How to Type Upside Down Letters & Backwards Text

Distorted text can make your documents more visually interesting.

Sometimes, when creating a word-processing document, you might want to do unusual things with your text -- such as reversing or flipping it. For instance, reversed or flipped text can create visual interest on a poster, banner or flier. Also, backwards text may be useful for practical reasons, such as when creating a T-shirt transfer. Microsoft Word has no way to reverse text directly, but its WordArt tool allows you to apply these and other visual effects to text in an image box.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Word

Instructions

1. While in your document, open the Insert menu, then click Picture, then WordArt.

2. Choose a WordArt style. If you merely wish to flip or reverse text, choose a simple style that keeps the letters in a horizontal row.

3. Choose a font, type size and whether you want bold or italic type. Then type your text in the box below and click "OK." A box will be created in your document with your text in the chosen WordArt style.

4. Click on the text to turn on the box around it.

5. Click and drag a corner of the text box to flip or reverse it. To flip, drag a corner vertically across the text; to reverse, drag the corner horizontally across the text. Practice until you get the look you want.

6. Press Return. The text box will be placed in your document and can then be manipulated like any other image in a document.

Tips & Warnings

• Once the text box is created, clicking on it will bring up a WordArt toolbar with a number of other formatting options. Here, you can change the text color, the fill, etc.

References

• Microsoft Office: Use WordArt To Produce Special Text Effects
• Microsoft Answers: Old Style Word Art In Word 2010?