How to Move the Quick Access Toolbar in Excel (Windows)

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, click the Quick Access Toolbar’s small customization arrow and choose Show Below the Ribbon or Show Above the Ribbon. This changes where the toolbar appears in the Excel window; it does not move your worksheet or change the toolbar’s commands. If the toolbar is hidden, show it first, then choose its position.

The Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) is the small set of command icons—often including Save, Undo, and Redo—near the top of Excel. Moving it can make frequently used commands easier to reach or give the ribbon area a little more room. You can move it back at any time, and the setting applies to the Excel interface rather than to one particular cell or worksheet.

What You’ll Need

Excel for Microsoft 365 desktop on a Windows computer. The labels may differ slightly in older Excel releases or after an interface update.
A workbook open in Excel. You do not need to edit or save the workbook just to change the toolbar’s position.
Access to Excel’s window controls. If the QAT is hidden, you may need to open its display or customization menu before you can reposition it.

Step-by-Step

Open the desktop version of Excel. Start Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and open any workbook, or create a blank one. The toolbar position is an application-interface setting, so the workbook does not need to contain particular data. If you are using Excel in a browser, see the note about Excel for the web below; its interface does not provide the same desktop QAT controls.
Find the Quick Access Toolbar. Look along the top edge of the Excel window, near the title bar and ribbon. The toolbar commonly shows small icons such as Save, Undo, and Redo. Depending on your layout, it may be above the ribbon or below it. If you can see it, move on to the next step. If you cannot, use the hidden-toolbar instructions in step 4.
Open the toolbar’s customization menu. Select the small downward-pointing arrow at the right end of the Quick Access Toolbar. This is the Customize Quick Access Toolbar control. Make sure you select the arrow attached to the toolbar, not an arrow in a worksheet cell or a ribbon command. A menu should open with options for displaying and customizing the toolbar.
Show the toolbar first if it is hidden. In the customization menu, choose Show Quick Access Toolbar if that option appears. In some layouts, you may be able to right-click the ribbon or its tab area and choose the command to show the Quick Access Toolbar. The exact wording or location can vary with the Excel build. Once it appears, locate its customization arrow and open the menu again. Showing the toolbar and choosing its position are separate actions in some layouts.
Choose the new position. If the toolbar is currently above the ribbon, select Show Below the Ribbon. If it is currently below the ribbon, the menu should instead offer Show Above the Ribbon. Click the option for the location you want. Excel moves the toolbar immediately; you do not need to close the workbook, restart Excel, or confirm the change in a dialog box.
Check the result and available space. Look above and below the ribbon to confirm where the icons have moved. The ribbon and worksheet should still work normally. When the toolbar is below the ribbon, it may sit closer to the worksheet and can use a little more vertical space. If you have a small display or a narrow Excel window, check that the ribbon and the top rows of your sheet remain comfortable to view.
Move it back if you prefer the original layout. Open the same customization menu and select the opposite position command. The two labels describe the destination, not the current position: choose “Show Below” to put it below the ribbon and “Show Above” to put it above. You can switch between the positions as often as you like; moving the toolbar does not remove its commands.
Use Excel Options if you need more control. To inspect or change which commands appear, select File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar. That page lets you customize the commands, but the quickest way to change the toolbar’s location is usually its own arrow menu. If you open Options only to move the toolbar, look for the display-position choice in the toolbar’s customization menu as well; the Options page is primarily for managing the command list.

Mac and web differences: Excel for Mac uses a different settings layout. Look under Excel > Settings (called Preferences in some releases) and open Ribbon & Toolbar to manage available toolbar settings. The Mac interface may not offer the same above/below placement choices as Windows, so use the position controls only if your version displays them. Excel for the web does not provide the same customizable desktop Quick Access Toolbar; use the web ribbon and its available commands instead.

Common Mistakes

Looking for a drag handle. The QAT is not normally repositioned by dragging it across the window. Use its customization menu and choose the destination command. Dragging an icon or the edge of the ribbon may change something else or do nothing.
Confusing moving with customizing. “Show Below the Ribbon” changes the location, while adding or removing icons changes the commands. If the toolbar is in the right place but has the wrong buttons, open File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar to manage its contents.
Assuming the workbook is damaged when the toolbar disappears. The toolbar can be hidden or its position may be unfamiliar; that does not mean the workbook’s data or formulas have changed. Check the ribbon and toolbar display controls before making changes to the file.
Using instructions for a different Excel platform. Windows desktop, Mac desktop, and Excel for the web do not have identical menus. If you cannot find a Windows command in a browser tab or on a Mac, confirm which version you opened before troubleshooting further.
Right-clicking the wrong area. Context menus differ depending on whether you right-click a ribbon tab, a command, the QAT, or the worksheet. If the menu does not contain a show or position option, close it and use the QAT’s own customization arrow instead.

