Displaying the AutoShapes Menu

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 26, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

If you have used Excel for any length of time, chances are pretty good that you are already familiar with AutoShapes and how to add them to your worksheets. If you have quite a few AutoShapes to insert in a document, you may find it handy to work with a floating AutoShapes menu instead of using the AutoShapes option on the Drawing toolbar. There are two ways you can display the floating AutoShapes menu. The first involves the use of the Drawing toolbar to get started:

  1. Display the Drawing toolbar. (Click on the Drawing option on the Standard toolbar.)
  2. Click on the AutoShapes option on the Drawing toolbar. The AutoShapes menu appears.
  3. Position the mouse pointer over the bar at the top of the AutoShapes menu.
  4. Click and drag the AutoShapes menu away from the Drawing toolbar.
  5. Release the mouse button. You now have a floating AutoShapes menu. (See Figure 1.)

    6. Figure 1. The AutoShapes menu.

The other method of displaying the floating AutoShapes menu is even a bit simpler:

  1. Choose Picture from the Insert menu. Excel displays a submenu.
  2. Choose AutoShapes from the submenu. Excel displays both the Drawing toolbar and the floating AutoShapes menu.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3250) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Creating Tables with Specific Column Widths

Create a table and Word figures out column widths by dividing the horizontal space by the number of columns you want in ...

Discover More

Writing a Macro from Scratch

Creating macros can help extend what you can do in Excel. If you work with macros, you know that creating macros from ...

Discover More

Stopping an Excel Window from Maximizing

When you drag an Excel window near the edge of your screen, you may end up having that window occupy more of the screen ...

Discover More

Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Protecting a Graphic

Need to make sure that someone cannot delete a graphic in a worksheet? The ability to protect the graphic depends on ...

Discover More

Using the Keyboard to Select and Resize a Chart Object

When working with charts and chart objects, Excel is very dependent on the mouse. If you don't want to use the mouse, but ...

Discover More

Changing the Size of a Graphic

Adding a graphic to a worksheet is easy. Getting that graphic to just the right size may take a little bit of trial and ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 6 + 4?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.