PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics

How to insert SmartArt graphics

1. Select the slide where you want to insert a SmartArt graphic.

2. From the Insert tab, select the SmartArt command in the Illustrations group.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 1

3. A dialog box will appear. Select a category on the left, then select the desired SmartArt graphic, then click OK.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 2

4. The SmartArt graphic will appear on the current slide.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 3

Users can also click the Insert a SmartArt Graphic command in the placeholder to add SmartArt.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 4

How to add text to SmartArt graphics

1. Select the SmartArt graphic. A text frame will appear on the left

2. Enter text next to each bullet in the text box. The text will appear in the corresponding shape. The text will be resized automatically to fit the area inside the shape.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 5

Users can also add text by clicking on the desired shape and then entering the content. This method is useful if you just need to add text to a few shapes. However, for more complex SmartArt graphics, working in a text frame is often faster and easier.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 6

How to rearrange, add, and delete shapes

It's easy to add new shapes, change their order, and even remove shapes from SmartArt graphics. Users can do all of this in the text frame (the process is the same as creating an outline with a multi-level list). For more detailed information, please refer to the article: Working with lists in PowerPoint 2016.

1. To demote a shape, select the desired bullet, then press the Tab key. The bullet will move right, and the shape will move down one level.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 7

1. To advance a shape, select the desired bullet, then press the Backspace key (or Shift + Tab ). The bullet will move left, and the shape will go up one level.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 8

1. To add a new shape, place the insertion point after the desired bullet, then press Enter. A new bullet will appear in the text frame, and a corresponding new shape will appear in the SmartArt graphic.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 9

1. To delete the shape, keep pressing Backspace until the bullet is deleted. The shape will then be removed. In the example in this article, we will delete all shapes without text.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 10

Arrange SmartArt from the Design tab

If you don't want to use a text frame to arrange your SmartArt, you can use the commands on the Design tab in the Create Graphic group. Simply select the shape you want to modify, then select the desired command.

1. Promote and Demote: Use these commands to move shapes up or down between levels.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 11

1. Move Up and Move Down : Use these commands to change the order of shapes on the same level.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 12

1. Add Shape: Use this command to add a new shape to the graphic. Users can also click the drop-down arrow for more precise location options.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 13

In the example in today's article, we organized a graphic with a hierarchical layout. Not all SmartArt graphics use this layout, so keep in mind that these commands may work a little differently (or not work at all) depending on the specific graphic layout .

Customize SmartArt

After inserting SmartArt, there are a few things users should change to make its appearance more eye-catching. Whenever the user selects a SmartArt graphic, the Design and Format tabs will also appear on the right side of the Ribbon. It's easy to edit the style and layout of SmartArt graphics on these two tabs.

1. There are several SmartArt styles available, allowing users to quickly modify the appearance of the SmartArt. To change the style, click the desired option from the SmartArt styles group.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 14

1. There are many color schemes to use with SmartArt. To change the color, click the Change Colors command and select the desired option from the drop-down menu.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 15

1. Users can also customize each shape independently. Simply select any shape in the SmartArt graphic, then choose the desired option from the Format tab.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 16

How to change SmartArt layout

If you don't like the way information is organized in a SmartArt graphic, users can always change its layout to better suit each specific content.

1. From the Design tab, click the More drop-down arrow in the Layouts group.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 17

2. Select the desired layout or click More Layouts for more options.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 18

3. The selected layout will appear.

PowerPoint 2016: Working with SmartArt graphics Picture 19

If the new layout is too different from the original, some text may not appear. Before deciding on a new layout, check carefully to make sure no important information is lost.

Good luck!

Kareem Winters

Update 01 August 2024