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Home ยป Nudging Objects Slightly

Nudging Objects Slightly

March 6, 2002 by Ellen Finkelstein 16 Comments

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Are you frustrated when you try to move an object on a slide just a little bit? Objects on a slide snap to a grid, but maybe you find it difficult to move them the small amount needed. Here are some techniques:

  • Choose Draw>Nudge on the Drawing toolbar, then choose Up, Down, Left or Right to move the selected object one grid unit.
  • Press Ctrl with one of the arrow keys to move the selected object in increments of .02 inches.
  • Press Alt while you drag an object to disable the grid completely and allow total control.

In PowerPoint 2002 and later. you can make the grid visible and control its spacing. Choose Draw>Grid and Guides and then change the settings in the Grid and Guides dialog box. Click OK when you are finished.

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READ LATER - DOWNLOAD THIS POST AS PDF >> CLICK HERE <<

Related posts:

  1. Creating a grid for perfect layout
  2. Attach objects exactly
  3. Changing the Default for New Objects
  4. Cycle through overlapping objects to select them

Filed Under: Slide layout Tagged With: objects, PowerPoint, presentations, slides

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16 Comments
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Liora Blum
Liora Blum
11 years ago

Thanks so much! I’m new to PPT and trying to work out how to make tiny changes to design. This was the first site that came up when I put in my Google search. Using Ctrl is a tip I will keep with me for future work ๐Ÿ™‚

0
Dean DuBois
Dean DuBois
10 years ago

This tip does not work in PPT2013…Microsoft is very successful in making their software less and less usable. It wants to snap mu line to an edge point on an object but I don’t want it there and now there does not seem to be any way to turn of the dreaded “snap” function that Microsoft think is so useful but really is just a pain in the ass…

0
David Crumbaker
David Crumbaker
10 years ago

I don’t mean to “bump” an old thread, but…
Yesterday (28 Jan 2016) I could nudge objects very slightly in PowerPoint 2013 – like 1 pixel at a time at any screen zoom – simply by using the arrow keys on my keyboard WITHOUT simultaneously holding down the “ctrl” key. However, today, suddenly, arrow-key nudging without “ctrl” moves things nearly a quarter inch! What happened overnight that changed this functionality? And is there a setting I can customize to get back my arrow-key-only tiny nudge capability?

0
Jason Newell
Jason Newell
10 years ago

Same thing happened to me, David. I’m also trying to figure out what happened

0
Greg
Greg
10 years ago

I have the same issue. Anyone with a solution?

0
Cookie
Cookie
10 years ago

Looking for a solution to this as well. Please help

0
James H
James H
10 years ago

See this Microsoft post:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2013_release-powerpoint/microsoft-powerpoint-2013-nudge-feature-not/93c9384e-e98d-4e96-ae88-26a07815dded

0
Peter A
Peter A
10 years ago

Look for a solution to this as well. Just suddenly changed. Please help!!!!

0
Ookaster
Ookaster
10 years ago

This is ridiculous. I just spent an hour thinking that this “sudden error” was due to a computer glitch on my machine. What IS Microsoft thinking?????!!!!! This feature is ESSENTIAL to my graphic design, teaching, presentation work! I am getting so tired of PPT making changes that take away flexibility! It doesn’t look as though MS has a fix for this at the moment – maybe it was actually INTENDED!!

0
James H
James H
10 years ago

See thise Windows Update info page: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114716

MS have reverted the changed.

0
Alberto
Alberto
10 years ago

Go to View> Guides, then select Snap to Grid. The arrow keys/cursor will nudge in smaller increments.

0
Ellen Finkelstein
Ellen Finkelstein
10 years ago
Reply to  Alberto

Alberto, thanks for mentioning this. In PowerPoint 2013, Microsoft changed the default Snap to Grid setting and it broke the Nudge/Small Nudge with Ctrl feature.

1
Kristin
Kristin
9 years ago

On a mac it’s command+arrow key! Lifesaver!

0
Ellen Finkelstein
Ellen Finkelstein
9 years ago
Reply to  Kristin

Kristin, glad to help. Yes, Ctrl on the PC = Command on the Mac.

0
Gabe Serafin
Gabe Serafin
8 years ago

Excellent! You have saved me hours of frustration. I make academic posters on MS PowerPoint and can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten frustrated over a shape snapping to a grid line. Thank you!

0
Paul Olsen
Paul Olsen
6 years ago

In my Powerpoint for mac 16.16.14 (190909) I can nudge in very small increments by holding the control and command keys down simultaneously and nudging with the arrow keys.

0
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