Outlook/Word/Excel buttons at top missing or look funny

Outlook/Word/Excel buttons at top missing or look funny

WHAT

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.) buttons at top missing. That area is called the 'ribbon'

WHY

Microsoft is changing the design of Microsoft Office to match the new Windows 11. Tucking away some or many of the buttons in a new 'Simplified Ribbon'

HOW to switch back to old view

Guides directly from Microsoft, which may provide too much info: Show or hide the ribbon; Use Outlook Simplified Ribbon; Outlook Simplified Ribbon reference

Outlook

  1. Click Home

  2. Click arrow/caret in top-right
  3. You are now using the 'Classic Ribbon' which MAY go away in the future
Method 2: click arrow box in top-right, 'Show Tabs and Commands'. Then click arrow in top-right.
 then 

FAQ

  1. Related KB's:
    Zoom missing in Outlook-How to fix
    Scheduling a Meeting in Teams
  2. When I click buttons they disappear again! How do I make them stay put?
    This indicates your Simplified Ribbon is set to collapse ('Show Tabs' only). Double-click Home OR right-click Home & turn off 'Collapse the Ribbon'


  3. The verbiage is confusing. Basically the ribbon (top buttons) can look 3 different ways:
     <-- Simplified Ribbon, expanded (the default style/view)
     <-- Simplified Ribbon, collapsed ('Show Tabs' only)
     <-- Classic Ribbon (old standard that Microsoft may do away with)
    1. While ribbon is collapsed clicking Home will show buttons, but they disappear after clicking one until you turn off the 'collapse'/'Show Tabs' setting