How to customize the Quick Access toolbar in Office programs

Want to add your most useful commands to a spot in which you can gain quick access to these commands without clicking on random tabs to find the command you are looking for to use? In Microsoft Office, there is a feature called Quick Access Toolbar. The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar located at the upper left corner of the title bar; it contains a set of independent commands of the tab on the ribbon that is currently displayed; the Quick Access Toolbar is like a shortcut for commands.

Where is the Quick Access Toolbar in Office?

The Quick Access Toolbar is located at the upper left corner of the title bar; it is on the Microsoft Office apps by default, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Publisher.

Why is the Quick Access Toolbar useful?

The Quick Access Toolbar is an excellent shortcut for commands, especially for people who want to quickly perform various tasks without searching for tabs on the menu bar for commands they wish to use. By default, Microsoft Office apps will have the Save button, Undo button, and the Redo button, but you can switch them for other commands.

How to customize the Quick Access Toolbar

To customize the Quick Access Toolbar in Office programs, you have the following options:

1. Add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar
2. Remove a command from the Quick Access Toolbar
3. Change the order of commands on the Quick Access Toolbar
4. Grouping commands by adding a separator between them
5. Move the Quick Access Toolbar
6. Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar by using Options
7. Reset the Quick Access Toolbar to the default settings

1] Add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar

In this tutorial, we are using Microsoft Word.

To add a command on the ribbon to a Quick Access Toolbar, do the steps below.

Right-click any of the commands on the ribbon and select, Add to Quick Access Toolbar.

The command is added to the Quick Access Toolbar.

You can also add commands that are not on the ribbon to the Quick Access Toolbar.

Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Then click More commands.

A Word Options dialog box will open on the Quick Access Toolbar page.

Choose commands from the list; choose a command that is not on the ribbon.

Click the Add button.

Then click OK.

2] Remove a command from the Quick Access Toolbar

Right-click the command you want to remove, then select the Remove from Quick Access Toolbar option.

The command is removed.

3] Change the order of commands on the quick access toolbar

Right-click the  Quick Access Toolbar and click Customize Quick Access Toolbar option.

In the Word Options dialog box on the Quick Access Toolbar page, click the command you want to move, then click the Up and Down arrow on the right of the dialog box.

Then click OK.

4]  Grouping commands by adding a separator between them

Right-click the  Quick Access toolbar and click Customize Quick Access Toolbar option.

In the Word Options dialog box, choose commands from popular commands on the Quick Access Toolbar page.

In the Popular command list, choose Separator.

Then click Add.

To place the Separator where you want it, click the Up and Down button arrow on the right.

Then click OK.

5] Move the Quick Access Toolbar.

The Quick Access toolbar can be located in the upper left corner on the Title bar, which is the default location, and below the ribbon.

Follow these steps below to move the Quick Access Toolbar from the upper left corner on the Title bar to below the ribbon.

Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

In the drop-down menu, select the option Show below the ribbon.

To return it to the upper left corner on the Title bar, click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button and select from the drop-down menu Show above the ribbon.

6] Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar by using Options

You can use the Options command to customize commands in Microsoft Office.

Click the File tab

On the backstage view, click Options.

A Word Options dialog box will open.

Click the Quick Access Toolbar on the left of the dialog box.

Make the changes you want for the commands in the dialog box.

Then OK.

7] Reset the Quick Access Toolbar to the default settings

To return the Quick Access Toolbar to the default settings; Right-click the  Quick Access Toolbar and click Customize Quick Access Toolbar option.

A Word Options dialog box will pop up on the Quick Access Toolbar page.

Click the Reset default settings button on the right below the Customize Access Toolbar list.

The Reset default settings will delete all customization and reset default settings for the program.

After clicking the Reset default settings button, click OK.

We hope this tutorial helps you understand; how to customize the Quick Access Toolbar in Office programs.

Also read: Customize the Quick Access Toolbar in Excel.