Office Settings & Configuration

How to Transfer Excel Ribbon Settings to Another Computer

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to copy customized menus, ribbons, and interface settings from one computer to another.

How to Transfer Excel Ribbon Settings to Another Computer

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows 10
Scenario: Migrating a personalized workspace configuration to a new computer running the same software version.
Observed behavior: Needs to seamlessly replicate customized ribbon and menu layouts on a different machine without manually configuring them again.

Before you start

Ensure both computers are running the exact same version of Excel to avoid compatibility issues when importing the settings file.

Solution 1Recommended

Export and Import Ribbon Customizations via Excel Options

This is the most straightforward and officially supported method to transfer ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar settings.

Excel provides a built-in feature to export all your ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar customizations into a single UI file, which can then be imported on another machine.

Open Excel Options

Launch Excel on your original Windows 10 computer, click on 'File' in the top-left corner, and select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.

Export the Customizations

In the Excel Options window, click on 'Customize Ribbon' in the left pane. At the bottom right of the window, click the 'Import/Export' button and choose 'Export all customizations'. Save the resulting .exportedUI file to a USB drive or cloud storage.

Import on the New Computer

Transfer the saved file to your new computer. Open Excel, navigate to File > Options > Customize Ribbon, click 'Import/Export', choose 'Import customization file', and select your transferred file.

Export and Import Ribbon Customizations via Excel Options

Customizations Restored: Once imported, your new computer will instantly reflect the exact ribbon layout and Quick Access Toolbar settings from your previous setup.

Solution 2

Transfer the Excel.xlb Configuration File

Use this method for older customizations or legacy menu configurations stored locally on the computer.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will importing ribbon settings overwrite the existing layout on my new computer?

Yes, when you import a UI customization file, it completely replaces the current ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar configurations on the target machine with the settings from the imported file.

Do I need to export my customized macros separately?

Yes. The ribbon customization export only saves the interface layout (the buttons). If those custom buttons trigger macros, you must also transfer the workbook containing those macros, such as your Personal Macro Workbook (PERSONAL.XLSB).

What exactly does the Excel15.xlb file do?

The .xlb file is a configuration file used by Excel to store custom toolbar settings and legacy menu configurations. Transferring this file helps ensure older or specific local customizations are properly migrated when standard UI export options miss them.

Why do my custom ribbon buttons show a default icon after transferring?

This usually happens if the macros or external add-ins assigned to those custom buttons were not transferred or are located in a different file path on the new computer. Ensure all linked files and add-ins are placed in identical directory paths.

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