A toolbar is a row of buttons and icons at the top or side of a computer program that gives you quick access to common tools and commands. Instead of digging through menus to find what you need, you can click a button right on the toolbar.

Most word processing programs have toolbars with buttons for saving your document, changing fonts, making text bold or italic, and inserting pictures. Web browsers have toolbars with buttons for going back to the previous page, refreshing, and bookmarking sites you want to remember. Art programs have toolbars filled with brushes, pencils, erasers, and color pickers.

The genius of a toolbar is that it keeps your most-used tools visible and ready. Imagine if a carpenter had to walk to a different room every time they needed a hammer or screwdriver. Instead, they keep their essential tools on a belt or workbench within easy reach. A toolbar works the same way in computer programs.

You can often customize toolbars, adding buttons for features you use frequently and removing ones you don't. Some programs let you move toolbars around the screen or even create your own. Learning where the tools are on a program's toolbar helps you work faster and more efficiently, turning you from a hesitant beginner into someone who knows exactly where to find what they need.