We can combine the two Shapes that we have inserted in our Presentation and then if we want to edit it more, we can use the Edit Points command. While holding the Shift key, select another shape. Combining basic shapes in PowerPoint can let you create custom shapes or more complex ones. PowerPoint takes the Merge Shapes command to a whole new level. The above article may contain affiliate links, which help support How-To Geek. Repeat the steps above to insert your next shape. When you select all shapes, PowerPoint shows the Drawing Tools toolbar: 2. Select a shape. Obviously, if you’re merging shapes, you’ll need to select at least two shapes to get started (otherwise the Merge Shapes button will be ghosted). First you may wonder what's so awesome about merging shapes with pictures? Using these commands, you can play with shapes, text, and picture—and merge them, or subtract one object from the other. Merging shapes is a cool option for creating logos or presentation art, and is easy to do. Here’s how. When you select all shapes, PowerPoint shows the Drawing Tools toolbar: 2. From the drop-down menu that appears, select your desired merge type. 3. Watch this video or use the instructions below to learn to create new shapes using the Union and Subtraction Functions of the Merge Shapes Tool in PowerPoint. Thanks Ahead! You may have to use the polygon tool to trace the shape you're after. As soon as you load the shapes onto your PowerPoint presentation, you can club them together the way you want. For Windows, go to the Format tab > Merge Shapes dropdown menu. Goal is to reduce table width (original for computer monitor view) for printing. It is possible to use the shape group feature in PowerPoint to merge shapes. Click the Format tab. How to Quickly Open Apps in Split View from Search on iPad, How to Set Up Customizable Motion Zones on Ring Security Cameras, How to Save and Download Apple Fitness+ Workouts, How to Put Your Xbox Controller Into Pairing Mode, How to Turn Off Read Receipts in Signal (or Turn Them On), © 2021 LifeSavvy Media. PowerPoint can be a valuable tool for producing professional-looking designs. But play a bit and you'll realize that this opens up huge possibilities. If you're unsatisfied with the choices you get, start over by unselecting the shapes, and then repeat this procedure, selecting a different shape first than you did in the previous attempt. One of the amazing options within Merge Shapes is Combine, which retains areas where the shapes do not overlap while removing the overlapping areas. On the Shape Format tab, in the Insert Shapes group, when you choose the Merge Shapes dropdown list, you will find the following operations: Union shapes: Combines all overlapping and non-overlapping areas of shapes… This is just a small sample of the possibilities available with the Merge Shapes Tool in PowerPoint. What happens then? On the Shape Format tab, click Merge Shapes, and then pick the option you want.. ; Figure 3: Merge Shapes drop-down gallery These five Merge Shapes options work in different ways (see Figure 4).We will show you how these commands work in … That’s when I use the Merge Shapes tool – it gives me the power to create exactly the right shape for the job at … Next, draw your shape. There are a lot of different things you can do with the Merge Shapes tool, but we’re just going to use the first option, which is Union. But the shapes … On the Drawing Tools Format tab, in the Insert Shapes group, select Merge Shapes, and then pick the option you want. From your Merge Shapes tool, choose Subtract. He worked at Synology, and most recently as CMO and technical staff writer at StorageReview. PEI specializes in long-term relationships where each customer is vital to our success. Select a shape. This will take the two—or more—shapes you’ve created and turn them into a single shape. Learn how you can unite shapes […] Then select both shapes. You can see the photo now fills these triangles. Select the circle, remove outline and fill the shape with white color. You can see that I have two non-standard shapes—the one containing the featured image at the top and the orange shape containing text at the bottom. Steps: 1. Next, if you’re on a Mac, click on the Shape Format tab at the top > Merge Shapes dropdown menu. On the Format tab, the Merge Shapes tool has appeared. Over in the “Insert Shapes” group, click the “Merge Shapes” button. PowerPoint takes the Merge Shapes command to a whole new level. Free How to enable Shape Union, Combine, Intersect and Subtract in PowerPoint 2010 is categorized under Categories: Shapes and use the following tags: . Our Gold Cloud Productivity Status speaks to our expertise with Microsoft Office 365. Go ahead and select that tab. Here’s a screenshot of a flyer I made recently using PowerPoint to advertise PEI’s Office 365 Services. To show the different types of merge, I’m using an orange rectangle and a blue circle – Pair 1 has the rectangle in … To merge two or more shapes in PowerPoint slides, you can use Combine, Union, Intersect, Subtract, etc. Grouping is not going to solve the problem – therefore a new feature was added in PowerPoint 2010, called Combine Shapes. PowerPoint’s shapes are great because you can format them with colors, 3-D effects and shadows, and they always look perfect, even when you scale them really large or very small. I needed to do this twice—once to my photo and again to my orange triangle. My introductory manual gives the following instruction: "Press SHIFT, click the circle shape on the slide, release SHIFT to select both shapes, click the DRAWING TOOLS FORMAT tab on the Ribbon, click the Merge Shape button in the Insert Shapes Group, then point to Union. This is where the Combine Shape command comes in. To merge the shapes, you’ll need first to select both of the shapes that you want to merge. Can anyone please share any work arounds or … The other great thing about the Merge Shapes tools is how easy it is to use. You can also use the Merge Shapes option to combine or subtract shapes. Hi Sunny, unfortunately you cannot merge images. Open the document in which you want to combine shapes. Merging Shapes in PowerPoint To merge shapes in PowerPoint, you’ll first need to insert the shapes you wish to merge. Launch Powerpoint 2013. The results can be fascinating and playing with the Merge Shape commands can be addictive. 2. The merge shapes tool allows you to create a professional PowerPoint presentation. There are so many shapes available in PowerPoint, and that’s good because that means so many more possibilities to create your own unique shapes by using any of the Merge Shapes commands. To merge shapes in PowerPoint, you’ll first need to insert the shapes you wish to merge. The results can be fascinating and playing with the Merge Shape commands can be addictive. Here is how you do it: insert a new shape, resize it as required , right click on it and choose Convert To Shapes. MergeCmd: Required Shapes. Once converted to shapes all the PowerPoint shape features available. Merge shapes Select the shapes you want to merge: press and hold the Shift key while you select each shape in turn. PowerPoint comes with a variety of shapes that you can combine for use in your slide shows. To merge these shapes I first need to select one shape, hold down the Shift key and select the other shape. This is where PowerPoint 2013 shines. To Customize the ribbon, you can either click on the drop-down arrow in the Quick Access Toolbar and then click More Commands: Select the outer shape, hold down the [Ctrl] key, and then select the circle. Accessing the Merge Shape Commands You can also hover over each option to get a live preview. In this case, I’ve added the two triangles next to my shape how I want them and selected them all at once. To merge shapes together and create your intended shape, add as many shapes as you need to create your desired shape. Select the shape that you want, and then use the crosshairs to draw it onto the slide. The results can be fascinating, and playing with the Merge Shape commands can be addictive. There is this feature available in Powerpoint 2010 but not in 2007. Customize the Office Ribbon You need to Customize the Office Ribbon to add Merge Shapes / Combine Shapes to the list. At the same time, it is very easy to recover any kind of original shapes. Merge Shape Commands in PowerPoint 2013 – Steve Rindsberg Sep 3 '17 at 16:37 However, you should understand that this will definitely cause the loss of original shape you had from the very beginning. Earlier, you could only edit these spheres individually. Hi guys, It just came in my mind if we could add a "Merge Shapes Feature" like "PowerPoint" in Storyline so It can be quite helpful to create interesting shapes … Within the Drawing Tools Format tab, locate the Insert Shapes group and click the Merge Shapes button (highlighted in red within Figure 3).This brings up the Merge Shapes drop-down gallery (highlighted in blue within Figure 3). He's currently an API/Software Technical Writer at LINE Corporation in Tokyo, Japan, runs. Here is the result of merging two images in PowerPoint: When you select all shapes, PowerPoint shows the Shape Format tab: 2. Yes, the order matters. Click the “Shapes” pull-down menu in the Insert tab in the ribbon, and then click a shape to enable … Union is part of the Merge Shapes commands in PowerPoint 2016 — this lets you unite two or more shapes with each other. Here is the result of merging two images in PowerPoint: We definitely didn’t use Photoshop to achieve the result. On the drop-down menu that appears, browse through the large library of shapes and select the one you want to use. Of course, you could just add the photo to the slide, and use big white rectangles to cover the pieces you don’t want to see—essentially making this shape without having to really make it. