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export ribbon

Anonymous
2017-03-18T18:25:23+00:00

I have a customized ribbon on my desktop Mac.  How do I export the customized ribbon to my laptop?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2017-03-19T03:48:23+00:00

Hi L Cohen77777

Making many assumption about what you exactly customized... if you added your own personal custom tab using the limited features of Word > Preferences > Ribbon & Toolbar on Word 2016 for the Mac, those customizations are not stored in your Normal template and they are not exportable in any user friendly way as they are in the Windows version of Word.

You can however copy the Word.OfficeUI file, which should contain your customizations, from the following location and paste it into the same location on your MacBook.

/Users/<Your Login Name>/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences

Before you do this however, you had better make sure there already isn't a file named Word.OfficeUI in that location on your MacBook. Merging two files of this type is not something I am willing to try and take you through, so if you do already have customizations made on your MacBook, I would advise you to add any new customizations manually, just as you created them on your desktop system.

I hope this helps

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-03-18T21:41:02+00:00

    I am not sure this will work but, you can try first on a copy of a document. Put on the machine you want to set up.

    1. First, duplicate the file and place on the other computer.
    2. Next if using 2016 locate the "Normal.dotm" file.

    Use a search utility such as Find file from the Finder.

    Also, two good third-party search utilities are "EasyFind" and "Tembo."

    If you have both installed the one you want for 2016 locate at:

    ~/User/Library/Group Containers/ .... 

    For 2011 ~/user/library/ Application Support/ ..... 3. Once found make a copy of the desired Normal Template.

    (Note the exact location and, write down, you have to place it in the position of the other already on the other machine.)

    Place on USB Stick, and carry to the other Computer. Or if your new computer. 4. Now copy the appropriate "Normal.dotm" to correct location.

    (remove and archive the original "Normal" Template file should it not work.) 5. Now open the duplicate file with the changed "Normal" Template

    Again this is just a theory and may not work.  I am sure someone will probably come along and say "I am talking out of my hat." If others can offer a better method, follow it, unlike some people, I admit I don't know everything and don't get all steamed up if someone knows a better way.

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    The questions, discussions, opinions, replies & answers I create, are solely mine and mine alone and do not reflect upon my position as a Community Moderator.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-03-23T01:48:18+00:00

    Worked perfectly.  Thank you very much!!!

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  3. Charles Kenyon 167.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2017-03-18T22:12:30+00:00

    I know that what Phillip just suggested would not work on a Windows machine, but he knows far more about Macs than I do. Ribbon customization is not stored in the normal template. I suspect that to be true on the Mac as well.

    On a Windows computer, one would click on the Import/Export button on the Customize the Ribbon dialog.

    This completely wipes out any existing ribbon customization, which should not be a problem for you.

    For sharing customizationss custom XML in templates is far superior. That should work on the Mac as well but is far more work. Modifying the Ribbon in Microsoft Word

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  4. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2017-03-18T22:07:59+00:00

    Was the ribbon customized via the Options>Customize Ribbon dialog or is it the result of RibbonX customization stored in the Normal.dotm template or another template that is loaded as an Add-in.

    If the latter, you would need to install a copy of the template that contains the RibbonX customization on the other computer.

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