Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Toolbars' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Adding an Equation Editor Tool
If you use the Equation Editor a lot in creating your documents, you'll benefit by making sure it is accessible as quickly as possible. Here's how to add it to a toolbar so you can get at it right away.

   Calculating Expressions
Word can do some simple calculations for you, if you add a little-known tool to your toolbar. Here's how to add and use this handy tool.

   Changes to Toolbars aren't Persistent
If you make changes to a toolbar in Word, you expect those changes to be available the next time you start the program. If they aren't, then you've got to track down the problem (using the information in this tip) and figure out how to fix it.

   Changing Toolbar Buttons with VBA
Toolbar buttons can have a different appearance depending on their stateâ€"whether they have been clicked or not. This tip explains how you can create the two necessary versions of a toolbar button for your customizations.

   Changing Toolbar Location
If you don't like where your toolbars are located, just move them around.

   Customizing a Toolbar
Word is quite flexible in how you can configure the user interface. This tip explains how you can customize a toolbar so that it contains all the commands you want it to contain.

   Displaying the Outlining Toolbar by Default
The Outlining toolbar contains tools that are helpful to use, even if you aren't working on your document's outline. This tip explains how you can ensure that the Outlining toolbar is always displayed, as well as a way to access the desired tools even without the toolbar visible.

   Finding a Missing Toolbar
A few methods for finding an errant toolbar in Word.

   Forcing Custom Toolbars to Stay in Position
Word 2002 and Word 2003 use dynamic toolbars that can adjust themselves based on usage patterns of the tools. This can cause some problems with toolbars that unexpectedly move themselves around the screen. There is a way to avoid this behavior, as described in this tip.

   Getting Rid of Custom Toolbars
If you start Word and get a bunch of unwanted toolbars displayed on the screen, you can be scratching your head (or pulling your hair out) until you figure out how to get rid of them. Here's some ideas on what you can do to get rid of the unwanted toolbars.

   Hiding the Reviewing Toolbar
Does the Reviewing toolbar keep popping up whenever you create a document? Here's a possible reason, along with what you can do about it.

   How to Turn Add-in Toolbar off by Default
Add-in programs for Word often add toolbars that offer whatever features the add-in enables. Sometimes you may not want these toolbars to be displayed. Figuring out how to turn them off can be a headache, however. This tip offers some suggestions on things you can try.

   Locking the Position of Tools
Don't want your toolbar tools to move around on you? You might think you are out of luck, but here is a way you can make sure that all of your tools are displayed all of the time.

   Missing Header and Footer Toolbar
When you need to make changes to the header or footer of a document, the Header and Footer toolbar is invaluable. What if you can't get it to display, however?

   Quickly Removing a Toolbar Button
Need to remove a toolbar button, but don't want to go through the hassle of displaying the Configure dialog box? You can make quick work of paring down your toolbars by using just one small shortcut key.

   Removing Space Before Paragraphs
Want to quickly format a paragraph to remove any extra space before it? Word includes a tool that can make this change a snap.

   Renaming a Toolbar
Word allows you to create custom toolbars that can speed how you work with various tools and macros. When you first create a toolbar, you are required to name it. If you later want to rename it, you'll appreciate the information in this tip.

   Resetting Toolbars to Their Default
Customize Word enough, and you may at some point want to set the toolbars back to their original condition. Here's how to do it.

   Stupid Web Toolbar
If the Web toolbar pops up and drives you crazy, this tip can help. Here you learn how to turn off the pop-up nature of the Web toolbar.

   The Case of the Disappearing Icons
Troubleshooting your custom icons on the Toolbar.

   Too-Big Toolbars
Work around Words inability to have a multi-row toolbar.

   Tools to View Field Codes
Fields can be used to add all sorts of dynamic data to your documents. Viewing the field codes, at times, is desirable. Here's a way to add a handy clickable tool that will both display and hide those field codes.

   Unchanging Toolbars
Create a macro to return Toolbars to the default settings.

   Using Large Toolbar Buttons
Having trouble seeing the icons used on the various Word toolbars? You can make the tools larger (and easier to see) by using the steps in this tip.