Layer, group, and lock objects

You can layer text and objects to create the appearance of depth on a slide and then move items higher (forward) or lower (backward) in the stack.

You can group multiple objects so that you can move, resize, or rotate them as a single unit. To avoid inadvertently moving, modifying, or deleting an object, you can lock it.

Layer objects

  1. Select an object then overlap it with one or more other objects.

  2. Click the Arrange tab at the top of the sidebar on the right.

    If you don’t see a sidebar, or the sidebar doesn’t have an Arrange tab, click Format button in the toolbar.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • Move an object one layer at a time: Click Backward, or click Forward.

    • Move an object to the very bottom or top of the stack: Click Back, or click Front.

Group or ungroup objects

  1. Shift-click to select multiple objects.

  2. Click the Arrange tab at the top of the sidebar on the right.

    If you don’t see a sidebar, or the sidebar doesn’t have an Arrange tab, click Format button in the toolbar.

  3. Click Group (or choose Arrange > Group from the Arrange menu at the top of your screen).

    Tip: You can also select multiple objects, then Control-click anywhere on the slide and choose Group.

To ungroup objects, select the group, then Control-click anywhere on the slide and choose Ungroup.

Lock objects

After you lock an object, you can’t move, delete, or modify it in any way until you unlock it.

Locked objects showing dimmed selection handles
  1. Select one or more objects.

  2. Click the Arrange tab at the top of the sidebar on the right.

    If you don’t see a sidebar, or the sidebar doesn’t have an Arrange tab, click Format button in the toolbar.

  3. Click Lock (near the bottom of the tab).

To unlock an object, select it, then click Unlock in the Arrange tab of the Format sidebar.