Customize Toolbars

Customizes, displays, or hides toolbars.

You can position toolbars and set their visibility based on the document type (part, assembly, or drawing). You can also set which toolbars are visible when no documents are open.

You can click Reset to Defaults to reset the user interface customizations. You can:
  • Reset all options on the Toolbars tab to the factory defaults.
  • Reset the CommandManager to the factory defaults.
  • Reset all customizations on all tabs to the factory defaults.

To specify which toolbars appear for part, assembly, or drawing documents:

  1. Open a part, assembly, or drawing document.
  2. Click Tools > Customize, or right-click in the window border and select Customize.
  3. On the Toolbars tab, select the toolbars to display, and clear the toolbars to hide. Your selections apply to the type of SOLIDWORKS document that is active.
    On the Shortcut Bars or Commands tabs, you can search for a command to identify the toolbar that contains the command.
  4. To enable the CommandManager, select Enable CommandManager.
    To include large buttons with text for the CommandManager tools, select Use large buttons with text .
  5. Click OK.

Specifying Which Toolbars Appear When No Document Is Open

To specify which toolbars appear when no document is open:

  1. Close all documents.
  2. Right-click in the window border, click Toolbars, and select or clear a toolbar.
    You cannot access Tools > Customize when all documents are closed.

Displaying the Context Toolbar

In addition to setting options for default context toolbar visibility, you can specify the visibility of context toolbars for relevant standard mates and configurations.

To display the context toolbar:

  1. Open a part, assembly, or drawing document.
  2. Click Tools > Customize, or right-click in the window border and select Customize.
  3. On the Toolbars tab, under Context toolbar, select options:
    Option Description
    Show on selection Displays the context toolbars when you select a feature in the graphics area or FeatureManager design tree.
    Show quick configurations Provides a context toolbar access to configurations for selected components or subassemblies.
    Show quick mates Provides a context toolbar for quick specification of appropriate standard mates for your component selections.
    Show flip alignment and lock rotation after quick mates Displays the flip alignment and lock rotation options after you create a mate from the Quick Mates context toolbar.
    Show in shortcut menu Displays the context toolbar when you right-click a feature to display a shortcut menu.
  4. Click OK.

Setting Tooltips and Icon Size Options

You can enable tooltips, display detailed tooltips, and set display size options from the Customize dialog box.

To set tooltip or size options:

  1. Open a part, assembly, or drawing document.
  2. Click Tools > Customize, or right-click in the window border and select Customize.
  3. On the Toolbars tab, select options:
    1. Under Tooltips, select Show tooltips and select an option:
      Large tooltips with images Displays a brief description with the tooltip. Some tooltips may include an image or short animation.
      Large tooltips without images Displays a brief description with the tooltip.
      Small tooltips Displays the tool name.
    2. Under Icon size, select a size.
      Select the larger size when running the SOLIDWORKS software on machines with high-resolution displays or to facilitate tool selection when using a touch interface.

      For low-resolution displays, the software automatically adds scrollbars and resizes dialog boxes.

    To help selection on touch devices such as tablets, you can enable Touch Mode , available under View. You can also set up the larger size for icons by selecting Button Size from the Options flyout menu (Standard toolbar).
  4. Click OK.

Freezing the Current Layout of Docked Toolbars

An option in the Customize dialog box lets you freeze the current status (docked or undocked) of toolbars and the CommandManager so you do not accidentally move them.

To freeze the current layout of docked toolbars:

  1. Click Tools > Customize or right-click in the window border and click Customize.
  2. On the Toolbars tab, select Lock CommandManager and toolbars.
    If the CommandManager and toolbars are docked when you select the option, you cannot undock them.

    If they are undocked when you select the option, you cannot dock them.

  3. Click OK.

Displaying the Quick Access Tools

You can display Quick Access Tools in the Menu Bar or in the CommandManager.

To display the Quick Access Tools:

  1. Open a part, assembly, or drawing document.
  2. Click Tools > Customize, or right-click in the window border and select Customize.
  3. On the Toolbars tab, under Quick Access Tools, select options:
    Option Description
    Show in the Menu Bar Displays the Quick Access Tools in the Menu Bar.
    Show in the CommandManager Displays the Quick Access Tools on the left side of the CommandManager.
    You cannot turn off Quick Access Tools. For more information, see Menu Bar.