You can easily resize pictures, text boxes, shapes, and WordArt in your Office file. You can also remove unwanted portions of a picture by cropping it.

Before and after examples of resizing

If you want to stretch, shrink, or just change the size of a picture (or shape), use the sizing handles or for more precise control, the Size options on the Picture Tools Format tab or the Drawing Tools Format tab.

Microsoft 365 subscribers who have a touch screen may use a finger or a digital stylus to grab a sizing handle.

Click the dropdown control below for more details.

See Also

If you want to stretch, shrink, or just change the size of a picture (or shape), use the sizing handles. For more precise control, you can use the Size options on the Format tab.

Quickly resize a picture, shape, WordArt, or other object

  1. Click the picture, shape, or WordArt you want to resize.

  2. To increase or decrease the size in one or more directions, drag a sizing handle away from or toward the center, while doing one of the following:

    • To keep the object's center in the same place, press and hold the OPTION key while you drag the sizing handle.

    • To maintain an object's proportions while resizing it, press and hold the Shift key while you drag a corner sizing handle.

  1. Click the picture, shape, or WordArt you want to precisely resize.

  2. Click the Picture Format or Shape Format tab, and then make sure the Lock aspect ratio check box is cleared.

    A cleared Lock Aspect Ratio box is highlighted

  3. Do one of the following:

    • To resize a picture, on the Picture Format tab, enter the measurements you want in the Height and Width boxes.

      Picture Format tab with Height and Width boxes highlighted.

    • To resize a shape or WordArt, on the Shape Format tab, enter the measurements you want in the Height and Width boxes.

      On the Shape Format tab, the Height and Width boxes are highlighted.

  1. Click the picture, shape, or WordArt you want to resize.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • To resize a picture, click the Picture Format tab, click Position > More Layout Options.

      On the Picture Format tab, Position and More Layout Options are highlighted.

    • To resize a shape or WordArt, on the Shape Format tab, click Position > More Layout Options.

  3. Click the Size tab, and under Scale, make sure the Lock aspect ratio check box is clear.

    Enter percentages you want for Height and Width.

    On the Size tab in the Advanced Layout box, the Scale options are highlighted.

  4. Click OK when finished.

Tip: To apply the same height and width to different objects, select all objects you want to have the same dimensions, and then enter the dimensions in the Height and Width boxes. To select multiple objects, click the first object, and then press and hold SHIFT while you click the other objects.

If you want to stretch, shrink, or just change the size of a picture (or shape), use the sizing handles. On a touch screen, you may use a finger or a digital stylus to grab a handle.

For more precise control, if you have a desktop version of Excel or PowerPoint, you can use the Size options on the Picture Tools Format tab or the Drawing Tools Format tab.

Click the dropdown control below for more details.

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.