Microsoft Office applications allow you to customize the ribbon by adding commands to the default tabs on the ribbon and creating your own custom tabs, as well as customizing the Quick Access Toolbar. However, you may want to reset the ribbon to the default settings.

NOTE: Resetting all ribbon customizations also resets all Quick Access Toolbar customizations. If you want preserve your customizations before resetting the ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar, you can backup your customizations.

To reset the ribbon to its default settings, right-click on any empty space on a tab on the ribbon and select “Customize the Ribbon” from the popup menu. We will use Word as an example.

At the bottom of the “Word Options” dialog box, on the right side, click the “Reset” button next to “Customizations.” To reset all customizations made to the ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar, select “Reset all customizations” from the drop-down menu. To only reset customizations made to a single tab, select the tab in the list of tabs above the buttons and select “Reset only selected Ribbon tab.”

A confirmation dialog box displays to make sure you want to delete all customizations. Click “Yes” if you’re sure you want to delete the customizations for both the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar.

NOTE: Remember, you can backup your customizations before you delete them.

Click “OK” to close the “Word Options” dialog box.

You can also reset the ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar in all Office programs that include these features.