How do I get rid of ribbons and go back to old office menus?

Anonymous
2011-06-02T20:48:28+00:00

I have just purchased Office 2010. Sorry Microsoft but I hate it. Worst update of a familiar software product I have seen for a long time (and have worked in IT industry for 25 years) Why? Its the changes that have been made to the menus and the introduction of those dreadful ribbons. I can't find anything and waste ages looking for what should be the most obvious functions. Am seriously considering un-installing 2010 and going back to use older version.

Before I do that thought might ask if there was way of making 2010 suite look and feel like older versions without just binning it and starting again.

Many thanks

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2011-06-04T08:36:45+00:00

The contributors to this forum are not Microsoft employees, do not speak for Microsoft and have little to no influence over Microsoft's design process. The reasons for the change to the ribbon have been well documented since its introduction, with the pre-release versions of Word 2007, at least 5 years ago and the arguments for and against have been waged ad nauseam in this and other forums and are resurrected time and again by late adopters - which is why, reasonable or not, Hans can say for certain that there will be no return to the menu driven structure of earlier versions. First and foremost this was a business decision to stimulate sales.

Microsoft's response to the demand for more hands-on user configuration has been to add a ribbon editor to Office 2010. There will be no patch to make Word 2010 use the interface of Word 2003.

The idea of a third party add-in, which attempts, but ultimately fails, to recreate the menu structure of Word 2003 is a cul-de-sac that ultimately will inhibit your ability to adapt to the new menu ribbon driven system. Better to fine tune the ribbon to your own requirements.

When I was first exposed to the ribbon - in Word 2007 - I can confirm that I too was annoyed at the change, and I did not like the change from 2007 to 2010 either, but now I use the latter all the time and only ever refer to the others for reference in connection with user support.

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HansV 462.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2011-06-02T21:20:14+00:00

It is possible to return to the old interface, but I seriously recommend taking a bit of time to get used to the ribbon, for the following reasons:

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  1. HansV 462.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2011-11-22T00:01:01+00:00

    Your link to "Search Commands" vid tutorial doesn't open,  continues to attempt to load - nothing happens. 

    The video uses Microsoft Silverlight, if you don't have that the video won't play.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-11-21T23:54:39+00:00

    My MS Office 2010 production users would overwhelmingly agree with Jerry Perkinson (99%).  They constantly express shocked astonishment that microsoft would so scramble the office application menu functions to the point  where long-term users are expected to watch tutorials, read  manuals and search blogs to figure out how to use an application they have used productively for over a decade.  I'm just annoyed by unpolished office documents and spreadsheets coming out of my Office 2007-2010 users.  Literally a degraded product.  We will gladly purchase office productivity customizations which can deliver a translational, intuitive office interface that makes this ribbon environment usable to long-term business users (assuming that ms isn't going to get rid of it). Applicants can respond to this message. Please be prepared to provide a list of satisfied customers and examples of your work.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-11-21T20:40:56+00:00

    It is possible to return to the old interface, but I seriously recommend taking a bit of time to get used to the ribbon, for the following reasons:

    Your link to "Search Commands" vid tutorial doesn't open,  continues to attempt to load - nothing happens.  I think the Ribbon guy made it.  Downloaded the "prototype" Search Command, it sends usage data to microsoft.  250,000 users have downloaded this tool to help them find the "productivity" in their "innovative" ribbon.

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