Outlook ribbon customisations do not 'stick'

[Kika Melo]

Operating system::    Windows 11
Outlook version:     2505, build 16.0.188
Email type or host:    Exchange, Microsoft 365

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I have seen a few threads elsewhere on this, but none provides a truly working clarification and solution.
Simply put -- I am looking for ways to make customized edits (remove some options, add others, etc.) to my MS Office Outlook ribbon stick, i.e., remain saved and implemented. For example, I don't need nor want "Find Time" or "Dictate", etc. However, I go and customise that ribbon, save it and, for no identifiable reason (on the same session or after launching a new Outlook session), that customisation is gone and the default settings with those unwanted entries are back on the ribbon. Why does this happen and how can I cure it for good?

[I am using MS Outlook 365, ver 2505, build 16.0.18827.20102, 64-bit from a University Exchange server.]

 

[Hornblower409]

Don't have a fix. But this might help you debug.

Office UI Customizations are in:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office

See Backing up all Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) customizations at once - Robert 365 for more details.

Could something be stopping your Outlook from updating those files?

 

[Hornblower409]

Running into a Group Policy that is blocking changes or rolling them back?
How to customize Outlook ribbon for multiple users via group policy or registry - Microsoft Q&A

Using any sort of Remote Access involved?
e.g. Citrix How to Save the Toolbar Customization on the User Profile Manager Store

 

[Hornblower409]

Same problem in other Office programs?

 

[Kika Melo]

Don't have a fix. But this might help you debug.

Office UI Customizations are in:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office

See Backing up all Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) customizations at once - Robert 365 for more details.

Could something be stopping your Outlook from updating those files?

Thank you very much for all the comments and suggestions you sent me, Hornblower!
I will look into all of them shortly, starting with the post by Robert 365.
Will definitely report back as soon as!

 

[Kika Melo]

Don't have a fix. But this might help you debug.

Office UI Customizations are in:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office

See Backing up all Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) customizations at once - Robert 365 for more details.

Could something be stopping your Outlook from updating those files?

I cannot think of anything which would be preventing Outlook from updating the files. They seem to be updated after I do the changes, in the sense that those changes are applied and become functional. However, they eventually disappear and the Ribbon reverts to showing all the rubbish (for my purposes) that MS insists on showing there.

 

[Kika Melo]

Same problem in other Office programs?

I have not done changes to the Ribbon in the other MS Office programs

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Removing office web add-ins from the toolbar doesn't work - they sync back down after a restart. But you shouldn't have find time - it was retired.

Better is to create custom ribbons with the buttons you want. Put it before home tab and it should display first when you start outlook.

 

[Kika Melo]

Removing office web add-ins from the toolbar doesn't work - they sync back down after a restart. But you shouldn't have find time - it was retired.

Better is to create custom ribbons with the buttons you want. Put it before home tab and it should display first when you start outlook.

Thanks, Diane. However, I don't think I am trying to remove 'web add-ins from the toolbar'!? What do you mean by this? Please give me an example, as we may be talking of the same thing using different terminology.
What I am trying to customise, i.e., remove, are entries under the Main Tabs, under 'Customise the Classic Ribbon'. These are not 'web add-ins' are they?
Here is a screenshot as an example, if I want to remove 'Attendees' from the Ribbon under Appointments:

If I click 'Remove' and OK, that entry indeed disappears from the Ribbon, but at some point it reappears on the Ribbon (still not sure if only if I close Outlook or also in the same session, when I try to set up another appointment).

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Assuming 1 Microsoft account - File > Info page, at the bottom, click Manage Add-ins. Anything on that list is a web add-in. Find time was a web addin (is now built into outlook as Scheduling poll but is still a web-based app).

This was a Microsoft notification to business admins: The FindTime add-in will stop working and be removed from Outlook for Windows, Web and Mac. Scheduling Poll is the replacement feature, which is built directly into Outlook clients for all users as a native feature.
Introducing Scheduling poll in Outlook! | Microsoft Community Hub


Or, when viewing the inbox - click All Apps. All add-ins under all apps are web add-ins. Unless you have a lot of com add-ins, most of the add-ins on the ribbon after the all apps button are web add-ins.

 

[Kika Melo]

Assuming 1 Microsoft account - File > Info page, at the bottom, click Manage Add-ins. Anything on that list is a web add-in. Find time was a web addin (is now built into outlook as Scheduling poll but is still a web-based app).

This was a Microsoft notification to business admins: The FindTime add-in will stop working and be removed from Outlook for Windows, Web and Mac. Scheduling Poll is the replacement feature, which is built directly into Outlook clients for all users as a native feature.
Introducing Scheduling poll in Outlook! | Microsoft Community Hub


Or, when viewing the inbox - click All Apps. All add-ins under all apps are web add-ins. Unless you have a lot of com add-ins, most of the add-ins on the ribbon after the all apps button are web add-ins.
View attachment 4579

Thanks, Diane.
No, when I click the All Apps on the main Outlook (365, on the windows computer) window (showing Mail), It is empty and says 'You don't have any Apps yet. Select Add Apps to browse and install Apps'. So, this is definitely not part of the issue I am having, which is related to the native features of the Ribbon.

​

My pet hates are:
One Note (Send to OneNote) - I have just closed Outlook, from which I had already removed it many times from the Mail ribbon, and it is back there!
Immersive
Attendees (Calendar)
Teams (Share to Teams)
Zoom (add Zoom meeting)
Skype​

... and a few others which are now out of my sight but from time to time repopulate the respective Ribbon (i.e., under Mail or Calendar).

 

[Hornblower409]

Kika,

>> native features of the Ribbon

Clarification please. Are you trying to remove standard Outlook Ribbon commands? Where "standard" means those commands that are defined by Microsoft? Not ones that you added?

As far as I know, this is not allowed. You can only Hide (uncheck) standard groups. Not remove commands from them.
Customize the ribbon in Office - Microsoft Support

>> I have not done changes to the Ribbon in the other MS Office programs

As a test, please do try and to do similar changes to another Office program ribbon. To see if the problem is only Outlook or any Office program.

>> They seem to be updated after I do the changes, in the sense that those changes are applied

But are the files in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office being updated? i.e. Is the Last Modification time being updated?

 

[Kika Melo]

Kika,

>> native features of the Ribbon

Clarification please. Are you trying to remove standard Outlook Ribbon commands? Where "standard" means those commands that are defined by Microsoft? Not ones that you added?

As far as I know, this is not allowed. You can only Hide (uncheck) standard groups. Not remove commands from them.
Customize the ribbon in Office - Microsoft Support

>> I have not done changes to the Ribbon in the other MS Office programs

As a test, please do try and to do similar changes to another Office program ribbon. To see if the problem is only Outlook or any Office program.

>> They seem to be updated after I do the changes, in the sense that those changes are applied

But are the files in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office being updated? i.e. Is the Last Modification time being updated?

I am trying to remove STANDARD Ribbon commands. It can be done: I successfully do it and the deed shows when I press OK.
What does not work is that the change does not 'stick'. As I explained, the removed commands repopulate the ribbon after variable and unpredictable lengths of time.