Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 23 Text Boxes
CHAPTER 4 TEXT BOXES
A text box is an object that behaves the same way as a shape or
an image, that is, a text box can be selected, moved and resized.
Text boxes are designed to enable you to place text more precisely
on the page, and are common in desktop publishing. Text boxes
can be used for flow charts, callouts, captions, wherever there is a
need for ultimate control over the position of text on a page.
In this session you will:
gain an understanding of text boxes
learn how to use preformatted text boxes
learn how to type text in a text box
learn how to position a text box
learn how to resize a text box
learn how to delete a text box
learn how to draw a text box
learn how to format a text box.
INFOCUS
WPL_W839
Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 24 Text Boxes
UNDERSTANDING TEXT BOXES
Text boxes are types of objects designed
specifically for text. Text boxes enable you to
position text precisely on a page. They can be
used to provide emphasis for specific text, to
provide an invisible structure for text placement, or
as part of a diagram. Text boxes can either be
selected from the Text Box gallery or you can draw
your own. Text boxes can also be formatted.
Types of Text Boxes
In Word, you can either select one of the available text box styles in the Text Box gallery, or you can
draw your own text box. The Text Box gallery can be accessed by clicking on Text Box in the
Text group on the Insert tab.
The Text Box Gallery
The Text Box gallery contains 44 text box styles, each with their own formatting, alignment and
other graphical elements applied. You can simply select a text box style, and then modify it to suit
the requirements of the document. The following are examples of two text box styles available in
Word.
Hand-Drawn Text Box
You can also draw a text box just like
you would any other shape. Click and
drag to create a text box.
Text Box Controls
Text boxes are created with special controls
that enable you to adjust their shape and
size. The blue handles on the sides and
corners are used for sizing. The green circle
handle is used for rotation. The yellow
diamond handle (if available) is used to
adjust the proportions of some text boxes,
such as making this turned corner narrower
or wider.
Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 25 Text Boxes
INSERTING A PREFORMATTED TEXT BOX
Try This Yourself:
Open
File
Before starting this exercise
you MUST open the file W839
Text Boxes_1.docx...
Click on the Insert tab, then
click on Text Box in the
Text group to display the Text
Box gallery
Scroll through the gallery to
browse the available text box
styles
They include side bars,
centrally placed text boxes and
even fancy graphics...
Click on Austere Quote to
insert it in the document
It is automatically placed in the
centre of the page and
includes side borders…
Save the document
For Your Reference…
To insert a preformatted text box:
1. Click on Text Box in the Text group on
the Insert tab
2. Click on the text box style to insert
Handy to Know…
Preformatted text boxes are automatically
inserted with Square text wrapping applied,
so the text in the document will wrap around
the text box. Each preformatted text box is
inserted at a specific position on the page as
shown in the thumbnails in the Text Box
gallery.
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3
The Text Box gallery has a selection of 40
preformatted text boxes styles for you to choose
from. Each text box style has various formatting
applied, as well as being aligned to sit in a
specific position on the page when inserted. Each
text box style also contains placeholder text that
suggests the type of content that can be typed into
the text box.
Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 26 Text Boxes
TYPING TEXT INTO A TEXT BOX
Try This Yourself:
Same
File
Continue using the previous
file with this exercise, or open
the file W839 Text
Boxes_2.docx...
Click in the text box if the
placeholder text isn’t selected
Type The only emissions
from hydrogen fuel cells are
water and heat.
Notice that the text box
automatically resizes to fit the
text that you’ve typed...
Click outside the text box to
deselect it
Save the document
For Your Reference…
To type text in a preformatted text box:
1. Click in the text box
2. Type the text
Handy to Know…
Once you’ve typed text into a text box, you
can edit the text by clicking on it.
Text in a text box can be formatted in exactly
the same way as any other document text.
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3
Preformatted text boxes include placeholder text
that suggests what to type in the text box. When
you insert a preformatted text box, the
placeholder text is already selected, ready for
you to start typing. Quote-style text boxes and
smaller side bars will adjust to fit the text you enter.
Full side bar text boxes don’t change in size but
occupy the full length or width of the page.
Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 27 Text Boxes
POSITIONING A TEXT BOX
Try This Yourself:
Same
File
Continue using the previous file with
this exercise, or open the file W839
Text Boxes_3.docx...
Click in the text box, then click on
Position in the Arrange group to
display a gallery of position options
Click on Position in Middle Right
with Square Text Wrapping and
then deselect the text box
This position doesn’t look quite right.
You will now use the mouse and keys
to position the text box precisely…
Click in the text box, then move the
pointer to the dotted border of the text
box, and when the pointer changes to
a four-headed arrow, click to select
the text box
You can now move the text box…
Click and hold the left mouse button
on the border of the text box, then
drag the text box into position as
shown
If the text box jumps when you move
it, this is because you are trying to
override the position setting. Just
keep trying…
With the text box selected, use the
and keys to position the text box
as shown, then deselect the text box
Save the document
For Your Reference…
To position a text box:
1. Select the text box and then:
Click on Position and click on a
position option, or
Drag the text box to its new location, or
Use the , , and keys
Handy to Know…
If you want to position a text box precisely on
a page, click on Position then select
More Layout Options to open the
Advanced Layout dialog box. Change the
Text Wrapping to anything other than In line
with text, then adjust the Picture Position
settings to position the drawing.
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Preformatted text boxes are inserted at a specific
position on the page. If the default position
doesn’t suit you, you can reposition the text box.
