Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Moving Drawing Objects.

Moving Drawing Objects

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 28, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Over the course of many ExcelTips you have learned different ways to create objects using the drawing tools provided in Excel. If you later want to change the positioning of these objects, you can do so in this manner:

  1. Using the mouse, point to the shape you want to move and click on it. Excel places small squares or circles called handles around the shape.
  2. Using the mouse, point to the object. The mouse pointer should turn into a four-headed arrow.
  3. Click and hold down the mouse button. Drag the object to the position desired.
  4. Release the mouse button.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3239) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Moving Drawing Objects.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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