How to Add Arrows in Powerpoint
By Kathryn Hatashita-Lee
Microsoft Office PowerPoint includes pre-designed arrow shapes to help you draw attention and provide interest to your slide's content. Insert an arrow shape to emphasize a direction or to highlight an important piece of data for your clients. Examples of arrow shapes in the default shape gallery include a bent arrow, chevron and quad arrow callout. Customize the look of these arrows with the Drawing Tools ribbon commands to suit the style and theme of your presentation.
Navigate to the PowerPoint slide into which you'll insert the arrow graphic.
Click the “Home” tab on the command ribbon.
Click the lower arrow button in the scroll pane in the Drawing group to expand the default shape gallery of thumbnails. The Block Arrows section contains more than 20 graphics from which to choose.
Click the thumbnail of the arrow graphic you prefer in the Drawing pane. For example, click the “Right-Arrow Callout.” The pointer converts to a “+” symbol as you point over the slide.
Click in the slide and drag to insert the arrow graphic.
Click in the arrow graphic and drag the inserted arrow graphic to the position you want it to display on the slide.
Click the arrow, click a white selection handle on the arrow's border, and then drag to resize the arrow shape. To change the arrow's shape, click a yellow selection handle and drag.
Tips
If the Drawing Tools ribbon does not display, click the arrow graphic to display the Drawing Tools ribbon and its Format tab.
Edit the arrow graphic by clicking the commands in the Shape Styles group and the WordArt Styles group. For example, change the arrow’s color, shape outline and thickness of the outline by clicking in the arrow to bring up the Draw Tools ribbon and then click the “Format” tab. Click the tiny expansion arrow in the Shape Styles group to display more selections, and then select the options in the pane to the right of the slide.
If your PowerPoint slide is not showing in maximum screen size, the default shape gallery will display as a Shape button in the Home tab’s Drawing group. Click the “Shape” button to expand the default shape gallery, and then click the preferred arrow graphic.
Click the “Insert” tab on the ribbon, and then click the “Shapes” button in the Illustrations group to open the default shape gallery.