Customize Quick Access Toolbar in MS Office 2010

Understanding the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Office

The Quick Access Toolbar was initially introduced within MS Office in the 2003 release. However, its visibility and importance have grown significantly following the launch of MS Office 2007 and even more so with MS Office 2010.

This toolbar is designed for customization, allowing users to place frequently used commands – such as Save, Undo, and Redo – in a readily accessible location.

As its name suggests, the Quick Access Toolbar remains consistently positioned, regardless of which Ribbon tab is currently in use.

Boosting Productivity with Toolbar Adjustments

Productivity can be improved through a couple of straightforward modifications to the Quick Access Toolbar.

Adjusting the toolbar’s location.
Adding new commands to personalize the toolbar.

The Quick Access Toolbar functions consistently across all applications within the MS Office suite. While the location adjustment remains universal, the specific commands added will vary depending on the application and its intended use.

For demonstration purposes, the following steps will be illustrated using MS Word 2010.

Relocating the Quick Access Toolbar Beneath the Ribbon

For users who find the standard position of the Quick Access Toolbar to be too high or visually obstructive, it can be repositioned directly below the Ribbon. Initiate this change by clicking the downward-facing arrow associated with the toolbar – labeled "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" – and then selecting the option Show Below the Ribbon.

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It's important to recognize that this adjustment will slightly decrease the available workspace. Should the resulting layout appear overly congested, simply click the arrow again to revert the toolbar to its initial position.

Personalizing Your Workflow: Adding Commands to the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar can be readily customized with frequently used commands, and the process is straightforward.

Commands can be added directly from any of the Ribbon Tabs. Simply navigate to the desired tab, right-click on the command you wish to include, and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar from the context menu.

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Adding commands not found on the Ribbon requires a slightly different approach, though it remains simple to execute.

Initiate the process by clicking the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button, then choose the More Commands option located at the bottom of the displayed list.

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A dialog box will appear, presenting the complete range of available commands for the specific MS Office application.

The left-hand side of this dialog displays the commands currently present on the toolbar, while the right side showcases the comprehensive list of commands you can add.

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Initially, the Choose commands from dropdown will show Popular Commands. Explore this list and add desired commands by selecting them and clicking the Add button.

Expanding the dropdown reveals additional command categories for further customization options.

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This method is particularly useful for accessing commands that are not readily available on the Ribbon. For example, writers may benefit from keeping writing tools like Grammar check or Spelling Recheck readily accessible to enhance productivity.

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Customizations can be applied to the current document or set as the default for all documents. The Reset button allows for easy restoration of the default settings.

The order of commands can be adjusted using the Move Up and Move Down buttons.

While the size and icons of the toolbar buttons cannot be altered, the Quick Access Toolbar offers significant potential for streamlining your workflow and boosting productivity within MS Office.