Aligning, Ordering, and Grouping Objects in Microsoft Word 2016

When you create a document in Microsoft Word 2016, it’s common to add images, shapes, and text boxes. These elements make your document more attractive and professional. But sometimes, it becomes hard to keep everything organized. That’s where tools like aligning, ordering, and grouping come in handy.

In this guide, you’ll learn simple ways to neatly arrange your objects so your document looks clean and well-structured — even if you’re a beginner.

Understanding Object Arrangement

Objects in Word can overlap or move out of place if not aligned properly. Word provides built-in tools that help you:

• Align objects perfectly on a page
• Order them front or back of others
• Group multiple objects to move them together
• Distribute objects evenly for balance

How to Align Objects in Word 2016

Alignment helps you line up objects either horizontally or vertically, making your layout look neat and professional.

Steps to Align Objects:

• Hold the Shift or Ctrl key and click on all the objects you want to align.
• Go to the Format tab on the toolbar.
• Click on the Align option.
• Choose how you want to align — for example, Align Left, Align Center, or Align Right.

By default, Word aligns objects relative to each other. But if you want to align them to the page or margin, select Align to Page or Align to Margin before choosing your alignment option.

Distributing Objects Evenly

If you’re working with multiple shapes or pictures, you might want them spaced evenly apart. To do that:

• Select multiple objects while holding Shift or Ctrl.
• Click the Format tab → Align.
• Choose either Distribute Horizontally or Distribute Vertically.

Now your objects will be spaced equally, creating a clean, balanced design.

How to Group Objects in Word 2016

Grouping is useful when you want to move or resize multiple objects together. It makes editing easier and faster.

To Group Objects:

• Select all objects you want to group by holding the Shift key.
• Go to the Format tab → click on Group.

Once grouped, you can move or resize them as one unit. If you need to make changes to individual items, click Ungroup in the same menu.

How to Order Objects in Word 2016

Objects in Word are stacked in layers. The latest object you insert appears on top. But sometimes, you may want an image behind text or a shape behind a picture. That’s where ordering helps.

To Change the Order of Objects:

• Select the object you want to move.
• Go to the Format tab.
• Choose Bring Forward or Send Backward.

To move it to the very front or back, select Bring to Front or Send to Back. If you find it difficult to select overlapping items, open the Selection Pane under the Format tab. It helps manage all objects easily.

Rotating and Flipping Objects

Rotation adds a creative touch to your layout. You can rotate or flip shapes, images, and text boxes in different directions.

• Select the object.
• Go to the Format tab and click Rotate.
• Choose Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical, or select a specific rotation angle.

This is a quick way to adjust the visual balance of your design or match the layout flow of your document.

Why Alignment and Grouping Matter

When you use these tools, your document looks polished and professional. It also saves time because grouped or aligned objects stay in place even when you edit text around them. This is especially helpful for reports, flyers, and educational materials.

5 FAQs of Aligning, Ordering, and Grouping Objects in Microsoft Word 2016

Conclusion

Arranging objects in Microsoft Word 2016 doesn’t have to be tricky. With tools like Align, Order, and Group, you can create neat, well-organized documents that look professional. Whether you’re preparing a report, a poster, or a presentation, mastering these simple tools will save you time and make your work stand out.