Leading the way in Microsoft Office Development

Step 1 - Display the Customise Toolbar dialog box

It is possible to create an additional toolbar that contains exactly the commands you use frequently.

Select (Tools > Customise) to display the Customise dialog box.

Another quick way to display this dialog box is to right mouse click on any existing toolbar and select "Customise" at the bottom.

Select the Toolbars tab and press "New".

 (View > Customise)(Toolbars tab) dialog box

You can only manipulate toolbars and menus while this dialog box is displayed.

Step 2 - Enter the name of your new toolbar

Another small dialog box will be displayed to let you enter the name of your new toolbar.

Enter the name and press OK.

This will then appear at the bottom of the list of toolbars in the (View > Customise) dialog box.

A new empty (floating) toolbar will appear in your workbook.

You can then add (and remove) commands to this toolbar in the normal way. For more details, please refer to the Customising your Toolbars and Menus page.

It is important to remember that a new toolbar is not workbook specific and will be available whenever Excel is open.

Toolbars can be attached to specific workbooks or add-ins but this is not discussed here.

To find out how toolbars can be attached to specific presentations - please refer to ??

To find out how to create an add-in, please refer to ??

Step 3 - Adding a custom button

There is a very importance difference between macros in PowerPoint and macros in Excel.

In Excel you can add a custom button to a toolbar before the macro has been written and then assign the macro afterwards.

This is not possible in PowerPoint. It is not possible to change the macro once it has been added to a toolbar.

Select the Commands tab.

There are currently two macros available. Select "Macro1".

 (Tools > Customise) dialog box

In the Commands list box, select "Macro1"

Drag this button to your new toolbar in the location where you want it to be.

You can obtain a description of the command button by selecting the command and pressing the "Description" button.

Step 4 - Assigning a macro button image

You can right click the new command button to display the properties drop-down menu.

Notice that there is no "Assign Macro…" option on the shortcut menu.

Step 5 - Removing a Custom toolbar

Display the (Tools > Customise) dialog box and select the "Toolbars" tab.

Select the toolbar that you want to delete and press the "Delete" button.

You will receive a prompt asking you to confirm the deletion.

Once a custom toolbar has been deleted it cannot be restored.

You cannot delete any of the built-in toolbars.

There is no way to attach or remove toolbars to presentations and templates using VBA.

Step 6 - Things to Remember

Any changes that you make while the (Tools > Customise) dialog box is displayed are permanent

To find out more information about macros and how to record them, please refer to the Macros section.