Chapter 13: PowerPoint Notes – Working with texts

(back to Build a TpT Store)

Here are some great ways to manipulate text when creating in PowerPoint.

1. How to insert a text box

Insert > Text Box
Click and drag anywhere on the slide.

2. How to change font and font size

Go to the Home tab
Choose a font from the dropdown menu.

3. Different fonts in the same text box

You can use different fonts and also different font sizes within the same text box.

4. Bold the thin fonts

The thin fonts might look too thin against the black color block. Bold the thin fonts to make them stand out!

5. Add drop shadow

If the color block is not black, applying drop shadow to the text makes it stand out even more.

Go to Shape Format > Format Pane > Text Options > Text Effects
Shadow > Presets
Choose any of the presets you like.

6. Different color for each letter

Highlight one letter at a time.

Go to Shape Format > Format Pane > Text Options
Text Fill > Color > (change to a color you like) see Working with colors.

7. Add text outline

Pick any thick font that you like.

Go to Shape Format > Format Pane > Text Options
Text Fill Color: White
Text Outline Color: Black
Text Outline Width = 2.5 pt

This is great for layering over clipart. Adding drop shadow can make the text stand out more.

8. Layering

You can do this with any thick font.

Text Outline

Create a text box and type in the word you want, then format it.
Go to Shape Format > Format Pane > Text Options
Text Fill: No fill
Text Outline Color: Black
Text Outline Width = 2 pt

Font Color/Text Fill

Create a 2nd text box, type the same word, and format it differently.
Shape Format > Format Pane > Text Options
Text Fill: Solid Fill
Text Fill Color: (any color you choose)
Text Outline: no line

Layer the colors behind the outline

Right click on the 2nd text box > Send to Back > Send to Back
Move the 2nd text box behind the 1st text box.
You can layer it directly behind, or displace it slightly for a cool effect.

9. Layering with shadow fonts

There are some fonts that have both the regular version and the shadow version. You can find a few in my Fonts and Clipart Starter Pack.

Create a text box for the shadow font

For the color part, each letters needs their own text box.

Layer each colored letter behind the shadow font one at a time

10. Text box fill

You don’t always have to layer the clipart over a color block. You can just edit the Shape Options of the text box itself. It’s great for layering over clipart.

Select the text box.
Go to Shape Format > Format Pane
Fill: Solid fill
Fill Color: White
Transparency: 25% (optional, but it can look cool)
Line: Solid line
Line color: Black
Line width: 2 pt

11. Text transparency

This can be used for tracing!

Select the text box.
Go to Shape Format > Text Options > Text Fill > Transparency > 80%

12. Character spacing

If you find that the characters of the fonts are too close, or too far apart, or you’d like to create an effect, you can change the Character Spacing of the text.

Go to Home > Character Spacing > More Spacing
Spacing: Expanded/Condensed by 3 points

(You can also use this to change the spacing between only 2 letters. Just highlight the first of the 2 letters whose spacing you’d like to change and go through the same steps.)

13. Embedding fonts

If you are creating editable PowerPoint resources or PowerPoint lessons, embedding fonts is important to make sure the resource still look as you intended when it is opened on another computer.