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You are here: Home / Design / Slide layout / 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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Paul OlsenGabe SerafinKristinEllen FinkelsteinAlberto Recent comment authors
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Liora Blum
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Liora Blum

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 🙂

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7 years ago
Dean DuBois
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Dean DuBois

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…

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7 years ago
David Crumbaker
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David Crumbaker

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?

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7 years ago
Jason Newell
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Jason Newell

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

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7 years ago
Greg
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Greg

I have the same issue. Anyone with a solution?

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7 years ago
Cookie
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Cookie

Looking for a solution to this as well. Please help

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7 years ago
James H
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James H

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

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7 years ago
Peter A
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Peter A

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

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7 years ago
Ookaster
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Ookaster

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!!

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7 years ago
James H
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James H

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

MS have reverted the changed.

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7 years ago
Alberto
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Alberto

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

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7 years ago
Ellen Finkelstein
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Ellen Finkelstein

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.

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7 years ago
Kristin
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Kristin

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

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6 years ago
Ellen Finkelstein
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Ellen Finkelstein

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

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6 years ago
Gabe Serafin
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Gabe Serafin

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!

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4 years ago
Paul Olsen
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Paul Olsen

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.

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3 years ago
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