Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Unusually Large Color Tabs in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The Fill Color and Font Color tabs appear unusually large across Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and reinstalling Office does not correct the display problem.

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Accessing the Fill Color or Font Color tools while editing documents, spreadsheets, or presentations.
Observed behavior: The color selection tabs are rendering abnormally oversized, disrupting the user interface layout.

Before you start

Before altering system settings, verify your monitor's native resolution and save any open documents in your Office applications.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust System Display Scaling Settings

Fix Office user interface glitches by resetting Windows display scaling to the recommended default values.

Incorrect display scaling configurations in Windows often cause application menus, such as Office color tabs, to render incorrectly or appear oversized.

Open Display Settings

Right-click on any empty area of your desktop and select 'Display settings' from the context menu.

Check Resolution and Scaling

Scroll down to the 'Scale and layout' section. Ensure that the 'Scale' dropdown is set to the value marked as '(Recommended)'.

Restart Your Computer

Restart your computer and open Excel, Word, or PowerPoint to check if the color tabs have returned to their normal size.

Multiple Monitors: If you are using multiple monitors, make sure to click on the specific monitor icon at the top of the Display settings window before verifying the scaling options.

Solution 2

Install Pending System and Office Updates

Ensure you have the latest bug fixes and compatibility patches installed for Windows and Microsoft Office.

Solution 3

Run Office in Safe Mode and Check Add-ins

Determine if a third-party add-in or a corrupted user profile is causing the oversized color tabs.

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Experience a Seamless Interface with WPS Office

If persistent display glitches like oversized color tabs continue to disrupt your workflow, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with a clean, familiar interface that scales perfectly across all devices and resolutions.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installer for your operating system.
2. Install the Software: Run the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions for a quick, hassle-free installation.
3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without any format conversion.

Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Optimized UI scaling that automatically adapts to varying display resolutionsLightweight design requiring fewer system resourcesFree to download and use

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do the color palette tabs suddenly look so big in Office?

This display glitch is typically caused by incorrect Windows scaling settings, high-contrast accessibility modes being toggled on, or outdated graphics drivers clashing with Office's interface rendering engine.

Does reinstalling Office fix display scaling issues?

Generally, reinstalling Office does not resolve display scaling issues because these problems often stem from Windows system settings or user profile configurations that persist even after a reinstallation.

How do I reset my Windows user profile display settings?

You can isolate profile-specific display corruption by creating a new Windows local user account from the Windows Settings app. If Office looks normal on the new profile, your original profile's registry or display settings are corrupted.

Can third-party add-ins affect the size of Office toolbars?

Yes, poorly optimized third-party COM add-ins can interfere with how the Office ribbon and drop-down menus, including color selection tabs, render on your screen.

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