Quick Access Tool Bar disappeared in Word (customized)

Go to File>Options>Quick Access Toolbar and check the box for Show Quick Access Toolbar below Ribbon. Note, in Windows 11 the "below Ribbon" does not appear and the caption for the box is merely: "Show Quick Access Toolbar" and there is a separate dropdown for the Toolbar Position. If Below Ribbon is selected in that dropdown, the AutoSave switch and a Save button will still appear above the ribbon and your customized Quick Access Toolbar will appear below the ribbon.

Thank you so much, but neither helped. My Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint are fine. I'll just re-do it the best I can to how I had it customized before (what a time-waster.)

What happens if you click the drop-down arrow on the right hand side of the ribbon? Does the drop-down menu have an item Show Quick Access Toolbar? Is so, select it.

Also: check whether the Quick Access Toolbar is displayed above or below the ribbon. The default changed recently.

The custom QAT is stored in the same file as ribbon customizations unless you store your customizations elsewhere. If you import a Ribbon customization, it will overwrite the QAT as well.

I do store mine in separate templates that are used as global templates.

Modifying the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Word

Ribbon customizations can be stored elsewhere but not through the tools provided with Word. Customize the Office Ribbon (It doesn't take rocket science) by Greg Maxey