Show or hide the Navigation Pane in Access

Located along the side of the screen, the Navigation Pane provides a quick way to access the objects in Microsoft Access. You can hide or show the Navigation Pane at any time. When you need to increase your workspace, close or hide the Navigation Pane.

To show or hide the Navigation Pane in Access desktop databases, follow these steps:

• To display the Navigation Pane in a desktop database, press F11.

• To hide the Navigation Pane, click along the top of the Navigation Pane, or press F11.

When you create a new Blank desktop database or use an existing Access desktop database, you can set options from the open database so that the Navigation Pane does not display when the specific desktop database is opened.

1. From the open desktop database, click the File tab, and then click Options. Note, if you're using Access 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button and then click Access Options.

2. Click the Current Database category, and under Navigation, clear the Display Navigation Pane check box.

3. Click OK. Close and reopen the database to see the effects of the option.

Note:  We do not recommend hiding the Navigation Pane in desktop databases unless the database employs a screen such as a switchboard (a form with buttons or links that enable you to navigate around the database) or uses another method for opening the objects in the database.

To show or hide the Navigation Pane in Access web apps, follow these steps:

• To display the Navigation Pane in an Access web app, on the Home tab, in the Show group, click the Navigation Pane toggle button.

  

• To hide the Navigation Pane, click along the top of the Navigation Pane, click the Navigation Pane toggle button, or press F11.

Note: When you open a Blank Access web app for the first time, the Navigation Pane does not display.