EXCEL RIBBON TEXT TOO BIG

Pauline H 0 Reputation points
2026-09-09T08:53:49.5733333+00:00

THE RIBBONS TEXT TAKES UP TOO MUCH OF MY EXCEL PAGE. HW DO I REDUCE IT IN ,

'LAYMAN' TERMS PLEASE,.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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DaveM121 946.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-09-09T09:29:40.0266667+00:00

Above the Ribbon Menu should be a search box, type touch in that search box, you should see a setting to switch between Mouse and Touch input, ensure that is set to mouse, that should reduce the size of the text and icons in the top menu.

If that does not resolve the problem, that is usually the only setting available, please provide a screenshot of the Excel window so I can see the problem you are experiencing.

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  1. Jorge 0 Reputation points
    2026-11-08T10:46:28.84+00:00

    Yes, the "Touch" option may be the reason, but it's not the most common problem. This issue with larger-than-usual fonts in Office applications have been reported multiple times and Microsoft ingores the fact. They even confirm changing the size of those fonts is not possibe; see https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/foundations-experiences/customize-the-ribbon-in-office:

    What you can't customize: You can't reduce the size of your ribbon, or the size of the text or the icons on the ribbon. The only way to do this is to change your display resolution, which would change the size of everything on your page.

    So, if you want to reduce the stupidly big size of the ribbon in current Office builds, your only option is to reduce the size of fonts in Windows, which will create a new usability problem for everyone.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-09T08:54:04.22+00:00

    The ribbon text size itself cannot be made smaller in Excel.

    What can be done instead:

    1. Make the ribbon take up less space
      • At the top-right of Excel, select Ribbon Display Options.
      • Choose Single Line Ribbon or Show tabs only.
      • This keeps the ribbon smaller on screen.
    2. Hide the ribbon when not needed
      • Press Ctrl+F1 to collapse or expand the ribbon.
      • Or double-click any tab like Home to hide the commands until needed.
    3. If the whole Excel window looks too large
      • The supported way to make everything smaller is to change the display resolution in Windows.
      • This changes the size of everything on the screen, not just the ribbon.
    4. If only quick commands are needed
      • Use the Quick Access Toolbar above the ribbon for a few common buttons that stay visible.

    References:

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