[Article] Minimizing Ribbon / AutoHiding Ribbon / Toggling Toolbars Compared

📌 Note: This article was originally created by Charles Kenyon, a valued member on Answers Support Community. It provided meaningful insights and proved helpful to many. We're recreating it here on their behalf to preserve its value and ensure continued access for others.

Ribbon Versions of Word - Maximize Screen Space Available

Applies to Word 2007 and later - some does not apply to Word on the Mac

Sometimes people working in Word want to have just a blank screen in which to type. Word has three methods to reduce the overhead from the Ribbon. This article is intended to look at and compare the three. We do not look at Draft View, Outline View, nor Reading Mode.

Note that in November, 2021, a change was made to the Ribbon display in Word 2016 and later.

This is discussed in this thread. If it applies to you, read all of the responses, not just the one marked as an answer. See also New Experience/Visual Refresh Preview - Microsoft Office - Microsoft 365 - Turning it On and Off.

In Word on a small screen or small Window, it can seem like the controls are taking over! Here is a screen shot of a normal (not full-screen) Word window:

This article is about the three Ribbon size/display tools available in Word, but the screenshot above shows some other controls that could also be used.

• The first is the control to maximize the window -- make it full size -- in the top right corner. (Orange rectangle). (Also available through keyboard by Alt+Space.)

Next are the close x controls for the Styles and Navigation Panes (Teal rectangles)

Minimize the Ribbon (Collapse the Ribbon)

The one that has been around in the Interface since Windows 2007 is the command to Minimize the Ribbon.

This one simply hides all of the commands on the Ribbon, leaving the Tabs at the top. Nothing else in the document view changes. If you click on a Tab, the commands for that tab appear.  The easiest way to turn this on or off is to double-click on a Ribbon Tab. This method works on the Mac.

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The built-in shortcut for this in the Windows version is Ctrl+F1. The command name is ToggleRibbon and it can be found under All Commands in the Customize the Keyboard dialog.

You can right-click any of the tabs to toggle this setting.

The Alt key gives access to the Ribbon and the tooltip letters and numbers.

Alt+Space gives access to the window size controls.

This mode is sticky. If Word is closed with this in effect, it will be in effect when Word is started again.

Minimizing the Ribbon only changes the Ribbon display. It is still there, even though hidden.

AutoHide the Ribbon - Introduced with Word 2013 - Full Screen

This view changes Word to full screen and gets rid of the Ribbon, the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT), and the Status Bar. The same control in the top-right corner of the Window can be used for this. This is not available on the Mac.

When in this view, clicking the mouse pointer at the top of the screen will bring up the Ribbon and QAT so long as the mouse pointer is in the Ribbon or QAT. The Status bar will not reappear.

If the control is changed to either Show Tabs (minimized Ribbon) or Show Tabs and Commands (full Ribbon) they will return but Word will remain in Full Screen mode.

Double-Clicking on a Tab will not alter this; the only way to change it is to use the control at the top.

There is no keyboard shortcut for this and none is available in the list of commands for customization.

The Alt key gives access to the Ribbon and the tooltip letters and numbers.

Alt+Space gives access to the window size controls.

This mode is sticky. If Word is closed with this in effect, it will be in effect when Word is started again.

I've created a free, macro-free, Add-In that adds this button to the QAT. It can be downloaded from my downloads page:

Collapse the Ribbon Control on QAT Add-In

Introduced in 2022 - New Experience Controls - (not on the Mac) - a different Full Screen introduced

A new look with slightly different controls.

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The Visual Refresh Preview / New Experience gives a different control for the Ribbon.

This became the User Interface in the fall of 2023.

It is no longer in the Title Bar but is at the bottom right corner of the Ribbon. The AutoHide option is now named Full Screen Mode and the menu has a new control to hide the Quick Access Toolbar. That toolbar is hidden by default in new installations!

New Experience/Visual Refresh Preview - Microsoft Office - Microsoft 365 - Turning it On and Off

Full Screen mode implemented - no control

If you have Full-Screen mode implemented, you will not have access to that drop-down and you need to use the Alt key or the three dots in the upper right to display the Ribbon. You then have access to the drop-down. Choose Always show Ribbon or Show tabs only.

If you have the Full-Screen mode implemented and cannot access the Show Ribbon drop-down shown above, see My Ribbon is gone - I have three dots on the right that I can click to see it, but then it disappears again. - solution.

ToggleToolbars - Legacy Command available by adding Keyboard Shortcut

I recently had my memory of this command refreshed. This one dates back to the menu versions of Word.

This, like minimizing the Ribbon, is a toggle command.

It retains the Window size.

It hides the Ribbon, QAT, Status Bar, and displayed Panes.

There are two ways to get out of this mode: 1. Use the same command to toggle back. 2. Close and reopen the document. (This is NOT a sticky setting.)

This view disables all access to the Ribbon other than through toggling back. The Alt key does not give access to the Ribbon.

The Alt+Space shortcut to resize the Window is disabled. (Function keys are not disabled.)

I have prepared a macro-free Add-In that assigns the ToggleToolbars Command to the shortcut Ctrl+;

Toggle Toolbars Add-In by Charles Kenyon (free)

However, you can do this yourself using Customize Keyboard Shortcuts.

Comparison of various methods

See also my page: Ribbon Display Problem - Missing Ribbon

Recent releases have come with an option to collapse the Ribbon automatically. It is under File > Options > General.

I believe this is checked by default in new installations, You may also want to look at the Quick Access Toolbar settings to make sure it is not marked to be hidden.