Displaying the AutoShapes Menu

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated March 7, 2015)

3

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. ...

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What is nine more than 6?

2017-01-27 11:34:50

Willy Vanhaelen

@walter

The last paragraph of this tip: This tip (3250) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Since Excel 2007 the stand alone tool bars don't exist any more. They are replaced by the ribbon remember :-)

2017-01-26 17:14:46

walter

In 2010 Excel, shape tool is under Inset>illustration group. But I cannot select and pull it out to make a stand alone tool bar for "shape tool"

2017-01-26 17:13:13

walter

I'm using 2010 Excel. I see shape tool under Inset>illustration group. But I cannot select and pull it out to make a stand alone tool bar for "shape tool"

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