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You can group shapes, pictures, or other objects. Grouping lets you rotate, flip, move, or resize multiple shapes or objects as though they’re a single shape or object.
Group shapes, pictures, or other objects
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Press and hold CTRL and select shapes, pictures, or other objects to group.
The Wrap Text option for each object must be other than In line with Text. For more info, see Wrap Text.
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Do one of the following:
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Go to Picture Format or Picture Tools Format >
Group > Group. -
Go to Shape Format or Drawing Tools Format > Group > Group.
To still work with an individual item in the group, select the group, and then select the item.
The Group button is enabled for two or more selected objects.
-
Group > Group.
Group shapes, pictures, or objects
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Press and hold CTRL while you select the shapes, pictures, or objects that you want to group.
The Wrap Text option for each object must be other than In line with Text. For more info, see Wrap Text.
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Go to Drawing Tools or Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, select Group
, and then select Group.
To work with an individual item in the group, select the group, and then select the item.
, and then select Group.
Group shapes, pictures, or other objects
-
Press and hold command while selecting the shapes, pictures, or other objects to group.
The Wrap Text option for each object must be other than In line with Text. For more info, see Wrap Text.
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Go to Shape Format or Picture Format, and then select Group
> Group.If Group
isn’t visible on the ribbon, select Arrange to display it.
> Group.To work with an individual item in the group, select the group, and then select the item.
If the Group button is unavailable, verify that you have more than one object selected.
See also
For more info selecting shapes or pictures, see Select a shape or other object in Word.
SVG icons must converted to shapes before grouping. For more info, see Convert an SVG image to an Office shape.
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- Grouping Objects in Word
- Why is the Group button grayed out?
- Q&A
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Do you want to move or resize multiple pictures, shapes, or other objects in your document at the same time? Grouping objects in Microsoft Word is an efficient way to manipulate them to act as a whole instead of individual pieces. You can group shapes, pictures, and other objects so that if you wish to relocate them but not change the distance between them, they will move as one. This wikiHow article teaches you step-by-step how to group and ungroup shapes, pictures, and other objects in Word on your PC or Mac.
Things You Should Know
- Group items by selecting them and then going to «Layout > Group».
- Make sure none of the objects have the «In Line with Text» wrap setting before creating a group.
- If the Group option is grayed out, make sure you have more than one object selected & that none of the objects is a SVG, table, or worksheet.
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1
Open your document in Word. You can either double-click the file in your file manager (Finder for Mac and File Explorer for Windows) or you can click the Word app icon and go to File > Open.
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2
Make sure none of your objects are set to «In Line with Text.» If a picture or object you want to add to the group has its text wrapping set to «In Line with Text,» you won’t be able to select it while creating your group.[1]
Here’s how to check and change the text wrap settings:- Click any object you want to add to the group.
- Click the «Layout Options» icon that appears at the top-right corner.
- If the «In Line with Text» option is selected, choose any of the other text wrapping options.
- Repeat for all objects you want to group.
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3
Select the objects you want to group. If you’re using Windows, press and hold Ctrl as you click each object. If you’re on a Mac, press and hold Cmd instead.
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4
Click the Shape Format or Picture Format tab. You’ll see one or both of these tabs at the top of Word, depending on which objects you’ve selected. The option to group objects appears on both of these tabs.
- If you don’t see either of these tabs, click the Layout tab instead. You’ll also find the option to group here.
- If you’re using Office 2010, click the Drawing Tools or Picture Tools tab, then click the Format tab.[2]
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5
Click Group on the toolbar. You’ll see this on the Arrange panel near the top-right corner of Word. If you don’t see this option, click Arrange to make it visible. A brief menu will expand.
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6
Click Group again to group the selected objects. The objects are now grouped together, which allows you to rotate,
- To ungroup objects, click your group to select it, click the Layout tab, then select Ungroup.
- Once you’ve grouped, then separated a group, you can regroup it. Go to Layout > Regroup.
