template
is opened the control toolbox apprears, and the document starts up in
Design Mode.

It isn't "form fields", it's one or more of the controls from the Control
Toolbox, which are ActiveX controls. Word considers ActiveX controls to be
possible security threats, just like macros. If you have Word's security
level set to block macros, it will also block ActiveX controls, with the
result that the document is in Design Mode.

Go to Tools > Macro > Security and set the level to Medium. Close and reopen
the document. Now you'll see a message about whether to enable macros (even
if the document contains only ActiveX controls and no macros). Click the
Enable button. You'll have to click Enable every time you open the document
to avoid Design Mode.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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