Do you want to Word, Excel or PowerPoint adapt to you and not the other way around? Customizing the toolbar and ribbon can save you time, improve productivity, and make your daily Microsoft Office experience more convenient. Although many people don't know it, Office apps allow you to modify almost everything: from the commands that appear to the order in which they are arranged, or even their appearance.
In this guide you will find All available methods for customizing the Quick Access Toolbars and Ribbon in the different Office applications for Windows and Mac. All the information has been reorganized, clarified, and explained step by step to offer you comprehensive and practical help.
What is the Office Toolbar or Quick Access Toolbar?
It is a strip of icons that is usually located above or below the ribbon and allows you to quickly access the commands you use most, no matter which tab you're on. You can move it around, choose which commands to include, remove ones you don't need, and even export or import custom settings.
Show or hide the toolbar in Office
- Right click on the ribbon.
- If the toolbar is already visible, click on "Hide Quick Access Toolbar".
- If not displayed, select "Show Quick Access Toolbar".
Location of the toolbar in Office
You can place the Quick Access Toolbar in two places:
- Below ribbon
- Above ribbon
To change its location:
- Click on Customize Quick Access Toolbar.
- Choose the desired location in the menu: "Show below the ribbon" or "Show above".
Show or hide command labels
If you have the bar placed below the ribbon you can decide whether you want the command names to be visible or not:
- Click on Customize Quick Access Toolbar.
- Choose between "Show command labels" o «Hide command labels».
Adding and removing commands
To include useful functions in this custom bar:
- Go to the ribbon and find the command you use frequently.
- Right click on it and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar.
If you want to remove any command already added:
- Right-click on the icon you want to delete.
- Choose "Remove from Quick Access Toolbar".
Add commands that are not on the ribbon
- Press on Customize Quick Access Toolbar and then "More commands".
- In the drop-down list, choose Commands Not on the Ribbon.
- Select the desired command and click on "Add".
Reorder commands
You can also change the order in which they appear:
- Right click on the toolbar and select Customize Quick Access Toolbar.
- Select the command you want to move.
- Use the arrows "Rise" y "Lower" to relocate it.
Advanced customization from the options
- Access the menu File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar.
- From there, you can add, remove, or reorder commands with the corresponding buttons.
Reset the bar to its original settings
- Open the window of Customize Quick Access Toolbar.
- Click on Reset > Reset Quick Access Toolbar Only.
Save and share your settings
Microsoft allows you to export your customizations and apply them to other computers:
- Accede to File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar.
- Click on "Import or Export > Export all customizations".
To upload them to another computer:
- Go to the same menu and select Import customization file.
This is especially useful for departments where multiple users work with the same settings.
Custom icons and specific settings
In some cases, custom groups may appear with a green or blue ball icon. This indicates that an icon has not been assigned to the group. You can change it like this:
- On the toolbar, select "More commands".
- In the left menu, go to «Customize ribbon».
- On the right side, click on the custom group.
- Press on "Rename" and select an appropriate icon.
- Confirm with "To accept".
Customize the ribbon
The ribbon is the series of tabs at the top, such as Home, Insert, Design, etc. It can also be customized in Office:
How to access
- Open Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
- Right-click on an empty space on the ribbon and select Customize the Ribbon.
Change the order of the tabs
- Select the tab you want to move.
- Use the arrows to raise or lower it until the desired order is obtained.
Create new custom tabs
- Click on "New tab".
- A custom group will be automatically added inside, where you can add commands.
Rename tabs
- Select the tab you want to rename.
- Click on "Rename" and write the new title.
Hide or show tabs
- In the list, uncheck the tabs you don't want to see.
- Only custom tabs can be deleted, not default tabs like File.
Customization in Office for Mac
In the macOS version you can also customize the toolbar, although the process is different:
- Open a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document.
- Go to Preferences > Quick Access Toolbar.
- In the window that opens, select the commands you want to add or remove.
- Confirm the changes with the corresponding arrows.
Added elements are always placed at the end from the bar, but you can arrange them however you like within that window.
Understanding how to adapt the Office interface to your own needs can be a huge leap in convenience and time savings. From adjusting shortcuts to creating your own custom tabs, the possibilities are endless. On both Windows and Mac, Office offers flexible tools that, with a little practice, can completely transform your user experience. Share this guide so more users know how to use the Office toolbar..