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1
You can’t include SVG icons in your groups. If there are SVG icons in your selection, you’ll first have to convert the SVG icons to shapes, which is a feature that only Windows 365 subscribers have access to. There will be a «Convert to Shape» button under Graphics Tools > Format.
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2
You only have one shape, picture, or object selected. Since you can’t create a group with only 1 item, you’ll need to add more items. Press and hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) as you click to add other objects.
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3
Your selection includes a table or worksheet. Unfortunately, you cannot add these things to your group.
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Add New Question
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Question
How can I group text boxes in Word?
Click one after the other while holding Ctrl. Then do a right-click and press ‘Group’.
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Question
Microsoft Word wouldn’t allow me to group for some reason. Do you have any idea what I’m doing wrong?
Objects with «In Line» text wrapping and GIFs cannot be grouped. Since wrapping is difficult in a text box, it is best to move any items out of a text box, change the word wrap setting, and then group. You can then copy the group and paste it back into a text box and finish by deleting the group outside the box.
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Last Updated: November 21, 2021 | Author: Dana-Henry
How do you group objects in Microsoft Word?
Group shapes, pictures, or other objects
- Press and hold CTRL while you click the shapes, pictures, or other objects to group. You will need to select more than one shape, picture or object in order to enable the Group button. …
- Select the Arrange button and choose Group.
How do you select and group objects in Word?
Hold the Shift (or Ctrl) key and click the objects you want to group. Click the Group command on the Format tab, then select Group. The selected objects will now be grouped. There will be a single box with sizing handles around the entire group so you can move or resize all of the objects at the same time.
Why can I not group objects in Word?
The Group button is unavailable
Only one shape or picture is selected. Make sure you have multiple shapes or pictures selected. If your selection includes a table, worksheet, or GIF image, the Group button will not be available.
What is the shortcut to group objects in Word?
To group objects:
- Hold the Shift (or Ctrl) key and click the objects you want to group.
- Click the Group command on the Format tab, then select Group.
- The selected objects will now be grouped.
Why can’t I select multiple objects in Word?
Word cannot select multiple pictures at a time by default. To achieve this goal, in addition to adding Select Multiple Objects, you must also modify the Layout Options of the pictures and document format. … The document format is a new format and you cannot select multiple pictures at once.
How do you select multiple objects in Word?
To select one object, click or tap the object. To select multiple shapes in a group, press and hold Shift or Ctrl while you click or tap the shapes.
What is Ctrl G?
Alternatively referred to as Control G and C-g, Ctrl+G is a shortcut key most often used to go to a line or page.
Is there a shortcut for grouping?
Alternatively, you can use the group shortcut (CTRL + G). The advantage of grouping objects together is that they are easier to grab and format as a group. You can also further organize your objects by creating groups within groups.
Which key is used in grouping?
Press and hold Ctrl while you select each object. Select Format >Group > Group. Format or move the grouped object however you want.
Is Ctrl P paste?
You’d need to have a non-intuitive print shortcut, and in that scenario you may well have ended up asking why Print is not Ctrl + P . If you really want to use separate hands for copying and pasting, you can use Ctrl + C for copying and Shift + Insert for pasting.
What is Ctrl F in Word?
Ctrl-F is the shortcut in your browser or operating system that allows you to find words or phrases quickly. You can use it browsing a website, in a Word or Google document, even in a PDF. You can also select Find under the Edit menu of your browser or app.
What does Alt Tab do?
Alt + Tab ↹ is the common name for a keyboard shortcut that has been in Microsoft Windows since Windows 2.0 (1987). This shortcut switches between application-level windows without using the mouse; hence it was named Task Switcher (Flip in Windows Vista).
Is Ctrl C Copy?
Alternatively referred to as Control+C and C-c, Ctrl+C is a keyboard shortcut used to copy highlighted text or other object to the clipboard in a graphical user environment. On Apple computers, the keyboard shortcut to copy is Command + C .
What Ctrl Z do?
