Excel 2013

Working with the Excel environment

If you've previously used Excel 2010 or 2007, Excel 2013 will feel very familiar. It continues to use features like the Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar, where you will find commands to perform common tasks in Excel, as well as Backstage view.

The Ribbon

Excel 2013 uses a tabbed Ribbon system instead of traditional menus. The Ribbon contains multiple tabs, each with several groups of commands. You will use these tabs to perform the most common tasks in Excel.

Click the arrows in the slideshow below to learn more about the different commands available within each tab on the Ribbon.

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  The Home tab gives you access to some of the most commonly used commands for working with data in Excel 2013, including copy and paste, formatting, and number styles. The Home tab is selected by default whenever you open Excel.

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  The Insert tab allows you to insert charts, tables, sparklines, filters, and more, which can help you visualize and communicate your workbook data graphically.

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  The Page Layout tab allows you to change the print formatting of your workbook, including margin width, page orientation, and themes. These commands will be especially helpful when preparing to print a workbook. 

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  The Formulas tab gives you access to the most commonly used functions and formulas in Excel. These commands will help you calculate and analyze numerical data, like averages and percentages. 

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  The Data tab makes it easy to sort and filter information in your workbook, which can be especially helpful if your project contains a large amount of data.

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  You can use the Review tab to access Excel's powerful editing features, including comments and track changes. These features make it easy to share and collaborate on workbooks.

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  The View tab allows you to switch between different views for your workbook and freeze panes for easy viewing. These commands will also be helpful when preparing to print a workbook.

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  Contextual tabs will appear on the Ribbon when working with certain items, like tables and pictures. These tabs contain special command groups that can help you format these items as needed.

Certain programs, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, may install additional tabs to the Ribbon. These tabs are called Add-ins.

To minimize and maximize the Ribbon:

The Ribbon is designed to respond to your current task, but you can choose to minimize it if you find that it takes up too much screen space.

1. Click the Ribbon Display Options arrow in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon.
   
   Ribbon Display options
2. Select the desired minimizing option from the drop-down menu:
   
   • Auto-hide Ribbon: Auto-hide displays your workbook in full-screen mode and completely hides the Ribbon. To show the Ribbon, click the Expand Ribbon command at the top of screen. 
     
     Auto-hiding the Ribbon
   • Show Tabs: This option hides all command groups when not in use, but tabs will remain visible. To show the Ribbon, simply click a tab.
     
     Showing only Ribbon tabs
   • Show Tabs and Commands: This option maximizes the Ribbon. All of the tabs and commands will be visible. This option is selected by default when you open Excel for the first time.
     
     

To learn how to add custom tabs and commands to the Ribbon, review our Extra on Customizing the Ribbon.

To learn how to use the Ribbon with touch-screen devices, review our Extra on Enabling Touch Mode.