How to Customize the Ribbon in Word for Mac

Edited 1 day ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Customizing the ribbon in Microsoft Word for Mac allows you to better tailor the interface to your personal workflow and the way you use Word. By doing so, you can make your Word experience more efficient and productive. Whether you want to add frequently used commands or create new tabs and groups, customizing the ribbon is a fairly straightforward process.

Understanding the ribbon

Before diving into the customization process, it is important to understand what the ribbon is. The ribbon is a toolbar that appears at the top of Microsoft Word, which provides a set of tabs. Each tab contains specific commands that are logically grouped based on their functionality. For example, the “Home” tab contains basic formatting options such as font size, style, color, etc., while the “Insert” tab allows you to add various elements such as pictures and tables to your document.

Getting started with customization

Here are the detailed steps to customize the ribbon in Word for Mac:

1. Open Microsoft Word

First, you'll need to launch Microsoft Word on your Mac. You can do this by clicking its icon in the Dock or by searching for it via Spotlight by pressing Command (⌘) + Space and typing "Word."

2. Accessing the ribbon customization options

Once Word opens you need to go to the Ribbon customization options:

1. On the menu bar, click Word.
2. Select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
3. In the Preferences window, select the Ribbon & Toolbar option.

A window will open displaying options for customizing both the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar. In this guide, we'll focus on the Ribbon.

3. Understanding the ribbon customization window

The ribbon customization window includes:

• Tabs: These are the main categories, like Home, Insert, Design, etc.
• Commands: These are specific actions or tools that fall under a given tab.
• List All Tabs: This shows the existing tabs in Word and any custom tabs you’ve created.
• Main Tabs: These are the default tabs that come with Word.
• Custom tabs and groups: These are tabs and groups you can create to hold commands you use often.

4. Adding new tabs or groups

Custom tabs and groups allow you to add a personal touch to the Word interface:

1. In the Ribbon & Toolbar options, you will see a 'Ribbon' tab with a list of tabs with checkboxes.
2. Click the + button below the tab list to add a new tab. This tab will be classified as a custom tab.
3. After you create a new tab, it will appear listed among the existing tabs, often indicated by '(Custom)' at the end of it.
4. To make this tab more organized, you can add groups to it. Each group can contain a set of commands.
5. Select the newly created tab and then click the Add Group option to set up subdivisions within the tab.

5. Adding commands to a tab or group

Once you have set up your tabs and potential groups, the next step is to add commands. Commands are the functionality you use to perform tasks:

1. Select the tab or group where you want to add the command.
2. On the right, you'll see a list labeled Choose commands from. This area offers different categories of commands, such as "Popular commands" or "All commands."
3. Find the command you want to add. You can search by category or search using the search bar.
4. Select the command and click Add. The command will appear under the selected group in your custom tab in the Ribbon Setup list.

6. Reorder tabs or commands

If you don’t like the order in which your tabs or commands appear, you can easily change it:

1. To rearrange tabs, select the tab you want to move in the customization window and use the ↑ Up or ↓ Down arrow buttons to change its position.
2. To rearrange commands, select a command with the same Up or Down button in its group.

7. Deleting a tab, group, or command

If you no longer need a specific tab, group, or command, you can delete it:

• Select the tab, group, or command you want to remove.
• Click the − button at the bottom of the window.

It's worth noting that if you delete a default tab or command, you can always restore it.

8. Resetting the ribbon customization

If you feel like you've gone too far with customization and want to return to the standard ribbon setup, resetting is easy:

1. In the Ribbon Customization window, click the Reset button at the bottom.
2. Select whether to reset only the selected tabs or all customizations.

This will return your ribbon to the default configuration as it was originally designed by Microsoft.

Conclusion

Customizing the ribbon in Word for Mac boosts your productivity and makes the software more user-friendly by allowing you to easily access your most used tools. Whether you're setting up tabs and groups to categorize regularly used commands or bringing less frequently used functions to greater prominence, you're allowed to create a workspace that works for you. These customizations save time and reduce friction, allowing you to focus more on creating content and less on searching for commands.

As you become more experienced in using Word, you may find that your needs change over time, at which time it may be beneficial to further customize the ribbon. The ability to modify the ribbon reflects Word's adaptability as a software, which meets the needs of both novice and advanced users by providing a personalized user interface.

Take advantage of the ribbon's customization options and make Word tailored to your specific workflow. Trying different configurations and experimenting with various setups can uncover the most convenient arrangement that supports your personal style and maximizes your productivity.

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