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
    2015-08-05T20:06:56+00:00

    Hi All,

    I googled this subject as I just switched over to Office 2013 from Office 2010.  Also upgraded to Windows 10.  Working on Surface Pro 3 that's attached to a 24" Samsung Monitor.  This was the thread I landed on.  I am smiling as the ribbon takes up about 20% of the top of my screen.  It's sure pretty but I would like to be reduced if just a little.   I did find the finger pointer and switched to mouse but it's only reduce very little Any new advise?

    Thanks in advance.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-07-26T20:53:58+00:00

    OK, finally found it. This is in the Quick Access Toolbar, which by default is above the ribbons. On my system, I had imported my very customized Quick Access Toolbar settings from my prior system which was Office 2010. So, this button was not there. I had to add it to my Quick Access Toolbar, then use it to change my interface to Mouse (rather than Touch), and then removed it from my Quick Access Toolbar.

    It seems to me (are you listening, Microsoft?) that Office 2013 should be coded to:

    • Expose this toggle between touch-screen mode and mouse-pointer mode in some logical place, like on the View menu
    • Document this toggle much more cleanly. It is NOT at all evident what it does.
    • Make the default mode of Office be mouse-pointer mode rather than touch-screen mode if there is no touch screen on the system!

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-07-26T13:59:25+00:00

    It's above the File menu in the taskbar area.  On my version, it's the fifth icon over, next to undo/redo icons.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-07-20T17:09:06+00:00

    I don't see any icon that looks like a finger pointing. What do you mean by "top menu/task bar"? The Home ribbon? The View ribbon?

    When I auto-hide the ribbon, and I click on a tab, the ribbon which displays is exactly what I want. If I try to pin the ribbon again, I get the gigantasaurus version of the ribbon. So where is the icon which looks like a finger pointing?

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-06-23T08:51:22+00:00

    I just discovered how to make it more like Word 2010.  Go to the top menu/task bar.  Click on the icon that looks like a finger pointing and choose "mouse."  A quick, simple solution - though not at all intuitive.

    Thanks, that's much more like it, in physical terms not a huge difference but make a big difference in the view on my 11.6" screen.

    Just a shame the thread has been here for nearly 2 years without anyone being able to answer a simple but as you say unintuitive solution.

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