Learn how the Text Pane helps add text content to your SmartArt graphic in PowerPoint 2016.
Product/Version: Microsoft PowerPoint 2016
OS: Windows 7 and higher
We explored how you can convert your normal bulleted text to a SmartArt graphic with just a click or two. However, you'll soon discover that it is neither easy nor intuitive to edit, add, or delete text within a shape inside a SmartArt graphic. Fortunately, all the text edits can be easily performed within the convenient Text Pane of the SmartArt graphic. In this tutorial, we'll help you explore options for working within the Text Pane for SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint 2016:
When a Smart Art graphic is inserted on the slide, you may or may not see the Text Pane. If you don't see the Text
Pane, select the SmartArt graphic to make the arrow button (highlighted in red within
Figure 1) accessible. Then, click this arrow button to show or hide the Text Pane.
Figure 1: The arrow button on SmartArt graphic
This will make the Text Pane visible on the left side of the SmartArt graphic, as shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 2: The SmartArt graphic's Text Pane
Within the Text Pane start typing to add the text, as shown in Figure 3. Whatever is typed in the Text
Pane is also dynamically added on the SmartArt graphic. You will also find that the bottom area of the Text Pane
(highlighted in red within Figure 3) displays information about the SmartArt
graphic variant you are working with.
Figure 3: Add text within the Text Pane
To create a new line of bulleted text in the Text Pane, just press the Enter/Return key on your
keyboard. Type text for the new bullet, and you'll see that your SmartArt graphic has a new shape representing the new
bullet, as you can see in Figure 4 (compare with Figure 3).
Figure 4: New bullet in Text Pane creates a new shape in SmartArt graphic
You can also format the text in the Text Pane; to do that select the individual text within the Text Pane by clicking
and dragging the mouse cursor over the text. This brings up a
Mini Toolbar which includes options to
change the font, font size, color, etc. within the Text Pane (and also within the Smart Art graphic). If you right-click
the selected text, you will see a contextual menu and the Mini Toolbar which includes Style,
Color, and Layout options for the selected SmartArt graphic, as shown in
Figure 5.
Figure 5: Contextual menu within the Text Pane
The contextual menu allows you to change the hierarchy of the selected text to previous or next bullet levels. You do that by clicking either the Promote (keyboard shortcut: Shift + Tab) or
Demote (keyboard shortcut: Tab) options in the contextual menu (refer again to
Figure 5). Do note that the Promote or Demote options may be grayed out
in some instances; their availability in the contextual menu depends on what type of SmartArt graphic variant you are
working with. For example, you cannot add a new bullet level, or even a demoted level to the
Basic Matrix SmartArt graphic once you hit the limit of 4 first level bullets
(see Figure 6).
Figure 6: Basic Matrix doesn't allow a 5th level bullet
Some SmartArt graphic variants though let you add more bullets/shapes and are not as constrained as the Basic
Matrix variant. For instance, the Diverging Radial SmartArt graphic lets you add many more
bullets/shapes, as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7: Add more bullets / shapes to the Diverging Radial SmartArt graphic
See Also:
Text Pane For SmartArt Graphics in
PowerPoint 2013 for Windows
Text Pane For SmartArt Graphics
in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac
Text Pane For SmartArt Graphics in
PowerPoint 2010 for Windows
Text Pane For SmartArt Graphics in
PowerPoint 2007 for Windows
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