Word's Annoying Blank Page

I'm new here, so I just followed the path of another user who asked a similar question. If I'm in the wrong place, feel free to advise me of the appropriate place for these kinds of questions. Thanks.

I've seen this question asked in different ways, but none of them represent my issue as closely as I'd like.

Every time I click on Word (Word for Mac 2011, version 14.2.3), that annoying blank page pops up. Most questions about this issue have been how to stop this upon opening Word.

My problem is that every single time I click on Word, no matter if I've had it opened for 15 seconds, 15 minutes or 1.5 hours, that page pops up. I want that to stop.

I'm not happy with the responses others have gotten, "Just go ahead and open your document; it will go away." I want the dang thing to stop opening every time I click on my Word icon or click on it from behind another app I'm on.

I saw that Word for PC has a script that stops it. Does anyone know of any possible way to stop that thing from appearing in the first place? With all of the computer geniuses out there, surely someone has figured out how to stop that annoying blank page. (Insert your "Don't call me Shirley" joke here.)

Thanks for taking the time to read this and consider my dilemma.

All my best, Mary

What would you like word to do? If it doesn't pop that window then all that would happen is the menu bar would change to Word. (This could be confusing too - as nothing visually would really change on the screen) You would then have to go to that menu bar to do anything - like open a file.

If you don't want a blank document when you start - do you want to open a recent file?
Right click on the Word icon in the dock and go to recent files.

Do you want to bring up a navigator to find a file?
Better off using Finder and the find file function and selecting the file there.

Is there something else you want to do? There may be something else that could be done in Automator but it would help to know what you want to happen when you click the Word icon.

Edit: cmd-w will close any window that pops open as well.

Eliminating Word's Annoying Blank Page.

IvanLasston said:

What would you like word to do? If it doesn't pop that window then all that would happen is the menu bar would change to Word. (This could be confusing too - as nothing visually would really change on the screen) You would then have to go to that menu bar to do anything - like open a file.

If you don't want a blank document when you start - do you want to open a recent file?
Right click on the Word icon in the dock and go to recent files.

Do you want to bring up a navigator to find a file?
Better off using Finder and the find file function and selecting the file there.

Is there something else you want to do? There may be something else that could be done in Automator but it would help to know what you want to happen when you click the Word icon.

Edit: cmd-w will close any window that pops open as well.

Click to expand...

IvanLasston, thank you very much for responding to my issue so quickly and thoroughly. I think I'm going to like it here!

I have to admit, I'm a little confused by your question, "What would you like word to do?"

I apologize for any confusion on my end; I thought I was clear on what I wanted Word to do - or rather not do, but perhaps my comment could have been clearer. I believe it was, "I want the dang thing to stop opening every time I click on my Word icon or click on it from behind another app I'm on."

And you are absolutely correct; if Word doesn't pop that window up, then all that would happen is that the menu bar would change to Word. That is exactly what I want it to do.

I will not find that confusing at all. I don't need a blank page to pop up to let me know I'm in Word. When I click on the app and its menu bar appears, it's pretty clear that I'm in Word. I also have my browser set up to open without needing to open a homepage. I like it that way.

As for what I want to do once I get into Word (open a recent file, start a new document, etc.), that really isn't relevant to my question. I simply asked if anyone knew how to stop the blank page from automatically opening when I click on Word. I have no problem handling myself around Word or my computer.

Also, thanks for the shortcut mention. Yes, I do use cmd-w very often, actually I will use it numerous times even in one session on Word or any other app I'm using. I use mostly shortcuts on my computer, as any time one takes his/her fingers off the keyboard it wastes time. The most efficient manner in which to use a computer is to use the shortcuts. In my work, I need efficiency.

Again, allow me to thank you for responding to my question. I see from the number of comments you've made that you must be quite helpful to others here, also. I look forward to working with you in the future.

However, we are back at my original question. Does anyone know how to stop the blank page from opening every time I click on my Word app? I want to be able to click on the app and have only a new menu bar awaiting me so I can get right to work. I am not asking how to work around the blank page or how to co-exist with it. I am asking how to eliminate it in its entirety.

Thanks for all who assist or take the time to read my plea!

As for what I want to do once I get into Word (open a recent file, start a new document, etc.), that really isn't relevant to my question. I simply asked if anyone knew how to stop the blank page from automatically opening when I click on Word. I have no problem handling myself around Word or my computer.

Click to expand...

The question is relevant because there is a simple answer. If you want to open a blank document or template - then Word does that - even though you find it annoying - that is what Word does by default. If you want to open a recent document then you can right click/ctrl click on the Word Icon in the dock and choose open recent - thus being able to avoid opening a blank document - and open documents you have been working on. So my question is - once you get just the menu screen what do you do? Word's menu doesn't do much by itself.

You also didn't say what version of OSX you're on. Because if you are working on multiple documents you could use Mission Control to switch between apps and windows of apps. In Mountain Lion - you could 4 finger swipe down on the Word Icon in the dock and bring up all your open documents in Application Expose.

So in essence - I believe you when you say it is annoying that Word pops an empty document when you click the icon. But there may be a myriad of ways around that depending on what you do after you get the blank menu bar - without resorting to scripts.

Word's annoying blank page

I agree with Marydale on this. When I open Word - or any application - I do not want it to second guess me and open a blank document.

Adobe applications (InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator, Dreamweaver) don't do this, Microsoft applications (Word, Excel) do, and it seems to me typical of Microserf that as soon as you feel obliged to use their products, they muscle ahead of the others and get in your face, demanding attention. Often, I've opened several applications at once, started typing away on - say - MacForum, then looked up and found I'm actually typing on a Word document that opened itself unbidden in front of my web browser.

When I open Word I want it to discretely appear in the menu bar until the next application opens and replaces it there. If I want it again, I'll find its icon in the dock. That's what the dock is for. I do not want it opening its pages all over my screen.

There is a clunky workaround for this on PCs. But do you know how can I make sure this happens on my Mac Ivan?

This used to drive me nuts too but I'm sitting on the fence

Just FYI, this is what opens up on the desktop in ML when you use 'Pages' (similar for 'Numbers' also).