Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Understanding WordArt.

Understanding WordArt

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 29, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365


1

WordArt is a program that allows you to treat text as a graphic. You can use the program to add special effects and flourishes to text, and then insert the text in your document. It is useful for creating special text elements such as logos, mastheads, or titles. Here's how you use WordArt in your document:

  1. Make sure the Insert tab of the ribbon is displayed.
  2. Click the WordArt tool in the Text group. You then see the WordArt Gallery. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. The WordArt Gallery.

  4. Click the letter that matches the general appearance you want used for your text. Word inserts a WordArt object into your document.
  5. Type the text you want used by WordArt.

After step 3 you should also have noticed the Format tab appear on the ribbon. This tab is available anytime a WordArt object is selected. It provides tools that you can use to change how your WordArt appears. To hide the Format tab on the ribbon, simply click a different place in your document, so that the WordArt object isn't selected.

You should also understand that any text you place into a WordArt object may not be strictly considered text. For example, the words in the WordArt object won't be considered when generating a word count unless you have the Include Textboxes, Footnotes and Endnotes checkbox selected in the Word Count dialog box. Instead, the text is considered a graphic object.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12658) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Understanding WordArt.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Easily Entering Dispersed Data

Need to enter information into a bunch of cells that aren't anywhere near each other in the worksheet? Here's a handy way ...

Discover More

Reversing Print Order

When you print a document, does it come out of the printer in the order you need? Here's how to reverse the print order ...

Discover More

Making Quoted Text Bold and Underlined

If your document contains quoted text, you might want a way to remove the quotes and format the text in some way. This ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Capturing a Screen

Windows provides a way of "capturing" the image on the screen into the clipboard. You can then paste the image from the ...

Discover More

Understanding Object Anchors

Do you have documents that contain objects? Understanding how Word handles objects and the way they are anchored can make ...

Discover More

Graphics Marked as Changed when Comparing Documents

The tools on the Review tab of the ribbon allow you to do all sorts of markup and comparisons of documents. When ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five more than 8?

2019-12-20 08:45:16

PatL

I used WordArt but I can't get it to print. I followed all the instructions I found on wordribbon.tips.net/T007554_Images_Wont_Print.html but it still won't print.
(see Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. Christmas Card Envelope


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.