Windows: Exporting Office Apps Customisations

If you use the Quick Access Toolbar in Office apps (and you really should) or customise the Ribbon, you have to redo your setup again when you move PCs or set up your PC again. This post covers the built-in way to make this task easier.

Microsoft Office apps (Outlook, Word, Powerpoint, Excel and OneNote) all have quick access toolbars and ribbon UIs that can be customised for your use. The applications have an option to export and import these configurations – you just have to remember to use it.

The setting is accessed from one of two places:

  • Either from File > Options, and then click on Customize Ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar
  • Or from the down arrow at the end of the Quick Access Toolbar and click on More Options

Once you’re in the Quick Access Toolbar customisation or the Customize Ribbon option, click on Import/Export and Export all customizations

Both the options have an export button, but you need to export only one. It produces the exact same file.

The option is in the same place in each of the Office apps, but you do need to export each one separately. Once exported, move the files to your target PC and then just go to the same place in the same applications and click on Import/Export again but this time choose Import customization file to load the configuration into the target application.