Bullet points have been a part of notetaking and presentations for a long time. So much that traditional bullet points take now become boring.

It isn't merely important to show information merely also to make information technology attractive past grabbing your audience'south attention.

The SmartArt feature in PowerPoint helps with that and many more things. So let us see how this works.

What Is SmartArt?

SmartArt graphics permit you lot easily create a visual representation of your information. If you already have text on a slide, you can catechumen it to SmartArt. For case, y'all can use a SmartArt graphic to transform traditional bullet points into an eye-catching presentation.

There are a variety of layouts available to help you communicate your ideas or messages effectively. Conveniently, Microsoft Function offers SmartArt graphics that you lot tin can format in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word.

How to Use SmartArt on Your Bullet Points in PowerPoint

Hither, we will evidence yous how to use SmartArt on your bullet points in Microsoft PowerPoint.

For example, let's say you have to requite a presentation about the American teaching system, and y'all've prepared some bullet points. But, your audience might find the evidently bullet points boring. Fortunately, you can ready this using SmartArt.

How to Convert Your Bullet Points Into SmartArt

Stylizing a bulleted list with SmartArt is easy with a couple of steps for fifty-fifty the creatively challenged.

  1. Select the bulleted list.
    Selecting bullet lists in PowerPoint.
  2. Get over to the SmartArt icon nowadays in the Home tab.
    SmartArt icon in PowerPoint.

How to Select and Format a List in SmartArt

Yous'll observe several lists available in SmartArt, showcasing multiple different formats. Examples include menstruum charts, menstruation diagrams, horizontal, vertical, and even circular. Here, we accept a simple informational list, with the option to plow it into a vertical or radial list.

If you lot hover over each list option, you'll come across your bullet points converting to the form of that list. This is a good, fourth dimension-saving feature to see what suits you.

  1. Hover over a list. Come across how information technology looks on your bullet points and click on it if it is adept.
    Hovering over SmartArts in PowerPoint.
  2. The radial list suits these points, so let'due south choose that.
    Radial SmartArt in PowerPoint.
  3. Now you'll see the option to change or meliorate your listing. Y'all can write a unlike point or perchance adjust an existing one to suit the list.
    Change text in SmartArt
  4. Right-click over an chemical element, similar a bubble, and you lot'll see different options.
    Right click over an element in SmartArt.
  5. If you click on Style, you can alter the overall appearance of that element (in this case, the chimera). These are default styles, and you tin can hover over them to encounter how they look.
    Style in SmartArt.
  6. If you don't similar the predefined styles and want to do something of your own, yous tin edit different aspects of each element. For example, you can choose the Fill up option to fill the chemical element with a different colour. Similarly, you can change its outline or enhance its shape.
    Fill option in SmartArt.
  7. In the same way, if you right-click over the text, you lot tin edit it. And then, in that location'south a lot of editing and customization you can do to brand your list more stylized.
    Edit text in SmartArt.
  8. What'south interesting is that you can even add together an prototype within your element. Simply right-click on the element and go to Make full. Here you'll run across a Film option. Click on information technology, and select the motion-picture show you want to add inside the chimera.
    Add picture in SmartArt
  9. Yous can also change the size of your element by but grabbing the handles. Or y'all tin can likewise right-click and do it systematically. Select the Size and Position selection after correct-clicking on the element. A Format Shape dialog box appears. Here, you can type in the size and save information technology.
    Resize elements in SmartArt
  10. You tin can as well use drag-and-drop to change the length and alignment of your elements. Hither you tin elevate these bubbling far away to make room when you change their sizes.
    Drag and drop elements in SmartArt
  11. You tin can change the default shapes to whatever you desire. To do this, correct-click over the chemical element and get to the Change Shape option. You lot'll see a lot of shapes, and you can so select 1 of them. This helps in differentiating a particular element from the others.
    Changing Shapes in SmartArt

How to Catechumen Your SmartArt to Shapes

You don't need to stick to only SmartArt. PowerPoint allows you lot to convert SmartArt shapes likewise and vice-versa.

  1. Select an element so click on the Convert pick on the upper right-hand side.
    Convert to shapes in SmartArt.
  2. Click on Convert to Shapes. At present, this chemical element has changed from a SmartArt to a shape, which you can edit. You could correct-click and see that the bill of fare isn't the same. Instead, it at present focuses on editing shapes.
    Shape formatting in SmartArt
  3. Right-click on the whole shape and select Group > Ungroup.
    Ungroup elements in SmartArt
  4. This ungroups all the elements in the SmartArt. So what happens is that y'all tin can now independently motion any chemical element away from the default SmartArt format.
    Separating elements in SmartArt.
  5. You can even convert a shape to a separate SmartArt. To practise this, merely select the shape and then go to the SmartArt button that you used before.
    Converting Elements to SmartArt

You can also utilise the Group > Ungroup option to brand your element work independently. For example, you can modify its length and latitude, motion information technology farther away. In short, yous can change the organization of your SmartArt by ungrouping its elements.

How to Alter Your SmartArt Layout

Irresolute your SmartArt layout is piece of cake. Merely select your SmartArt and go to the Layout panel. The Layout panel is present at the SmartArt Blueprint tab, which automatically opens when selecting a SmartArt.

Changing Layouts in SmartArt

After formatting your SmartArt, you might call up that another format would be better suitable for your data. If this is the case, you tin can easily change the SmartArt. Hover over the unlike layout options to preview the layout of the SmartArt as information technology changes simultaneously.

You lot can also employ the SmartArt Styles panel to make your SmartArt more glossy or 3D. The SmartArt Styles console is present beside the Layout panel.

Changing Styles in SmartArt

SmartArt or Traditional Bullet Points?

SmartArt is a slap-up feature to make your words and format visually appealing. The good thing is that this feature is available throughout MS Office, so you tin can acquire information technology in one case and utilise it in some other Part app like Give-and-take.

Of form, you lot might still prefer traditional bullet points over SmartArt, and that'due south completely fine. The master goal is to grab the attending of your audience.