Text boxes are generally used to highlight specific text in a document. We can put it anywhere in the Word document. There are several advantages of adding a text box in Word.
By using the text box, you can create a block of the text that appears above, below, or around the pictures, charts, or other different objects. It allows us to create a more interesting and informational layout in your document and makes the information clear to the end users.
Continue reading this tutorial to learn how to insert text boxes in Microsoft Word.
How to Insert Text Box in Word Online?
Below are the steps to follow to insert a text box in Word Online.
- Open the Word Online from your preferred browser.
- Click the Insert option and click Drawing below.

3. Now, the Drawing page will appear. Click Text Box then you will get the + symbol to draw the text box. Create the text box type whatever you want to type and finally click Save and Close.

4. Now, the created text box will appear in the document. You can use it in between when you want to show important information.

This is how we have to create a text box in Microsoft Word Online.
Add Text Box in Desktop Word
Here are the steps to follow to insert the text box in Microsoft Word from the desktop version.
- Open the Word document from the desktop application.
- Click the Insert option and click Text Box to add a text box in a desktop application.

3. Click Text Box and it will show the Built-in text box. Choose the type of text box or you can also draw the text box by clicking Draw Text Box.

4. If you choose Built-in, it will appear like the image below. You can choose based on your needs and change the content.

5. If you choose to draw, you can draw independently and type the text you want.

By doing this, a text box will be created in Microsoft Word in the desktop version.
Resize the Text Box in Word
Follow the below steps to resize the text box you have created in Microsoft Word.
- Open the Word document you want to resize the text box.
- Click the text box and drag it in the corner to change the size of the text box either to small or big.
- Press and hold the corner of the text box and drag the cursor in the direction to increase or decrease the size of the text box.

This is the method to resize the text box in Microsoft Word.
Remove the Text Box in Word
If you want to remove the text box in Word, follow the below steps to do so.
- Open the Word document it has a text box to remove.
- Right-click inside or near the text box and click Cut. This will remove the text box in Word. You can also use the shortcut key ctrl+x to remove the text box.

3. You can also press the backspace or delete key on the keyboard to remove the text box in Microsoft Word.
This is the way you can remove the text box in Microsoft Word.
How to Edit a Text Box in Word Online?
Once the text box is inserted, two types of editing options are possible in Word.
- Editing the text in the text box and
- Formatting the shape of the text box.
Editing the Text in the Text box
This can be done by clicking on the Text option in the Drawing preview. By clicking on Text you will have access to a wide range of formatting options.
- Changing the font style – while formatting the text in the text box the font size can easily be changed by just clicking on the arrow. This will give you a dropdown menu of the various font options available. Choose from the list by just clicking on the font of your choice.
- Changing the font size – Here you can change the font size like normal text in Word. You can also change the size of the text in the text box. This can be done by using the sizing option available in the formatting section. Simply click on the required size to see the changes.
- Formatting text with Bold, Italic, and Underline – These are again common text formatting options that are available at the click of a button. All you need to do is select the text that needs to be formatted and then select the option you need.
- Changing text color – You can change the text color for the text box in Word. Click A underlined with color. This will show a list of colors. Choose the required color of your choice.

5. Changing text alignment – The last formatting option in this section is alignment. With a simple click, you can change the alignment of the text in the box to left, right, or center.

This is the way of editing the text in the text box in Microsoft Word.
Formatting shape of text box in Word online
This can be done by clicking on the Shape option in the Drawing preview.
By clicking on Shape you will have access to a wide range of formatting options. This includes:
- Changing the shape of the text box – Here you can change the shape of the text box to either rectangle, circle, or square. Click on the arrow and you will have a lot of varieties to choose from.
- Adding color to the text box – Choosing the shape fill option will enable you to add color to your text box. Like font color, there are several colors to choose from.
- Formatting shape outline – This option lets you customize the outline of the text box. The weight and color of the box can be formatted using this option.
- Arranging the text box – This is particularly helpful when the box is viewed as part of the document. Here you can either move the box forward backward to the back or the front depending on pre-existing text on the document.

The Undo option can be used to go back to changes made to the text box.
After editing the text box be sure to click the Save and Close option. The text box will then be saved. It will appear on your Word online document.
Read How to insert equation in word online?
How to Insert a Text Box in Word on Mac OS
To insert a text box in Word Online on Mac OS follow these steps.
- Open the document you need to insert a text box.
- Got to the Insert option.
- Click on the Text box option under the tab.
- You will have two options Draw Text Box and Vertical Text Box. The first one is horizontally aligned while the other is vertically aligned.
- To insert the textbox all you need to do is drag the box to the desired size while holding down the left click.
- If you need to add text to the box click or tap inside the box.
- You can then type or paste the text inside the box with ease.
- The text box can be formatted using the various options available.
- To move around the box, hove the mouse on the edges when it turns into a + click and drag without releasing the left click.
This is what the steps in Mac to insert a text box in Microsoft Word.
How to insert a Text box in Word online on an Android device?
Inserting a text box on an Android device is simple. Follow these simple steps.
- Open the document you would like to edit on the Word app. You can alternatively use the OneDrive app or the mobile browser to sign into your Microsoft account.
- Once the document is open in the top right corner, click on the editing option.
- The editing option will open a menu at the bottom.
- click on the arrow near the home button and select Insert from the dropdown list.
- Under Insert, you will see several options – scroll down to the Text box and select it.

- A textbox will then appear on your screen where your cursor is blinking.

- You can move the textbox around by dragging it and holding the + sign.
- The text inside can be edited using the Edit Text option.
- You can also copy and paste text from other sources or copy and paste text from one text box to the other.
- Once you have finished editing the text, click on the tick in the top left corner to save the changes.
Conclusion
Hope this tutorial was helpful. This tutorial explained clearly about inserting text boxes in online and desktop versions as well. Also touched upon removing, resizing, and editing the text box in Word. You got to know the Mac device and mobile application as well.
Related word online tutorials:
- How to delete a document in word online?
- How to sign a document in Word Online?
- How to double space in word online?
- How to put spacing between bullet points in Word Online?

My name is Carissa Gudino and I am an expert in word online, using Word Online in my day-to-day tasks. In this blog, I will share with you tips and tutorials on how to use word online to its fullest potential. I work for various clients in various countries like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. My tutorials are designed to help beginners, as well as more experienced users, learn new tricks and tips on Microsoft word online. Check out more.