XL97: Text Contained in AutoShapes Does Not Rotate

If you create an AutoShape that contains text, and then rotate the AutoShape, the text does not rotate along with the AutoShape.

Microsoft Excel has only a limited capability to rotate text in an AutoShape. You can only rotate the text in 90-degree increments by changing the text orientation.

To change the text orientation, follow these steps:

1. Select the AutoShape.
2. On the Format menu, click AutoShape.
3. Click the Alignment tab.
4. Under Orientation, click the text orientation that you want for the AutoShape, and then click OK.

NOTE: The text in the AutoShape may not appear in the center. If you experiment with the text and alignment settings on the Alignment tab, you may be able to center the text in the AutoShape.

An AutoShape is a drawing shape that you can insert into a worksheet. You can also attach text to an AutoShape. When you attach text to an AutoShape, it is similar to a text box in function.

Unlike text boxes, you can rotate an AutoShape to any angle. If you rotate an AutoShape, text in the AutoShape does not rotate. Instead, text is repositioned with respect to the AutoShape. In some cases, this repositioning causes the text to be positioned outside of the AutoShape, which makes the text appear that it is not part of the AutoShape.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: