Quick Access Toolbar in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

Introducing the Quick Access Toolbar
Add a Command Quickly to the QAT
Placing Quick Access Toolbar below the Ribbon

Introducing the Quick Access Toolbar

Although the entire concept behind the Ribbon interface in PowerPoint 2010 was to do away with menus and toolbars, one toolbar still exists, and this entirely customizable toolbar is called the Quick Access Toolbar, or the QAT for short. Even without any customization, this toolbar contains the Save, Undo, and Redo icons. But you can use it to store many more of your often used commands.

By default, the QAT is placed above the Ribbon, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 1, below.

Figure 1: Quick Access Toolbar (or QAT)

You can also place the QAT below the Ribbon so that it is easily accessible and sport more icons; you will learn how you can do that later in this tutorial.

Add a Command Quickly to the QAT

Many times, you don't want to make the long trip to the PowerPoint Options dialog box to add a command to your QAT. The easiest way to add any command to the QAT is by right-clicking the relevant command in any tab of the Ribbon, and then choosing the Add to Quick Access Toolbar option, as shown in Figure 2. To learn how to customize your QAT, see our Customize Quick Access Toolbar in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows tutorial.

Figure 2: Add any command to the QAT with a right-click

Placing Quick Access Toolbar below the Ribbon

There are two ways you can move the QAT to the area under the Ribbon tabs. Let us first show you the longer way!

Access the PowerPoint Options dialog box by choosing File menu | Options. Choose the Quick Access Toolbar tab, and select the Show Quick Access Toolbar below the Ribbon check-box, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 3. Click the OK button to get back to the PowerPoint interface.

Figure 3: Change the QAT location

This will move the QAT below the Ribbon tabs, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: QAT below the Ribbon tabs

And now the easier way: right-click anywhere in the Ribbon area, and from the contextual menu that appears, choose the Show Quick Access Toolbar Below the Ribbon option (refer to Figure 2, shown earlier on this page).