VS 2003+

Disabling the Visual Studio Splash Screen

by Richard Carr, published at http://www.blackwasp.co.uk/VSNoSplash.aspx

Splash screens are often useful, as they appear during the loading process for applications. Some users prefer not to see these screens, which may slow the start-up of an application. The Visual Studio splash screen can easily be disabled if desired.

Splash Screens

Splash screens are images that appear on the screen during the loading process for an application. They are most often seen with programs that take a long time to load, due to their size or start-up complexity. Visual Studio shows a splash screen during the starting process. This includes a logo and title, license information, copyright details and a list of programming languages and products that are installed.

Disabling the Splash Screen

In some cases the display of a splash screen can give the perception that a program is loading more quickly, even when the actual start-up time is increased. Some users like to see a splash screen, whilst others would prefer it to be disabled. If you fall into the latter group you can disable the Visual Studio splash screen with a simple command line switch.

To remove the splash screen you must edit the properties of the shortcuts that you use to launch Visual Studio. Right-click the shortcut and choose "Properties" from the menu that appears. You should see a dialog box similar to that pictured below. Add the "/nosplash" switch to the target of the shortcut to disable it. You can re-enable it later by removing the switch. Click OK to accept the change. Now when you click the shortcut Visual Studio will start without showing the splash screen.