simplifying the sharepoint command bar
added 21st Feb 2025
updated 28th Feb 2025
Introduction
The default SharePoint command bar when viewing a list or library contains really an excessive amount of buttons, most of which are not useful for the general audience. These buttons also change when you select one or more file. For those who aren't familiar with SharePoint, trying to find the right option amongst these when all they want is to create or edit some files can be difficult, especially as some useful actions are hidden in the overflow dropdown.
These actions also show up in the right-click menu for individual files.
Command Bar Customisation
Thankfully SharePoint JSON view formatting allows for customising the command bar to an extent.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/dev/declarative-customization/view-commandbar-formatting
You'll want to be in the Format view section where there's a commandBarProps.command property that accepts an array of command customisation objects. Each object requires the key of the command. There's a number of customisation options available, but the only ones we need to focus on now is the hide option.
Available Command Keys
If we look at the given JSON schema, it lists out the various keys (commands) available. However, this list doesn't seem to be up-to-date and there are some additional undocumented keys as you'll see later.
https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/sp/v2/command-bar-formatting.schema.json
Schema Keys
- new
- newFolder
- newWordDocument
- newExcelWorkbook
- newPowerPointPresentation
- newOneNoteNotebook
- newFormsForExcel
- newVisioDrawing
- upload
- uploadFile
- uploadFolder
- open
- share
- copyLink
- download
- rename
- copyTo
- moveTo
- delete
- edit
- comment
- editNewMenu
- powerBI
- powerBIVisualizeList
- automate
- automateCreateRule
- automateManageRules
- powerAutomate
- powerAutomateCreateFlow
- powerAutomateSeeFlows
- powerAutomateConfigureFlows
- aiBuilderCreate
- aiBuilderGoto
- aiBuilder
- alertMe
- newLink
- integrate
- manageAlert
- powerApps
- powerAppsCreateApp
- powerAppsSeeAllApps
- powerAppsCustomizeForms
- viewDocumentUnderstandingModels
- versionHistory
- openInImmersiveReader
- classifyAndExtract
- checkOut
- checkIn
- undoCheckOut
- properties
- pinItem
- exportExcel
- exportCSV
- export
- editInGridView
- sync
- uploadTemplate
- addTemplate
- openInOfficeOnline
- openInOfficeClient
- addShortcut
- pinToQuickAccess
- unpinFromQuickAccess
Hiding Items
When simplifying the command bar, I like to start by hiding all the available options, and then only unhiding the ones that users need. This simplified view gets sets at the default view, and I can always create another view with the default command bar for the odd times I do need to use the other commands.
The following snippet is the JSON required to hide all the command buttons with keys listed in the schema. This also affects the right-click menu for files.
{
"$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/sp/v2/row-formatting.schema.json",
"commandBarProps": {
"commands": [
{
"hide": true,
"key": "new"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newFolder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newWordDocument"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newExcelWorkbook"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newPowerPointPresentation"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newOneNoteNotebook"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newFormsForExcel"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newVisioDrawing"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "upload"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadFile"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadFolder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "open"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "share"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "copyLink"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "download"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "rename"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "copyTo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "moveTo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "delete"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "edit"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "comment"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "editNewMenu"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerBI"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerBIVisualizeList"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automateCreateRule"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automateManageRules"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateCreateFlow"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateSeeFlows"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateConfigureFlows"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilderCreate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilderGoto"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "alertMe"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newLink"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "integrate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "manageAlert"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerApps"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsCreateApp"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsSeeAllApps"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsCustomizeForms"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "viewDocumentUnderstandingModels"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "versionHistory"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInImmersiveReader"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "classifyAndExtract"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "checkOut"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "checkIn"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "undoCheckOut"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "properties"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "pinItem"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exportExcel"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exportCSV"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "export"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "editInGridView"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "sync"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadTemplate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addTemplate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInOfficeOnline"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInOfficeClient"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addShortcut"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "pinToQuickAccess"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "unpinFromQuickAccess"
}
]
}
}If you apply the JSON above though, you'll see that most items in the command bar are removed, but not all. This applies to the command bar both with and without files selected.
Undocumented Command Keys
For the remaining commands, some can still be hidden. If you inspect element on them, you can see that each button has several IDs.
<button
data-id="createCopilot"
data-automationid="createCopilotCommand"
data-actions="[{'key':'cmdbar-itm-click','data':'createCopilot'}]"
></button>It seems that using data-id as the key in the view JSON works to hide some items. These are case-sensitive.
The following command buttons can show up in different scenarios, such as whether its a SharePoint library or list, if files are selected, and also the type of the selected file.