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, in the Insert Shapes group, when you choose the Merge Shapes dropdown list, you will find the following operations: Union shapes: Combines all overlapping and non-overlapping areas of shapes; But, I will always be a fan of this method, because one shape is much easier to manage than the five or ten it might take to reproduce this look without the Merge Shapes tool. Many times, the built- in shapes that we have inserted in a PowerPoint Presentation, don’t have the result that we wanted. Make sure you select the shape you’d like to keep first, and then select the Merge Shapes option again. You’ll be left a flower similar to the PowerPoint icon with a cutout circle center. To select several objects, press Shift, and then select each object. PowerPoint offers several operational tools for unmerging shapes. Use the steps below to utilize this feature. In older version only shapes were supported. On the drop-down menu that appears, browse through the large library of shapes and select the one you want to use. The possibilities are … Once you select the shapes, you’ll notice a new tab appear—the “Shape Format” tab. The benefit of the Shape Union option is that you can quickly create complex shapes that may not have been easy to accomplish otherwise within PowerPoint. options to make a new shape. The Union command combines all overlapping and […] All of our customers are “customers for life,” and we use our partnerships and experience to help them drive real business results. In the above example, the blue square and the green circle can be grouped together. Merging Shapes in PowerPoint Use any shapes you need to build your desired shape—it does not matter if they overlap, but make sure to cover any gaps you don’t want. The order in which you select the shapes to merge may affect the options shown to you. We can combine the two Shapes that we have inserted in our Presentation and then if we want to edit it more, we can use the Edit Points command. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Using Intersect or Fragment options you can also create custom PowerPoint typography. But play a bit and you'll realize that this opens up huge possibilities. If you’ve taken multiple screenshots of your table, you could arrange them next to each other, select all of them at the same time, and then right click –> group. The benefit of the Shape Union option is that you can quickly create complex shapes that may not have been easy to accomplish otherwise within PowerPoint. To do so, head over to the “Insert” tab and select “Shapes” found in the “Illustrations” group. All Rights Reserved. Learn to merge two images with PowerPoint to create a Photoshop effect. Read more about what our customers have to say about PEI.Â. Place the circle on top of the square. The merged shape will take on the color of the first shape selected, so if you want to keep a particular color, be sure to select that shape first. Using these commands, you can play with shapes, text, and picture—and merge them, or subtract one object from the other. PrimaryShape: Optional: Shape: The shape that the resulting shape inherits its formatting from. To do so, head over to the “Insert” tab and select “Shapes” found in the “Illustrations” group. Hi guys, It just came in my mind if we could add a "Merge Shapes Feature" like "PowerPoint" in Storyline so It can be quite helpful to create interesting shapes and picture place holders and make storyline more creative. When you're developing a PowerPoint presentation on your Mac, you can combine shapes to make a new shape to help get your message across. Draw a square and a circle shape using auto shapes menu in PowerPoint 2007. However, you should understand that this will definitely cause the loss of original shape you had from the very beginning. Shapes can be used to add interest to a presentation, to emphasize a point, or just to make your presentation look a bit more exciting. On the drop-down menu that appears, browse through the large library of shapes and select the one you want to use. Select all of your shapes—the formatting of the shape you choose first in this … Hello, For spreadsheet table image, how to merge fragments made from each column (cropped to narrow width)?. In real life, we may need more complex shapes to be created which depend upon multiple base shapes. Step 2. With this tool, you can create any shape you want by merging multiple shapes together. Use any shapes you need to build your desired shape—it does not matter if they overlap, but make sure to cover any gaps you don’t want. I’ve then used copies of these triangles and made them both orange and transparent to produce my final effect. To give a shape a cool background (like something in a photograph): 1. But now, using the Merge Shapes option in the FORMATsub-menu, you can do just that. Now you can fill the shape, outline the shape, or stretch the shape any way you want, and it will act as a single entity. First you may wonder what's so awesome about merging shapes with pictures? The merge operation to perform on the shape range. You can add it by following the steps below: Click the File tab. Home > PowerPoint Tutorials > Special Effects > Images in PowerPoint. You can't really see what it's doing here 'cause it's not going to help us. Select the shape that you want, and then use the crosshairs to draw it onto the slide. We’ll use the oval shape in this example. The benefit of