Inserting and formatting SmartArt in PowerPoint is a handy way to turn ideas into visuals—like hierarchies, processes, or lists—without building them from scratch. It’s built into the program and pretty flexible once you get the hang of it. Here’s how to do it.
To insert SmartArt, open your PowerPoint presentation and go to the slide where you want it. Click the “Insert” tab on the ribbon, then hit the “SmartArt” button in the Illustrations group. A window pops up with categories on the left—like “List,” “Process,” or “Hierarchy.” Pick one that fits your content; for example, “Vertical Block List” if you’re showing steps, or “Org Chart” for a team structure. Click your choice, then hit “OK.” It drops onto your slide as a graphic with placeholder text you can edit. Click the text boxes (or the little arrow to open the text pane) and type your content—like “Step 1: Plan” or “CEO: Jane Doe.” To add more shapes, right-click a shape, choose “Add Shape,” and pick where it goes (before, after, etc.).
For formatting, once your SmartArt’s on the slide, two contextual tabs pop up: “SmartArt Design” and “Format.” Under “SmartArt Design,” you can tweak the layout—say, switch from a “Basic Block List” to a “Continuous Picture List” if you want images—or change the style with “SmartArt Styles.” These range from flat 2D looks to 3D effects with shadows; just hover over one to preview, then click to apply. The “Change Colors” option lets you shift the color scheme—like “Colorful Range” or “Monochrome”—to match your vibe. Over on the “Format” tab, you can get granular: adjust shape fills (e.g., gradient or solid color), add borders, or resize the whole graphic by dragging its corners. Right-click a shape for even more options, like changing its type (circle to arrow) or rotating it.