Change the border of a shape in a SmartArt graphic

You can make the outline or the border of the shapes in your SmartArt graphic look different by changing the color, the look of the line style, or the weight of the line.

This article discusses changing the borders of shapes in a SmartArt graphic, not the borders of standalone shapes. To add borders to documents or pictures in Microsoft Office Word 2007, see Decorate documents or pictures with borders. For help with gridlines, guides, and cell borders, see Display and use gridlines and guides. If you want to change cell borders in Microsoft Office Excel 2007, see Apply or remove cell borders on a worksheet.

What do you want to do?

Change the color of a border

Change the style of a border

Change the weight of a border

Delete a border

Change the color of a border

1. Select the shape that you want to change.

   If you want to change multiple shape borders, select the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you select the other shapes.

2. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the arrow next to Shape Outline, and then click the color that you want.

   

   If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Format tabs, make sure that you've selected a SmartArt graphic.

   To change to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Outline Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab, or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab do not update if you later change the document theme.

Top of Page

Change the style of a border

1. Select the shape that you want to change.

   If you want to change multiple shape borders, select the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you select the other shapes.

2. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the arrow next to Shape Outline.

   

   If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Format tabs, make sure that you've selected a SmartArt graphic.

3. Point to Dashes, and then select the line style that you want.

   To create a custom style, click More Lines, and then choose the options that you want.

Top of Page

Change the weight of a border

1. Select the shape that you want to change.

   If you want to change multiple shape borders, select the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you select the other shapes.

2. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the arrow next to Shape Outline.

   

   If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Format tabs, make sure that you've selected a SmartArt graphic.

3. Point to Weight, and then select the line weight that you want.

   To create a custom line weight, click More Lines, and then choose the options that you want.

Note: Rounded corners are possible only on rounded rectangular shapes and not on arrows or other shapes.

Top of Page

Delete a border

1. Select the shape that you want to change.

   If you want to change multiple shape borders, select the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you select the other shapes.

2. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the arrow next to Shape Outline.

   

   If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Format tabs, make sure that you've selected a SmartArt graphic.

3. Click No Outline.

Top of Page