Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar

Word allows you, within limits, to customize the tools that are available in the user interface. Word 2007 does not allow you to easily modify the tools that appear on the ribbon tabs, but Word 2010 "opened up" Word a bit so you could modify those tools. The customization area that is the biggest target for customization is known as the Quick Access Toolbar.

The Quick Access Toolbar is the area just above the ribbon, at the top-left portion of the screen. The Quick Access Toolbar includes, by default, three tools that allow you to save your document, undo an action, and redo an action. You can, however, change the tools that appear on the Quick Access Toolbar. To customize this toolbar, follow these steps:

1. Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 and later versions, display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
2. At the left side of the dialog box, click Quick Access Toolbar or, if you are using Word 2007, Customize. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The Quick Access Toolbar area of the Word Options dialog box.

3. Using the Choose Commands From drop-down list, specify what group of commands you want listed in the dialog box.
4. In the list of commands at the left side of the dialog box, select the one you want to appear on the Quick Access Toolbar.
5. Click the Add button. The selected command is copied to the list at the right side of the dialog box.
6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for any other commands you want on the toolbar.
7. If you want to remove any commands from the Quick Access Toolbar, select the command at the right side of the dialog box and click Remove.
8. When you are satisfied with the list of commands, click OK.

Your newly customized Quick Access Toolbar should be visible and usable at the top-left of your screen.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (5987) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021.