Change your toolbars
Published: September 7, 2006
If your computer had one button on the screen for everything it could do, you'd have nothing but a screen full of buttons. So Microsoft Windows XP uses toolbars that show only the buttons you're most likely to use. A toolbar is a collection of buttons that launch a program, save a file, print a document, or just about anything else.
Almost all Windows XP programs include toolbars. For example, the Microsoft Internet Explorer toolbar includes buttons for moving backwards or forwards, searching the Internet, and printing the Web page you're currently on.
Similarly, the Microsoft Outlook Express toolbar has buttons for creating, sending, and receiving e-mail.
If you don't use a specific toolbar, you can turn it off to make room for other windows. You can also drag and drop your toolbars to rearrange them. Some programs even let you change the buttons on your toolbars to remove unused buttons and add more useful buttons.
How to turn toolbars on and off
Programs often have multiple toolbars. For example, Internet Explorer has three toolbars enabled by default: Standard Buttons, Address Bar, and Links. Outlook Express has two toolbars: the Standard toolbar and the Views Bar, which is hidden by default. Additionally, other programs might add their own custom toolbars.
To turn a toolbar on or off
Right-click a toolbar. The shortcut menu lists the available toolbars. Toolbars that are currently visible are displayed with a check mark.
To remove a toolbar, clear the check mark next to it by clicking the toolbar you want to remove.
How to move toolbars
You can also rearrange toolbars.
To move a toolbar
1. | Right-click a toolbar. If you see Lock the Toolbars on the menu and it is selected, unlock the toolbar by clicking Lock the Toolbars. 
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2. | Click on the dotted handle on the left side of the toolbar, and drag it to where you want to put the toolbar. 
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For more detailed instructions, watch the video How to Move a Toolbar.
Watching the video requires that you have Windows Media Player.
Watch the video now.
Customize the buttons on your toolbars
Toolbars have buttons for the tasks most people use, but you may want to personalize yours. Fortunately, you can customize toolbars by rearranging, adding, and removing buttons.
To customize a toolbar in some programs
1. | Right-click the toolbar, and then click Customize. 
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2. | Use the Customize Toolbar dialog box to add, remove, and rearrange the buttons on your toolbar. Some programs also give you the option of adding text to your toolbar buttons, and using large or small buttons. This dialog box is different for every program. 
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3. | When you have finished changing your toolbar, click the Close button to close the Customize Toolbar dialog box. |
Some programs use a different process for customizing toolbars, and others do not allow you to change the toolbars. When in doubt, you can always try right-clicking on a toolbar to see what options are available.
Windows XP includes the Quick Launch toolbar to enable you to launch programs without opening the Start menu. Follow these instructions to display the Quick Launch toolbar.
