Resize, reposition, or delete a placeholder

Placeholders are boxes with dotted borders that hold content in its place on a slide layout. Slide layouts contain different types of placeholders (for example, for text, pictures, videos, and more). You can change a placeholder by resizing or repositioning it on a slide layout. You can also delete a placeholder.

To learn how to add placeholders to slide layouts, see Add placeholders to slide layouts to contain text, pictures, videos, etc.

Important: If you apply a slide layout to one or more slides in your presentation, and then change the layout by resizing, repositioning, or deleting a placeholder, you must reapply the layout to the slides so that the slides display the change in the layout.

Resize or reposition a placeholder

1. On the View tab, click Slide Master.

2. On the slide layout that you want change, click the placeholder that you want to change, and then do one of the following:

   • To resize it, point to one of its sizing handles, and when the pointer becomes a two-headed arrow , drag the handle.

   • To reposition it, point to one of its borders and when the pointer becomes a four-headed arrow , drag the placeholder to a new position.
     

3. On the Slide Master tab, click Close Master View.

4. On the Home tab, click Layout, and then click the layout that contains the placeholders that you just changed.

   Important:  For the placeholder changes to be final, you must reapply the slide layout to the slides that follow the changed slide layout. Step 4 reapplies the slide layout that you changed to your slides.

Delete a placeholder

1. On the View tab, click Slide Master.

2. On the slide layout that you want change, click the border of the placeholder that you want to delete, and then press DELETE.

3. On the Slide Master tab, click Close Master View.

4. On the Home tab, click Layout, and then click the layout that no longer contains the deleted placeholder.

   Important:  For the placeholder deletion to be final, you must reapply the slide layout to the slides that follow the changed slide layout. Step 4 reapplies the slide layout on which you deleted the placeholder.

See also

Add placeholders to slide layouts to contain text, pictures, videos, etc.