Office Settings & Configuration

How to Remove Chinese Ribbon Tabs in PowerPoint

Muhammad Talha Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

User wants to remove or hide unexpected Chinese ribbon tabs that appear alongside the standard English PowerPoint interface.

How to Remove Chinese Ribbon Tabs in PowerPoint

Product: PowerPoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Using PowerPoint after installing third-party add-ins or templates.
Observed behavior: Certain ribbon tabs are displayed in Chinese, usually caused by external third-party add-ins like Office PLUS or PDF Toolbox, while the rest of the application remains in English.

Before you start

Before modifying your PowerPoint settings, identify if you have recently installed any external applications, such as a PDF converter or template library, as these often add custom tabs to the Office ribbon automatically.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable the Third-Party COM Add-ins

This is the most effective solution, as it completely unloads the external software responsible for generating the Chinese tabs in your PowerPoint interface.

Third-party software integrations use COM Add-ins to attach custom features directly to PowerPoint. Disabling the specific add-in will instantly remove its associated Chinese ribbon tab without deleting your local presentation files.

Open PowerPoint Options

Launch PowerPoint. Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the left sidebar.

Navigate to Add-ins Management

In the PowerPoint Options dialog box, click on 'Add-ins' in the left menu. Look at the bottom of the window for the 'Manage' dropdown.

Disable the Add-in

Select 'COM Add-ins' from the Manage dropdown menu and click the 'Go...' button. Uncheck the box next to any unfamiliar add-ins or those explicitly named in Chinese (e.g., Office PLUS, PDF Toolbox), then click 'OK'.

Restart PowerPoint: Close and reopen PowerPoint for the changes to fully take effect. The Chinese ribbon tab should now be gone.

Solution 2

Hide the Custom Ribbon Tabs

Use this method if you still want the third-party add-in running in the background but simply want to hide its Chinese tab from your workspace.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Chinese tabs suddenly appear in my PowerPoint?

This usually happens when you install third-party software, such as a PDF converter, screen recorder, or a template library like Office PLUS. These programs automatically install PowerPoint add-ins that have hardcoded Chinese tab names.

Can I translate the Chinese tab into English instead of removing it?

Generally, no. The text displayed on ribbon tabs injected by third-party add-ins is hardcoded by the software developers. Unless the developer offers an English version of that specific add-in, you cannot translate the tab name directly in PowerPoint.

Will disabling the add-in delete my presentation files?

No. Disabling a COM add-in only stops the third-party tool from integrating its features into your PowerPoint interface. Your .pptx files, slides, and standard PowerPoint features remain completely safe and unaffected.

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