Tip of the week # 664
22 July 2021


Have your favourite buttons easily accessible (Microsoft Office)*

Over the years I've done my best to make you fall in love with the Quick Access Toolbar. But I know a lot of you don't - or hardly - use it. Perhaps you only click on its Save, Undo, and Redo buttons?

By default, the Quick Access Toolbar is located at the top of the window, to the left of the title bar. But if you have it in your line of vision you might be more inclined to use it. (With thanks to Karen Cafferkey for the inspiration.)

I've changed the position of mine and it's definitely growing on me!

Here's how:

  1. Right-click any of the buttons on your Quick Access Toolbar.
  2. Press the underscored letter S or click on Show Quick Access Toolbar Below the Ribbon.

Now simply right-click any buttons or groups you use most often and click on Add to Quick Access Toolbar. Or go back to step 1 and press the underlined letter C (or click on Customize Quick Access Toolbar) and select hidden gems from All Commands.

Here are three of my buttons I stuck on there that you might like:

  1. Close all open files and desktop app in Word and Excel - tip_654.php
  2. Close all additional windows in Outlook - tip_365.php
  3. Open the "old" CTRL + F - tip_401.php

By the way, it turns out that in the future the Quick Access Toolbar will be below the ribbon by default. So it's not just Karen Cafferkey who thinks that spot is better! ;)

Related tips

  1. Turn on the underscored letter option (Windows 10) - tip_663.php
  2. Adding your favourite commands to the Quick Access Toolbar - tip_218.php
  3. Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar - tip_227.php
  4. Selecting commands without using your mouse - tip_220.php

PS To anyone who left a Google review recently but didn't get a response from me ... my reviews don't seem to work. You can see what you posted, but I cannot and so cannot anyone else. I'm trying to solve it with the powers that be.


* Unless stated otherwise this tip is written for Microsoft 365 desktop apps and Windows 10 users, but might also be useful in Office 2010, 2013 and 2016.