What happened to the File menu?

The new design in Microsoft Office 2010 that includes the File tab replacing the Microsoft Office Button included in the 2007 Microsoft Office system release in the following programs: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook (in the composing and reading windows). The button and the tab replace the File menu that was in some 2007 Microsoft Office system programs and in Microsoft Office 2003 and earlier.

Important:  No option from Microsoft is currently available to switch the user interface back to the File menu, toolbars, and commands as they appeared in some 2007 Microsoft Office system programs and in Microsoft Office 2003 and earlier.

When you click the File tab, you see the same basic commands that were available after you click the Microsoft Office Button or on the File menu in some 2007 Microsoft Office system programs and in Microsoft Office 2003 and earlier. These basic commands include, but are not limited to, Open, Save, and Print. Some commands, such as Import, have been moved to the ribbon.

For more information about the File tab, see What and where is the Microsoft Office Backstage view.