How to display or hide Status bar in Microsoft Excel?
The status bar in Microsoft Excel, located at the bottom of the window, provides important real-time information about your workbook—such as sum, average, or selected cell mode. Sometimes, you might notice that the status bar is missing, possibly due to accidental changes, or you may want to hide it to gain more workspace, especially when working on smaller screens or during presentations. Whether you prefer a cleaner interface or need to monitor worksheet details, being able to quickly show or hide the status bar becomes a useful task for efficient Excel management. This article introduces several practical methods to display or hide the status bar, catering to various user preferences from VBA automation to convenient one-click tools.
With status bar
Without status bar
Display or hide status bar in Microsoft Excel with VBA
Easily display or hide status bar in Microsoft Excel with Kutools for Excel’s Work Area
Easily display or hide status bar in Microsoft Excel with Kutools for Excel's View options
Display or hide status bar in Microsoft Excel with VBA
For users who are comfortable with macros or need to automate the process, using a simple VBA macro can quickly toggle the display of the status bar in Excel without manually searching for interface options. This approach is especially useful if you frequently need to hide or show the status bar or wish to include the action in a series of automated tasks.
Precautions: Macros must be enabled in your workbook. If macros are disabled by Excel security settings, you will need to adjust your Trust Center preferences. Always save your workbook before running macros to prevent potential data loss.
1. Press Alt + F11 in Excel to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications editor window.
2. In the VBA editor window, click Insert > Module. A new module will appear in the Modules folder in the Project window. Paste one of the following macros into the code window on the right.
VBA for displaying status bar in Microsoft Excel:
Sub Show_Status_Bar()
Application.DisplayStatusBar = True
End SubVBA for hiding status bar in Microsoft Excel:
Sub Hide_Status_Bar()
Application.DisplayStatusBar = False
End Sub3. To run the macro, place your cursor within the code, then press F5 or click the Run button (
) in the toolbar. You'll notice the status bar either appears or is hidden, based on the macro used.
Tips and troubleshooting: If you encounter an error such as "subscript out of range," double-check you have correctly selected the code module. If Excel displays a warning about macros, ensure macros are enabled. This method affects the status bar for the entire Excel application, not just a single workbook.
Advantages: This method is ideal for advanced users who need automation or custom workflows. You can also assign the macro to a button on your worksheet or add it to your Quick Access Toolbar for easier access.
Limitations: It may not be suitable for users unfamiliar with VBA or those restricted by their organization's macro security policies.
Display or hide status bar in Microsoft Excel with Kutools for Excel’s Work Area
If you require a flexible way to manage Excel’s working area—such as for presentations, focused data entry, or while working on compact monitors—Kutools for Excel’s Work Area utility provides an efficient solution for toggling the visibility of the status bar and other interface elements.
After installing Kutools for Excel, proceed as follows: (Free Download Kutools for Excel Now!)
Click Kutools > View > Work Area to activate the Work Area Size tool. This tool provides several quick preset layouts to choose from, depending on which interface elements (Status bar, Formula bar, Ribbon) you wish to hide.
Click this area to hide Status bar only:
Click this area to hide both Status bar and Formula bar:
Click this area to hide Status bar, Formula bar and Ribbon:
If you wish to revert and display all interface bars again, just click Kutools > Work Area once more to restore the default window view.
Advantages: The method requires no coding and works with a simple mouse click. It offers flexibility for hiding only select bars or all at once.
Possible limitations: Requires installation of Kutools for Excel. Settings apply to the current Excel window and are easily reversed if needed.
Display or hide status bar in Microsoft Excel with Kutools for Excel's View Options
If you prefer a user-friendly interface and don’t want to use VBA code, Kutools for Excel's View Options tool provides a straightforward method to show or hide the status bar, as well as other workbook interface elements—all through a convenient dialog box.
After installing Kutools for Excel, please follow these steps: (Free Download Kutools for Excel Now!)
1. On the toolbar, navigate to Kutools > View > View Options. The View Options dialog box will appear.
2. Within the dialog box, you will find a list of toggles for various elements of the Excel window. Find and check (to show) or uncheck (to hide) the Status Bar option as needed. See screenshot:
If you want to display the status bar, simply check the corresponding box. If you want to hide it, uncheck the box and confirm. Any change takes effect immediately without needing to restart Excel.
The View Options tool in Kutools for Excel allows you to show or hide most interface settings in Excel with ease, such as Inner Tabs, Formula Bar, Status Bar, Windows in Taskbar, Gridlines, Page Breaks, Display Zeros, Vertical Scrollbar, Horizontal Scrollbar, Sheet Tab, and more. This is particularly useful for users who need to customize their workspace quickly, save time searching through the native Excel settings, or configure multiple display options at once. Click to know more…
Pros: Suitable for any user, regardless of technical background. Changes take effect with a single click, no restarts or VBA usage required.
Cons: Requires installation of Kutools. If your Excel environment restricts add-ins, you may need administrative approval for setup.
In practice, each method above caters to different needs: VBA is suitable for repeat automation or advanced users, while Kutools provides easy access for everyone, including beginners. If you inadvertently hide the status bar and are unsure which method was used, try accessing View Options in Kutools or check if any macros are being applied. Note, some rare Excel environment customizations by IT divisions may override these settings—if you find your status bar cannot be activated, consult with your administrator. Always ensure you save your work before applying interface changes. For more extensive display customization beyond the status bar, see additional relative articles below.
Relative Articles
- Show or hide formula bar
- Display or hide row & column headers
- Display Selection Pane
- Display or hide sheet tabs
- Show or hide Horizontal/Vertical scroll bar
- Show & hide gridlines
- Hide page breaks
- Display or hide zero values in cells of Microsoft Excel
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