The Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Excel is a small row of icons—usually containing Save, Undo, and Redo—located either at the very top left of the window (above the ribbon) or directly below the ribbon. While designed to provide one-click access to frequently used commands, many power users rely entirely on keyboard shortcuts (like Ctrl+S for save or Ctrl+Z for undo). If you never click these icons and want to declutter your Excel interface for a cleaner, more focused workspace, you can easily hide the Quick Access Toolbar.
How to Hide the Quick Access Toolbar
Hiding the toolbar is a simple visual preference that will apply to all future Excel spreadsheets you open on your computer.
- Open Microsoft Excel.
- Look for the Quick Access Toolbar (either above or below the main ribbon).
- At the far right end of the toolbar, click the small Customize Quick Access Toolbar icon (it looks like a tiny downward-pointing arrow with a horizontal line above it).
- A drop-down menu will appear. Look at the very bottom of this list.
- Click on Hide Quick Access Toolbar.
The row of icons will immediately vanish from your screen.
How to Bring It Back
If you ever change your mind and decide you want those one-click icons back, restoring the toolbar is just as easy, though the menu is in a slightly different location.
- Right-click anywhere on the empty grey space of the main Ribbon menu.
- A context menu will appear.
- Click on Show Quick Access Toolbar.
The toolbar will instantly reappear in its previous location, complete with whatever custom icons you had assigned to it before hiding it.