Adding and Managing Text Boxes in PowerPoint

A visually attractive presentation is usually an effective way to get your message across, but how about text? How can you type it into your slides? Fear not, because in this Slidesgo School tutorial, we’ll teach you how to insert, copy and delete text boxes in PowerPoint. 

Adding a Text Box

To start adding a text box in your PowerPoint presentation, follow these steps:

1. Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
2. Select the slide where you want to add text.
3. Navigate to the Insert tab and, within the Text group, click on Text Box. Alternatively, you can quickly access the insert option by pressing Alt + N to go to the Insert tab and then Alt + X to create a text box.

4. You’ll notice that your cursor has changed. Click and drag to create a text box of your desired size. Release the mouse button when you are satisfied with the dimensions of the text box. You can later reposition the text box by selecting it and dragging it to a new location when the pointer becomes a four-headed arrow.

5. Now, enter the text you want to display.

6. To edit the text, go to the Home tab. Here are some options for text formatting:
   • Font group: Change the font, size, or color of the text.
   • Paragraph group: Adjust the alignment of your text.
   • Drawing group: Modify the fill color, outline color, or apply effects like shadows.

For additional guidance on text formatting, refer to the “How to Format the Text in PowerPoint” tutorial.

Adding the Same Text to Multiple Slides

If you have several slides with a similar layout and want to add the same text to all of them, follow these steps:

1. Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
2. Select one of the slides where you want to add text.
3. Access the master slides by going to the View tab and clicking on Slide Master in the Master Views group.

4. The master editor view will open, showing the layout master from which your chosen slide derives.
5. Go to the Insert tab, and in the Text group, click on Text Box.

6. Click and drag to draw a text box.

7. Enter your desired text.

8. If needed, further edit the text using options found in the Home tab under the Font, Paragraph, and Drawing groups. For more detailed editing instructions, please refer to the “How to Format the Text in PowerPoint” tutorial.

9. Exit the Slide Master by clicking Close Master View on the Slide Master tab.

10. The text will now appear on all slides that derive from that layout master.

11. Note that the text won’t be directly editable on the slides; you’ll need to access the master slides to make any changes. This text will remain the same across all slides that use the same layout master.
12. If you want to add the same text to all slides without exception, insert the text into the slide master (the topmost one in the Slide Master View) instead of into a layout master.

Copying and Pasting a Text Box

To copy a text box and paste it elsewhere:

1. Select the text box you wish to copy. On the Home tab, click Copy, or simply press Control + C.

2. Navigate to the slide where you want to paste the text box. On the Home tab, click Paste, or press Control + V.

Deleting a Text Box

To delete a text box:

1. Select the text box you want to remove and press the Delete key.

2. Ensure that you select the text box itself and not just the text inside it; otherwise, you’ll only delete the text rather than the entire box.