The Microsoft Word program has a number of very interesting functionalities to be able to personalize your documents. One of the most creative is the SmartArt and it allows you to bring originality to your writings and add graphics, lists, images and all kinds of shapes.
It really is not complicated to use and if you learn to use it correctly, you will undoubtedly get the most out of it. In this sense, if you want to know all the characteristics of a SmartArtas well as the steps to configure it, read on.
This step-by-step guide will help you whether you are a novice or an expert. Just follow a few simple steps and you can incorporate your custom SmartArt in your different documents.
What are all the types of shapes that can be inserted into a Microsoft Word SmartArt?
First, it is important to define what is a SmartArt so you know how to use it properly. This is nothing more than a graphic element It helps to represent all kinds of information visually. The user has the possibility to choose between different designs to communicate a message more efficiently.
Added to that, you should know that with a SmartArt you can add all the number of additional shapes you want or use some layouts that already have a fixed number of shapes set. A clear example of this are the forms corresponding to the counterweight arrows designwith which you can capture only two opposing ideas or concepts.
In cases where you need to convey more than two ideas, it is best to choose to change the design to one that has more than two shapes. For example, it will help you to use the pyramid list layout.
So that you know much better the types of shapes available that you can insert into a Word SmartArt, We leave you a list with the main ones below:
- lists
- processes
- cycles
- Hierarchy
- Relationship
- Matrix
- Pyramid
- Image
Each of these options has a lots of shape variations that you can customize according to your needs. In addition, you can modify the colors, sizes and other details.
Steps to set the shape format and style your SmartArt objects in Word
Without a doubt, the use of a SmartArt is a good idea to be able to capture information in a more creative way. Regarding its configuration, it is a very simple task, so if you want to get the most out of this Word tool, pay attention.
Maybe the location of some options vary depending on the computer you have and the version of Word you use, however, in general terms the functionalities are the same:
Add SmartArt
The easiest way to add a SmartArt is directly on the Insert tab within the Illustrations group. We show you how to do it in both Windows, macOS and the web version of Word:
- click on SmartArt.
- In the dialog that is displayed, choose the type and design what you wish.
- will be inserted the SmartArt in the document and there you can start writing in each of the ways.
Add or remove shapes
To add or remove shapes from your SmartArt in Windows, you must:
- Click on it SmartArt.
- Select the shape closest to where you want to add the new shape.
- In the tab corresponding to SmartArt Toolsspecifically in the tab Designwithin the group of create chart select the arrow next to the button “Add Shape”.
- Choose if you want to add the new shape behind or in front of the one you already have selected.
To delete a shapeyou just have to click on it and press the button SUPPRESS on your keyboard. To be able to delete the entire graphic element, select one of the corners of the SmartArt graphic and press SUPPRESS.
In case you have a macOS computer, The procedure to add a shape in a SmartArt is as follows:
- Select the SmartArt to which you are going to add the new shape.
- Click on the shape closest to where you want to add the new one.
- Inside the tab smart art designin the group create chartclick on the arrow next to the Add shape option.
- Choose if you want the new shape to be placed in front of or behind the one you already have selected.
For delete a shape, you just have to apply the same steps as in the case of a Windows computer, that is, select the shape and press the DELETE button. To remove an entire SmartArt, tap the graphic from one corner and tap DELETE.
Style
When referring to a SmartArt styleIt’s about the combination of various effects that can be applied to such a graphic to enhance its design or give it an original look. Among the different styles is the line, bevel and 3D style.
To apply such a style on Windows, follow the procedure below:
- Select your SmartArt.
- In SmartArt Toolsof the group SmartArt Styles inside tab Designclick the style of your choice.
- If you want to see more styles, you have to click on the button “Plus” which has a kind of inverted arrow.
On the other hand, to apply styles to your SmartArt in MacOS you have to:
- Click on your SmartArt.
- In the tab of smart art designlocated in the group SmartArt Stylesselect the style you want.
- To see more styles, click on the button “Plus”.
Colors
Another very interesting option is to change the colors of your chart. With the help of the options that Word incorporates, you can modify the color scheme.
To do it in Windows you have to:
- Click on the graph SmartArt.
- in the option of SmartArt Toolsin the group SmartArt Styles tab Designclick on change colors.
- Choose color variation what you wish.
To do it on a macOS computer, you have to follow the following steps:
- Choose the SmartArt.
- in the tab smart art designWithin the group SmartArt Styles click inside the option change colors.
- Choose color variation what you want
WordArt
If you want to insert a WordArt into a SmartArt graphic, you must follow these steps on both Windows and MacOS:
- Click on the shape in which you are going to insert the WordArt.
- At the top will open a section called Formatget in there.
- Within the WordArt section choose the one that suits your needs and modify color, size and all other details that are necessary.
Text
You can modify the text of a SmartArt in both Windows and macOS as follows:
- Select the text that you are going to change
- Within Format you can modify the Fill of the text, borders and you can apply some effects like shadows, reflection, bevel, etc.
- To modify the font type, in the section of Start Will you be able to do it. Added to that, you can put the text in bold, italics, among others.
Organize
In addition to all the options mentioned above, you may also need change the location or organization of the different forms of your SmartArt. To be able to do it in Windows, follow the procedure below:
- Select the shape that you want to move
- go to SmartArt Tools.
- inside tab Designin the group create chart you can choose between the buttons to raise or lower shape or move from left to right.
To organize the shapes of your SmartArt in macOS you have to:
- Click on the shape that you are going to modify
- A window will open right next to it with the name of SmartArt Text.
- From there, you can use the up or down arrows to move the shape up or down. You can also move it from left to right with the arrows with that shape.
- Another way to do it is by touching the shape that you are going to move and inside the tab smart art designchoose between move up or downor from left to right.
Size
In case you need to modify the size of an entire SmartArt graphic of Word, you just have to click border of the same and drag handlers size in or out until you get the dimensions you want. This applies to both Windows and macOS computers.
To change the size of a specific shape, You can apply the same procedure but selecting only the shape.
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