Registry override

If you find that you cannot get rid of the Startup task pane through Tools/Options, (unchecking the Startup Task Pane box), you need to check the Registry setting.

Here's how: Launch Regedit from the Start menu's Run dialog, then browse to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\General.

Look for a DWORD called DoNotDismissFileNewTaskPane. Double-click it and change its value to 0. Now the task pane will not automatically open when you start Word.

For those running Office 2002/XP, the fix is exactly the same, but with 10.0 replacing 11.0 in the Registry key.