Add text to a slide

You can add text to a PowerPoint slide or a slide master by inserting a text box and typing inside that box. You can then format that text by selecting the text or the entire box. You can also add text to placeholders and shapes.

Windows macOS

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Select a heading below to open it and see the detailed instructions.

Add text to a placeholder

To add text to a text placeholder on a slide, do the following:

• Click inside the placeholder, and then type or paste the text.

  Note: If your text exceeds the size of the placeholder, PowerPoint reduces the font size and line spacing incrementally as you type to make the text fit.

Below, the dotted border represents the placeholder that contains the title text for the slide.

Add text to a text box

• To add text to a text box that anyone can edit, in Normal view, click inside the text box, and then type or paste the text.

• To add text to a text box that is contain permanent and un-editable, in Slide Master view, click inside the text box, and then type or paste the text.

Use text boxes to place text anywhere on a slide, such as outside a text placeholder. For example, to add a caption to a picture, create a text box and position it near the picture.

Note: When you add a text box in Normal view, the text is editable by anyone. When you add a text box in Slide Master view, the text you add to it will become permanent and un-editable outside the Slide Master.

Add text that is part of a shape

Shapes such as squares, circles, callout balloons, and block arrows can contain text. When you type text into a shape, the text attaches to the shape and moves and rotates with it.

• To add text that becomes part of a shape, select the shape, and then type or paste the text.

Add text that is independent of a shape

A text box is handy if you want to add text to a shape, but you don't want the text to attach to the shape. You can add a border, fill, shadow, or three-dimensional (3-D) effect to text in a text box.

• To add text that moves independently of a shape, add a text box, and then type or paste the text.

  Add a text box

  1. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Text Box.

     Note: If you are using an East Asian language, from the Text Box drop-down menu, click either Horizontal or Vertical alignment.

  2. Click the slide, and then drag the pointer to draw the text box.

Notes: In Slide Master view, there's a difference in how you use a text placeholder versus a text box:

• Add a text placeholder from within Slide Master view when you want to prompt users of your template to replace the prompt text with text that is pertinent to their own project. (Normal behavior of custom prompt text in a text placeholder is that it disappears when you begin typing.)

• Add a text box from within Slide Master view when you want it to contain permanent, uneditable text.

  When you add a text box in Normal view, the text is editable by anyone.

See also

Add, rearrange, and delete slides

Create and print notes pages

Add one or more content placeholders to a layout

Select a heading below to open it and see the detailed instructions.

Add text to a placeholder

• Click inside the border and type or paste your text.

  

Add text to a text box

You can add text boxes and put them anywhere on a slide. When you add a text box in normal view, the text can be edited directly in the slide. If the text box is added in slide master view, you can edit the text only in the slide master.

In newer versions

1. On the Home tab, in the Insert group, click Text Box.

2. On the slide, click the location where you want to add the text box.

3. Type or paste your text in the text box.

In PowerPoint for Mac 2011

1. On the Home tab, under Insert, click Text.

2. On the pop-up menu, click Text Box.

3. On the slide, click the location where you want to add the text box.

4. Type or paste your text in the text box.

Add text to a shape

Shapes such as squares, circles, callout balloons, and block arrows can contain text. When you type text into a shape, the text attaches to the shape and moves and rotates with it.

In newer versions

1. On the Home tab, in the Insert group, click Shapes.

2. In the list, click the shape that you want to add.

3. On the slide, click the location where you want to add the shape, and then drag the sizing handle until the shape is the size that you want.

4. To add text that becomes part of a shape, select the shape, and then type or paste your text.

In PowerPoint for Mac 2011

1. On the Home tab, under Insert, click Shape.

2. On the pop-up menu, point to a kind of shape, and then click the shape that you want to add.

3. On the slide, click the location where you want to add the shape, and then drag the sizing handle until the shape is the size that you want.

4. To add text that becomes part of a shape, select the shape, and then type or paste your text.