Selecting Objects Using the Selection Pane

Sometimes it's hard to select an object when it is behind another one. With the Selection task pane (New!), you can now select individual objects and change their order and visibility. When you open the Selection task pane, PowerPoint lists each shape on the current slide by name (in terms of object type). You can click a shape title to select a "hard-to-select" object on the slide, use the Re-order buttons to change the stacking order on the slide, or click the eye icon next to a shape title to show or hide "hard-to-see" individual objects.

Select Objects Using the Selection Pane

Display the slides with the objects you want to select.

Click the Format tab under Drawing or Picture Tools.

Click the Selection Pane button.

Titles for all the shapes on the current slide appear in the task pane.

To select an object, click the title in the task pane.

To change the order of the objects, select an object, and then click the Bring Forward or Send Back buttons in the task pane.

To show or hide individual objects, click the eye icon in the task pane.

When you're done, click the Close button on the task pane.