Context-sensitive tabs:
There are more ribbon tabs than those that show when PowerPoint starts. Other tabs appear when they are needed, usually when an object is selected, like a chart, drawing, picture, or table. That makes sense! Some objects have a group of ribbon tabs.

For example, Chart Tools is a group of three tabs: Design, Layout, Format but Picture Tools has just one tab, Format

The active tab on the ribbon has a white background with a border. Context tabs have an additional colored tab up higher. In these lessons, the names of all tabs will be formatted like:  Home  

Inactive tabs don't have a tab shape around the name. The name just sits there on the background of the ribbon like a menu.

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Customizing the Ribbon

You can't change much about the existing ribbon tabs unless you can write programming code. That's no help for most of us! But there are some features to help those who have an itch to modify the interface.

What you can't do:

• You cannot add commands or groups of commands to the existing tabs.
• You cannot rearrange icons or change the image for an icon on the existing tabs. 
• You cannot move the ribbon from the top of the window.
• You cannot switch back to the old toolbars and menus interface.

What you can do:

• You can add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar
  
  That's what it's for! (More on how to do this below.)

• You can minimize the ribbon to hide it.

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    Minimize Ribbon: Right click on a tab and select Minimize the Ribbon or Collapse the Ribbon (PowerPoint 2013, 2016).
    Only the tab titles will show. All of the buttons and palettes are hidden.
  • Show a ribbon tab again temporarily: Click on a tab name.
    When you click on something in the ribbon, the ribbon will minimize again immediately.
  • Show Ribbon all the time: Right click a tab again and click on Minimize ribbon again to uncheck that command.
    

  

  Ribbon minimized. Only the tab names show.

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Collapsing Ribbon Groups

If the window is too narrow to show all of the ribbon items, tab groups on the ribbon will collapse. Some of the large buttons may go to a small size.

This illustration shows all of the groups on the Home tab as collapsed for a very narrow window. Clicking the arrow at the bottom of the group opens a palette that shows what was hidden.

The Font group is opened in the illustration.

I don't think you really want to work with a window this narrow!

Just don't be surprised when you don't see what you are looking for on the ribbon in a window that is too narrow to show everything. You've been warned! 

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Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is at the top left of the window.

By default it holds at least three icons:

Save	Undo	Redo

PowerPoint 2013 and 2016 have two extra default commands: Start From Beginning and Touch/Mouse Mode. In Touch mode PowerPoint makes some things larger with more space between to make it easier to select with a touch screen or touchpad.

For all versions you can also add other commands to the Quick Access Toolbar from the More list, like' Print Preview and Print', or commands from the Customize Quick Access Toolbar dialog.

Undo/Redo/Repeat:

PowerPoint remembers the last 20 actions by default. That's not as many as it sounds like! You can increase that number [Recommended!] in the PowerPoint Options dialog in the Advanced section to a maximum of 150.

The Undo button can back you up to a good spot when you get carried away. If you back up too far, the Redo button will go forward through the actions you just undid. Some actions can be repeated. The Redo button will change to the Repeat button in that case. That is useful when you want to apply the same command in several different locations.

More Commands:

The More arrow at the right end of the Quick Access Toolbar opens a drop list of commands that are often added to the Quick Access Toolbar. A check mark in the list shows that the item is already on the bar. Just click on a command to add it.

You can also add any other command that PowerPoint knows using More Commands... . You would want to choose commands for things that you do often, but which are not on the tab that is usually open when you need that command.

How to add commands to Quick Access Toolbar:

• Right click a tab and click on Customize Quick Access Toolbar or click the More button and then More Commands...
  The dialog opens with a list of Popular Commands on the left and on the right is a list of what is already on the toolbar.

• Click on a command and then on the Add>> button.
  Arrows at the right let you change the order of the buttons on the toolbar.
• If the Popular Commands list does not have the command you want, change the list to All Commands or Commands not on the Ribbon.

Example: What I added to the Quick Access bar and Why 

I added a button for Print Preview . In PowerPoint 2007 this replaces 3 actions: Office button > Print > Print Preview. In PowerPoint 2010, 2013, and 2016 this replaces 2 actions: File > Print. I avoid the confusingly similar Print button, which immediately starts printing with the last used settings. Who can remember what those were?

You might find other commands useful to have on the Quick Access Toolbar, also. For example, when I am writing slides for an algebra lesson, I find it useful to have a button for superscript on the Quick Access Toolbar so I can write equations like x² + y² = 36. That button is on the Word Home ribbon tab by default but not in PowerPoint.

Feel free to add any commands that you find helpful.

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