The Mini toolbar is a floating window which automatically pops up whenever you highlight text. Initially all the options it contains are conveniently dimmed. However, as soon as you position the cursor over its controls, the Mini toolbar becomes activated.
It offers a selection of handy options for formatting your text. All of these options can equally be found in the Home tab of the Word Ribbon. The top row of Mini toolbar icons allows you to change the font, size and colour of our text and also contains Word's nifty Format Painter. Word's Format Painter tool allows you to copy the format of the selected text to other areas of your document.
The second row of the Mini toolbar contains buttons for making text bold, italic, centre aligned. It also has options for changing the colour of the highlighted text, indenting text and inserting bullets.
The Mini toolbar offers a very convenient way of quickly formatting your text without having to go back to the Ribbon to find the options you're looking for. However, there are times when it can be inconvenient. This is particularly true when using the drag-and-drop facility within Microsoft Word.
This feature allows you to highlight text and simply drag it to a new location. However, just as you are about to drag, it's very easy for the cursor to collide with the Mini toolbar and instead of dragging your text, you simply change its format.
As a Word user, you'll decide whether you like the Mini toolbar facility. If you decide it is more trouble than it's worth, Word allows you to deactivate this facility. From the Office button, choose Word Options. In the Popular category, the very first option is "Show Mini Toolbar on selection". If you have had enough of the Mini toolbar, simply deactivate this option. Now, whenever you highlight text, the Mini toolbar will not appear.
Even if you have asked Word not to show the Mini toolbar, it is still possible to display it by simply right-clicking on selected text. - 15485
It offers a selection of handy options for formatting your text. All of these options can equally be found in the Home tab of the Word Ribbon. The top row of Mini toolbar icons allows you to change the font, size and colour of our text and also contains Word's nifty Format Painter. Word's Format Painter tool allows you to copy the format of the selected text to other areas of your document.
The second row of the Mini toolbar contains buttons for making text bold, italic, centre aligned. It also has options for changing the colour of the highlighted text, indenting text and inserting bullets.
The Mini toolbar offers a very convenient way of quickly formatting your text without having to go back to the Ribbon to find the options you're looking for. However, there are times when it can be inconvenient. This is particularly true when using the drag-and-drop facility within Microsoft Word.
This feature allows you to highlight text and simply drag it to a new location. However, just as you are about to drag, it's very easy for the cursor to collide with the Mini toolbar and instead of dragging your text, you simply change its format.
As a Word user, you'll decide whether you like the Mini toolbar facility. If you decide it is more trouble than it's worth, Word allows you to deactivate this facility. From the Office button, choose Word Options. In the Popular category, the very first option is "Show Mini Toolbar on selection". If you have had enough of the Mini toolbar, simply deactivate this option. Now, whenever you highlight text, the Mini toolbar will not appear.
Even if you have asked Word not to show the Mini toolbar, it is still possible to display it by simply right-clicking on selected text. - 15485
About the Author:
The author is a trainer and developer with Macresource Computer Solutions, an independent computer training company offering Microsoft Word training courses at their central London training centre.
