Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 29, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
Word is very flexible. You can customize your working environment in many different ways. One way you can make changes is to add or remove tools from the ribbons visible at the top of the screen. (You can do this in Word 2010 or a later version; you can't change ribbons in Word 2007.)
There may come a day when you want to reset the Word ribbons to their default condition. When you do this, all the ribbons and the order of tools on the ribbons will be set to the same condition they were when you first installed Word. If you want to reset a ribbon, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Customize Ribbon options of the Word Options dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9568) applies to Microsoft Word 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Have you ever started a new document only to find that the settings in Word seem to be different than what you expected? ...
Discover MoreWhat do you do when a ribbon tool you rely upon suddenly disappears? That's the situation addressed in this tip, where ...
Discover MoreScroll bars are helpful if you have a document that won't fit entirely within the program window. Here's how to turn off ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments