Selecting Shapes: Select and Deselect Shapes in PowerPoint

Created: Thursday, August 9, 2018, posted by Geetesh at 5:01 pm

Updated: Monday, May 29, 2023 at 5:29 pm

Presentations Glossary in alphabetical order:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

PowerPoint expects you first to make a selection, and then do something such as clicking a button to perform an action for the selected slide objects. If you cannot select an object, then you cannot modify it at all. Although this tutorial explains how you can select shapes on a slide, the process works the same way for any other slide object.

To learn more, choose your version of PowerPoint. If we do not have a tutorial for your version of PowerPoint, explore the version closest to the one you use.

Microsoft Windows

Select and Deselect Shapes in PowerPoint 2016

Select and Deselect Shapes in PowerPoint 2013

Select and Deselect Shapes in PowerPoint 2010

Apple Mac

Select and Deselect Shapes in PowerPoint 2016

Select and Deselect Shapes in PowerPoint 2011

Select and Deselect Shapes in PowerPoint

Tutorial Code: 06 03 01
Previous: 06 02 09 Drawing Angles in PowerPoint
Next: 06 03 02 Select, Deselect, View, and Hide Shapes Using the Selection Pane in PowerPoint

Selecting Shapes: Select, Deselect, View, and Hide Shapes Using the Selection Pane in PowerPoint
To format any slide object in PowerPoint, you must select it. There are a couple of ways with which you can select any slide object. Other than the ob...
Advanced Shape Techniques: Change One Shape to Another in PowerPoint
Once you place a Shape on a PowerPoint slide, you may format it by changing its fill or outline -- or you may add animation to it. Later if you realiz...
Circles and Squares: Drawing a Perfect Circle in PowerPoint
Drawing shapes is drop-dead easy with the vast repertoire of readymade shapes available in PowerPoint. You can easily insert these shapes with a click...
Symbols: Insert Equations in PowerPoint
Adding equations in your PowerPoint slide is a powerful way to present and communicate mathematical, scientific, and technical information to your aud...