Sometimes your document in Microsoft Word might need a little visual splash. If that’s the case, you can easily add shapes and SmartArt to jazz up your work. Here’s a quick overview of how to add and customize them to your liking.

Shapes:

1. In a Microsoft Word document, click on the Insert menu > Shapes. 
2. Once you select a shape, your cursor becomes a crosshairs, which you can use to draw a shape onto your document.
3. You’ll see the menu at the top has changed. If you’d like to customize your shape, you can change the color or shape in this menu.

SmartArt:

1. Click on the Insert menu > SmartArt. 
2. Select a basic category, like Process or Cycle. An editing panel will appear, allowing you to add, subtract, or move elements around within the image. At the top of the screen, you can change the colors of your SmartArt.
3. To add individual shapes to your SmartArt, make sure you have the SmartArt selected in your document. Navigate up to the SmartArt Design area at the top of your screen, and click on Add Shape. You can choose whether to add the shape above or below the selected box.

Note: The instructions and tutorial above are for Macs. For PC instructions, click here to learn about adding shapes, and click here to learn about adding SmartArt. 

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.