Customize the ribbon and how to add your macros
Save links to your favorite macros in a personal tab on the ribbon for easy access and become more productive. I will also show you in this article how to create a personal *.xlsb file that opens automatically every time you start Excel.
I also recommend the Quick Access Toolbar for macros that you use even more often. They are small icons that you can add and link macros to located above the ribbon tabs.
Ribbon tabs have greatly improved user experience since the introduction in Excel 2007, they make it easier for you to find the tool you are looking for. They are categorized in tabs and you can create and customize one easily yourself.
What's on this page
- Create a new tab to the ribbon
- Rearrange tabs on the ribbon
- Hide tabs on the ribbon
- How to unhide tabs on the ribbon
- How to remove tabs on the ribbon
- How to reset tabs on the ribbon
- Create a button and link macro
- Create a personal *.xlsb file
- How to save VBA code to the *.xlsb file
- Recommended macros to save in your personal.xlsb file
- Show only tabs and hide the command buttons
- Autohide the ribbon
- How to enable the Draw tab on the ribbon
- How to enable the Developer tab on the ribbon
You can also customize pop-up menus that appear when you right/press with left mouse button on a cell or object.
There are a few ways to access the ribbon customization settings:
- File -> Options -> Customize ribbon
- Press with right mouse button on on the ribbon -> Customize the Ribbon...
Create a new tab on the ribbon
Excel allows you to customize the ribbon and link your personal macros to a button each. So you can quickly and easily access your favorite macros.
- Go to "File" on the ribbon.
- Press with left mouse button on "Options".
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
- Press with left mouse button on "New tab" button, see image above.
- Press with left mouse button on "Rename" button.
- Rename the tab, I named it "Personal macros".
- Press with left mouse button on OK button to dismiss the "Rename" dialog box.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button to dismiss the "Excel Options" dialog box.
How to rearrange tabs on the ribbon
- Press with mouse on File on the ribbon located on the top left corner of your Excel window, see image above.
- Press with left mouse button on Options in the lower-left corner. A dialog box appears.
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
- Select one of the tabs, I selected the "Home" tab in this example.
- Press with mouse on one of the arrow buttons to move the "Home" tab on the ribbon. The order is important, the top item will be the left-most item on the ribbon.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button.
How to hide tabs on the ribbon
- Press with mouse on File on the ribbon.
- Press with left mouse button on Options in the lower-left corner. A dialog box appears.
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
- Disable the checkbox next to a ribbon tab name you want to hide.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button.
How to unhide tabs on the ribbon
- Press with mouse on File on the ribbon.
- Press with left mouse button on Options in the lower-left corner. A dialog box appears.
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
- Enable the checkbox next to a ribbon tab name you want to unhide.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button.
How to remove tabs on the ribbon
- Press with mouse on File on the ribbon.
- Press with left mouse button on Options in the lower-left corner. A dialog box appears.
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
- Press with right mouse button on on the tab you want to delete.
A pop-up menu appears. - Press with left mouse button on "Remove" on the pop-up menu.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button.
How to reset tabs on the ribbon
- Press with mouse on File.
- Press with left mouse button on Options in the lower-left corner. A dialog box appears.
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
- Press with left mouse button on the "Reset" button.
- Press with left mouse button on "Reset all customizations".
- Press with left mouse button on OK button.
Create a button and link to macro
- Select macros from the drop-down list, see image above.
- There are now macros below the drop-down list, select a macro.
- Press with left mouse button on "Add" button.
- Press with left mouse button on "Rename". A new dialog box appears.
- Pick an icon and type a new name.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button again.
Create a personal *.xlsb file
- Create a new workbook (CTRL + n)
- Go to VB Editor (Alt + F11)
- Insert a module
- Copy macros to module
- Exit VB Editor and return to excel
- Save workbook as a *.xlsb file to this folder:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART - Exit excel
- Start excel
- Your personal.xlsb file opens automatically
- Go to tab "View" on the ribbon
- Press with left mouse button on "Hide" button
- Exit excel
A new workbook is created next time you start Excel. The personal.xlsb opens but is hidden.
