Getting Rid of the Ctrl+Click Message

Other issues of WordTips have explained how to use the ScreenTips feature in Word to create pop-up screen help in a document. In some of the later versions of Word, when you move the mouse pointer over a hyperlink, you end up with a message that says "Use Ctrl+Click to Follow Link", which can detract from the use to which you want to put your ScreenTips.

This Ctrl+Click message was added to Word beginning with Word 2002. So how do you get rid of the message? It's really quite easy if you are using Word 2002 or Word 2003:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. You'll see the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Edit tab is displayed. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Clear the Use Ctrl+Click to Follow Hyperlink check box.
4. Click on OK.

If you are using Word 2007, then these are the steps you should follow:

1. Click the Office button, then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. At the left side of the dialog box, click Advanced. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. In the Editing section of the dialog box, clear the Use Ctrl+Click to Follow Hyperlink check box.
4. Click on OK.

There is a drawback to clearing this option in Word: Not only is the Ctrl+Click message removed, but so is the need to Ctrl+Click. All it takes is a single click on the hyperlink to do the jump.