What is a .QAT file?
A .QAT file is a special kind of file used by Microsoft Office, which is a set of programs used for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. This file helps you customize how the tools and options appear in Microsoft Office programs. It's like rearranging the tools in your toolbox so you can reach the ones you use most often more easily.
The .QAT file contains instructions written in XML code. XML is a way to store and transport data. In this case, the data tells Microsoft Office how to display its ribbons. Ribbons are the rows of buttons and commands you see at the top of programs like Microsoft Word and Excel. These instructions can specify which commands to show, how to group them, and even add new tabs filled with your chosen tools.
To open or use a .QAT file, you need to have Microsoft Office 365 or an earlier version of Microsoft Office that supports .QAT files. However, it's important to note that changes made to the ribbon in one Office program, like Microsoft Word, won't affect the ribbons in other Office programs. Each program has its own .QAT file. For example, the .QAT file for Microsoft Excel is named Excel.qat.
If you want to customize the ribbon, you can do so by clicking the Microsoft Office button in the program you're using, then clicking the "Word Options" button, and finally clicking "Customize." Alternatively, you can right-click the toolbar and select "Customize Quick Access Toolbar..." Another way to make changes is by editing the XML code directly in the .QAT file.
It's also worth mentioning that in Microsoft Office 2010, the .QAT file was replaced by the .OFFICEUI file. If you're moving your customizations to Office 2010 or later, you'll need to rename your .QAT file to .OFFICEUI and place it in the specific program's directory to keep your custom ribbon settings.
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