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How to Group Shapes in PowerPoint (The Ultimate Guide)

December 8, 2023 4.1K views

Unveiling the secrets of effective shape grouping in PowerPoint. Wondering how to do it effortlessly? This guide holds the answers. Get ready to master this crucial skill and elevate your presentations!

Part1: What Is Grouping & Ungrouping in PowerPoint?

Group and Ungroup in PowerPoint

Group and Ungroup in PowerPoint

Grouping objects in PowerPoint allows you to treat multiple objects as a single object. This makes it easier to move, resize, and format the objects together. You can also apply effects and animations to groups of objects.

Ungrouping objects allows you to separate a group of objects back into individual objects. This is useful if you need to edit individual elements of a group.

To group or ungroup objects in PowerPoint, you can use the Group and Ungroup buttons on the Shape Format or Picture Format tab. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Shift+G (to group) and Ctrl+Shift+H (to ungroup).

 Group and Ungroup key.

Group and Ungroup key.

  • When you group objects, they are treated as a single object. This means that you can move, resize, and format all of the objects in the group together. You can also apply effects and animations to the group as a whole.

  • When you ungroup objects, the group is separated back into individual objects. You can then select and edit each object individually.

Grouping and ungrouping objects is an important feature in PowerPoint because it allows you to work with multiple objects more efficiently. For example, if you are creating a diagram with multiple shapes, you can group the shapes together to make it easier to move and resize them. You can also group shapes together to apply a single effect or animation to all of them.

Here are some examples of how you can use grouping and ungrouping objects in PowerPoint:

  • To create a logo or other graphic that is made up of multiple shapes, you can group the shapes together so that they can be moved and resized as a single unit.

  • To create a diagram, you can group the shapes together so that they can be easily moved and arranged. You can also group shapes together to apply a single fill color or border style to all of them.

  • To create a dynamic animation, you can group the objects that you want to animate together. This will allow you to animate all of the objects in the group at the same time.

Grouping and ungrouping objects is a simple but powerful feature in PowerPoint that can help you to create more professional and engaging presentations.

Part2. How to Group Shapes in PowerPoint


How to Group Shapes in PowerPoint on Windows

Step 1: Open your PowerPoint presentation.

Step 2: Select the shapes you want to group by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each shape.

Step 3: On the Shape Format tab, click the Group button.

 Select Shape Format.

Select Shape Format.

Step 4: The shapes will now be grouped together and can be moved, resized, and formatted as a single object.

Change your style on Format shape.

Change your style on Format shape.

How to Group Shapes in PowerPoint on Mac

Step 1: Open your PowerPoint presentation.

Step 2: Select the shapes you want to group by holding down the Command key and clicking on each shape.

Step 3: On the Shape Format tab, click the Group button.

 Select Group button.

Select Group button.

Step 4: The shapes will now be grouped together and can be moved, resized, and formatted as a single object.

Differences between the 2 methods

The only difference between the two methods is the keyboard shortcut used to select multiple shapes. On Windows, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+click. On Mac, the keyboard shortcut is Command+click.

Both methods are quick and simple, but the keyboard shortcut method is slightly faster.

I recommend the keyboard shortcut method for beginners because it is the quickest and most efficient way to select multiple shapes.

I have been using PowerPoint for many years and I find that the keyboard shortcut method is the best way to group shapes. It is quick, efficient, and easy to remember.

Additional tips

  • You can also group shapes by right-clicking on one of the shapes and selecting Group from the context menu.

  • To ungroup shapes, simply select the group of shapes and click the Ungroup button on the Shape Format tab.

  • You can also ungroup shapes by right-clicking on the group of shapes and selecting Ungroup from the context menu.

Part3: How to Ungroup Shapes in PowerPoint 

To Ungroup Shapes in PowerPoint:

Windows and Mac:

Step 1: Select the group of shapes.

Step 2: On the Shape Format tab, click the Group button.

Select group button on PowerPoint.

Select group button on PowerPoint.

Step 3: Click Ungroup from the drop-down menu.

Tip: You can also ungroup shapes by right-clicking on the group of shapes and selecting Ungroup from the context menu.

The best method for you depends on your personal preferences and how often you need to ungroup shapes. If you ungroup shapes frequently, I recommend using the keyboard shortcut method. However, if you only ungroup shapes occasionally, you may prefer to use the right-click method.

Part4.How to Edit PowerPoint Presentations for Free with WPS Office

1. What Is WPS Office and Why Choose it?

WPS Office Logo.

WPS Office is a free and open-source office suite that is compatible with Microsoft Office. It includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, and more. WPS Office is a good alternative to Microsoft Office for people who are looking for a free and easy-to-use office suite.

Here are three advantages of using WPS Office for PowerPoint editing that are not available in Microsoft Office for free:

  • Co-editing: WPS Office allows you to co-edit Word documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with other people in real time. This is a great feature for collaborating on projects with team members or classmates.

  • Group sharing: You can share WPS Office documents with a group of people and give them permission to edit them. This is a great way to share documents with your team members or classmates and work on them together.

  • Built-in templates: WPS Office includes a large library of built-in templates for presentations, Word documents, and spreadsheets. This can save you time and effort when creating new documents.

2. How to Group Multiple Shapes in WPS Presentation

To group multiple shapes in WPS Presentation, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the shapes that you want to group by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each shape.

Step 2: Click the Group button on the Drawing Tools tab.

 Select Group on Drawing Tools.

Select Group on Drawing Tools.

Step 3: The shapes will now be grouped together and can be moved, resized, and formatted as a single object.

Tip: You can also ungroup shapes by right-clicking on the group of shapes and selecting Ungroup from the context menu.

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FAQs

  • What is the shortcut for group objects in PowerPoint?

The shortcut for grouping objects in PowerPoint is Ctrl + G on Windows and Command + G on Mac. This handy shortcut streamlines the process and saves valuable time when working on presentations.

  • How do you align and group objects in PowerPoint?

Aligning and grouping objects in PowerPoint is a fundamental skill for creating polished presentations. Here's a concise guide:

Aligning Objects:

Step 1: Select the objects you want to align.

Step 2: Go to the "Arrange" tab on the ribbon.

Step 3: Click on the "Align" button.

Step 4: Choose the desired alignment option (e.g., left, right, center, etc.).

Grouping Objects:

Step 1: Select the objects you want to group.

Step 2: Right-click and select "Group" from the context menu.

Summary

This guide unveils efficient shape grouping in PowerPoint with WPS Office, enhancing presentations. Grouping simplifies tasks, and ungrouping allows individual editing. Methods are outlined for both Windows and Mac, with keyboard shortcuts for swift execution. WPS Office, a free alternative to Microsoft Office, offers real-time co-editing, group sharing, and abundant templates for seamless PowerPoint editing.


15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.