In Office programs, you can quickly align objects (such as pictures, shapes, text boxes, SmartArt graphics, and WordArt.
Align multiple objects
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Select the first object, and then press and hold Ctrl while you select the other objects.
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Do one of the following:
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To align a picture, select the Picture Format tab.
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To align a shape, text box, or WordArt, select the Shape Format tab.
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In the Arrange group, select
Option
Description
Align Left
Aligns objects along their left edges
Align Center
Aligns objects vertically through their centers.
Align Right
Aligns objects along their right edges
Align Top
Aligns objects along their top edges
Align Middle
Aligns objects horizontally through their middles.
Align Bottom
Aligns objects along their bottom edges
Important:Â If the Align options are unavailable, you may only have a single item selected. Select one, or more, additional items, and then you should be able to continue.
Arrange objects equal distances from each other
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Select at least three objects that you want to arrange equal distances from each other. To choose multiple objects, select the first object, and then press and hold Ctrl while you select the other objects.
To select objects that are hidden, stacked, or behind text, do the following:
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On the Home tab, choose Select, pick Select Objects, and then draw a box over the objects.
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Do one of the following:
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To arrange pictures equally, select the Picture Format tab.
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To arrange a group with shapes, text boxes, or WordArt equally, select the Shape Format tab.
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In the Arrange group, select
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To arrange the objects horizontally, select Distribute Horizontally.
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To arrange the objects vertically, select Distribute Vertically.
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Word
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Hold down Shift, select the objects that you want to align.
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On the Shape Format tab, select
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Select
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Hold down Shift, and select the objects to align.
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On the Shape Format tab, select
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Select
Use a grid to more easily align objects. Or, you can snap your objects to a grid line that runs through the vertical edges, horizontal edges, and center of other objects. The line becomes visible only when you drag an object near another object.
To turn on the grid option.
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On the Word menu, select Preferences.
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Select Edit in the Word Preferences pane.
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Select Grid Options, and choose the type of snap-to behavior that you want:
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To snap objects to a grid, select To grid in Print Layout View under Snap Objects.
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To snap objects to other objects, select To other objects under Snap Objects. ​​​​​​​
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(Optional) You can set other grid settings such as spacing.
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To show the gridlines, under Show Grid, select Display gridlines on screen.
Note:Â You can also toggle the gridlines on and off by selecting or clearing the Gridlines check box on the View tab or View menu.
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Click OK.
After you choose a grid option, align your objects as follows.
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Hold down Shift, select the objects to align, and then select the Shape Format tab.
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select
Tip: If you set the preference to align to grid but want to suspend this setting while you move an object, hold down ⌘ command as you drag the object.
PowerPoint
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Hold down Shift, select the objects that you want to align.
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On the Shape Format tab, choose
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SelectÂ
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​​​​​​​
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Hold down Shift, select the objects that you want to align.
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On the Shape Format tab, choose
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Click Align, and then click the alignment that you want.
To more easily align objects, you can snap your objects to a grid line that runs through the vertical edges, horizontal edges, and centers of other objects. The line becomes visible only when you drag an object near another object.
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On the PowerPoint menu, select Preferences.
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Select View and choose Snap objects to Grid.
Smart Guides — lines that run through the center of other objects and the center of the slide  — appear when you drag an object. You can use Smart Guides to align an object relative to another object. Or, you can align an object relative to the center of a slide.
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On the View menu select Grid and Guides and choose Smart Guides.
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Select the object that you want to align.
Tip:Â To select multiple objects, hold down Shift, and then select the objects that you want.
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Drag the object near another object that you want to align it with, or drag the object near the center of the page.
Note: To temporarily hide Dynamic Guides, hold down ⌘ command while you drag the object.
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Use the grid lines that appear to obtain the alignment that you want.
Excel
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Hold down Shift, select the objects that you want to align.
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On the Shape Format tab, selectÂ
Aligning shapes and pictures features in Word for the web and Excel for the web are limited. Use the desktop version for more flexibility.Â
Arrange shapes in Word for the Web
Move a shape in front or behind other objects on the slide.
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Double-click the shapes you want to arrange.Â
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On the Shape tab, select
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On the Arrange menu, select how you'd like to arrange the shape.
Arrange shapes in Excel for the Web
Move a shape in front or behind other objects on the slide.
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Select the shape you want to arrange.Â
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On the Shape or Picture tab, select Bring Forward or Send Backward.
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Do any of the following:
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On the dropdown menu for Bring Forward, select Bring Forward to move one layer at a time, or select Bring To Front.Â
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On the dropdown menu for Send Backward, select Send Backward to move one layer at a time, or select Send To Back.Â
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Arrange objects in PowerPoint for the Web
Move a shape in front or behind other objects on the slide.
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Press and hold Ctrl and select each of the shapes or pictures you want to arrange.
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On the Shape or Picture tab, select Bring Forward or Send Backward.
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Do any of the following:
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On the dropdown menu for Bring Forward, select Bring Forward to move one layer at a time, or choose Bring To Front.Â
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On the dropdown menu for Send Backward, select Send Backward to move one layer at a time, or choose Send To Back.Â
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Align objects in PowerPoint for the Web
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Press and hold Ctrl and select each of the shapes or pictures you want to arrange.
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On the Shape or Picture tab, select
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On the Align menu, choose the alignment that you want.
Tip:Â Select
See also
Move, rotate, or group a picture, text box, or other object
Change the margins between text and the edge of a text box or shape
Change the margins between text and the edge of a text box or shape in Office for macOS