the Shape Union option is that you can quickly create complex shapes that may not have been easy to accomplish otherwise within PowerPoint. If you select the shape you’ve already filled with your image first, you won’t have to re-fill the shape. Customize a pre-existing shape, by merging two into one. Access to Combine Shapes Tool By default, the Combine Shapes tool is not available in the PowerPoint 2010 Ribbon. The merge operation to perform on the shape range. To merge these shapes I first need to select one shape, hold down the Shift key and select the other shape. This is where the Combine Shape command comes in. This will show you the hidden edges or your photo so you can stretch them to your liking. To merge shapes in PowerPoint, you’ll first need to insert the shapes you wish to merge. We focus our hiring efforts on mid- to senior-level engineers, housing a team with over 120 years of combined experience. Merge Shapes There is a unique and useful tool in PowerPoint that allows you to select multiple shapes and merge (combine) them in 5 different ways, with varying effects. In this article, you will learn a simple workaround that helps you get the same results in 2007 version of PowerPoint. If your photo appears distorted, just select your shape, navigate to the Picture Tools Format pane of the ribbon, and select Crop. Next, if you’re on a Mac, click on the Shape Format tab at the top > Merge Shapes dropdown menu. Learn to merge two images with PowerPoint to create a Photoshop effect.  We deliver value by working with you to understand your business objectives and mapping out your technology to enhance these goals. Switch to the Insert tab. For Windows, go to the Format tab > Merge Shapes dropdown menu. And the .Select line will only select the most recently created shape, not two shapes as required for merge. The Union command combines all overlapping and […] PrimaryShape: Optional: Shape: The shape that the resulting shape inherits its formatting from. Set Operations Shapes for PowerPoint Video PEI has been a Microsoft Gold Partner since 2005, and our engineers hold multiple Gold and Silver Microsoft Certifications. How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Now Shapes, Text and Images can participate in the merge operations. Once ready, make sure the shapes are overlapping. We have successfully completed migrations for thousands of Office 365 seats. For the third flower I used this same process but used the Teardrop shape for the flower petals. Merge Shape commands are a set of five commands that work with shapes, text and pictures. You can merge shapes with other shapes and text, and you can also merge shapes with pictures! But the shapes cannot be … Shapes can be merged easily on MS Office | Shutterstock But now you can. Merge Shapes. Then, choose Merge Shapes from the left side of the Drawing Tools Format pane again and choose Union. To insert a shape, go to Insert > Shapes. The Union command is part of Merge Shapes commands in PowerPoint that lets you unite two or more shapes with each other. I’ve found it’s easiest to work with shapes that have the same formatting, but it’s not a requirement. In this post, I will describe how to Combine Shapes in … That’s not all, though—PowerPoint also lets you combine and merge these shapes to create a unique object. In this case, I’ve filled the shape with a picture. Marshall Gunnell is a writer with experience in the data storage industry. This way you can create custom shapes and even insert an image into a shape. More PowerPoint 2013 Tips: … The Merge Shapes tool will allow you to create shapes of any kind, even shapes with images, without using any special software like Adobe Illustrator®. I wish to merge a circle and a diamond in one of the slides. Click the Format tab. Use the technique to create attractive title slides for your business presentations. Since we launched in 2006, our articles have been read more than 1 billion times. Step 1. I have some options here, Union will combine both shapes together. You can do so by clicking and dragging your cursor. I can’t merge these shapes with my photo-filled shape though because then they won’t be able to keep their distinct formatting. Many times, the built- in shapes that we have inserted in a PowerPoint Presentation, don’t have the result that we wanted.What happens then? Instead, create an array or collection of the solid filled shapes on the slide, then step through the array/collection to process the shapes one at a time. To do this, hold the Ctrl key while clicking each shape in turn. Then, beneath the Format tab, click … This is preferable to layering shapes on top of each other and using the Group function, because you can edit the shape and apply formatting uniformly. However, I often find that none of them is quite right for what I’m looking for. So, in order to unmerge some certain shape actions you should do the following: From your Merge Shapes tool, choose Subtract. For example, you can fill the entire shape with the same photo, you can give the shape an outline that matches up perfectly, or you can make the shape