How to Use SmartArt in PowerPoint 2021

Edited 7 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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SmartArt is a feature in Microsoft PowerPoint 2021 that allows you to visually convey information using diagrams. It is an effective tool for improving your presentations by making complex ideas easier to understand through visual representation. This guide will provide you with detailed information on how to use SmartArt, ensuring that you can create engaging and informative slides.

Access to SmartArt

To start using SmartArt in PowerPoint 2021, you first need to know how to access it. Follow these steps:

1. Open your PowerPoint 2021 application and select the slide where you want to add SmartArt.
2. Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon.
3. In the Illustration group, click the SmartArt button.
4. This will open the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box.

Here, you can select the type of SmartArt you want for your presentation.

Choosing the right SmartArt graphic

SmartArt provides a variety of graphic layouts, which are classified into different types, including lists, processes, cycles, hierarchies, relationships, matrices, and pyramids. Choosing the appropriate SmartArt graphic is important as it helps to clearly convey the intended message.

Categories of SmartArt graphics

• List: Ideal for presenting non-sequential information.
• Process: Ideal for depicting steps or stages in a process or workflow.
• Cycle: Best for depicting processes that are repeated or continue indefinitely, such as life cycles.
• Hierarchy: Perfect for showing organizational structures, such as company hierarchies.
• Relationships: Useful for showing how elements are interconnected.
• Matrix: Good for showing relationships in a matrix format, such as a SWOT analysis.
• Pyramid: Effective for depicting proportional or hierarchical data.

How to select a SmartArt graphic

When you open the SmartArt gallery, you can browse various categories and previews:

1. Choose the category of SmartArt that best suits your needs by clicking the category name on the left.
2. Scroll through the options for the selected category in the middle pane.
3. Click on a graphic to see a preview and read its description in the right pane.
4. Once you've selected a graphic, click OK to insert it into your slide.

Add text to SmartArt

After you've inserted your SmartArt graphic, it's time to add text. You can do this in two main ways:

Using the text pane

The Text pane is located next to your SmartArt graphic and provides an outline view for text entry:

1. If the text pane isn't visible, click the small arrow or chevron on the left side of the SmartArt frame.
2. Type your text directly in the text pane. Each bullet corresponds to a shape in the graphic.
3. Press Enter to add a new bullet/shape.
4. Use Tab to demote an item, or Shift+Tab to promote it (this affects hierarchy levels).

Directly to the graphic

You can click directly on any shape within the graphic to enter your text:

1. Click inside the shape where you want to add text.
2. Type the text you want.
3. Repeat this for each shape you need to fill in.

Formatting SmartArt graphics

PowerPoint 2021 offers extensive formatting options to customize the look of your SmartArt:

SmartArt styles

1. Select a SmartArt graphic to activate the SmartArt tools on the ribbon.
2. Click the Design tab under SmartArt Tools.
3. In the SmartArt Styles group, hover over the styles to preview them.
4. Click the style you want to apply to your SmartArt.

Styles vary from simple, flat designs to more colorful and 3D options.

Changing color

1. Under the Design tab under SmartArt Tools, click the Change Colors button.
2. Choose the color scheme that best suits your presentation theme from the available options.

Customizing the colors can help your SmartArt match the branding or theme of your presentation.

Text formatting

To format text in a SmartArt diagram, you can:

1. Select the text you want to format.
2. Use the Home tab on the ribbon to change the font size, color, alignment, etc.

Organizing SmartArt

Sometimes, you might need to change the layout or order of the elements in your SmartArt:

Add or remove shapes

1. Select the SmartArt graphic to activate the Design tab.
2. To add a shape, click Add Shape and choose a preferred option (for example, Add shape first, Add shape later).
3. To delete a shape, click the shape you want to delete, and press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Changing the layout

1. Explore different layouts by selecting a SmartArt graphic and clicking Layouts in the Design tab.
2. Hover over the layout to preview the changes, and click to apply the changes to your SmartArt.

Reorder shapes

1. In the text pane, click the item you want to move.
2. To reorder items, use Shift+Up Arrow or Shift+Down Arrow.

SmartArt tips and best practices

Keep it simple

Although it's tempting to use complex SmartArt designs, simplicity often works best. This keeps your slides clear and ensures that the audience can easily understand the data presented.

Ensure consistency

Use consistent SmartArt styles and color schemes throughout your presentation to provide a cohesive visual experience.

Readability testing

Preview your slides to make sure the text in SmartArt is readable from the viewer's perspective. Adjust the font size or graphic size as needed.

Conclusion

By using SmartArt in PowerPoint 2021, you can significantly improve your presentations by providing engaging and informative slides. By understanding how to access, select, and customize SmartArt graphics, you can effectively communicate complex ideas and data to your audience. Whether you're illustrating a simple organizational chart or a complex process, SmartArt offers solutions to meet all your presentation needs while keeping things visually appealing.

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