How do I access sidebar when in Microsoft Word

Question

Level 1

8 points

How do I access sidebar when in Microsoft Word

Hi everyone

I've just got a new Mac and uploaded Microsoft Word 15. For some reason 9 times out of 10 when I hover over the sidebar eg. to open safari nothing happens. The only way I can find of getting it up is either to minimise Word which is quite annoying, or alternatively keep trying and eventually it appears. I'm sure there is a trick that will sort this out - anyone know it?

And while I'm asking, the other issue I am having is quickly switching between different word documents that are open at the same time. They seem to vanish into thin air, and I end up having to do File>Open again. I think previously if you hovered over the Word icon on the sidebar they would all spring out. That doesn't seem to happen anymore, and even if it did I would run back into problem one because I don't seem to be able to get to the sidebar except if I minimise the document.

Would be very grateful for any advice.

Kathryn

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch,Early 2015)

Posted on Oct 28, 2015 10:04 AM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,513 points

Oct 28, 2015 10:10 AM in response to kathrynlaing

This is the Mac Pro desktop forum.

What OSX version? There are problem with 2011 and 2016 Office for Mac and El Capitan

What version of Mac for Office?

Here is Microsoft's Office for Mac forum

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mac

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Answer 2

kathrynlaing Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 28, 2015 10:13 AM in response to lllaass

Thanks for that link. I have OSX El Capitan 10.11.1.

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,513 points

Oct 28, 2015 10:19 AM in response to kathrynlaing

. I requested your post be moved to the MacBook Pro laptop forum or El Capitan forum..

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Answer 4

FoxFifth

Level 10

475,407 points

Oct 28, 2015 11:42 AM in response to kathrynlaing

By sidebar I'm thinking you are referring to the Dock? OS X El Capitan: Use the Dock

To open the Dock you need to move your mouse cursor to the very edge of the screen -- like you are trying to move it off of the screen. From your post it sounds like you may be trying to hover over the area where the Dock appears rather than moving the mouse to the very edge.

If you have multiple Word documents open at the same time you can see them by sliding the mouse to the edge of the screen to show the Dock and then control-click (or use the trackpad and do a "secondary click" -- how to do that depends on how you have your trackpad set, but defaults to a two-finger tap). That will bring pop up a menu and at the top it will list all of the windows that Word has open and you can click on the desired one.

Another method for dealing with multiple open Word windows can be done directly within Word -- click on the "Window" menu in the menu bar while Word is open and at the bottom of that menu it will list all of the open documents and you can click on the one you want.

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