In Word 2007 and 2010, customization is just about a thing of the past. However, you can make some customizations but they are only what you can add or remove from your Quick Access Toolbar (QAT).
Suppose you have just gotten your QAT just the way you want it and then boom…you get a new laptop to use when traveling for business! So, how do you go about transferring your QAT from your PC to your laptop?
It is not all that difficult but it depends largely on which version of Word you are using. If you are using version 2007 on both computers you can transfer the toolbar by doing a search for the file Word QAT. This file will contain your modifications to your toolbar.
If you are using Windows XP, the default location for the file is: C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Office\
In later versions it can be found at:
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\
Now all you need to do is copy the file from one computer to the other. Restart MS Word on the destination computer and that’s about it.
If you are using version 2010 the QAT file no longer exists. Rather, Word uses a file called Word.Office UI. You can find the file in the same directories where the QAT file was stored in version 2007. Again, all you need do is copy the file from one computer and paste it to the destination computer and restart MS Word.
There is one caveat. In version 2010 the Word.OfficeUI file contains information regarding changes to your Ribbon as well as the QAT. So, if you copy the file from one system to another, the destination system will have the same QAT and ribbon customizations as the source system.
Also, version 2010 provides a more flexible method to transfer the QAT.
Follow the steps below to learn how:
- Display the File tab of your Ribbon and click Options to display the Options dialog box.
- At the left side of your dialog box, click either Customize Ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar.
- At the bottom right of your dialog box, click the Import/Export drop-down list and Word will display a couple of options.
- Select Export All Customizations. Word will display the File Save dialog box.
- Use the controls in the dialog box to select where you want to save your customizations and what name you would like to use for the file.
- Click Save.
- When you are ready to use the information on your new system, simply repeat the same steps but use Import Customization instead of Export.
The above assumes that you are transferring the QAT between systems that use the same versiom of MS Word.
If you are transferring from a version 2007 to a 2010 system, you can try copying Word.QAT from the 2010 system. You should rename the file to Word.OfficeUI and restart Word. You can also ue the Import capability to import the QAT information in version 2010.
If you are copying a QAT from version 2010 to 2007, you should use the Export capabilities to export your customizations. The file that is created by exporting can be renamed to Word.QAT and copied to the 2007 system. Restart Word and you should notice the new QAT.