If you are coming from Microsoft Office, the default LibreOffice interface—with its stacks of small toolbars—can feel like a time machine back to 2003. It’s functional, but it’s not what modern users are used to. The good news? LibreOffice has a hidden “Ribbon” mode (officially called the NotebookBar) that mimics the familiar tabbed layout of Word 365 almost perfectly. Here is how to enable it and polish the look with compatible icons.
Step 1: Enable the “Tabbed” User Interface This is the single biggest change you can make. It organizes your tools into tabs like Home, Insert, and Layout.
- Open LibreOffice Writer.
- Go to the menu View > User Interface.
- Select Tabbed from the list.
- Click Apply to All (this ensures Excel/Calc and PowerPoint/Impress look the same).
- Note: If you ever need to switch back, click the “Hamburger” menu icon (three lines) on the far right of the Home tab and select User Interface > Standard Toolbar.
Step 2: Install the “Office 2013” Icon Theme The interface structure is now correct, but the icons might still look “Linux-y” or cartoonish. You need a flat, modern icon pack.
- Go to Tools > Options (or Alt+F12).
- Navigate to LibreOffice > View.
- Look for Icon Theme.
- Select Colibre (this is the default Windows-style theme).
- Pro Tip: If you want an even closer match, search for the “Office 2013 Icon Theme for LibreOffice” extension (.oxt file) online. Once downloaded, double-click to install, restart LibreOffice, and select it from this same menu.
Step 3: Fix the Fonts (The Invisible Tweak) Microsoft Word defaults to Calibri or Aptos. LibreOffice defaults to Liberation Serif. Changing this subtle detail tricks your brain into feeling “at home.”
- Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Writer > Basic Fonts (Western).
- Change the “Default” and “Heading” fonts to Calibri or Segoe UI.
- Click Apply.