Edit Points: Curved and Straight Line Segments in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

A line (outline) in PowerPoint contains both points and segments. It is easy to understand the relationship between points and segments using a connect-the-dots analogy. The points represent the dots whereas the segments represent the lines you draw between the dots. Among points and segments, we have already explored the types of points in PowerPoint 2016. We now explore the two types of Segments in PowerPoint 2016: Straight and Curved. Segments can be edited and you can also convert a straight segment to a curved segment and vice versa, as you will learn in this tutorial.

Identify Segment Type

Let us show you how you can identify which type of segment you are starting with; it's easy to identify a segment type:

Select a shape. We selected a Rectangle, as shown in Figure 1. Switch to Edit Points mode (right-click the shape and choose the Edit Points option from the context menu).

Figure 1: A Rectangle in Edit Points mode
Now place the cursor on top of the outline of the shape - the cursor will change to a rectangle with a plus sign, as shown highlighted in green within Figure 2.

Figure 2: Cursor placed over the outline
Now, right-click carefully to bring up the context menu that you see in Figure 3. Within this menu, you will find two Segment options: Straight Segment and Curved Segment option. The option that is grayed out is the existing Segment type.

Figure 3: The Straight Segment type is grayed out

Now that you know how you can identify which Segment type you are starting with, let us explore how you can change one Segment type to another.

Change from Straight to Curved Segment

Follow these steps to change a Straight segment into a Curved one:

Follow steps 1 to 3 from the above section. From the contextual menu that you bring up (as shown previously in Figure 3), choose the Curved Segment option.
This converts the Straight segment of the line into a Curved segment, as shown in Figure 4 (compare with Figure 3).

Figure 4: Straight segment changed to curved segment

Change from Curved to Straight Segment

To change a Curved Segment to a Straight Segment, follow these steps:

Select the shape which has curved segments, such as the Oval shape shown in Figure 5. Now switch to Edit Points mode (right-click the shape and choose Edit Points option from the context menu).

Figure 5: An Oval in Edit Points mode
Now place the cursor on top of the outline of the shape - the cursor will change to a rectangle with a plus sign, as shown highlighted in green within Figure 6.

Figure 6: Cursor placed over the outline (curved segment)
Now, right-click carefully to bring up the context menu, as you can see in Figure 7. From this menu, choose the Straight Segment option.

Figure 7: Straight Segment option Selected
This converts the Curved segment of the line into a Straight segment, as shown in Figure 8 (compare with Figure 7).

Figure 8: Curved Segment changed to Straight Segment

Editing Segments

You can also click anywhere on a segment and drag it as required to change the structure of the shape. PowerPoint automatically adds a new point (vertex) at the point you dragged the segment, as shown in Figure 9 (compare to Figure 7).

Figure 9: New point is added on the segment

You can add and delete these points as required.