Add and edit shapes

After you add a shape to a sheet, you can customize the shape in a number of ways. For example, you can change the standard five-point star into a twenty-point starburst, adjust how rounded the corners of a square are, add text inside a shape, and more.

Add a shape

  1. Click Shape Shape button in the toolbar.

    Click the arrows to see more shape styles.

  2. Select a shape to add it to the sheet.

Add lines and arrows

You can create a straight or curved line, then customize its appearance by changing its width (thickness) or color, or adding different endpoints—for example, an arrow, circle, or square.

  1. Click Shape Shape button in the toolbar, then click a line.

    You can also select an existing line.

  2. In the Style pane of the Format inspector, click the disclosure triangle next to Stroke.

  3. Do any of the following:

    • Adjust the thickness of a line: Click the arrows next to point size or enter a number to change the thickness of the line.

    • Change endpoints: Click the pop-up next to Endpoints and select an endpoint.

    Controls for changing the endpoints, thickness, and color of a line

Add text inside a shape

  • Double-click the shape to make the insertion point appear, then type your text.

    If there’s too much text to display in the shape, a clipping indicator (+) appears. To resize the shape, click it, then drag any selection handle until all the text is showing.

You can format the text inside the shape just like any other text in your sheet. Select the text, then use the tools in the Text pane of the Format inspector to change it.

Adjust the curves along the edge of the shape

  1. Select a shape.

  2. Choose Format > Shapes and Lines > Make Editable (from the Format menu at the top of your computer screen).

  3. Double-click a handle to change a line from curved to straight. Handles represent different types of lines:

    • Square with red outline: Indicates sharp lines. Lines that connect to this point are straight.

    • Circle with red outline: Indicates curved lines. Lines that connect to this point are curved.

  4. Click outside the shape when you’re done editing it.

To change the default curves to Bézier, click Numbers > Preferences, then in the General pane, select Curves default to Bézier. When you edit a shape that uses Bézier curves, you adjust the curve using handles on the point.

Adjust the features of a shape

You can change the features of any predrawn shape in specific ways.

Select a shape, then do any of the following:

  • Reshape the corners of a rounded square: Drag the green handle toward a corner to sharpen it, or away from a corner to make it more round.

  • Change the number of points on a star: Drag the outer green handle clockwise or counterclockwise to add or remove points. A star can have between three and twenty points.

  • Change the shape of the points on a star: Drag the inner green handle toward the center of the star to make the points long and narrow, or drag the handle away from the center to make the points shorter and wider.

  • Change the shape of a callout or speech bubble: Drag the green handle on the body of the bubble to reshape it. Drag the green handle at the tip of the point to change its length and position. Drag the green handle at the base of the point to change its width.

  • Change the number of sides in a pentagon: Drag the green handle clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the number of sides.

  • Adjust the proportions of arrows: Drag the green handle toward the tip of the arrow to make the arrowhead shallower, or drag toward the side point of the arrow to make the arrow’s trunk thicker.

  • Add more editing points to a shape: Choose Format > Shapes and Lines > Make Editable (from the Format menu at the top of your computer screen). Click to add an editing point, then drag the point.

Draw a shape

You can “draw” on the sheet to create your own shapes.

  1. Click Shape Shape button in the toolbar, then click Draw with Pen.

  2. Click anywhere on the sheet to create the first point of the custom shape.

  3. Move the pointer, then click to create another point; continue adding as many points as you want.

    To create a curved segment, click then drag, then click again.

    To delete a segment you just created, select a point, then press the Delete key.

  4. To complete the shape, do one of the following:

    • Close the shape (add a solid line between the last and first points): Click the first point.

    • Leave the shape open (no line between the last and first points): Press the Esc (Escape) key.

To modify the points or line contours of the shape, select the shape, then choose Format > Shapes and Lines > Make Editable (from the Format menu at the top of your computer screen).

Combine shapes to create a new shape

You can create a new shape by combining one shape with another shape. For example, if you want to create a shape that looks like a heart, you can use three shapes–a diamond and two circles–and unite them into a single shape. You can also subtract shapes from other shapes, or remove the overlapping area between two shapes.

  1. Select at least two shapes that are touching or overlapping.

    Tip: Overlap shapes for a more interesting effect.

  2. In the Arrange pane of the Format inspector, click one of the following buttons:

    • Unite: Combines the selected shapes into a single shape.

    • Intersect: Creates a shape from the overlapping area.

    • Subtract: Removes the shape that’s layered on top of another shape. To choose the shape that’s removed, move that shape to the topmost layer. To learn more about how to change layers, see Layer, group, and lock objects.

    • Exclude: Creates a shape that excludes the overlapping area between the shapes.

    Image illustrating the effects of combining a square and a star