Tips

Use the position that suits your screen. Above the ribbon is the familiar location and keeps the toolbar near the title bar. Below the ribbon places it closer to the worksheet. Neither position changes how a command works, so choose based on what is easiest to reach and see.
Keep the toolbar focused. A short row of commands is easier to scan than a long collection of icons. If you want to add a command, use File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar, select it from the available commands, and add it. You can remove commands from the same page if the row becomes crowded.
Use the arrow menu for a quick change. You do not have to open the Options dialog just to switch above or below the ribbon. The toolbar’s small arrow is generally the shortest route, and the menu’s wording indicates which position Excel will use next.
Remember that the QAT is separate from ribbon customization. The ribbon contains tabs such as Home and Insert; the QAT is a compact command strip. Moving the QAT does not reorder tabs, expand the ribbon, or change the worksheet view. If your goal is to show more worksheet rows, consider ribbon display options or window size instead.
Check the display after resizing Excel. A toolbar that fits in a wide window may look cramped in a narrow one. If some icons are not immediately visible, maximize the window or open the QAT menu to check its commands. Avoid removing a command until you have confirmed that it is not simply outside the visible area.
Expect small interface differences. Microsoft updates Microsoft 365, and organizations can also apply policies or custom layouts. The same feature may be represented by a slightly different icon or menu label. Look for the customization arrow and the words “Quick Access Toolbar” rather than relying only on a remembered icon position.

Troubleshooting

The toolbar is missing. First, check whether the ribbon is collapsed or the Excel window is unusually narrow. Then look for a QAT display option in the ribbon’s context menu or in the customization controls near the top of the window. If you can access File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar, use that page to confirm that you are working with the toolbar settings, then look for the show control in the interface. Once the QAT is visible, use its arrow to select its position.

You cannot find “Show Below the Ribbon.” If the QAT is already below the ribbon, Excel may show Show Above the Ribbon instead. The available command names reflect the alternate destination. If neither position command appears, make sure you opened the QAT customization menu rather than the menu for a ribbon command. In a browser or on a Mac, the Windows options may not be available.

The menu opens, but clicking the option seems to do nothing. Look carefully at both the area above the ribbon and the space just below it. The toolbar may have moved only a short distance, particularly if the ribbon is collapsed or the window is small. Maximize Excel and check again. If the selected position remains unchanged, close Excel Options or any open customization dialog and try the QAT arrow menu directly.

The toolbar is in the right place, but commands are missing. Position and contents are separate settings. Open File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar and inspect the list of commands assigned to the toolbar. Add the commands you need, or use the menu’s built-in command selections if available. Do not keep switching its position to solve a missing-icon problem.

The setting seems different on another computer. The location or contents may not match if the other computer uses a different Excel platform, release, account, or managed configuration. Repeat the steps on that computer and check whether the QAT is shown there. Changing the toolbar’s position is a display preference; it does not alter the workbook, so sending the file to someone else is not a reliable way to transfer your interface layout.

You are using Excel for the web. The browser version does not offer the same desktop QAT customization. Open the workbook in the Excel desktop app if you need the Windows above/below setting. If you must stay in the browser, use the ribbon and available keyboard shortcuts for the commands you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move the Quick Access Toolbar to either side of the ribbon?
In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, the built-in position choices are above or below the ribbon. The toolbar is not freely draggable to the left or right side of the ribbon.

Does moving the toolbar change my workbook?
No. Moving the QAT changes the Excel interface, not worksheet cells, formulas, formatting, or workbook data. You do not need to save the workbook to preserve the position change.

Can I move the toolbar without changing its buttons?
Yes. Choose Show Above the Ribbon or Show Below the Ribbon from the QAT menu. Those commands change its location; use the Quick Access Toolbar options if you want to add or remove buttons.

Why does my menu say “Show Above” instead of “Show Below”?
The menu offers the other location. If the toolbar is already below the ribbon, Excel offers the command to show it above, and vice versa.

Can I do this in Excel for the web?
Excel for the web does not have the same customizable QAT placement controls as Excel desktop for Windows. Open the workbook in the desktop app to use the Windows instructions.

Is the Quick Access Toolbar position available on Mac?
Mac Excel has its own Ribbon & Toolbar settings, but its options can differ from Windows. Check Excel > Settings or Excel > Preferences for the controls in your release; use an above/below choice only if it is offered.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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