Customize Ribbon Size to Make it Smaller

Anonymous
2013-08-26T01:47:56+00:00

I'm extremely disappointed that Microsoft has made the ribbon so HUGE and does not appear to offer any way of customizing its size other than completely collapsing it.  Between the menu bar, the ribbon, the formula bar, etc. almost HALF of the screen real estate is non-content. Microsoft has it backwards, thinking the more screen space should go to the user interface rather than the content. This is maddening, and it's extremely frustrating that Microsoft doesn't allow me to customize the size of the ribbon to maximize content. Does anyone know of a work around?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-10-08T23:57:23+00:00

    This helped me: https://superuser.com/questions/991252/ribbon-size-in-office-2016. It doesn't let you have a lot of customization, but it does allow you to toggle between a smaller ribbon and a larger ribbon. The smaller one is set for "mouse mode" while the larger one is set for "touch mode." Somehow my Word switched to the larger touch mode, which is why I started searching the web for ways to customize the ribbon size. Switching it back to the smaller mouse mode made things more like I'm used to, with a smaller ribbon (measuring top to bottom) and more useful space for my work.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-10-08T07:56:40+00:00

    Thanks Rafal for the insights but no "use simplified ribbon" in newest versions of office

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-10-04T10:48:18+00:00

    To address size of ribbons and icons in Office 365 (Windows 10):

    • Go to Desktop, right-click and chose Display Settings. Make sure in Scale an Layout Section option 'Change the size of text...' is set up to 100%.

    • You can always choose Simplified Ribbon instead of Classic ribbon view in any Office application, simply right click on ribbon and choose 'Simplified Ribbon'

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-09-18T09:18:35+00:00

    I find a turnaround for this never lasting challenge.

    I minimized the ribbon and added the commands i use in the quick access toolbar. It is not ideal but it is working well for me.

    Hope this helps a bit.

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-07-16T20:48:40+00:00

    This is an old thread but with Office 365, it seems to be even worse!  This is a common complaint at my office.  What I did was customize their Quick Access Toolbar with the most common, reply, reply all, forward, delete, etc.  You can select More Commands at the bottom of the menu.  I then made it appear below the ribbon and then hid the ribbon.  In the rare occasion I need something else, a brief inconvenience to hit the tab.  As far as I am concerned, give me the Outlook 2003 interface any day!

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