How to reduce spacing between icons on quick access toolbar?

Anonymous
2013-03-13T22:55:12+00:00

Office 365 seems ok, though can't yet identify any improvements over 2010. However a HUGE negative is the increased spacing between icons on the QAT, which means that about 14 fewer icons fit across the screen. I appreciate that MS did this to allow easier access to the macros through touch, but I don't need this (even though I have a touch computer). I want my old icon spacing back. If anyone knows how to do this I will buy them a (metaphorical) beer. Otherwise, it is probably back to 2010 for me, unless I can find any ways in which 365 is better.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Jay Freedman 208.3K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2013-03-14T01:07:15+00:00

Edit: The answer below was correct for the Office Technical Preview at the time it was written. In a later update of the Preview, the ability to reduce the spacing of the Quick Access Toolbar was removed, and it is still absent in the released version as of September 2015. Please visit http://office.uservoice.com/forums/285186-general/suggestions/9906966-office-2016-quick-access-toolbar-too-wide and vote to have the Mouse Mode spacing of the Quick Access Toolbar restored.

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The Office 2013 / Office 365 programs have a touch mode with wider spacing, and a mouse mode with the same spacing as previous versions. (This affects both the Quick Access Toolbar and the ribbon.)

Click the down-arrow at the right end of the Quick Access Toolbar and click the item "Touch/Mouse Mode". The button that appears shows a hand with the index finger extended and touching a blue spot. Click that button and choose the mouse mode.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-09-23T05:11:16+00:00

    This is really, really bad. This is a very big blow in usability of office. Can I get back to Office 2013?

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  2. John Korchok 236.2K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2015-06-20T18:13:27+00:00

    This is the down side of the MS mania to have the same user interface on all devices, a solution to a problem no one has.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-06-20T00:17:05+00:00

    I came here with the same answer, and thanks to this reply I learned about the Touch/Mouse mode, so I went to Excel 2013 and changed the setting. Turns out I was already using Mouse mode. Touch mode is really hideous, while Mouse mode is a crime against usability. So much space wasted! Couple with our inability to create custom icon bars and place them anywhere, I really feel like I am using an iPad.

    It's a shame.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-03-14T01:37:00+00:00

    Hi Jay - good advice, I hadn't noticed that before. However, Word 365 defaults into mouse mode, so no help in bringing more of my icons onto the visible QAT. Actually the spacing even in mouse mode is wider than in 2010, with 14 fewer visible icons. Maybe I am stuck with using the scrolling part of the QAT for less frequently used functions.

    I see MS very stupidly yet again haven't given the option to have the QAT on two or more visible lines or to edit macro buttons as you could in 2003. It is a pity that, 10 years later, MS still haven't produced a version as good as Word 2003. I am afraid they are all asleep at the wheel.

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