Microsoft Word is arguably the most customisable and richest text editor out there with hundreds of features and tools that go unnoticed and unused by most users.
One such feature helps in changing the text orientation of a text box, table or Autoshape in Word, which a lot of people either don’t know or often miss out. You can change the text orientation in Word to make a text box vertical too and in this article, we’ve explained three methods that will help you do just that.
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How to make your text vertical in Word by changing text orientation?
You can use any of the three methods listed below to change the text orientation in Word for a text box, table and Autoshape, among other tools containing text, from horizontal to vertical or vice-versa. You can choose to rotate the text 90, 180 or 270 degrees.
All the three methods will get the same things done: change the text orientation in Word to vertical or horizontal. However, some older Word version might not show all of these. However, at least one of these should help you change the text orientation in your Word document.
Method 1: Preview and change text orientation
Step 1: Select the text box, table or Autoshape whose text orientation you want to change and click on the Shape Format option from the toolbar menu at the top. Then select Text Direction.
Step 2: From the options that appear below, select the last one — Text Direction Options. A pop-up Text Direction – Text Box windows will appear. Here you can click on the preferred orientation from the three options available and then click on the OK button.
You’ll also be able to see the Preview of the text orientation as you change it to the right.
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Method 2: Right-click formatting menu
Step 1: Select the text box, table or Autoshape whose text orientation you want to change and right-click your mouse to expand the formatting options. From the list that appears, select Format Shape (located at the end).
Step 2: A Format Shape toolbar will pop-up to the right. Click on the Layout & Properties icon (the third one) and then click on the arrow button at the end of the box beside Text direction. Now you can choose the new text orientation from the options that appear below.
As mentioned above, you’ll be able to change the text orientation to vertical (90 and 270 degrees) and horizontal.
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Method 3: Top toolbar option
Step 1: Select the text box, table or Autoshape whose text orientation you want to change and click on the Shape Format option from the toolbar menu at the top. Then select Text Direction.
Step 2: You’ll see three text orientation options — Horizontal, Rotate all text 90-degrees and Rotate all text 270-degree. Choose the latter to make your text vertical.
