Office Settings & Configuration

How to Turn Off the Microsoft 365 Start Screen at Startup

Adam Davis Oct 13, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to stop the Microsoft 365 splash or Start screen from appearing when launching applications like Word or Excel.

How to Turn Off the Microsoft 365 Start Screen at Startup

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Launching an Office application and preferring to open directly into a blank document instead of the template gallery.
Observed behavior: The Microsoft 365 Start screen appears by default every time Word, Excel, or PowerPoint is opened.

Before you start

Note that this setting is application-specific. You will need to repeat these steps individually in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint if you want to disable the Start screen across all of them.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable the Start Screen via Application Options

Change the general settings inside each Office application to skip the Start screen and launch directly into a new, blank document.

By default, Microsoft 365 applications show a Start screen featuring templates and recent files. You can bypass this screen to save time and immediately start working on a blank document.

Open your Office application

Launch the Microsoft 365 app where you want to disable the Start screen, such as Word or Excel.

Navigate to Options

Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of the ribbon, then select 'Options' at the very bottom of the left-hand menu.

Locate the Start screen setting

In the Options dialog box, ensure you are in the 'General' tab. Scroll down to the 'Start up options' section at the bottom.

Disable the Start screen

Uncheck the box that says 'Show the Start screen when this application starts', then click 'OK' to save your changes.

Application Specific: You must repeat this exact process in each Microsoft Office program (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) where you wish to skip the Start screen.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling the Start screen delete my Microsoft Office templates?

No, disabling the Start screen only skips the initial template gallery when you launch the app. You can still access all your templates and recent files at any time by going to File > New or File > Open.

Why does the Start screen still show up in PowerPoint after disabling it in Word?

The Start screen setting is unique to each individual Office application. Disabling it in Word does not affect Excel or PowerPoint. You need to open PowerPoint, go to File > Options > General, and disable it there as well.

Can I completely disable the small rectangular loading splash screen?

The setting described above only disables the Start screen where you choose templates. The small loading splash screen that appears for a few seconds while the application initializes cannot be disabled through normal Office settings.

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