docs-desktop/dotnet-desktop-guide/framework/winforms/controls/how-to-hide-toolstripmenuitems.md

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title	ms.date	dev_langs	helpviewer_keywords	ms.assetid
How to: Hide ToolStripMenuItems	03/30/2017	csharp vb cpp	ToolStripMenuItems [Windows Forms], hiding MenuStrip control [Windows Forms], hiding menu items menus [Windows Forms], hiding menu items menu items [Windows Forms], hiding hiding menu items	418a768f-808a-44cd-8cef-f4e161883621

How to: Hide ToolStripMenuItems

Hiding menu items is a way to control the user interface of your application and restrict user commands. Often, you will want to hide an entire menu when all of the menu items on it are unavailable. This presents fewer distractions for the user. Furthermore, you might want to both hide and disable the menu or menu item, as hiding alone does not prevent the user from accessing a menu command by using a shortcut key.

To hide any menu item programmatically

• Within the method where you set the properties of the menu item, add code to set the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.Visible%2A property to false.

  MenuItem3.Visible = False  
  

  menuItem3.Visible = false;  
  

  menuItem3->Visible = false;  
  

See also

• xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.Visible%2A
• xref:System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip
• MenuStrip Control Overview
• How to: Disable ToolStripMenuItems