在计算机显示器的图形用户界面上，工具栏放置了界面按钮、图标、菜单或其它输入/输出元素。

早期的工具栏样式和功能由进程员定义，因此带按钮的工具栏与一排按钮之间没什幺区别。大部分现代进程和操作系统，允许终端用户根据个人需要自定义工具栏，对工具栏中的按钮等项目进行添加、删除和调整位置。例如GNOME和KDE桌面环境的皮肤就是很好的自定义工具栏，这些皮肤的功能从应用进程的可扩展菜单和按钮、窗口列表、通知区域、时钟和资源监控到音量控制以及天气预报控件。

有些应用进程，如图形编辑软件，允许工具栏分离并在窗口或其它工具栏之间移动。工具栏在办公软件套装上很常见，如OpenOffice.org、图形编辑软件以及网页浏览器如Inkscape和Mozilla Firefox。

In computer interface design, a toolbar (previously known as ribbon) is a graphical control element on which on-screen buttons, icons, menus, or other input or output elements are placed. Toolbars are seen in many types of software such as office suites, graphics editors and web browsers. Toolbars are usually distinguished from palettes by their integration into the edges of the screen or larger windows, which results in wasted space if too many underpopulated bars are stacked atop each other (especially horizontal bars on a landscape oriented display) or interface inefficiency if overloaded bars are placed on small windows.