Word makes this easy by providing a gallery of
nine alignment positions to choose from. You can
also drag the text box to its new position, or use the
, , and keys to position text boxes
precisely on the page.
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Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 28 Text Boxes
RESIZING A TEXT BOX
Try This Yourself:
Same
File
Continue using the previous file
with this exercise, or open the
file W839 Text Boxes_4.docx...
Select the text box and then
click on the Format tab
You can specify the height and
width in the Size group at the far
right of the ribbon…
Click on the up spinner arrow
for Height until the height reads
2 cm
Click on the down spinner arrow
for Width until it reads 5 cm
Some of the text is cut off. You
will now resize by dragging the
handles to get the exact shape
you need…
Select the text box and move
the pointer to the bottom-centre
handle
When the pointer changes to a
double-headed arrow, click and
drag down slightly, then release
the mouse button
Click on and drag the left-centre
handle to the right slightly so
that the text box appears as
shown
Use the , , and keys
to position the text box as shown
and then save the document
For Your Reference…
To resize a text box:
1. Select the text box and then:
Adjust the Height and Width in the Size
group on the Format tab, or
Click on and drag a text box handle, or
Use the , , and keys
Handy to Know…
You can specify the width and height of a
text box in the Layout dialog box. Click on
the dialog box launcher for the Size group
on the Format tab to display the Layout
dialog box. Here you can also set text
wrapping, specify the exact position, or even
rotate the text box.
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5
There are several ways to resize a text box. You
can click and drag on one of the handles to
resize, or you can select the text box and specify
the exact height and width dimensions using the
controls on the Format tab or in the Layout dialog
box. These allow you to increase or decrease the
width and/or the height of the text box incrementally
and precisely.
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Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 29 Text Boxes
DELETING A TEXT BOX
Try This Yourself:
Same
File
Continue using the previous
file with this exercise, or open
the file W839 Text
Boxes_5.docx...
Select the text box
Press
The text box will be removed
and the text will wrap into the
newly available space...
Save the document
For Your Reference…
To delete a text box:
1. Select the text box
2. Press
or
Handy to Know…
If you can work out exactly where the border
of the text box is, you can click on the border
directly to select it, ready for deleting. This is
an alternative to clicking in the middle of the
text box and then clicking on the edge.
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2
If you have inserted a text box that you no longer
want or need, you can easily select and then
delete the text box. If the text box has text-
wrapping options applied, the text surrounding
the text box will adjust to fill the space that
becomes available on the page. If the text box is
formatted as being in front of the text, the text will
be unaffected.
Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 30 Text Boxes
DRAWING A TEXT BOX
Try This Yourself:
Same
File
Continue using the previous
file with this exercise, or open
the file W839 Text
Boxes_6.docx...
Click on the Insert tab, then
click on Text Box in the
Text group and select Draw
Text Box
The pointer will change to a
crosshair pointer, ready for you
to draw…
Click on and drag down and
across to the right to draw a
text box as shown, then
release the mouse button
The text box has a 0.5 pt
border around it and sits in
front of the text, indicating that
no text wrapping options are
applied…
With the text box selected,
click on the Format tab, then
click on Wrap Text and
select Square
The text will now wrap around
the text box…
Click in the text box and type
The only emissions from
hydrogen fuel cells are water
and heat
Deselect the text box and save
the document
For Your Reference…
To draw a text box:
1. Click on the Insert tab, then click on Text
Box and select Draw Text Box
2. Click in the document and drag to draw a
text box of the desired size
3. Release the mouse button
Handy to Know…
If you simply click but not drag in the
document to draw a text box, a text box will
appear ready for you to start typing. As you
type, the text box will expand to fit the text
until you press .
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3
Sometimes it will just be easier to draw a text box
and then format it the way you want, rather than
using an available text box style. When you draw
a text box, it will have a 0.5 pt border applied but
there no other formatting will be applied. Further,
no alignment or text wrapping options will be
applied. Drawing a text box is simply a matter of
click and drag.
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Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 31 Text Boxes
FORMATTING A TEXT BOX
Try This Yourself:
Same
File
Continue using the previous file
with this exercise, or open the
file W839 Text Boxes_7.docx...
Select the text box, click on the
Home tab, then click on the
drop arrow for Font Size
and select 12 pt
Click on and , then click
on to centre-align the text
Click on the drop arrow for
Font Colour and select Olive
Green, Accent 3
You will now apply a shape
style to the text box…
With the text box selected, click
on the Format tab, then click
on the down arrow for
Shape Styles three times to
display row 4
Click on Subtle Effect, Accent
3 to apply this shape style
You will now change the shape
of the text box…
Click on Edit Shape in the
Insert Shapes group, select
Change Shape and then click
on Rounded Rectangle to
apply this shape
Resize and position the text
box as shown
Save and close the document
For Your Reference…
To format a text box:
1. Select the text box and click on the Format tab
2. Click on the down arrow for Shape Styles
and click on a shape style
3. Click on Edit Shape and select a shape if
required
Handy to Know…
The Format dialog box contains many
formatting options for text boxes and any
other shape. Right-click on the border of the
text box and select Format Shape to display
the Format dialog box, or click on the dialog
box launcher for Shape Styles in the
Format tab.
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5
Once you’ve drawn your text box and typed in the
necessary text, you may want to format the text
box, such as adding borders or fill colour, and
formatting the text. When formatting a text box,
ensure that the colours complement those used in
the document. Here you will first format the text,
apply a shape style to the text box and change the
shape of the text box.
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Microsoft Word 2010 - Level 3
© Watsonia Publishing Page 32 Text Boxes
NOTES:
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