Excel Quick Access Toolbar: Complete Customization Guide

by Best Excel Tutorial Tips & Tricks

The Excel Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) is one of the most underutilized features for boosting productivity. Instead of digging through nested menus and Ribbon tabs every time you need a command, you can place your most-used tools right at the top of your workbook—always visible, always one click away.

In this complete guide, we’ll show you how to customize your Quick Access Toolbar from basic setup to advanced configurations, including backup and restoration for team deployment.

Table of Contents

What is the Excel Quick Access Toolbar?

The Quick Access Toolbar is a small, customizable bar located in the upper-left corner of your Excel window (by default). It provides instant access to commands you use frequently without needing to navigate through the Ribbon tabs.

Key characteristics:

  • Always visible – Located at the top of your workbook, regardless of which Ribbon tab you’re on
  • Fully customizable – Add or remove any Excel command, macro, or feature
  • Fast shortcuts – Press Alt + Number to access commands (Alt+1 for first command, Alt+2 for second, etc.)
  • Single line only – QAT displays on one line; multi-line toolbars are not supported
  • Shareable – Export your customized QAT and share it with team members

By default, the QAT includes: Save, Undo, and Redo buttons.

How to Add Commands to the Quick Access Toolbar

Method 1: Quick Add Using the Dropdown Menu (Easiest)

This method works for the most common commands and takes just seconds.

  1. Look at the far right end of the Quick Access Toolbar – you’ll see a down arrow icon
  2. Click this arrow to open the dropdown menu
  3. You’ll see a list of popular commands: New, Open, Save, Quick Print, Print Preview and Print, Spelling, Undo, Redo, Sort Ascending, Sort Descending, and more
  4. Click any command to add it immediately to the QAT
  5. The command now appears on your toolbar – no additional steps needed

Tip: A checkmark appears next to commands already on your QAT. Click a checked command to remove it.

See also  Converting KML to Excel: A Guide

Method 2: Quick Add from the Ribbon (Right-Click Method)

Want to add a command that’s already visible on the Ribbon? This is the fastest way.

  1. Find the command you want on the Ribbon (for example, Freeze Panes or Paste Special)
  2. Right-click the command icon on the Ribbon
  3. From the context menu, click “Add to Quick Access Toolbar”
  4. The command instantly appears at the end of your QAT

This method is perfect for finding and adding any visible command without navigating menus.

Method 3: Access Hidden Commands (Advanced)

Some of Excel’s most powerful commands aren’t on the Ribbon by default. Access them through the Options menu.

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of the QAT
  2. Select “More Commands” from the dropdown – this opens the Excel Options dialog
  3. On the left side, you’ll see “Quick Access Toolbar” is already selected
  4. At the top of the dialog, find the “Choose commands from:” dropdown (currently showing “Popular Commands”)
  5. Click this dropdown and select one of these options:
    • All Commands – Every command available in Excel (most comprehensive)
    • Commands Not in the Ribbon – Hidden commands not visible on the Ribbon (very useful)
    • Macros – Your custom Excel macros (for power users)
    • File Tab – Commands from the File menu
  6. Scroll through the list and select the command you want to add
  7. Click the “Add >>” button – the command moves to the right side (your QAT)
  8. Repeat for additional commands
  9. Click “OK” to save and close

Popular hidden commands to consider adding:

  • Paste Special (paste values without formulas)
  • Freeze Panes (lock rows and columns)
  • Go To Special (select cells by criteria)
  • Toggle Filters (turn AutoFilter on/off)
  • Unhide Sheets (reveal hidden sheets)
  • Format Cells (direct access to formatting dialog)
  • Edit Links (manage external references)
  • Camera (capture dynamic cell images)

How to Remove Commands from the Quick Access Toolbar

Method 1: Quick Remove Using the Dropdown

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of your QAT
  2. Commands with checkmarks are currently on your toolbar
  3. Click any checked command to remove it immediately

Method 2: Right-Click Method

  1. Right-click any command on your QAT
  2. From the context menu, click “Remove from Quick Access Toolbar”

Method 3: Remove Multiple Commands at Once

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of the QAT
  2. Select “More Commands” to open Options
  3. On the right side, you’ll see your current QAT commands listed
  4. Click any command you want to remove
  5. Click the “<< Remove” button
  6. Repeat for additional commands to remove
  7. Click “OK” to save

How to Organize Your Quick Access Toolbar

Change the Order of Commands

Once you’ve added commands, you can arrange them in any order you prefer.

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of the QAT
  2. Select “More Commands”
  3. On the right side under “Quick Access Toolbar,” you’ll see your commands listed in order
  4. Click the command you want to move
  5. Click the up arrow to move it left on the toolbar, or the down arrow to move it right
  6. Continue until commands are in your preferred order
  7. Click “OK”

Add Separators Between Command Groups

For better organization, you can add visual separators between groups of related commands.

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of the QAT
  2. Select “More Commands”
  3. In the list on the left, scroll to the very top and look for “”
  4. Click “” to select it
  5. Click the Add >> button to add it to your QAT
  6. Use the up/down arrows to position it between command groups (for example, between file commands and formatting commands)
  7. Repeat to add multiple separators
  8. Click “OK”
See also  How to create drop down list with formula

Separators appear as small vertical lines on your toolbar, helping you visually organize commands into categories.

Move the QAT Below the Ribbon

By default, the QAT appears above the Ribbon in the upper-left corner. You can move it below the Ribbon for a different layout.

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of your QAT
  2. Select “Show Below the Ribbon” to move it beneath the Ribbon tabs
  3. To move it back, click the dropdown again and select “Show Above the Ribbon”

Using Keyboard Shortcuts with Your QAT (Alt + Number)

One of the most powerful QAT features is keyboard access. You can use Alt + a number to instantly activate any QAT command.

How it works:

  • Alt + 1 = First command on your QAT
  • Alt + 2 = Second command
  • Alt + 3 = Third command
  • And so on…

Example setup for maximum efficiency:

If you arrange your QAT like this:

  1. Save (Alt+1)
  2. Paste Special (Alt+2)
  3. Format Cells (Alt+3)
  4. Freeze Panes (Alt+4)

You can work entirely with keyboard shortcuts, never touching your mouse for these common actions.

Pro tip: Power users often set Alt+2 to “Paste Special” because it’s used frequently throughout the day. Paste values with just Alt+2 instead of multiple menu clicks.

Adding Macros to Your Quick Access Toolbar

If you’ve created Excel macros, you can add them to your QAT for instant access.

Add a macro to the QAT:

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of your QAT
  2. Select “More Commands”
  3. At the top, change the “Choose commands from:” dropdown to “Macros”
  4. You’ll see a list of all your available macros (with module names like Module1.MacroName)
  5. Click the macro you want to add
  6. Click the Add >> button
  7. The macro now appears on your QAT (with a default icon)
  8. Click “OK”

Customize macro icons:

By default, all macros use the same icon. You can give each macro a unique, recognizable icon.

  1. Click the down arrow at the right end of your QAT
  2. Select “More Commands”
  3. On the right side, find the macro you want to customize
  4. Click it to select it
  5. Click the “Modify” button
  6. A dialog appears where you can:
    • Enter a Display Name (what appears as a tooltip when you hover over it)
    • Choose a different icon from the gallery (dozens of options available)
  7. Click “OK” to confirm
  8. Click “OK” again to close the Options dialog

Your customized macro now appears on the QAT with a unique icon and descriptive name.

Best Practices for QAT Setup

1. Keep it focused – Add only your most-used commands

The entire point of the QAT is quick access. If you add 30 commands, it defeats the purpose. Aim for 8-12 of your absolute most-used commands.

2. Group commands logically

Organize your QAT in categories:

Use separators to visually divide these groups.

3. Put frequently-used commands at the beginning

Commands at the start of your QAT are easier to find and click. Put your single-most-used command at position 1 (Alt+1).

4. Consider keyboard workflow

If you use Alt+Number shortcuts extensively, arrange commands in an order that matches your workflow. For example:

  • Alt+1 = Save (do this first, prevent data loss)
  • Alt+2 = Paste Special (use multiple times per session)
  • Alt+3 = Format Cells (occasional use)
See also  How to Create Forex Spreadsheet in Excel

5. Different QATs for different work types

Consider creating multiple QAT configurations if you do very different types of work (financial analysis vs. data entry, for example). You can export and reimport different QAT files depending on your task.

Recommended Commands to Add (By Use Case)

For Data Analysts:

  • Paste Special
  • Format Cells
  • Filter
  • Sort Ascending / Sort Descending
  • PivotTable
  • Freeze Panes
  • Go To Special
  • AutoSum

For Financial Modelers:

  • Paste Special (values only)
  • Edit Links
  • Goal Seek
  • Data Table
  • Show Formulas
  • Evaluate Formula
  • Trace Precedents
  • Format Cells

For Project Managers:

  • New Comment
  • Format Cells
  • Conditional Formatting
  • Filter
  • Sort Ascending
  • Protect Sheet
  • Print
  • Freeze Panes

For Data Entry Specialists:

  • Paste Special
  • Undo
  • Find & Replace
  • Go To
  • Spelling
  • Format Cells
  • Insert Rows
  • Delete Rows

Backup and Restore Your Quick Access Toolbar

Why backup your QAT?

  • Reinstalling Office: Don’t lose your custom setup after an OS update
  • Team standardization: Share the same QAT across your entire department
  • Multiple computers: Keep the same configuration on your laptop and desktop
  • Emergency recovery: Restore your settings if something goes wrong

Export your QAT settings:

  1. Click File in the upper left
  2. Click Options
  3. On the left side, click “Quick Access Toolbar”
  4. At the bottom of the dialog, click “Import/Export”
  5. Select “Export all customizations”
  6. Choose a location to save the file (it saves as a .exportedUI file)
  7. Give it a descriptive name (for example: “MyQAT_Backup_2025.exportedUI”)
  8. Click “Save”

Your QAT is now saved and can be shared with others or kept as a backup.

Import a QAT configuration:

  1. Click File
  2. Click Options
  3. On the left, click “Quick Access Toolbar”
  4. At the bottom, click “Import/Export”
  5. Select “Import customization file”
  6. Navigate to the .exportedUI file you saved previously
  7. Click “Open”
  8. Excel confirms the import – click “OK”
  9. Your custom QAT is restored

Important notes:

  • QAT customizations are Excel-specific – Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook each have their own separate customizations
  • If you import a QAT, it replaces your current QAT – export your current setup first if you want to keep it
  • Imported QAT files may not work if your Excel version is significantly different (for example, Excel 2013 vs. Excel 2016 customizations can sometimes have compatibility issues)

Reset Your Quick Access Toolbar to Default

If you’ve made mistakes or want to start over, you can reset your QAT to Excel’s original default settings (Save, Undo, Redo).

  1. Click File
  2. Click Options
  3. On the left, click “Quick Access Toolbar”
  4. At the bottom right, click “Reset”
  5. A dialog appears asking to confirm – select “Reset only Quick Access Toolbar” (this preserves your Ribbon customizations)
  6. Click “Yes”
  7. Your QAT reverts to default – click “OK” to close Options

Alternative: If you select “Reset all customizations”, both your QAT and Ribbon are reset to default. Use this only if you want a complete reset.

Troubleshooting Common QAT Issues

Problem: “My QAT commands disappeared after an Office update”

Solution: Office updates sometimes reset customizations. If you’d exported your QAT beforehand, simply re-import your saved configuration using the steps above. If not, you’ll need to re-add your commands manually.

Prevention: Export your QAT setup quarterly as a backup.

Problem: “I added a command, but it’s not showing up on my QAT”

Solution: This occasionally happens with macros or add-in commands. Try:

  1. Close Excel completely
  2. Reopen Excel
  3. Check if the command now appears

If still missing, remove and re-add it through Options > More Commands.

Problem: “I want to share my QAT with my team, but it’s not working for them”

Solution: Check that:

  • Everyone is using the same Excel version (2019, Office 365, etc.)
  • All custom macros referenced in the QAT exist on their computers
  • Each team member has imported your exported file (customizations don’t sync automatically across teams)

If macro commands aren’t working, ensure the macro file is available and macros are enabled on their systems.

Problem: “My Quick Access Toolbar takes up too much space”

Solution: The QAT cannot be made smaller or multi-line, but you can:

  • Move it below the Ribbon to use vertical space more efficiently
  • Reduce the number of commands (keep only 5-8 essential ones)
  • Use keyboard shortcuts (Alt+Number) instead of clicking, reducing the need to see the toolbar

Summary

The Quick Access Toolbar is a powerful productivity tool that takes just minutes to set up but can save you hours every month. By customizing it with your most-used commands, organizing them logically, and using keyboard shortcuts (Alt+Number), you can work faster and more efficiently in Excel.

Key takeaways:

  • Add commands three ways: dropdown menu, right-click from Ribbon, or Options dialog
  • Organize your QAT logically with separators and prioritize your most-used commands first
  • Use Alt+Number keyboard shortcuts for hands-free access
  • Add custom macros to the QAT with personalized icons
  • Export your QAT configuration for backup and team sharing
  • Reset to default at any time if you need a fresh start

Take 10 minutes today to customize your Quick Access Toolbar based on your actual workflow, and you’ll immediately start saving time on repetitive tasks.

Related posts:

Missing Formula BarHow to Fix Missing Formula Bar Issue in Excel Excel cut textHow to Cut ✂️ Text in Excel Fill series by drag and dropHow to Fill Series in Excel