When creating a template in Word 2010, I open the Manage Styles dialog, go to the 'Recommend' tab and select "Hide until used" for some particular style. If I've used that style in the template - even if all uses of it have been deleted - the "Hide until used" text is shown after the style name, but the style name isn't greyed out, and the style isn't actually hidden in the Style list. Is there any way to get the style to be actually hidden until it's used in a document made from the template?

Which style is affected? If it is one or more heading styles, clear the check mark next to "Show next heading when previous level is used" in the Style Pane Options dialog box (in the Styles pane, click the Options link).

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

It is every and any style - and when it affects headings, I want it to still have the "Show next heading when previously level is used" setting.

It is possible that there still is an instance of the Style in use, possibly in just a space or an empty paragraph. Try using Find to search for the Style.

That's not the problem. The document is completely empty - nothing in it but the carriage return on the first line. And that carriage return isn't of that style.

Which display setting for styles is selected in the Style Pane Options dialog box (in the Styles pane, click the Options link on the bottom right)?

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

'Recommended'.

This is quite easy to replicate.

- On any Word document, click File-New
- Double-click 'My templates'
- Click the 'Template' radio button
- Double-click the 'Blank document' icon. You now have a completely new document template.
- Open the Styles pane.
- Click the 'Heading 2' style in the Styles pane. The 'Heading 3' style appears in the Styles pane.
- Click the 'Heading 3' style in the Styles pane. The 'Heading 4' style appears in the Styles pane.
- Click the 'Normal' style in the Styles pane. The single carriage return in the document is now of 'Normal' style. Note that 'Heading 3' and 'Heading 4' are still showing in the Styles pane. Note also that there is NO text of style 'Heading 3' or 'Heading 4' in the document.
- Open the Manage Styles dialog box.
- Click the 'Recommend' tab.
- Note that both 'Heading 2' and 'Heading 3' are shown with '(Hide Until Used)' after them in the list box, but both are in black text, rather than grey.
- Select (individually) 'Heading 3' and 'Heading 2' and press the 'Hide until used' pushbutton. Note that they both remain the same - with '(Hide Until Used)' after them in the list box, but still black, not grey.
- Note that 'Heading 4' also has '(Hide Until Used)' after it in the list box, and it's grey.
- Select the 'OK' pushbutton.
- Note that in the Styles pane, 'Heading 2' and 'Heading 3' still show, even though they have '(Hide Until Used)' showing in black in the Recommend tab of the Manage Styles dialog box. Note that 'Heading 4' still shows, even though it has '(Hide Until Used)' showing in grey in the Recommend tab of the Manage Styles dialog box.

I would suggest to you that by clicking on Heading 2 in the Styles pane, you ARE using it, as far as Word is concerned, because you have just styled the empty paragraph, which is the only place your cursor could be (excepting the header and footer) as a Heading 2 paragraph, whether or not you have typed anything.

Best,
Ulodesk

Great - I understand that. But then I STOP using it when I change that reference. If the fact that I stop is irrelevant (ie., once used it forever displays) then why does the Manage Styles dialog box allow me to still choose 'Hide Until Used' for that style (and worse, actually show the text)?

And if this is all functioning as intended, it's awful design. It means I cannot make any modifications to any style in a template without having that style show up in the Styles pane for every document I create from that template. So if (for example) I want to change the font of every Heading for a template, in every document I create from it, every heading is going to be visible in the Styles pane, always. Yuck.

Word is not a perfect (no pun intended) instrument.
However, I believe that if you go into the List Style which regulates your headings, and change the font there, you should be able to do so without making all the cascading heading styles appear. If you're not familiar with List Styles, I recommend Shauna Kelly's oft-referenced site. (www.shaunakelly.com)

Best,
Ulodesk

The "Hide until used" setting isn't very useful, as you have noticed. See my reply in the Word IT Pro forum at http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...sed?forum=word.

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional