Customize Outlook 2007: How to Add Buttons and Commands

Customize Outlook 2007: How to Add Buttons and Commands
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Customizing Buttons and Commands in Outlook

Buttons refer to items on a toolbar while commands refer to items appearing in menus.

Note: You won’t be able to use Outlook’s features while the Customize window is open. Having Customize open is akin to having Outlook in “editor” mode.

To add a button or command to a hidden toolbar, turn the toolbar on before proceeding with the following steps to add a button. Select Toolbars from the View menu and select the toolbar. Right-click a toolbar to turn on or turn off toolbars and select the toolbar from the menu.

Do you frequently switch views in the Reading Pane, prefer to use print preview before printing or change stationery regularly? Add a button to the toolbar to save a step:

  1. Select Customize from the Tools menu.
  2. Click the Commands tab.
  3. Select a category from the Categories column to find the command you want.
  4. Drag the command from the Commands list to the toolbar where you want it to appear.

The new button appears in the toolbar. If the text is too long or you want to use an image, keep the Customize window open to make changes. Not all commands come with an image, but you can change command in the following ways:

  • Change the name by modifying the text in the Name box.
  • Edit Button Image. If one doesn’t exist, it’s blank.
  • Change Button Image by selecting an icon from a short list.
  • Assign a hyperlink, which is not just for Web sites. The command can also link to files.
  • Change the appearance option for text and images.
  • Begin a Group, which adds a separator (short line between Reply to All and Stationery) to the left of the command.

You can add a button or command to a menu item instead of the Standard or other toolbars. The steps are similar to adding a button or command to a toolbar except for the last step:

  1. Select Customize from the Tools menu.
  2. Click the Commands tab.
  3. Select a category from the Categories column to find the command you want.
  4. Drag the command from the Commands menu item where you want it to appear, continue holding the mouse until the menu appears and move the pointer to where you want the item to go. The command can also go into the submenu – hold the mouse over the menu item and move it to the submenu.

To remove a button, open Customize from the Tools menu. Select the button and drag it to the Customize window.

Note: You can remove items from the default toolbars and menus. But if you want the items back, you’ll need to manually add them or restore them. However, when restoring a menu or toolbar, any customized settings will disappear. To return to original menu or toolbar settings, select Customize from the Tools menu. Select the menu or toolbar to restore and click Reset. Click “yes” to confirm.

For more user guides and tutorials, be sure to browse through the other items in Bright Hub’s collection of Outlook tips and tricks . New and updated articles are being added all the time, so bookmark us and check back often.

This post is part of the series: Outlook 2007 and Microsoft 2007 Toolbars

Use, manage, create and change toolbars to suit your needs.

  1. Use Quick Access and Advanced Toolbars in Microsoft Office
  2. Create and Change Toolbars in Outlook 2007
  3. Adding Buttons and Commands in Outlook 2007
  4. Menu, Hyperlinks, and Keyboard Tips for Outlook 2007