Known Commands and Their Keys
| Command Bar Item | Key |
|---|---|
 | PinToQuickAccessCommand |
 | createCopilot |
 | addShortcutToOneDriveCommand |
 | syncCommand |
 | UploadCommand |
 | newComposite |
 | propertiesCommand |
 | stasherContextMenuCommand |
 | favoriteCommand |
 | pinItemCommand |
 | previewFileCommand |
 | manageForms |
 | undo |
 | redo |
 | exitGridView |
 | approveReject |
 | PublishCommand |
 | addToPlaylistCommand |
Here's an updated JSON with the additional undocumented command keys hidden.
{
"$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/sp/v2/row-formatting.schema.json",
"commandBarProps": {
"commands": [
{
"hide": true,
"key": "new"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newFolder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newWordDocument"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newExcelWorkbook"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newPowerPointPresentation"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newOneNoteNotebook"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newFormsForExcel"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newVisioDrawing"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "upload"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadFile"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadFolder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "open"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "share"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "copyLink"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "download"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "rename"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "copyTo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "moveTo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "delete"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "edit"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "comment"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "editNewMenu"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerBI"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerBIVisualizeList"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automateCreateRule"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automateManageRules"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateCreateFlow"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateSeeFlows"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateConfigureFlows"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilderCreate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilderGoto"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "alertMe"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newLink"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "integrate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "manageAlert"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerApps"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsCreateApp"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsSeeAllApps"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsCustomizeForms"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "viewDocumentUnderstandingModels"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "versionHistory"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInImmersiveReader"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "classifyAndExtract"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "checkOut"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "checkIn"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "undoCheckOut"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "properties"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "pinItem"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exportExcel"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exportCSV"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "export"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "editInGridView"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "sync"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadTemplate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addTemplate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInOfficeOnline"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInOfficeClient"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addShortcut"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "pinToQuickAccess"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "unpinFromQuickAccess"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "PinToQuickAccessCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "createCopilot"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addShortcutToOneDriveCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "syncCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "UploadCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newComposite"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "propertiesCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "stasherContextMenuCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "favoriteCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "pinItemCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "previewFileCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "manageForms"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "undo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "redo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exitGridView"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "approveReject"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "PublishCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addToPlaylistCommand"
}
]
}
}With that JSON applied, you can see it clears the current command bar. Microsoft could always change or add more buttons in the future though.
From here you can unhide and move around the buttons you actually want to see.
Example Configuration
Here's an example config that I like to use for basic file interactions. It lets users easily create, upload, and check-in/out their documents but hides everything else they don't need.
{
"$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/sp/v2/row-formatting.schema.json",
"commandBarProps": {
"commands": [
{
"key": "newComposite",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 1
},
{
"key": "UploadCommand",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 2
},
{
"key": "open",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 3
},
{
"key": "checkOut",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 4
},
{
"key": "checkIn",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 4
},
{
"key": "undoCheckOut",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 5
},
{
"key": "download",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 6
},
{
"key": "propertiesCommand",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 7
},
{
"key": "versionHistory",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Primary",
"position": 8
},
{
"key": "pinItemCommand",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Overflow"
},
{
"key": "favoriteCommand",
"hide": false,
"sectionType": "Overflow"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "new"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newFolder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newWordDocument"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newExcelWorkbook"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newPowerPointPresentation"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newOneNoteNotebook"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newFormsForExcel"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newVisioDrawing"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "upload"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadFile"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadFolder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "share"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "copyLink"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "rename"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "copyTo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "moveTo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "delete"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "edit"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "comment"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "editNewMenu"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerBI"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerBIVisualizeList"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automateCreateRule"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "automateManageRules"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateCreateFlow"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateSeeFlows"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAutomateConfigureFlows"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilderCreate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilderGoto"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "aiBuilder"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "alertMe"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "newLink"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "integrate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "manageAlert"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerApps"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsCreateApp"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsSeeAllApps"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "powerAppsCustomizeForms"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "viewDocumentUnderstandingModels"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInImmersiveReader"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "classifyAndExtract"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "properties"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "pinItem"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exportExcel"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exportCSV"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "export"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "editInGridView"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "sync"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "uploadTemplate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addTemplate"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInOfficeOnline"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "openInOfficeClient"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addShortcut"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "pinToQuickAccess"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "unpinFromQuickAccess"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "PinToQuickAccessCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "createCopilot"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addShortcutToOneDriveCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "syncCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "stasherContextMenuCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "manageForms"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "undo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "redo"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "exitGridView"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "approveReject"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "PublishCommand"
},
{
"hide": true,
"key": "addToPlaylistCommand"
}
]
}
}