If you’re upgrading from Office 2007 or later, the basic Office interface should be reasonably familiar. There are enhancements to the Ribbon and the Backstage view, but these key features still work in much the same way. If you’re upgrading from a previous Office version, however, take your time exploring the new ways to use and navigate Office.
The first thing you notice when you start most Office 2016 applications is the start screen that welcomes you. This color-coded screen is available for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher. Outlook and OneNote, however, open directly to the Home tab, bypassing the start screen.
For now, let’s start with a quick tour of Microsoft Office 2016.
Microsoft Office 2016 Start Screen (Word)
Using the Ribbon
The Ribbon, which replaces the menu structure found in Office 2003 and earlier, provides an easy way to access common commands and buttons using the least amount of space possible. To start, explore some common Ribbon features.
START
1 Click a tab to display related options on the Ribbon.
2 Pause your mouse over a Ribbon command to display a basic description.
3 Click a dialog box launcher to open a dialog box of related options.
Note: The Ribbon
The Ribbon is divided into tabs, such as Home, Insert, Design, and so forth. Each Ribbon tab includes groups and buttons of related features.
4 Click the Ribbon Display Options button to specify your Ribbon display preference: Auto-Hide Ribbon, Show Tabs, or Show Tabs and Commands.
Note: Ribbon Display Options
By default, Office displays both the Ribbon tab and its related commands and buttons. If you want to save screen space, you can choose to show tabs only or hide the Ribbon entirely. If you show tabs only, you can click a tab to display its commands temporarily.
Download Microsoft Office 2016
Download Microsoft Office 2016