Menu bar keeps jumping to Draw tab

Question

I use Word, Publisher, and Excel. On all of these, the tab keeps jumping to the Draw tab. I am unable to use any of the functions from the menu bar at the top. I have tried redownloading, but it didn't help.

Answer 1

It sounds like you are experiencing an issue where the menu bar in your Microsoft Office applications is automatically switching to the Draw tab, which can be quite frustrating. This behavior may be caused by a few different factors, such as a corrupted installation or settings that need to be reset. Here are some steps you can try to resolve the issue:

1. Check for Updates: Ensure that your Office applications are up to date. Sometimes, bugs are fixed in newer updates.
2. Reset the Ribbon: You can try resetting the ribbon settings to default. This can be done by going to the Options menu in Word, Excel, or Publisher, selecting the Customize Ribbon option, and then clicking the Reset button.
3. Disable Add-ins: Sometimes, third-party add-ins can cause unexpected behavior. Try disabling any add-ins you have installed to see if that resolves the issue.
4. Repair Office: Use the built-in repair feature for Office. You can find this in the Control Panel under Programs and Features. Select Microsoft Office and choose the Repair option.
5. Check for Hardware Issues: Ensure that your keyboard or any input devices are not malfunctioning, as they might be sending unintended commands to switch tabs.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

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References:

• Display issues in Office client applications

Answer 2

Hi, Mary Campagna

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Sorry for this frustrating situation that you're encountering. Here are some workarounds you can try to resolve this issue:

Fix: Stop Office from auto-switching to Draw

Windows - Word, Excel, PowerPoint (Microsoft 365/2019/2021/2016)

• Open the affected app (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) > File > Options > Advanced.
• Under Pen, check Use pen to select and interact with content by default. This makes the pen behave like a pointer unless you explicitly choose a drawing tool.
• Press Esc once to exit any active inking mode; the ribbon will stop re-focusing on Draw.
• In Word, if the Draw tab looks stuck or grayed out, switch your view to View > Print Layout, then choose a different tab (e.g., Home) - the app will stay on that tab once inking is off.

Optional (system level, if you use a stylus on Windows 11):

• Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink and review pen behavior. If your pen has a shortcut mapped to inking, set it to open something else (or nothing) so it isn’t constantly toggling Draw.

Quick sanity checks

• Update Office: File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
• Update Windows: Staying current can resolve inking/ribbon quirks.
• Publisher: It doesn’t use the modern Ink set like Word/Excel/PowerPoint, but if the UI is snapping to Draw, exiting inking with Esc and using selection tools prevents the tab from reasserting focus.

Hope this helps. Feel free to get back if you need further assistance.

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Answer 3

Hi Mary Campagna

It has been a while and I am writing to see how things are going with this issue.

Have you had a chance to check the replies provided?

Any update would be appreciated.