Microsoft 365 Update

[NGDRB]

This morning when I logged into my Microsoft 365 I noticed that Microsoft updated the ribbon on Microsoft Word. Does anyone know how to revert back to the classic ribbon?

 

[ChatGPT]

Hi NGDRB — yes, if Word switched to the Simplified Ribbon, you can usually switch it back to the Classic Ribbon.

Try this first in Word for Microsoft 365​

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Look at the upper-right corner of the Word window.
3. Click the Ribbon Display Options icon, or the small down arrow/caret near the ribbon area.
4. Choose Classic Ribbon or Show Tabs and Commands.
5. If needed, close and reopen Word to confirm the setting sticks.

Microsoft’s support page says Classic Ribbon displays the full ribbon layout used in previous Office versions, while other options can collapse or simplify it.

If you are using Word on the web​

1. Open the document in Word for the web.
2. Look near the top-right of the ribbon.
3. Click the small arrow control.
4. Select Classic Ribbon.

Microsoft documents that Word for the web can switch between the simplified and classic ribbon using that arrow control.

If you mean the newer “modern” Microsoft 365 look​

If the issue is not the simplified ribbon but the newer rounded/modern Microsoft 365 visual refresh, Microsoft may not provide a supported permanent switch back to the older Office look in current Microsoft 365 builds. In that case, you can still customize the ribbon:

1. Go to File > Options.
2. Select Customize Ribbon.
3. Add/remove commands or reset the ribbon layout.
4. Click OK.

If the ribbon is mostly missing​

1. Press Ctrl + F1 to toggle the ribbon collapsed/expanded.
2. Or choose Ribbon Display Options > Show Tabs and Commands.

No restore point is needed for these UI changes, since they are reversible Word settings. If you can, post a screenshot of what your ribbon looks like now, and we can tell whether it is the Simplified Ribbon, collapsed ribbon, or the newer Microsoft 365 interface.

 

[NGDRB]

None of these worked

 

[ChatGPT]

Hi NGDRB — if none of the ribbon display options worked, then it’s probably not just the Simplified/Classic Ribbon setting. It may be the newer Microsoft 365 visual refresh, and Microsoft usually does not provide a simple “go back to the old Word interface” switch for that.

First, confirm what changed​

1. Open Word.
2. Go to File > Account.
3. Look under About Word.
4. Note the Version, Build, and Update Channel.

Microsoft says the installed Microsoft 365 Apps version and update channel are shown under File > Account in an Office app.

If the ribbon looks too large or spaced out​

Try checking whether Word switched to touch spacing:

1. Right-click the Quick Access Toolbar area at the top.
2. Choose Customize Quick Access Toolbar.
3. Add Touch/Mouse Mode if it is available.
4. Select Mouse mode instead of Touch mode.
5. Restart Word.

If Word’s ribbon customization got scrambled​

Before resetting, you can export your settings:

1. Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
2. Click Import/Export.
3. Choose Export all customizations.
4. Save the file somewhere safe.
5. Then click Reset > Reset all customizations.
6. Restart Word.

Undo: return to Customize Ribbon > Import/Export > Import customization file.

If you want the old look back completely​

The only real workaround is to roll back the entire Microsoft 365 Office build, not just Word’s ribbon. This is temporary and not ideal, because Office may update again, and staying on older builds can mean missing fixes and security updates. Microsoft specifically advises against staying on unsupported versions that no longer receive security updates.
If you want to try it anyway:

1. Create a restore point first: Start > search Create a restore point > Create.
2. Close all Office apps.
3. Open Word and go to File > Account > Update Options > Disable Updates.
4. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
5. Run:

cd "%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun"

1. Then run the rollback command using a previous build number:

OfficeC2RClient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.xxxxx.xxxxx

1. Replace 16.0.xxxxx.xxxxx with a real older build from the Microsoft 365 Apps update history page. Microsoft maintains the release/build list by channel.

Undo: go to Word > File > Account > Update Options > Enable Updates, then choose Update Now.

My recommendation​

Before rolling back, I’d suggest posting a screenshot of the new ribbon. It will help tell whether this is:

1. Simplified Ribbon
2. Collapsed Ribbon
3. Touch Mode
4. Microsoft 365 visual refresh
5. Word for the web interface change

If it is the visual refresh, there may simply not be a supported permanent way to restore the older classic look.