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How to Remove Comments, Editing, and Share Buttons in Microsoft Office
Question details
The user is looking for a way to remove the newly added Comments, Editing, and Share buttons from the Microsoft Office interface, as they add unnecessary steps and occasionally cause existing VBA macros to crash.
- Product
- Microsoft Office
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to clean up the workspace by hiding forced UI elements and troubleshooting macro crashes triggered by the new interface layout.
- Observed behavior
- The buttons remain persistently visible and cannot be hidden through standard settings. Furthermore, running macros with screen updating disabled causes the Office application to crash.
Ensure you have your Microsoft Office account details handy to check for any administrative policies, and always back up your VBA macro code before modifying it.
Troubleshoot Macro Crashes by Modifying ScreenUpdating Code
If the new interface elements cause your macros to crash, adjusting the ScreenUpdating property in VBA can resolve the conflict.
Recent UI updates in Microsoft Office can interfere with macro execution when the screen rendering is paused. Temporarily modifying or removing the specific line of code that disables screen updating is currently the most effective workaround for this crash.
Press Alt + F11 while in your Office application to launch the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.
Search the code of the crashing macro for the line 'Application.ScreenUpdating = False'.
Add an apostrophe at the beginning of the line (e.g., 'Application.ScreenUpdating = False) to disable it, or delete the line completely.
Save your code, close the editor, and run the macro again to verify that the application no longer crashes.
Submit Feedback to Request Button Removal Options
Since standard Office installations currently do not allow removing these buttons natively, submitting official feedback is the best channel to request this feature.
Try WPS Office for a Cleaner, Distraction-Free Workspace
If forced interface updates in Microsoft Office are disrupting your workflow or breaking your macros, WPS Office provides an excellent alternative. It offers a streamlined interface without mandatory UI clutter, ensuring a smooth experience for document editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Share button be hidden in Office 2021?
No. In Office 2021 and recent Microsoft 365 versions, the Share, Comments, and Editing buttons are permanently integrated into the application interface and cannot be hidden natively.
Why does 'Application.ScreenUpdating = False' cause crashes after updating?
Recent changes to how the Office interface renders—specifically involving the new permanent action buttons—can create conflicts when VBA tries to pause screen updates, resulting in an application crash.
Can IT administrators remove these buttons via organizational policy?
While administrators have extensive control over Office configurations, Microsoft does not currently provide a specific Group Policy Object (GPO) to hide these particular UI elements.
