Make the Office 2007 ribbon go away

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The Office 2007 can disappear to make more screen room available for your document – not only that but it does so intelligently.

The Office 2007 can disappear to make more screen room available for your document – not only that but it does so intelligently.

The ribbon can be minimised from the pull-down menu on the end of the Quick Access Toolbar

Office 2007 - Minimize the ribbon from the QAT menu image from Make the Office 2007 ribbon go away at Office-Watch.com

 

Admittedly a menu headed ‘Customize Quick Access Toolbar’ isn’t a very logical place for the ribbon minimize option. I suspect Microsoft figured it was the closest place they could put such a choice.

But the menu choice isn’t the best or easiest way to minimize the ribbon – the best way is to double-click twice on any ribbon tab – Home, Insert etc.

Word 2007 - the minimized ribbon image from Make the Office 2007 ribbon go away at Office-Watch.com

 

Why two double-clicks? A single or double mouse click switches to that ribbon and Microsoft knows that some people accidently double-click when they should single click. Imagine the worry, panic and support calls from novices who mistakenly double-click on an Office 2007 tab and their interface disappears! In this case it’s prudent to let the double-click switch the ribbon choice.

If you double-click on the tab of the currently displayed ribbon then the ribbon will minimize immediately.

Of course, double-clicking on a tab again will restore the ribbon to the screen.

It’s while the ribbon is minimized that some smart people at Microsoft have shown considerable thought.

While minimized the ribbon will appear as required but then minimize again automatically. In other words it ‘remembers’ your minimize ribbon request and honors that except when your actions suggest you want to see something on it.

For example, you’ve minimized the ribbon then decide to start a numbered list. Single click on the Home tab then click on the numbered list icon (or pull-down to select from the list options available). Once you’ve made your selection the ribbon minimizes again!

The ribbon will only return to non-minimized mode when you explicitly ask for that – either by double-clicking on a tab or using the Quick Access Toolbar menu option.

Give the minimise ribbon option in Office 2007 a try – you’ll see how it works cleverly to appear when you need it and give you more document space the rest of the time.

On my laptop where screen real estate is at a premium I have the ribbon minimized all the time.  In the office with a much larger screen the ribbon is displayed in all its ‘glory’.