BtD #008: Harnessing the Precision of Gridlines in PowerPoint
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, mastering this simple and powerful tool can elevate your presentations to new depths of precision and professionalism.
Why Gridlines Matter
Imagine trying to build a house without a blueprint or measurements. That's where Gridlines come into play. They are the alignment tools that helps you create patterns and cohesiveness between the objects on your slides.
They provide a foundational structure (grid) of evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines to assist with basic alignment and spacing. They work in tandem with Guides. You might remember these from BtD #006 (see post for detailed instructions). They are the user-defined, (non-printing) lines that allow you to set specific alignment references on your slides.
Gridlines in action.
Figure 1
Activating Gridlines
Figure 2
Open the View tab.
In the 'Show' group, select the checkboxes for 'Gridlines.'
The Magic of 'Snap to Gridlines'
Figure 3
The 'Snap to Gridlines' feature is what takes gridlines from functional to magical! It’s not so much what it does, but how it aligns objects to nearest gridline.
It works through:
Magnetic Attraction: Objects align with the nearest gridline, like a magnetic pull.
Grid Spacing: You can adjust the spacing of the gridlines on your slide to suit your design style.
Alignment with Multiple Gridlines: Large objects can align with multiple gridlines at once.
Easy Overrides: To temporarily disable snapping hold down 'Alt' (Windows) or 'Option' (Mac) while dragging an object.
Instructions for Activating 'Snap to Gridlines':
Figure 3
Click the small arrow in the corner of the 'Show' group (see Figure 2).
In the Grid and Guides Dialog Box, check "Snap objects to grid" option.
Adjust the grid spacing as needed for finer control.
Harmonizing Objects with Gridlines and Guides
Gridlines provide a basic structure and guides are dynamic alignment aids. Both help you create precise and visually appealing PowerPoint designs, allowing you to work with varying degrees of control and precision in your presentations.
These tools combined are an alignment powerhouse no PowerPoint designer should be without!
Thank you for joining me 🤍!
If you enjoyed this, check out my deep dive about image placement in BtD #006, Mastering Image Placement: Elevate Your Slides with the Rule of Thirds.