MS Office 2007 provides some improvement over MS Office 2003, as well as overall changes in appearance. One of the biggest changes to the appearance in such applications as MS Word and MS PowerPoint is how the menu items are displayed, called "The Ribbon". While the Ribbon helps by grouping similar tasks together under headers that may make more sense to the average user (or not), it takes up a good bit of screen real estate. Once you've learned your way around the Ribbon you may no longer want, or need, to see it in full effect as you are using the application. Users can turn off the Ribbon by going to "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" at the very top of the screen (unless you moved it below the Ribbon) and checking "Minimize the Ribbon". However, this option removes the Ribbon until you uncheck the option again. However, the Ribbon can float in and out only when you need it, with a few mouse-clicks.

To create a “smart” Ribbon view follow these steps: To hide the Ribbon click four times in quick succession (2 double clicks) on the Ribbon tab title (example, in MS Word the tab for “References” or “Review”). The Ribbon will disappear. To see the Ribbon options again for that tab simply click once on the tab and the Ribbon will appear again. Select your option, resume work, and the Ribbon disappears again. To have the Ribbon again show permanently clicks on any Ribbon tab again 4 times in rapid succession (2 double clicks). Get back some of your screen real estate with this tip!