PowerPoint Tutorial: How to Add Tools to Quick Access Toolbar in PowerPoint

Even though PowerPoint has been around for over two decades, there are scores of us who still struggle with it. PowerPoint has scores of tools and shortcuts that have been designed to help users get things done faster and smarter. Yet many of us do things the long and winded way, spending too much time on navigating PowerPoint. Eventually, we end up not being able to do enough with either the presentation or the content.

Lets learn how to add tools to your Quick Access Toolbar. In this example we are going to add the Combine Shapes Tool. By default, the Quick Access Toolbar can be found across the top of the ribbon.

To begin, let’s bring it down below the ribbon for a better view. Right Click anywhere on the Ribbon and select “Show Quick Access Toolbar Below the Ribbon“.
You should have something like this by now. It may look a little different if you don’t already have too many tools on your toolbar.
Now lets add the Combine and Shape Tool on your toolbar.
To do this, right click on the bar and select “Customize Quick Access Toolbar…“
A dialog box will appear. Here, on “Choose command from” dropdown, select, “All commands“. This will show all the tools available on your PowerPoint.
Scroll down and search for “Combine Shapes“. Once you have located it, select and click “Add” to add it to your toolbar. As shown in the image, it will be added on the right side of the box. Next, click OK.
You should have something like this by now with the Combine Shapes tool appearing on your tool bar with a small downward arrow on the right side of the icon.
Click on the icon and now you have the Combine Shapes tool on your tool bar.