Text boxes let you highlight or bring focus to particular text in a Microsoft Word document. You can pick from a range of preformatted text boxes, or draw and format your own. They’re great for adding things like pull quotes, or perhaps for laying out text and images on things like flyers.

Word has a number of predefined text box styles you can utilize, or you can draw your own. Regardless of which way you create the text box, you can then format it to suit your needs. Here’s how they work.

Place a Built-in Text Box

Switch to the “Insert” tab on Word’s Ribbon, and after that click the “Text Box” button.

This opens a dropdown menu with a selection of predefined text box designs. There are a variety of styles and formatting to choose from, consisting of text boxes with borders, shading, font colors and other attributes. Click one to place it into your file. And do not fret, you’ll have the ability to change the format and colors later.

When you place the text box, the text within is instantly selected, so you can start typing something right now to change that placeholder text.

The predefined text boxes likewise include preselected design alternatives, including their size and positioning on a page. After placing one, it’s easy to resize it or move it to another area. You can drag any of the handles at the 4 corners or sides to resize package. The rotate handle at the top of the box (the circular arrow) lets you rotate package. And to move it elsewhere in your document, simply position your cursor on the edge of the box until you see a four-headed arrow, and then you can drag it anywhere you want.

You can also alter how (and if) routine document text twists around your text box– just like you can with any other shape or things. We’ve got a complete guide on working with photos, shapes, and graphics in Microsoft Word if you’re interested in finding out more about that.

Draw Your Own Text Box

You can also draw your own text box if you currently have a size and placement in mind.

Switch to the “Insert” tab on Word’s Ribbon, and then click the “Text Box” button. In the dropdown menu, click the “Draw Text Box” command.

Your tip modifications into a cross-hair symbol. Press and drag your mouse to draw your text box.

After you produce the new text box, you can start typing your text right away.

Something that’s various about drawing your own text box is that Word defaults to putting it in front of any text.

This is fine if you’re just drawing and arranging text boxes on a textless page so you can do some specialized design. But, if you do have text on your page, you’ll want to click the “Layout Options” button that appears to the right of the text box, and after that select among the other design options.

Format a Text Box

To format your text box, there are a range of formatting alternatives on the “Format” tab on the Ribbon. To apply text box designs, point to a design to see what it will appear like. Click the style to use it to your text box.

Next, begin exploring other formatting alternatives like Shape Fill, Shape Outline, and Change Shape– all of which are also available on the Format tab.

Be sure to click on the edge of the text box to make sure the box is picked. Choose a formatting choice from the Format tab. In addition, you can use Shadow Effects and 3-D Effects to your text box.

To alter the font style, font color or other typeface attributes, utilize the formatting options in the Font group in the Home tab. You would apply font credit to your text the very same method you format other text in your document. Simply pick your text, and after that click on a formatting option to change the font style, font color, or font size, or apply other formatting qualities consisting of vibrant, italics, underline, shadow, or highlighting.

In no time at all, you can personalize your text box to suit your requirements.

Text boxes let you highlight or bring focus to specific text in a Microsoft Word file. You can also change how (and if) routine file text wraps around your text box– just like you can with any other shape or object. To format your text box, there are a variety of formatting options on the “Format” tab on the Ribbon. Be sure to click on the edge of the text box to make sure the box is chosen. You would use typeface qualities to your text the same way you format other text in your document.