Perhaps the properties box is off screen.
To get it back, press:
Alt+Space (to drop it's Control Box)
M (for move)
The repeatedly press the up and left arrows until it moves back onto the
visible screen.

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Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP. Perth, Western Australia.
Tips for Access users - http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.
> For some reason the properties window does not display when I am designing
> reports - even when I select view|properties (or hit "F4"). Is there
> setting
> that might cause this. When I try to display the window it becomes active
> because other screens become inactive and the status bar contains a
> desctiption of each property.