AutoFit in MS PowerPoint XP
OK, so we’re all here for the same reason—to learn to control PowerPoint’s AutoFit feature. With that in mind, let’s get right down to business.
You actually have two types of control over this feature.
One type is when you choose to turn the AutoFit feature on or off globally (at the overall program level so it affects all presentation elements).
Another point of control is for each individual text placeholder (this one only applies if the feature is left turned on globally).
Let’s begin with the overall program level of the feature—that is to turn it on or off for everything.
AutoFit is a part of the AutoCorrect features so it’s there that we’ll have to go.
Try the Tools menu, AutoCorrect Options choice.
When the AutoCorrect window opens you’re looking for the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
Towards the bottom, in the Apply as you type section, you’ll find two AutoFit options.
“AutoFit title text to placeholder” applies only to the title text placeholders in your presentations.
“AutoFit body text to placeholder” applies to the non-title text placeholders in your presentations.
A checked box means that a particular AutoFit feature is turned on – so uncheck a box to turn the feature off.
Click OK when you’ve made your choices.
Now, assuming that you’ve left the AutoFit features on, let’s take a look at the way you can control it text placeholder by text placeholder.
When the AutoFit feature takes over and makes a font size change you should see the AutoFit Options button appear to the left of the text box.
If you’ve already clicked out of the text and don’t see this button then click back into the text and it should appear.
Click the button and a short menu will open.
Basically you have two options and a shortcut to the AutoCorrect window.
The first two items are your choices for this particular text placeholder—either let AutoFit do its job here or stop it.
The last item in the menu will take you immediately to the AutoCorrect window where you can choose to turn this feature off at the program level.
That’s it—simply choose to Stop fitting text to the placeholder and you will see the text go back to the original font size.
Change your mind?
No problem. The button is still available and you can choose to turn it back on at a later time.
And there you have it—shrinking PowerPoint text has been demystified!
~ April