Switching from MS Office to LibreOffice can feel challenging, especially when accustomed to Microsoft’s polished interface and compatibility. LibreOffice is a powerful, open-source office suite that offers an excellent alternative. However, differences in the user interface, file compatibility, and visibility issues can make the transition tricky. Our guide will show you how to optimize LibreOffice to look and behave like Microsoft Office.
Let’s start!
What Is LibreOffice?
LibreOffice is an open-source office suite, originally forked from Apache OpenOffice. It includes essential tools like:
- Writer: A word processor similar to Microsoft Word.
- Calc: A spreadsheet program like Excel.
- Impress: A presentation tool for creating slideshows.
- Draw: A vector graphics editor that resembles Microsoft Visio.
- Math: For creating complex mathematical formulas.
- Base: A database management tool, similar to Microsoft Access.
You can download LibreOffice from its official website and on Linux you can find it in your distro’s package manager. While it supports regular menus by default, you can easily modify it to use a tabbed interface similar to Microsoft Office.
1 Switch to the Tabbed View!
LibreOffice’s default menu system feels outdated compared to Microsoft’s tabbed interface. However, you can switch to the tabbed view.
During the first setup, or by going to View > User Interface, select the “Tabbed” option. Apply this change to the entire suite or specific applications, depending on your preference.
If you use dark mode on Linux, ensure proper visibility by adjusting the icon theme.
2 Optimize Visibility
In dark mode, icons in LibreOffice might turn white – which can reduce visibility. Fix this by downloading the Caliber icon theme under Options > View. This theme mimics the look of Microsoft Office and improves clarity in both light and dark modes.
For fractional scaling, try the SVG-based icons. These might work better on certain displays. Test them and choose what suits you best.
3 Enable Automatic Scrolling
On Linux, the middle mouse button pastes text by default instead of enabling auto-scroll. This can be frustrating when reviewing lengthy documents. Change this behavior in Mouse Settings, so the middle click activates automatic scrolling, making navigation smoother.
4 Customizing Tabs and Toolbars in LibreOffice
When you explore each tab in LibreOffice, you might notice some elements missing. These features aren’t gone; many are hidden under the dropdown menu on the right. To make your workflow easier, customize the tabs and toolbars.
First, open the customization options. Go to the “Notebookbar,” where you can enable or disable elements. Choose a specific tab, like “Home,” and toggle the settings. However, you can’t rearrange items freely yet. This feature seems to be under development. Currently, it works best with LibreOffice Writer.
When you are ready to return to the default interface, you can customize everything through the “Menus” tab.
Customize Toolbars for Quick Access in LibreOffice!
Toolbars are fully customizable and easy to use. Start with a template, adjust the elements, or create your own. Right-click to unlock and pin the toolbar to any edge of the screen. The best part? These toolbars stay the same across all tabs. Set them up with your most-used tools, and access them anytime without searching.
5 Fonts and File Formats
Choosing the right file format is important when sharing files or using cloud storage. For compatibility, you can save your documents in Microsoft Office formats instead of the default OpenDocument format.
Set this as the default in LibreOffice Options > Load and Save > General.
While you’re there, adjust the auto-save and backup settings to prevent data loss. For example, enable automatic backups or set a timer for regular saves. Also, check your language and locale settings. Ensure that dates, currencies, and formats are displayed correctly.
For fonts, go to LibreOffice Writer Settings > Basic Fonts (Western). Set a default font that works best for your needs. If you collaborate with Microsoft Office users, consider installing Microsoft fonts for better compatibility.
Enable the “Word-compatible trailing blanks” option to avoid spacing issues. This option helps maintain consistent formatting when sharing documents.
6 LibreOffice Calc: Useful Tips
In LibreOffice Calc, you can customize the right-click menu to make your work easier. If you don’t need certain elements or want to change their order, adjust the menu to fit your needs.
Another useful tip in LibreOffice Calc is importing CSV files. You don’t need to drag and drop them like in other programs. Just open your file as a sheet, and you’re good to go.
When working with data, you can filter columns using the auto filter tool. It will help you to quickly sort through large datasets. Also, create formulas using the input browser, making it easier to perform calculations and automate tasks.
LibreOffice Calc also features a table style option under the “Layout” tab, similar to Microsoft Excel. Use it to format your tables for clearer presentation and organization!
7 Cloud Storage and Collaboration
LibreOffice supports saving files directly to cloud storage.
Connect your Google Drive or OneDrive through your desktop environment. While remote access options exist, they might not work perfectly across all setups. Currently, real-time collaboration isn’t fully supported. However, experimental features in LibreOffice Calc show promise for future updates.
How to Convert Documents to ODT Format Online?
The Online Convert’s document converter lets you easily convert files to the LibreOffice ODT format.
Just upload your document and download it in ODT format instantly!
Document converter also supports OCR to convert scanned pages into editable text. For the best results, select all the languages in your file.
In Conclusion
LibreOffice may not completely match Microsoft Office, but it offers powerful features. It may take some time to adjust to the layout and tools, but once you set up your menus, toolbars, and preferences, the workflow becomes intuitive and efficient!
For beginners or occasional users, LibreOffice is more than enough. It’s an excellent, free alternative to paid office suites. Give it a try!
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