Resetting Dynamic Menus

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 6, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2000, 2002, and 2003

One of the new features introduced in Excel 2000 (and carried forward through Excel 2003) is something I call "dynamic menus." This means that Excel keeps track of which menu options you use the most, and these are the options it presents you. If you want to see all the menu options, you need to hover the mouse pointer over the menu for a few seconds, or click on the down-pointing arrows at the bottom of any menu.

If you want to reset the dynamic menus, so that Excel starts keeping track of your usage all over again, you can use these steps:

  1. Choose Customize from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Customize dialog box.
  2. Make sure the Options tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

    3. Figure 1. The Options tab of the Customize dialog box.

  3. Click the Reset My Usage Data button. (In Excel 2003 click the Reset Menu and Toolbar Usage Data button.)
  4. Click on OK.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2983) applies to Microsoft Excel 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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