[CRITICAL UPDATE - Anyone using Office 2003 should install the critical
update as soon as possible. From PowerPoint, choose "Help -> Check for
Updates".]
Hello,
Although there is no way through the user interface of PowerPoint to change
the formatting of text in already existing shapes or text boxes in a
presentation, you can use the feature for changing object defaults to
change the default text formatting for new shapes or text boxes added to a
presentation.
1) Create a new text box using the text box tool (Draw menu)
2) Enter text and format it the way you want the default format to be for
any additional text boxes you might add.
3) Format -> AutoShape...
4) Check "Default for new objects" at bottom of "Colors and Lines" tab, and
click OK.
This is a per-presentation setting so any other presentation will not use
these new defaults but, instead, will use whatever defaults are currently
defined for them. If you want a certain set of default text formatting for
shapes and text boxes for new presentations, you will have to change the
defaults for whichever designs/templates that you use (see the help topics
in PowerPoint for instructions on how to customize/create your own
presentation designs).
If you (or anyone else reading this message) think that PowerPoint should
provide more control over various default behaviors (such as default text
format for new shapes and text boxes), and settings (without have to resort
to VBA or 3rd party add-ins), don't forget to send your feedback (in YOUR
OWN WORDS, please) to Microsoft at:
http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp
As with all product suggestions, it's important that you not just state
your wish but also WHY it is important to you that your product suggestion
be implemented by Microsoft. Microsoft receives thousands of product
suggestions every day and we read each one but, in any given product
development cycle, there are only sufficient resources to address the ones
that are most important to our customers so take the extra time to state
your case as clearly and completely as possible.
IMPORTANT: Each submission should be a single suggestion (not a list of
suggestions).
John Langhans
Microsoft Corporation
Supportability Program Manager
Microsoft Office PowerPoint for Windows
Microsoft Office Picture Manager for Windows
For FAQ's, highlights and top issues, visit the Microsoft PowerPoint
support center at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=ppt
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbhowto
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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