How to Draw, Add and Edit Shapes in Microsoft Word

Key Takeaways 

• There are two main ways to add shapes: using the Insert Shapes feature for pre-defined shapes or drawing custom shapes with freeform tools.
• The type of shape you can have in a Word document depends on how you add or edit it.
• You can also modify the shapes you insert by changing them to different pre-defined options or editing their points for a more customized look.

How to Add a Shape in Microsoft Word

To insert a shape in Word, you can choose between two options. The first option would be to insert in-built/default shapes, while the second would be to draw a shape. These two options have their respective advantages, which are explained below:

Insert an In-Built/ Default Shape in Word

Microsoft Word has an Insert Shape feature on the Ribbon, which houses some commonly known shapes. If your document requires a standard shape such as a square or circle, using the Insert Shape feature saves you time. Here’s how to insert a standard shape in your Word document.

Step 1: Launch Microsoft Word.

Step 2: Open the needed document.

Step 3: On the Word Ribbon, click the Insert tab.

Step 4: Click the Shapes option in the Illustrations group.

Step 5: From the Shapes drop-down, select the shape you would like to add from any of these sections:

• Recently Used Shapes
• Lines
• Rectangles
• Basic Shapes
• Block Arrows
• Equation Shapes
• Flowchart
• Stars and Banners
• Callouts

Step 6: Place the + icon on the Word canvas and drag your mouse to get the desired size of your selected shape.

Draw a Shape in Word

You can draw a shape if it isn’t among the Insert Shape options in the Word Ribbon. You can create a unique shape with the Freeform Shape, Freeform Scribble, and Connector tools in Word. Here’s how to do that.

Draw a Shape in Word Using Freeform Shape and Freeform Scribble

You can use Freeform tools for shapes with a hand-drawn appearance or both straight and curved segments. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word.

Step 2: Open the needed document.

Step 3: On the Word Ribbon, click the Insert tab.

Step 4: Click the Shapes option in the Illustrations group.

Step 5: In the Lines section, click either of these options:

• Freeform Shape: draw a shape with straight and curved segments.

• Freeform Scribble: to draw a shape with a hand-drawn appearance or smooth curves.

Step 6: Place the + icon on the Word canvas and drag your mouse to draw your desired shape.

Step 7: To draw a curved segment, keep holding down your mouse as you draw till you get your desired shape. To draw a straight segment, click one location, move your pointer to a different location, and then click again.

Step 8: After drawing your shape, click the starting point of the drawing to close the shape.

Draw a Shape in Word Using Connector

In Word, the connector is a line with connection points at each end. You can connect these different connection points to create a shape or attach it to other shapes to create a new shape. Here’s how to do so:

Step 1: Launch the Microsoft Word app.

Step 2: Open the needed document.

Step 3: On the Word Ribbon, click the Insert tab.

Step 4: Click the Shapes option in the Illustrations group.

Step 5: In the Lines section, click either of these options:

• Connector: Elbow
• Connector: Elbow Arrow
• Connector: Elbow Double-Arrow
• Connector: Curved
• Connector: Curved Arrow
• Connector: Curved Double-Arrow

Step 6: Place the + icon on the Word canvas and drag your mouse to create the connector’s initial shape.

Step 7: Repeat Step 5 to join new connectors to the original connector until you get your desired shape.

How to Edit a Shape in Microsoft Word

After inserting or drawing your shape in Microsoft Word, you may want to change it. You may want to change from a square to a rectangle or a right-angled triangle to an equilateral one. Here’s how you can edit the shapes:

Change a Shape to Another Shape

To change one shape to another, here’s how you can do so:

Step 1: Click the original shape in the Word document to view the Shape Format tab on the Word Ribbon.

Step 2: In the Shape Format tab, click the Edit Shape option.

Step 3: Click Change Shape.

Step 4: Select your preferred shape from the following:

• Rectangles
• Basic Shapes
• Block Arrows
• Equation Shapes
• Flowchart
• Stars and Banners
• Callouts

Your old shape will be replaced with your new selection.

Edit Points in a Shape

If you would like to maintain the default appearance of a standard shape but slightly edit its form, you can do so by editing points of the shape. Here’s how to do so:

Step 1: Click the original shape in the Word document to view the Shape Format tab on the Word Ribbon.

Step 2: In the Shape Format tab, click the Edit Shape option.

Step 3: Click Edit Points. This will show the major points of the shape.

Step 4: Click and drag any of the points on the shape to change its form.