Creating a Text Box

Usually you use the title, subtitle , and bulleted list placeholders to place text on a slide. However, when you want to add text outside one of the standard placeholders, such as for an annotation to a slide or chart, you can create a text box. Text boxes appear in all views and panes, except in the Outline pane. Your text box doesn't have to be rectangular ”you can also use one of PowerPoint's AutoShapes, a collection of shapes that range from rectangles and circles to arrows and stars. When you place text in an AutoShape, the text becomes part of the AutoShape. You can also orient text in text boxes, table cells , and AutoShapes vertically instead of horizontally.

Create a Text Box

In Normal view, click the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Drawing if necessary.

Click the Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar.

To add text that wraps, drag to create a box, and then start typing. To add text that doesn't wrap, click and then start typing.

Click outside the selection box to deselect the text box.

Did You Know?

You can use the sizing handles to adjust text boxes . If you create a text box without word wrapping and then find that the text spills over the edge of your slide, use the sizing handles to resize the text box so it fits on your slide. The text then wraps to the size of the box.

You can edit a text box . Click the text box, and then select the text you want to edit. Edit the text, and then click outside the text box to deselect it.

Add Text to an AutoShape

Click the AutoShapes button on the Drawing toolbar.

Point to the shape category you want to use.

Click the shape you want.

Drag to draw the shape on your slide.

Type your text.

Change Text Orientation

In Normal view, select the text box, AutoShape, or table cell you want to change.

Click the Format menu, and then click Text Box, AutoShape, or Table.

Click the Text Box tab.

To change orientation, select the Rotate Text Within AutoShape By 90 ° check box.

To change the way text appears in a shape, select the Word Wrap Text In AutoShape check box or the Resize AutoShape To Fit Text check box.

Click OK.