Weekly Computer Tip # 291
21 November 2009

Insert pictures or shapes in the middle of your slide (PowerPoint 2003-2007)

When you add a picture or clipart to your slide, the object appears exactly in the middle. This also happens when you copy and paste, say, a chart or cells from Excel. But when you click and drag to increase or decrease its size it no longer stays in the middle. But there is a simple trick to make it possible.

Here's how:

1. Select the picture or clipart image.
2. Press and hold down the CTRL key while dragging one of the image corners' sizing handles downward or upward.

If you want to stick an AutoShapes (for example, a rectangle, oval, arrow or star) bang in the middle of your slide, simply hold down the CTRL key and click on the required shape from the Drawing group on the Home tab (PowerPoint 2007) or one of the buttons on the Drawing toolbar (PowerPoint 2003). After that you can resize it as described above.

If your shape goes a bit funny, hold down the SHIFT key as well as the CTRL key when resizing it. (If only it was as simple as that in real life if your shape goes a bit funny! ;-)

Until next week.

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