How to save VBA code to the *.xlsb file
You can now save macros and User Defined Functions to the Personal.xlsb file.
- Press Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor.
- Locate the Personal.xlsb workbook in the Project Explorer.
- Press with left mouse button on + (plus sign) next to workbook name to expand contents.
- Expand contents in Modules folder.
- Double press with left mouse button on module named Module1.
- Paste code to window, see image above.
- Press with left mouse button on "Save" button on the top menu.
Recommended macros for your ribbon
Remove print preview lines (Page Breaks)
Have you ever wondered how these lines got there on a worksheet? They show where pages will break, in other […]
Remove print preview lines (Page Breaks)
How to highlight row of the selected cell programmatically
Today I would like to share with you these small event handler procedures that make it easier for you to […]
How to highlight row of the selected cell programmatically
Example macros to save in your personal.xlsb file
The following links take you to articles demonstrating macros that you may find useful.
- Remove print preview lines (Page Breaks)
- Create links to all sheets in a workbook
- Insert hyperlinks to all files in current folder
- Follow hyperlinks in a pivot table
- Select cell A1 on all sheets before you close a workbook
- List files in a folder and subfolders
How to show tabs only on the ribbon
Double-press with left mouse button on with left mouse button on any tab name to toggle between showing and hiding the buttons on the ribbon.
This is great if you temporarily need more cells visible on your worksheet.
You can also press with left mouse button on the up-arrow located on the top right corner. This will show a pop-up menu with three options:
- Auto-hide Ribbon
- Show Tabs
- Show Tabs and Commands
Press with mouse on "Show Tabs", the command buttons are now hidden.
How to autohide the ribbon
Press with left mouse button on the up-arrow located on the top right corner. This will show a pop-up menu with three options:
- Auto-hide Ribbon
- Show Tabs
- Show Tabs and Commands
Press with mouse on "Auto-hide Ribbon", this will completely hide the ribbon and maximize the Excel window if it isn't already.
Move the mouse to the top of your screen to show the top bar, press with left mouse button on the top bar to temporarily show the ribbon again.
Press with mouse on the command button or command buttons you want to use, as soon as you press with left mouse button on below the ribbon it disappears again.
How to show the Draw tab on the ribbon
The Draw tab is available in Excel 2019 and Excel 365 subscription, however, some command buttons appear only in Excel 365.
The Draw tab contains features that allow you to use your mouse, touchscreen or a digital pen to write text, notes, comments, etc.
- Press with mouse on File.
- Press with left mouse button on Options in the lower-left corner. A dialog box appears.
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
How to show the Developer tab on the ribbon
- Press with mouse on File.
- Press with left mouse button on Options in the lower-left corner. A dialog box appears.
- Press with left mouse button on "Customize Ribbon".
- Press with left mouse button on the checkbox next to "Developer" to enable it.
- Press with left mouse button on OK button.
Read more
Copy your macros to a Personal Macro Workbook
Excel 2010 Customizable Ribbon
Quick Access Toolbar in Excel: how to customize, move, reset and share
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4 Responses to “Customize the ribbon and how to add your macros”
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I’ve got my two macro’s placed up on my ribbon, each with a nice icon, and each calls up a user form. When it work, it works great. Then, mysteriously, it started disabling itself whenever I selected a different workbook, and then switched back. Message appears that the macro’s aren’t enabled, or some such. After lots of frustration, I randomly discover that if I called up one of the macros manually, within the Developer/Macros/ option, the two ribbon icons were now functional again. They work dependably until I leave the workbook and return again. Any idea of a permanent fix for this? Thanks so much,
Steve
Interesting theory
Doesn't work
Put the file WHERE?!
How can I save it and send to other people?
Thuan Ha,
It seems that you can't create a custom ribbon programmatically:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8850836/how-to-add-a-custom-ribbon-tab-using-vba
https://www.excelfox.com/forum/showthread.php/105-Add-ribbon-programmatically-to-Excel-2010-using-VBA