How to Manipulate a PowerPoint Text Box

While you can click on a placeholder and enter text directly onto a slide, you can also add text to a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation by inserting a text box. A text box is needed when there is no placeholder where you would like to enter text. This text box will hold your text, and you can manipulate it to change its position and size.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microsoft PowerPoint 2003

1. Start Microsoft PowerPoint. Open an existing presentation that you would like to add a text box to so you can enter text.

2. Choose the "Insert" menu and click on "Text Box," so PowerPoint knows that you want to add a text box.

3. Click on the slide where you would like the text box to begin and drag down with your mouse, creating the box that you want as you drag, releasing the mouse once you have created your text box.

4. Move the text box by clicking on top of the text box and dragging it to its new location with the mouse button held down. When you have your mouse to the new location, release the mouse button to move the text box there.

5. Resize the text box by using your mouse to point to one of the borders. When you do this, you will see a double-headed arrow.

6. Use your mouse to click on one of the text box borders. Drag the border toward the outside of the text box to make the text box bigger or toward the center of the text box to make the text box smaller. Release the mouse button when you have resized the border the way you would like it.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also insert a text box by clicking on the text box icon on the drawing toolbar.