To reverse your last action, press CTRL+Z. You can reverse more than one action. To reverse your last Undo, press CTRL+Y. You can reverse more than one action that has been undone.
What is Control N?
☆☛✅Ctrl+N is a shortcut key often used to create a new document, window, workbook, or another type of file. Also referred to as Control N and C-n, Ctrl+N is a shortcut key most often used to create a new document, window, workbook, or another type of file.
What is Ctrl P?
☆☛✅Ctrl+P is a shortcut key often used to print a document or page. … Also referred to as Control P and C-p, Ctrl+P is a shortcut key often used to print a document or page. Tip. On Apple computers, the shortcut to print may also be the Command key+P keys.
What is Ctrl D?
Alternatively referred to as Control D and C-d, Ctrl+D is a shortcut key that varies depending on the program. For example, in most Internet browsers, Ctrl+D is used to add the current site to a bookmark or favorite.
What is the use of Ctrl E?
Ctrl+E in an Internet browser
In Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Internet Explorer, Ctrl + E focuses on the address bar, search bar, or omnibox. Using this shortcut can be helpful when you’re done browsing the current page and want to type in a new address or search for something else without using the mouse.
What is Ctrl +H?
Alternatively referred to as Control H and C-h, Ctrl+H is a shortcut key that varies depending on the program being used. For example, in most text programs, Ctrl+H is used to find and replace text in a file. In an Internet browser, Ctrl+H may open the history.
What is Ctrl Q?
Also referred to as Control Q and C-q, Ctrl+Q is a shortcut key that varies depending on the program being used. In Microsoft Word, Ctrl+Q is used to remove the paragraph’s formatting. In many programs, the Ctrl+Q key may be used to quit the program or close the programs window.
What does Ctrl k do in Word?
In Microsoft Word and other word processor programs, pressing Ctrl+K inserts a hyperlink into the current location.
What is the function of Ctrl B?
Ctrl+B in Word and other word processors
In Microsoft Word and other word processor programs, highlighting text and pressing Ctrl+B makes the text bold. If the text is already bold, highlighting the bold text and pressing Ctrl+B un-bolds the text.
How to Group Objects in Word
It is often easier to work with a single object than it is to work with several smaller objects that belong together. A group is a collection of objects that Word treats as a single object.
Group
By grouping several objects together, you can format multiple objects at once rather than formatting each object individually.
- Select all the objects you want to group together.
- Click the Layout tab on the ribbon.
- Click the Group button.
- Select Group.
Press and hold down Shift as you select multiple objects.
You can also click the Format tab on the ribbon — the Arrange group on either tab includes the Group button.
The selected objects are grouped together.
Now that the objects are grouped, you can apply effects to all three objects at once and move the grouped objects around the document together.
You can also right-click selected items and select Group from the contextual menu to group objects.
If you need to apply some formatting to just a single object in the group, or move something around within the group, first select the group, then click the object you want to format within the group. Just that object is selected, but it remains part of the group.
Ungroup
If you no longer need to keep a group of objects together, you can ungroup them so they’re all independent objects again.
- Select the object group.
- Click the Layout tab.
- Click the Group button.
- Select Ungroup.
When a group is selected, the Group command is no longer available, but the Ungroup command is.
The objects can now be manipulated individually.
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If you work with several objects and have to move them or apply shared formatting to them, you must select
these objects every time. Apply formal grouping and you will be able to operate those objects quickly as a
unit.
To group several objects, select all objects you want to group by pressing Ctrl or
Shift and clicking every of these objects:
Then do one of the following:
- On the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click the Group command:
- Right-click one of the objects and choose Grouping -> Group from the popup menu:
Word puts a single box around the objects instead of a separate box around each object:
To ungroup grouped objects, do one of the following:
- On the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click Ungroup:
- Right-click a grouped object, and then choose Grouping -> Ungroup from the popup menu:
To regroup objects, do one of the following:
- On the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click Regroup.
- Right-click a grouped objects, and then choose Grouping -> Regroup from the popup menu.
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