Microsoft Project Quick Tip: Hide the Default Task Mode Indicator

Every time you launch Microsoft Project 2010 or 2013, or you create a new blank project, the software displays a Default Task Mode indicator in the lower left corner of the application window. You can see this indicator in Figure 1 when I created a new blank project. The software displays the indicator for approximately 6 seconds, unless you manually close the indicator by clicking the Close button in the upper right corner of the indicator window.

Figure 1: Task Type indicator for a new blank project

If you are like me, you may have grown weary of seeing the Default Task Mode indicator, and would like to disable it. Interestingly enough, you cannot use the Project Options dialog to disable this feature. Instead, you must complete the following steps:

1. Right-click anywhere in the Status Bar at the bottom of the Microsoft Project application window. The software displays the shortcut menu shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Shortcut menu

2. In the shortcut menu, deselect the New Task Mode Notification item.
Once you deselect this option, Microsoft Project will never again display the Default Task Mode indicator when you launch the software or create a new blank project. If you want to display the indicator again any time in the future, simply reverse step #2 documented previously.