How To Remove the Research Option in Excel?

The research option in Excel can be useful when it is necessary to find something quickly, nevertheless, the option is rather an unwanted feature than a helpful tool for most users. The pane is often an accident, thus interrupting the working process. In the event that you do not need this feature in your work, you can turn it off and have a more straightforward interface. 

This guide suggests some methods, such as the simplest ribbon modification to the organisational policy modifications, to control the existence of the Research pane in its entirety.

What Is the Excel Research Feature?

The Research feature also allows the users to access reference materials, including dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopaedias, translation services, right in the program. Upon activation, it opens as a side panel called the Research Pane, which is usually opened either through the Review tab or by using shortcuts like Alt + Click. Even though it can be of benefit to academic or linguistic projects, it is never used by many people using Excel and only occupies valuable space on the screen.

Why might you want to remove it?

There are several reasons why you might be interested in dropping the research option:

1. Distraction:- The pane may open inadvertently, therefore, you have to shut an unwanted window and lose focus on the spreadsheet.
2. Security or Privacy Issues:- Within the corporate world, organisations tend to block access to external services. The Research functionality interacts with web sources and this may violate confidential data.
3. Streamlining the Interface:-A ribbon that is free of unnecessary commands creates a more personalised and productive working environment.

Quick Methods to Remove or Disable the Research Pane

There are several methods to conceal or disable the Research feature; choose the one that fits your situation.

Customization of ribbons

The easiest way of suppressing the Research button is through ribbon customization. Here is step-by-step guide for it:

• Open Excel.
• Click File → Options.
• Select Customize Ribbon.
• On the right-hand panel, enlarge the Review tab.
• Find the Research command, choose it and then remove.
• Click OK to confirm.

As a result, the Research button is not present on the ribbon anymore, which decreases the number of buttons.

VBA Command

In case the Research pane still appears as a result of a keyboard shortcut or a context menu, a small VBA procedure can be used to turn it off forever. Here are steps: 

1. Keyboard Press Alt + F11 to open VBA editor.

2. Go to Insert →Module.

3. Paste the following code:

Sub DisableResearchPane()
    Application.CommandBars(Research).Enabled =False
End Sub

4. Press F5 to execute the macro.

5. Shut down the editor and get back to the workbook.

As a result, you will find that the research command is disabled in all versions of Excel.

Kutools Excel (Third-Party Tool)

Kutools provides a wide range of add-in capability, such as interface control, without the need to write code. Here are steps to use this: 

• Install and download Kutools to Excel.
• Open Excel and go to Kutools tab.
• Select the customization options.
• Deactivate or uncheck Research Pane option.

In conclusion, you will get that Kutools hides the Research option in one click, which does not require any technical intervention.

Group Policy Editor (Advanced, IT/Admin)

To administrators who manage several workstations, the inhibition of the Research feature can be enforced company-wide by the Group Policy. Here is step-by-step guide to use this:

• Press Win + R and type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
• Under the Group Policy Editor, go to: User Configuration Administrative Templates Microsoft Office version
• Locate the setting Research Pane and disable it.
• Shut down the editor and open Excel again.

As a result you will find the research pane is not available to anyone in the organisation.

Troubleshooting: If the Research Option Won’t Go Away

Sometimes the feature may be carried on after disabling. Think of the following remedies. Probably, restarting Excel is necessary since the changes are not always effective after the first session.

• To reset the ribbon, go back to Excel Options Customize Ribbon and reset it.
• Microsoft Excel updated to the current version to eradicate the software bugs.
• Check that every single step was taken properly.

How to Re-Enable the Research Option

It is not difficult to restore the feature in case it will be desired later. Add the Research command to the ribbon again, repeating the steps previously used to remove it and choosing Add instead.

• Application.commandbars(Research).enabled =true.
• Kutools – Switch the Research pane option off.
• Group Policy – Revert to Enabled or Not Configured policy.

When resetting the ribbon, default settings are restored and any customisations that have been made are deleted.

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