Text Transforms in PowerPoint 2013 for Windows

Geetesh Bajaj

April 27, 2015

Learn how you can make your text arty and on-a-path by using Transform options in PowerPoint 2013 for Windows. An amazing repertoire of text transform presets are available.

Have you ever tried your text to fit along the edge of a circle, or even within a circle? Or, on a curved path, or even as a roller coaster? Most of the time, you need not play as much with words but sometimes if you want to create a quick logo, or even an easy graphic, then you will find PowerPoint's Transform tools for text very useful. Look at Figure 1 below to explore some quick text effects possible right within PowerPoint.

Figure 1: Examples of Transforms text effects

Transform is a special stylizing option available in PowerPoint only for text. Follow these steps to explore more in PowerPoint 2013 for Windows:

Select the text that you want to apply a transform effect to? You can also select the entire text box or place holder as shown in Figure 2, below.
Figure 2: Drawing Tools Format tab of the Ribbon
Alternatively, if you just want to follow this tutorial step-by-step, launch PowerPoint. You will see the Presentation Gallery. Here, select the Blank Presentation option to open a blank presentation with a new slide. You can then change the slide layout to Blank by selecting the Home tab | Layout | Blank. Insert a text box and type some text in it. You can also change the text font to something blockier, such as Arial Black (see Figure 2, above). Select the text, or select the entire text box by clicking on the edge of the placeholder, to bring up the Drawing Tools Format tab on the Ribbon as shown highlighted in red within Figure 2, above.

Note: The Drawing Tools Format tab is a Contextual tab. These Contextual tabs are special tabs in the Ribbon that are not visible all the time. They only make an appearance when you are working with a particular slide object which can be edited using special options within these tabs.

Within the Drawing Tools Format tab, click the Text Effects button that you can see highlighted in red within Figure 3.
Figure 3: Text Effects button
This opens the Text Effects drop-down gallery, as shown in Figure 4. Within the Text Effects drop-down gallery select the Transform option, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 4.
Figure 4: Transform option within Text Effects drop-down gallery
This opens the Transform sub-gallery as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Transform sub-gallery
Various effects within Transform sub-gallery are explained below, as marked in Figure 5, above:

A. No Transform

Removes any transform effect already applied to the selected text.

B. Follow Path

These Transform effects make your text to flow in a certain path like a circle, or an arc etc.

C. Warp

Here you will find Transform effects that twist and turn your text in various directions, and also make them wavy. To explore more Warp effects, use the scroll bar towards right (highlighted in blue within Figure 5, above).
When you hover your cursor over any of the Transform effects within the Transform sub-gallery, you will see a Live Preview of the effect on your selected text. Click on any effect to apply it to the selected text. In Figure 6 you can see the selected text applied with Chevron Up effect.
Figure 6: Transform Effect applied
Do you notice the pink handle on the left of the text box in Figure 6, above (highlighted in red)? You can use that to create more transforms for text. We explain how you can tweak Transform effects using that pink handle in our Advanced Text Transforms in PowerPoint 2013 for Windows tutorial. Remember to save your presentation often.