How to Fix PowerPoint Cannot Hide Slide Thumbnails After Update
Question details
Users are unable to completely hide or close the slide thumbnail pane in PowerPoint after installing a recent Microsoft 365 Apps update.
- Product
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to expand the main slide view by closing the left-side thumbnail pane while editing a presentation.
- Observed behavior
- The slide thumbnail pane refuses to hide completely. The previous Ctrl+Shift shortcut only reduces the thumbnail size, and repairing the Office installation fails to resolve this behavior.
Verify your current Office build number by navigating to File > Account in PowerPoint, which will help you identify if you are on an affected Microsoft 365 update.
Revert Microsoft Office to an Earlier Version
Roll your Office installation back to a previous build where the slide thumbnail pane could be hidden successfully.
Because this issue is directly tied to a bug introduced in a recent Microsoft 365 Apps update, standard troubleshooting steps like repairing or reinstalling the application will not work. The most effective workaround is to revert to the previous working version until Microsoft releases an official patch.
Open PowerPoint, navigate to File > Account, click on 'Update Options', and select 'Disable Updates' to prevent Office from immediately reinstalling the buggy version.
Look up the build number of the release immediately preceding your current version from the official Microsoft 365 update history page.
Follow Microsoft's official instructions using the Office Deployment Tool and the Command Prompt to roll back your Office suite to the earlier, stable build.
Check for a Newer Office Build and Submit Feedback
Check if a hotfix has already been released and notify Microsoft about the ongoing bug.
Switch to WPS Presentation for a Bug-Free Slide Editing Experience
If Microsoft PowerPoint update bugs are disrupting your presentation workflow, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a stable, highly compatible, and lightweight presentation editor where you can easily customize your workspace and hide thumbnails without hassle.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite.
- 2. Open Your Presentation: Launch WPS Presentation and open your existing .pptx or .ppt files seamlessly.
- 3. Customize Your View: Use the intuitive interface to effortlessly hide the thumbnail pane and focus entirely on designing your slides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a keyboard shortcut to hide the slide thumbnails in PowerPoint?
Previously, holding Ctrl and Shift while clicking the Normal view button would completely hide the thumbnail pane. However, in recently affected updates, this shortcut no longer works and only reduces the size of the thumbnails.
Will repairing my Microsoft Office installation fix the thumbnail pane bug?
No, repairing or reinstalling Microsoft Office will not resolve this issue. The inability to hide the thumbnail pane is a behavior change or bug directly tied to the specific Office build you updated to.
How do I prevent PowerPoint from updating to the buggy version again after rolling back?
To stop automatic updates, open PowerPoint and navigate to File > Account. Click on 'Update Options' and select 'Disable Updates'. You can re-enable them once Microsoft releases a fix.