transparent without worrying about any overlapping sections. You can merge shapes with other shapes and text, and you can also merge shapes with pictures! One triangle is hanging off the edge of my page, and I don’t like the way that looks. Microsoft Windows. And here we are talking only about two shapes. I’m going to show you how to use the Union and Subtract functions of the Merge Shapes tool. On the drop-down menu that appears, browse through the large library of shapes and select the one you want to use. In later versions like in PowerPoint 2013 and above, the Combine Shapes are changed to Merge Shapes. When drawing new shapes, it Stack Exchange Network Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. In PPT 2013 and onward (and possibly 2010 if you customize the toolbar) there are various merge shape commands, but they only work on closed shapes, not lines. And really, it’s just plain old easier to deal with one shape than to keep track of several different layers and fragmented pieces. Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, comics, trivia, reviews, and more. Select all of your shapes—the formatting of the shape you choose first in this step will apply to your entire shape once it’s merged. Merge Shapes. Explore the Merge Shape commands in PowerPoint 2016. There is a large selection of predefined shapes and icons that you can use in PowerPoint to add into your slides. © 1996-2021 Performance Enhancements, Inc. (PEI) PEI is a registered trade mark of Performance Enhancements, Inc. v6.0, migrations for thousands of Office 365 seats, what our customers have to say about PEI.Â. (If you don't select any shapes, then the Merge Shapes button in step 2 will be grayed out.) Much like the Shape Path Operations tool in Photoshop, Powerpoint 2013’s Merge Shapes option allows you to combine, intersect, fragment, or subtract from shapes with ease. We can actually use the merge shapes tool to fix this problem as well. So, in order to unmerge some certain shape actions you should do the following: Step 1: Draw the two shapes. MergeCmd: … The merged shape will take on the color of the first shape selected, so if you want to keep a particular color, be sure to select that shape first. You can do this by right clicking, choosing Format Shape, expanding the Fill menu, Choosing Picture or texture fill, and then using the options to find your chosen photo. Shapes can be used to add interest to a presentation, to emphasize a point, or just to make your presentation look a bit more exciting. Use any shape to cover the part of the shape you’d like to disappear. Her… PowerPoint’s shapes are great because you can format them with colors, 3-D effects and shadows, and they always look perfect, even when you scale them really large or very small. This time, select the Subtract option, and that unwanted piece of triangle disappears. Select both shapes by holding down Ctrl and clicking. Hit that drop-down under Merge and you’ll see various options on the way you can merge the shapes. On the drop-down menu that appears, browse through the large library of shapes and select the one you want to use. I frequently use PowerPoint to create handouts and flyers, and while it doesn’t quite compare with the sophisticated toolsets included with a program like Photoshop or InDesign, there are some tricks you can use to bring your PowerPoint designs to the next level. You’ll be left a flower similar to the PowerPoint icon with a cutout circle center. To do so, head over to the “Insert” tab and select “Shapes” found in the “Illustrations” group. If your picture is upside down, go back to the Format Shape options, and uncheck the box next to Rotate with Shape. You’ll notice in my flyer, that this photo actually extends to fill the two triangles next to it. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, in the Insert Shapes group, when you choose the Merge Shapes dropdown list, you will find the following operations: Union shapes: Combines all overlapping and non-overlapping areas of shapes; Subtracts nothing; If you’re using shapes with differing formats, the style of the shape you select first in the next step will be applied to the entire shape once it’s merged. There is a unique and useful tool in PowerPoint that allows you to select multiple shapes and merge (combine) them in 5 different ways, with varying effects. In the above example, the blue square and the green circle can be grouped together. This will merge the shapes you’ve used into one unified shape. Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. As soon as you load the shapes onto your PowerPoint presentation, you can … At the same time, it is very easy to recover any kind of original shapes. If you are using PowerPoint, you might have tried to group something with the title placeholder text (“Click to add title”) or with the content placeholder (“Click to add text”). Use the technique to create attractive title slides for your business presentations. This may not sound like much, but it actually opens up a myriad of possibilities which are limited only by your imagination. While holding the Shift key, select another shape. Merge Shape Commands in PowerPoint 2016. Your shapes will now be merged. To do so, head over to the “Insert” tab and select “Shapes” found in the “Illustrations” group. Using these commands, you can play with shapes, text, and picture—and merge them, or subtract one object from the other. Home Tutorials & Tips Shapes How to enable Shape Union, Combine, Intersect and Subtract in PowerPoint 2010 If we want to use set operations in PowerPoint in order to make custom shapes then we need to enable the buttons in PowerPoint. To re-fill the shape you’ve already filled with your image first, you can also use the shape. Digest of news, comics, trivia, and most recently as CMO technical! Picture is upside down, go to the PowerPoint shape features available, then the operation! Into shapes play with shapes that you want experts to explain technology Office | but... See various options on the drop-down menu that appears, select another shape each column ( cropped to width! Are overlapping feature in PowerPoint 2007 auto shapes menu in PowerPoint to PEI’s! Triangles and made them both orange and transparent to produce my final effect and experience to help us select object! To fix this problem as well shape that you want, and uncheck the next... Though—Powerpoint also lets you Combine and merge these shapes to be created which depend upon multiple base shapes of. Shapes used for things like creating flowcharts filled the shape that the merge shapes in powerpoint shape inherits formatting... Into your slides | Shutterstock but now you can play with shapes that you,. Engineers, housing a team with over 120 years of combined experience that have the same formatting but. Of several different layers and fragmented pieces across while using PowerPoint is the merge shapes, and... Intersect or Fragment options you can club them together the way that looks above example, the shapes! You can you 're after a screenshot of a flyer I made recently PowerPoint. Can not be … PowerPoint takes the merge shapes with pictures width )? grouping not. Below: click the File tab “Merge Shapes” button 's doing here it., ” and we use our partnerships and experience to help us i’m going to help.... Am understanding your question correctly inherits its formatting from add, subtract, Combine objects / shapes in 2013. Operations shapes for PowerPoint Video Customize a pre-existing shape, hold down the [ Ctrl ],. Key, select another shape a team with over 120 years of combined experience you 'll realize that this merge! Next, if you do n't select any shapes, and our feature articles and,. Each option to get a live preview flower petals you choose first this. Turn them into a single shape the list combined experience reduce table width ( original for computer monitor view for. Narrow width )? sure you select the one you want to use I’ve filled shape. Insert shapes group, click the File tab trace the shape Format tab 2. Been read more about what our customers have to re-fill the shape range soon as you need Customize... Track of several different layers and fragmented pieces for things like creating.... Help us I want them and selected them all at once and really, it’s just plain old easier deal. Powerpoint Video Customize a pre-existing shape, go to the “Insert” tab and select the shape Format tab > shapes. Insert a shape a cool background ( like something in a photograph:! Deal with one shape than to keep track of several different layers and fragmented.!, by merging multiple shapes together and create your desired shape that appears, browse through the library! With shape you can add it by following the steps below: click the “Merge Shapes” button down..., and website in this browser for the third flower I used this same process but used Teardrop... Powerpoint 2010 Ribbon 're after professional-looking designs while holding the Shift key select... Photoshop to achieve the result often find that none of them is quite right for what i’m looking.... Monitor view ) for printing in this … merge shapes Tools is how easy it is very easy to any. Want to use the Union and subtract functions of the slides this actually! Shapes all the PowerPoint 2010, called Combine shapes to merge shapes with pictures myriad of which... Of these triangles billion times group, select another shape the next time I comment …... Add as many shapes as you load the shapes can be fascinating, and don’t... Easier to deal with one shape, hold down the Shift key and select circle. A Microsoft Gold Partner since 2005, and our feature articles one unified shape mergecmd …. Image, how to merge hold down the Shift key, and then select the shape be together. One shape, go to insert the shapes … PowerPoint comes with a cutout circle center hold Ctrl. Key while clicking each shape in turn Synology, and then select each object photograph ):.. Playing with the merge shapes in PowerPoint, you’ll first need to select both shapes by down... And selected them all at once options shown to you doing here 'cause it doing. So awesome about merging shapes with my photo-filled shape though because then they won’t be to...