Applies ToExcel for Microsoft 365 Word for Microsoft 365 PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 Excel 2024 Word 2024 PowerPoint 2024 Excel 2021 Word 2021 PowerPoint 2021 Excel 2019 Word 2019 PowerPoint 2019 Excel 2016 Word 2016 PowerPoint 2016

In Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, you can apply glow and soft edge effects to shapes, text, and other objects. To view the glow and soft edges options:

  1. Select the object that you want to format.

  2. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, click Shape Effects or Text Effects.

  3. Click Glow > Glow Options. The following options appear.

Glow

Presets — To apply one of the most common Glow Variations, click Presets, and then click the variation that you want.

Color — To create a custom color for the glow, click Color Color Picker, and then click the color that you want. To change to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab, or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab are not updated if you later change the document theme.

Size — To specify the size of the glow, move the Size slider or enter a number in the box next to the slider. The higher the number, the bigger the size of the glow.

Transparency — To specify how much of the glow is visible, move the Transparency slider or enter a number in the box next to the slider. You can vary the percentage of transparency from 0 (fully opaque, the default) to 100% (fully transparent).

Soft Edges

Presets — To apply one of the most common Soft Edges, click Presets, and then click the one that you want.

Size — To specify the size of the soft edge, move the Size slider or enter a number in the box next to the slider. The higher the number, the softer the edges.

Tip: To remove a glow or soft edge effect, click Presets, and then click No Glow or No Soft Edges.

Important: 

  • When you change options in this pane or dialog box, the changes are immediately applied to your picture, shape, text, or other object, making it easy to see the effects of the changes in your picture without closing the pane or dialog box. However, since the changes are instantly applied, it is not possible to click Cancel in this pane or dialog box. To remove changes, you must click Undo Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar for each change that you want to remove.

  • You can simultaneously undo multiple changes that you made to one dialog box option, as long as you did not make changes to another dialog box option in between.

  • You may want to move the pane or dialog box so that you can see both the picture, shape, text, or other object and the pane or dialog box at the same time.

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