LibreOffice now has a Ribbon menu like Word and you'll love it: Here's how to activate it

Want to make the jump from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice? Many of you are worried about finding a difficult-to-understand interface. But there's good news! LibreOffice now has a menu. Ribbon like Word and you'll love it! In this post We explain how to activate it so that you feel like a fish in water.

LibreOffice now has a Ribbon menu like Word: Why does this matter?

No one disputes that Microsoft's office suite is the most widely used and valued by users around the world. However, that doesn't mean that open source alternatives like LibreOffice don't have a good number of loyal followers. In fact, many of those who only knew Word, Excel y PowerPoint, They are now making the leap to Writer, Calc e Impress, and they are very happy with what they have discovered.

To be frank, Microsoft hasn't had a great time in recent months, especially with the end of support for Windows 10 just around the corner. Given the difficulty in upgrade to Windows 11, there are not a few who have decided change operating system and, naturally, office suiteLinux has come to the rescue, and with it, applications that offer solutions that perform quite well, such as LibreOffice.

LibreOffice has been in the shadow of Microsoft Office for years, copying the best of it and adding new, increasingly innovative and attractive features. The aesthetic aspect has always been one of its weak points, which quickly turned off anyone who wanted to try it. But Things have changed, and now, among many other improvements, LibreOffice now has a menu Ribbon like Word and, believe me, you're going to love it.

What is the menu? Ribbon?

Considering that LibreOffice already has a menu Ribbon as Word is particularly exciting for those coming from Office. This type of interface, also known as Ribbon menu, was introduced by Microsoft in 2007 with Office 2007. It immediately captivated all its users and became the visual standard for any self-respecting office suite. And what was life like before the ribbon menu?

In short, more letters and less icons (and color). Versions prior to Office 2007 displayed all of their editing options grouped into drop-down menusWhen you clicked on the Edit, Insert, or Format tabs, a list of related functions would appear. While it was fine at the time, this type of menu made it difficult to quickly access most functions, as it kept them hidden.

But things changed with the ribbon menu. Unlike classic drop-down lists, the Ribbon groups commands into contextual tabsThat is, when you click Edit, Insert, or Format, a horizontal ribbon full of colorful buttons opens. This style, besides being more attractive, makes it easier to access common functions and reduces unnecessary clicks.

In addition, the menu Ribbon It is especially useful for those working on complex editing or multitasking projects. The contextual ribbon Brings formatting, insertion, styles, revisions, and more tools to the forefront, making them accessible at a glanceSo it's not just a cosmetic change: it actually represents a huge improvement in productivity, and it significantly reduces the learning curve.

LibreOffice now has a Ribbon menu like Word… without abandoning the classics

It is true that LibreOffice already has a menu Ribbon like Word, but that doesn't mean it has abandoned its classic style. The most popular free and open-source office suite has always focused on efficiency and customization. That's why, Starting with version 5.2, it incorporated a ribbon-type menu among the interface options., which quickly left the experimental phase and became one of the most used.

LibreOffice's approach does nothing more than respect the diversity of preferencesSo, if you're a fan of the classics, you can continue working with the drop-down menu as usual. But if you're coming from Word or simply want a more visual experience, simply activate the ribbon menu and feel right at home. This, among many other improvements, has helped more and more users delve into LibreOffice without feeling lost, easily finding everything they need.

How to activate the menu Ribbon in LibreOffice

Since LibreOffice already has a Ribbon menu like Word, we'll explain how to activate it. One of the features of this office suite is its many customization options. In fact, there are nine variants of the user interface (version 25.2.4.3), including those currently in the experimental phase. By default, LibreOffice comes with the conventional toolbar, the standard style with drop-down tabs. To switch to the ribbon menu, follow these steps (we will do it as LibreOffice Writer):

1. Opens LibreOffice Writer.
2. Click on the option View located in the top horizontal menu.
3. In the dropdown list, select the option User interface.
4. A floating window will open where you can select your preferred user interface. On the left are the options, and on the right is a small preview image with a brief description.
5. To activate the ribbon menu, you can select the option «In eyelashes» o «In tabs, compact»The latter takes up less space than the former, but both display a ribbon with options.
6. Click on «Apply to Writer» if you activate it in the text editor, and "Apply to all" to apply the change to the other LibreOffice applications (Calc, Impress, Base, Draw, Math).
7. The changes take effect immediately.

This way you can see for yourself that LibreOffice already has a Ribbon menu like Word, and you'll surely love it.The interface looks cleaner and more attractive, and makes it easier to find frequently used functions., as it groups them together in a logical and visible way. What more could you ask for!

Is the new menu worth using? Absolutely.If you're starting out with LibreOffice after years of using Microsoft Word, this interface will be a good idea. And, of course, you can always return to the traditional menu or even try the other available alternatives. That's why you switched to free and open source software!