PowerPoint 2013
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Shapes and WordArt
Formatting shapes and text boxes
PowerPoint allows you to modify shapes and text boxes in a variety of ways so you can tailor them to your projects. You can change shapes and text boxes into a different shapes, format their style and color, and add shadow effects.
To change to a different shape:
- Select the shape or text box you want to change. The Format tab will appear.
- On the Format tab, click the Edit Shape command. In the menu that appears, hover the mouse over Change Shape and select the desired shape.
Changing a shape
- The new shape will appear.
The new shape
To change the shape style:
Choosing a Shape Style allows you to apply preset colors and effects to quickly change the appearance of your shape or text box.
- Select the shape or text box you want to change.
- On the Format tab, click the More drop-down arrow in the Shape Styles group.
Clicking the More drop-down arrow
- A drop-down menu of styles will appear. Select the style you want to use.
Selecting a shape style
- The shape or text box will appear in the selected style.
To change the shape fill color:
- Select the shape or text box you want to change.
- On the Format tab, click the Shape Fill drop-down arrow. The Shape Fill menu appears.
- Move the mouse over the various colors. Select the color you want to use. To view more color options, select More Fill Colors.
Changing the shape fill color
- The shape or text box will appear in the selected color.
If you want to use a different type of fill, select Gradient or Texture from the drop-down menu. You can also select No Fill to make it transparent.
To change the shape outline:
- Select the shape or text box you want to change.
- On the Format tab, click the Shape Outline drop-down arrow. The Shape Outline menu will appear.
- Select the color you want to use. If you want to make the outline transparent, select No Outline.
Changing the shape outline color
- The shape or text box will appear in the selected outline color.
From the drop-down menu, you can change the outline color, weight (thickness), and whether or not it is a dashed line.
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To change shadow effects:
Adding a shadow to a shape can make it appear as though it is floating above the page, and it can help to add contrast between the shape and the background.
- Select the shape or text box you want to change.
- On the Format tab, click the Shape Effects drop-down arrow. In the menu that appears, hover the mouse over Shadow and select the shadow you want to use.
Choosing a shadow type
- The shape will appear with the selected shadow.
To adjust the shadow color, size, and distance, select Shadow Options from the drop-down menu. The Format Shape pane will appear on the right side of the PowerPoint window, allowing you to customize the shadow.
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