Format Paragraphs in PowerPoint – Instructions

How to Format Paragraphs in PowerPoint: Video

            This video lesson, titled “Paragraph Formatting,” shows how to format paragraphs in PowerPoint. This video lesson is from our complete PowerPoint tutorial, titled “Mastering PowerPoint Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Overview of How to Format Paragraphs in PowerPoint:

            You can easily format paragraphs in PowerPoint. To apply paragraph formatting to all text in a text-containing object in PowerPoint, click its border to select its object editing mode. However, note that some paragraph formatting options, like “Increase Indent” and “Decrease Indent,” are not available in this mode.

            Alternatively, to show all paragraph formatting options in PowerPoint or apply paragraph formatting to only selected paragraphs, click into the text within the object to place the object into its text editing mode. Then click and drag to select only the paragraphs to format.

            To apply paragraph formatting after selecting the paragraphs to format in PowerPoint, then click the desired buttons in the “Paragraph” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon. You can hover your mouse pointer over any button in this button group to see a screen tip that shows its name and function. You can click the drop-down arrows that appear to the right of some buttons, like the “Bullets” button, to select a button choice from a drop-down menu that appears. Other buttons, like “Align Text Left” and “Increase Indent,” simply apply the button’s formatting.

            Alternatively, to apply all paragraph formatting options to a selection in PowerPoint by using the “Paragraph” dialog box, click the “Paragraph” dialog box launcher button in the lower-right corner of the “Paragraph” button group. To select your desired paragraph alignment, use the drop-down in the “General” section of the “Paragraph” dialog box. To set the entire paragraph indentation or set special paragraph indentation, like a “First Line Indent” or a “Hanging Indent,” use the spinners and drop-downs in the “Indentation” section.

A picture showing how to format paragraphs in PowerPoint using the “Paragraph” dialog box.

            To set the amount of spacing to apply before and after paragraphs, use the “Before:” and “After:” spinners in the “Spacing” section. To set line spacing for the selected paragraphs, use the “Line Spacing:” drop-down and spinner. After setting the desired paragraph formatting, then click the “OK” button to apply it.

Instructions on How to Format Paragraphs in PowerPoint:

1. To apply paragraph formatting to all text in a text-containing object in PowerPoint, click its border to select its object editing mode.
2. Alternatively, to show all paragraph formatting options in PowerPoint or apply paragraph formatting to only selected paragraphs, click into the text within the object to place the object into its text editing mode.
3. Then click and drag to select only the paragraphs to format.
4. To apply paragraph formatting after selecting the paragraphs, then click the desired buttons in the “Paragraph” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon.
5. You can hover your mouse pointer over any button in this button group to see a screen tip that shows its name and function.
6. You can click the drop-down arrows that appear to the right of some buttons, like the “Bullets” button, to select a button choice from a drop-down menu that appears.
7. Other buttons, like “Align Text Left” and “Increase Indent,” simply apply the button’s formatting.
8. Alternatively, to apply all paragraph formatting options to a selection in PowerPoint by using the “Paragraph” dialog box, click the “Paragraph” dialog box launcher button in the lower-right corner of the “Paragraph” button group.
9. To select your desired paragraph alignment, use the drop-down in the “General” section of the “Paragraph” dialog box.
10. To set the entire paragraph indentation or set special paragraph indentation, use the spinners and drop-downs in the “Indentation” section.
11. If you want to set the amount of spacing to apply before and after paragraphs, use the “Before:” and “After:” spinners in the “Spacing” section.
12. To set line spacing for the selected paragraphs, use the “Line Spacing:” drop-down and spinner.
13. After setting the desired paragraph formatting, then click the “OK” button to apply it.