WD97: How to Customize, Create, and Restore Word Menus/Toolbars

This article describes how to customize and create new menus and toolbars and how to restore built-in menus and toolbars in Word.

The interface for customizing toolbars and menus has changed from previous versions of Word. The following items explain how to customize, create, restore, or remove existing or new toolbar and menu items.

To Reset All Toolbars and Menus to Their Defaults

1. 
   
2. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Customize.
3. Click the Toolbars tab.
4. Click Reset.
5. Click Close.

To Add a New Menu

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize.
2. Click the Commands tab.
3. In the Categories list, select New Menu.
4. In the Commands list, click New Menu.
5. Drag New Menu from the Commands list to the menu bar. Release the mouse button when you see a vertical bar indicating the position of the new menu.
6. Right-click New Menu on the menu bar, type a name in the Name box, and then press ENTER.
7. Add commands to the menu using the steps in the "To Add an Item to a Menu" section of this article.
8. Click Close.

To Add an Item to a Menu

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize.
2. Click the Commands tab.
3. Select the menu you want to customize. For example, click View on the menu bar.
4. In the Categories list, in the Customize dialog box, select View.
5. In the Commands box, click the command you want to add to the View menu. For example, click View Field Codes.
6. Drag View Field Codes to the View menu. Release the mouse button when you see a horizontal bar indicating the location on the menu where the command will be inserted.
7. Click Close.

To Remove an Item from a Menu

1. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Customize.
2. Click a menu item.
3. Drag the command you want to remove into the document.
4. Click Close.

To Modify Text or Change a Button Image on a Menu

1. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Customize.
2. Click a menu item.
3. Right-click the Menu command.
4. Choose an action from the drop-down menu.
5. Click Close.

Restoring a Menu That You Deleted

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize.
2. Click the Commands tab.
3. In the Categories list, select Built-In Menus.
4. In the Commands list, click the command you want to add to the menu bar. For example, if you deleted the View menu, click View.
5. Drag View from the Commands box to the menu bar. Release the mouse button when you see a vertical bar indicating the position of the menu.
6. Click Close.

To Create a New Toolbar

1. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Customize.
2. Click the Toolbars tab.
3. Click the New button, and type a name for your new toolbar.
4. Add toolbar buttons to the toolbar, using the steps in the "To Add a Button to a Toolbar" section.
5. Click Close.

To Add a Button to a Toolbar

1. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Customize.
2. Click the Commands tab.
3. Click a category.
4. From the Commands box, drag the item you want to the toolbar.
5. Click Close.

To Remove an Item from a Toolbar

1. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Customize.
2. Click the button you want to remove, and drag it off the toolbar.
3. Click Close.

To Modify Text or Change a Button Image on a Toolbar

1. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Customize.
2. Right-click the toolbar button.
3. Click an action from the drop-down menu.
4. Click Close.