Have you ever stared at a cluttered Gantt chart with resource names spilling out to the right of every single bar? It’s frustrating — especially when multiple resources are assigned to the same task.

Good news: you can clean it up in under two minutes!
Below are the two simplest (and still 100% valid) techniques to hide resource names (or shorten them!) — fully updated and tested in Microsoft Project through Microsoft 365 as of December 2025.

Prefer to watch instead of read? Jump straight to the 60-second video walkthrough right here (or click the thumbnail below).

Watch the 60-second video walkthrough

Here’s 2 ways to try, let me know which way you prefer.

Hide Resource Names: Replace Full Names with Initials:

1. Go to the Resource Sheet view in your project.
2. Type either the two-letter or three-letter initials for each of your project team members.
3. Return to the Gantt Chart view.
4. Place your mouse pointer anywhere in the white part of the Gantt chart screen and do a double-click.
5. Microsoft Project will display the Bar Styles dialog.
6. Leave the first item selected, which is called Task.
7. With the task items selected, click the Text tab at the bottom of the page.
8. Click the pick list for the right field.
9. Scroll up a little bit and replace resource names with the resource initials field.
10. Click the OK button.

Hide Resource Names: Remove Everything to the Right of the Gantt Bars:

1. Double-click anywhere in the white part of the Gantt chart screen.
2. Leave the Task item selected at the top.
3. Click the Text tab at the bottom.
4. Select the right field area where you see the word “resource names.”
5. Select the resource names field.
6. Press the delete key on your computer keyboard.
7. Click the OK button.

Now you have a much more compact version of the Gantt chart screen without those pesky resource names. You can choose the technique that works best for you depending on your preferences. I hope you found this blog post helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below. And don’t forget to give this post a like and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more helpful tips and tutorials. If you found this guide helpful, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and give the videos a like.

Bonus Tip: **Quick note about manually scheduled tasks**
A reader asked in the comments whether these steps work with manually scheduled tasks. The answer is **yes**—both methods apply identically to manual or auto-scheduled tasks. Just select “Manual Task” in the Bar Styles dialog if needed for full coverage (tested in Project 2016 through Microsoft 365).

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this also hide resource names on the Task Usage or Resource Usage views?
No. These steps only affect the Gantt Chart view. Resource names stay visible in the Usage views unless you apply similar formatting there.

Does this work with manually scheduled tasks?
Yes – it works exactly the same. One visitor asked this exact question, and the answer is still valid in Project 2016 through Microsoft 365 (tested December 2025).

Can I hide the names but still show resource initials instead?
Absolutely – that’s Method 1 in the guide above. Many people prefer initials because they keep the bar readable while decluttering.

Will this change carry over when I publish to Project Server/Project Online?
Yes. The Bar Styles formatting is stored in the view and publishes with the project.

If you’ve got questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy project management! See you in my next article!

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