It's easy to rotate most objects in a PowerPoint slide. Simply select the object and drag the green rotation handle. Getting just the right tilt to your rotation can turn into a dizzy experiment when using this freehand route. Fortunately, there are a few tips that should help you stay in control:
- Hold down [Shift] while you drag to rotate the selected item in 15-degree increments.
- On the Format tab, click Rotate in the Arrange group to access fixed rotations, quickly. In PowerPoint 2003, you can click Rotate on the Picture toolbar.
- Right-click the item and choose Format object. Or, click the Dialog launcher in the Size group on the Format tab. Click Size in the left pane and enter a rotation value in the Rotation control (in the Size section). Enter a positive value to rotate clockwise; a negative value rotates counterclockwise.
- Setting the Rotation value (above) to 0 will quickly reset the object to its original position. (Much better than fighting with the rotation handle!)
- You can always undo a rotation by pressing [Ctrl]+Z.
- Right-click the item and choose Format object. Or, click the Dialog launcher in the Size group on the Format tab. Select 3-D Rotation and change the X value to 180, and click Close to create a mirror image.
What tips have you come to rely on when rotating objects?
About Susan Harkins
Susan Sales Harkins is an IT consultant, specializing in desktop solutions. Previously, she was editor in chief for The Cobb Group, the world's largest publisher of technical journals.
Full Bio
Susan Sales Harkins is an IT consultant, specializing in desktop solutions. Previously, she was editor in chief for The Cobb Group, the world's largest publisher of technical journals.
