Fix Word 2019 Show Bookmarks Setting Not Saving
Question details
The user needs the 'Show Bookmarks' preference to persist across different application sessions without resetting.
- Product
- Microsoft Word 2019
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Configuring advanced display settings to permanently show document bookmarks.
- Observed behavior
- The 'Show Bookmarks' option under Advanced Options reverts to being disabled after closing and reopening the application, often caused by conflicting Office installations or accounts.
Ensure that all your pending work is saved and close all unnecessary Word documents before attempting to change and save the default settings.
Apply Settings with Only One Document Open
Applying advanced options with a single Word instance can help force the application to save your preferences correctly to your user profile.
Sometimes, having multiple documents or application windows open simultaneously prevents Word from saving configuration changes globally.
Close all currently open Word documents and windows until only one blank document remains open.
Go to File > Options > Advanced. Scroll down to the 'Show document content' section and check the box for 'Show bookmarks', then click OK.
Immediately close the Word application and restart it to verify if the setting has successfully persisted.
Resolve Conflicting Office Installations
Multiple versions of Office or multiple Microsoft 365 accounts on the same computer can cause settings synchronization and persistence issues.
Avoid Installation Conflicts with WPS Office
If Microsoft Word 2019 continues to fail at saving your settings due to conflicting versions or accounts, try WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, hassle-free environment to view, edit, and manage documents without complex account synchronization issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Word advanced options keep resetting?
Word options can reset if multiple instances of the application are open when you make the change, or if there is a registry conflict between multiple installed Office versions and user profiles.
How do I show bookmarks in Word?
To display bookmarks, navigate to File > Options > Advanced. Under the 'Show document content' section, check the box for 'Show bookmarks' and click OK.
Can having both Office 2016 and 2019 installed cause issues?
Yes, installing multiple versions of Office on the same machine can cause conflicts with registry settings, default applications, and shared user preferences, leading to issues like configurations failing to save.
