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Customize a built-in tab

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You can add groups and controls to a built-in tab. A built-in tab is a tab that's already on the Ribbon of a Microsoft Office application. For example, the Data tab is a built-in tab in Excel. When you create a custom group, it appears last on the tab, but you can move your group anywhere on the tab.

Applies to: The information in this topic applies to document-level projects and VSTO Add-in projects for the following applications: Excel; InfoPath 2013 and InfoPath 2010; Outlook; PowerPoint; Project; Visio; Word. For more information, see Features available by Office application and project type.

Note

You can add groups to a built-in tab, but you cannot remove built-in groups from a built-in tab.

To add groups to a built-in tab

  1. Right-click the Ribbon code file in Solution Explorer, and then click View Designer.

    Note

    If the Ribbon code file doesn't appear in Solution Explorer, you must add a Ribbon item to your project. See How to: Get started customizing the ribbon.

  2. Right-click any tab in the Ribbon designer, and then click Properties.

  3. In the Properties window, expand the ControlId property, and then set the ControlIdType property to Office.

  4. Set the OfficeId property to the control ID of the built-in tab that you want to customize.

    The control ID is the name that uniquely identifies tabs, groups, and controls that are built into Microsoft Office applications.

    For a list of control IDs, see Office 2010 help files: Office fluent user interface control identifiers.

  5. From the Office Ribbon Controls tab of the Toolbox, drag groups onto the tab.

    Note

    Built-in groups do not appear in the designer. Therefore, the only way to determine whether you are working with a built-in tab is to examine the ControlId property of the tab.

To position groups on a built-in tab

  1. In the Ribbon Designer, select a custom group.

  2. In the Properties window, expand the Position property.

  3. Set the PositionType property to the appropriate value:

    • BeforeOfficeId positions the group before a specified built-in group.

    • AfterOfficeId positions the group after a specified built-in group.

  4. Set the OfficeId property to the control ID of a built-in group.

    For a list of control IDs, see Office 2010 help files: Office fluent user interface control identifiers.

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