How to Customize Excel Ribbon

An Excel user can customize Excel Ribbon in a way which is convenient to his style of work. You may create new Tabs, add Groups to Tabs and add Commands to Groups.

Please note below points related with Excel Ribbon customization.

• You cannot remove inbuilt Tabs.
• You cannot add commands to inbuilt Groups or remove Commands from inbuilt Groups.
• You can remove an inbuilt Group from an inbuilt Tab.

To customize Excel Ribbon, right-click anywhere on Excel Ribbon and then select "Customize the Ribbon", as shown in below image.

"Excel Options" window is opened and its "Customize Ribbon" Panel is displayed as shown below.

"Excel Options" window to customize Excel Ribbon can be opened by following methods also.

• Click the "File" tab in Excel Ribbon and then click "Options". Select "Customize Ribbon" Panel.

Or

• Right-click anywhere on the "Quick Access Toolbar" (except on "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" drop-down button). Click "Customize Ribbon".

Left-side and Right-side lists inside "Customize Ribbon" Panel

There are two lists on "Customize Ribbon" Panel, as shown in below image.

From left-side list, you can select the Commands you need to add to Excel Ribbon.

Right-side list represents the actual components of your Excel Ribbon (Tabs, Groups and Commands).

As you can see from below image, there are three levels of Excel Ribbon components in right-side list. Top most level contains the Tabs inside Excel Ribbon. Second level contains Groups inside Tabs and the third level contains Commands inside Groups. You can expand and collapse the levels inside right-side list by clicking the "+" and "-" icons.

Five main buttons inside "Customize Ribbon" Panel

There are five main buttons related with Excel Ribbon customization as marked in below image.

1) New Tab button - If you want to create a new Tab inside Excel Ribbon, use this button. Another way to create a new Tab is by right-clicking the right-side list and select "Add New Tab".

2) "New Group" button - If you want to create a new Group inside Tab, use this button. Another way to create a new Group is by right-clicking the right-side list and select "Add New Group".

3) "Rename" button - For renaming Ribbon components. Another way rename Ribbon components is by right-clicking the right-side list and select "Rename".

4) "Reset" button - For resetting Excel Ribbon to its original state.

5) Import/Export Ribbon Customization - To export the customizations you made to a computer to an XML file and import it to another computer.

How to add a command to Excel Ribbon or remove a command from Excel Ribbon

To add a command to Excel Ribbon, select the command from left side list and then click "Add" to add it to right side list.

You cannot add a command directly to a Ribbon Tab. Commands can be added only to Groups.

To add a command to a Group, follow these steps.

Step 1 - Select the command you need from Left-side list, as shown in below image.

Step 2 - Select and hi-light the Group from Right-side list where you want to add the selected command.

Step 3 – Click "Add" button to add the command to Group

Step 4 – Click "OK" button to finish.

Similarly, use the "Remove" button to remove a Command from Group.

How to change the position of components on Excel Ribbon

Please note below points related with the position of Excel Ribbon components.

• Top-most Tab in right-side list corresponds to the left-most Tab in Excel Ribbon.
• Top-most Group in a Tab in right-side list corresponds to the left-most Group in Excel Ribbon's Tab.
• Top-most Command in a Group in right-side list corresponds to the left-most Command in Excel Ribbon Tab's Group.

You may change the position of inbuilt Groups within Tab. You cannot change the position of inbuilt commands inside inbuilt Groups.

Below image shows how to change the position of an Excel Ribbon component.

Click below links to learn more about changing the position of Excel Ribbon components.

• How to change the position of Tabs on Excel Ribbon

• How to change the position of Group on Excel Ribbon's Tab

• How to change the position of command button in Excel Ribbon's Group