Stopping Help from Using Online Resources

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 11, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2003

2

One of the changes introduced in Excel 2003 was a greater reliance by the program on online help systems. When you choose to display Excel's Help system and then search for information on a topic, by default Excel also returns help topics from the Web, specifically from Microsoft's Web sites.

You can, if desired, configure Excel 2003 so that it won't access any online information. To make this change, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Options dialog box.
  2. Make sure the General tab is displayed.
  3. Click Service Options. Excel displays the Service Options dialog box.
  4. In the Category list, choose Online Content. (See Figure 1.)

    5. Figure 1. The Service Options dialog box.

  5. Using the controls at the right side of the dialog box, specify how you want Excel to access (or not access) online content.
  6. Click OK to close the Service Options dialog box.
  7. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3047) applies to Microsoft Excel 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is six minus 3?

2022-06-13 17:32:32

Allen

I am showing them because there are (believe it or not) people still using VERY old versions of Excel.

And, I do state which versions the tip works with. See the very end of the tip where I say "This tip (3047) applies to Microsoft Excel 2003." Plus, at the top of the right column on the page, I indicate that ALL the tips on this site are for much older versions of Excel, and provide a link to tips for later versions.

-Allen

2022-06-13 17:26:23

Haig Johnson

Why are you showing tips for Excel 2003? At least acknowledge that the tip ONLY works on Excel 2003, or show how to accomplish the same on different versions.

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