How to Convert a Vertical Visio Flow Chart to a Horizontal

By Maureen Bruen

Updated September 28, 2017

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The page setup options and graphic tool manipulators in Microsoft Visio provide the ability to change the orientation of individual shapes, text labels and more. This method works with any Visio flowchart, but check the final result to make sure the top-to-bottom arrows or left-to-right arrows have been changed to match the new horizontal orientation. The page setup orientation assists with providing the additional width needed when a diagram is changed from vertical to horizontal.

Click "Start > All Programs > Microsoft Office > Microsoft Visio 2003." This starts up the Visio graphics software.

Click "File > Open" and browse to the Visio diagram you want to convert. Click on the Visio file and click the "Open" button in the "Open" dialog box. The Visio diagram is displayed in the window.

Click "File > Page Setup" to see the setup option tabs. Click the "Print Setup" tab, if it is not already displayed. Click the "Landscape" button under the "Printer Paper" section and click "Apply" then "OK". The page is changed from vertical orientation to horizontal orientation.

Click "Ctrl"-"A" and the graphic selection tool is displayed with square access points and one circle access point. Move the cursor to the circle access point and it will change to a rotation symbol. When the cursor changes to the rotation symbol, click and move the cursor in a circle to change the vertical diagram to a horizontal diagram.

Take a good look at your diagram and make sure the top to bottom and left to right arrows are in the appropriate positions. If not, select them and use the circle access point to change the orientation or simply move the items to the appropriate positions. If you used rectangles select each rectangle, move the cursor to the circle access point and rotate it from a vertical to a horizontal position. Repeat these tasks until all of your arrows and all of your graphic shapes are changed from vertical to horizontal orientation.

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