Office 2010 Quick Access Toolbar: Add Commands and Save Settings

The Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Office 2010 keeps frequently used commands available as you switch Ribbon tabs. Add a visible command with a right-click, find less obvious commands in the Options window, move the toolbar above or below the Ribbon, and export your setup for safekeeping. These steps cover Office 2010 desktop apps; command lists vary by program.

What the Quick Access Toolbar does

The QAT is a small row of buttons, usually at the upper-left of the Office window. Save, Undo, and Redo are common defaults. Its buttons remain available as you move between Ribbon tabs, making frequent commands easy to reach.

The QAT arrived with the Ribbon in Office 2007 and remained in Office 2010. It is a shortcut area, not a Ribbon replacement. Customize it separately in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook. Some apps also let you apply a change to all files or only the current document or workbook.

Add a command that is already on the Ribbon

For a command you can see, this is the quickest method:

1. Select the Ribbon tab that contains the command.
2. Right-click the command button and choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar.

The command appears as a small button in the QAT. To remove one later, right-click its QAT button and choose Remove from Quick Access Toolbar.

Find commands through More Commands

To find a command that is not visible or organize several buttons, select the arrow at the QAT's right end and choose More Commands. You can also open File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar.

1. In Choose commands from, start with Popular Commands. Switch to Commands Not in the Ribbon or All Commands if you do not see the item you need.
2. Select a command in the left-hand list, then click Add >>. It appears in the list on the right. Repeat for each command.
3. To change the order, select an item in the right-hand list and use the up or down arrows. Choose OK to save.

In Word or Excel, check the scope selector to apply buttons to every file or only the active document or workbook. Command names vary by app and installed features. Some are available only in the right context, and menu values or gallery choices cannot be added as standalone buttons.

Move the toolbar and back up its settings

Open the QAT dropdown and select Show Below the Ribbon to move it closer to your work, or Show Above the Ribbon to return it to the title-bar area. Above the Ribbon preserves vertical workspace; below it uses more screen space.

To keep a copy of your settings, open File > Options, then the customization page for the Ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar. Choose Import/Export > Export All Customizations and save the resulting customization file, typically with an .exportedUI extension. This export includes both Ribbon and QAT customizations for that Office application.

To use the file on another computer, copy it there and choose Import/Export > Import Customization File in the same app. Export the current setup first: importing replaces that app's existing Ribbon and QAT customizations. Make a separate export for each Office program you customized.

Quick troubleshooting

• The QAT arrow is hard to find: Look at the toolbar's right end. If it is hidden, right-click the Ribbon and choose Show Quick Access Toolbar, if available.
• A command looks unavailable: Some commands only work after you select a table, chart, cell range, or other relevant object. Check the active document context before removing the button.
• The change appeared in the wrong files: Reopen the Quick Access Toolbar options and check the scope selector. Pick the default all-files setting or the current document/workbook, then click OK.
• You customized another Office app: Repeat the setup in that app. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook keep their own command sets and customizations.

Office 2010 support status

Office 2010 reached the end of support on October 13, 2020. Microsoft no longer provides technical support, bug fixes, or security fixes for it. These steps can help with an existing installation, but anyone still relying on Office 2010 should account for that support status when deciding how to use it, especially on a computer connected to the internet or work data.

Microsoft references

• Microsoft Support: Customize the Quick Access Toolbar — adding, removing, arranging, moving, and exporting commands.
• Microsoft Support: Add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar — quick-add and More Commands methods.
• Microsoft Lifecycle: Office 2010 end of support — support end date and discontinued fixes.