PowerPoint is a canvas for creative freedom. You can apply fun transitions, make a video in Office Mix, and format images, all within the same application.

Another way to improve your PowerPoint slides is to use shapes instead of text boxes. While text boxes serve their purpose to hold and present text, shapes can hold text too. They are dynamic objects you can easily format to meet your PowerPoint needs, whether for a sales presentation, class lesson, or board deck. Watch the video above to see how to use shapes, or follow the steps below.

1. To begin, click the Insert
2. Click Shapes in the ribbon.
   • Select the shape you want to use.
3. In this video, we selected the callout shape.
4. To modify the look of the shape you can:
   • Adjust the color in the top bar.
   • Drag the box to view different sizes.
5. To add text, you can:
   • Click on the shape and paste text into it.
   • Or, you can just begin typing.
   • Be aware that a cursor may not appear.
6. To adjust the text, you can:
   • Highlight the text and view the text formatting options in the top ribbon. Some options include:
     • Text Alignment, Text Direction, and Autofit Properties