Wrapping Text Around a Text Box or Frame

Summary: Text boxes and frames can be used for all sorts of information and objects in a document. You can wrap text around the text box or frame, but the wrapping doesn't occur by default. Here's how to get just the wrap you want. (This tip works with Microsoft Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, Word 2003, and Word 2007.)

After you have inserted a text box or a frame in your document, you can control how surrounding text flows around it. You can either turn wrapping off, or you can cause Word to flow text around the frame or text box. If you are using text boxes, you have even more wrapping options. To control text wrapping for a text box, follow these steps:

Right-click on the text box. Word displays a Context menu.
Choose Format Text Box from the Context menu. Word displays the Format Text Box dialog box.
Click on the Layout tab (in Word 97 click on the Wrapping tab). (Click here to see a related figure.)
Select a method of text wrapping in the Wrapping Style area of the dialog box.
Click on OK.

If you are wrapping text around a frame, the process is slightly different:

Right-click on the frame. Word displays a Context menu.
Choose Format Frame from the Context menu. Word displays the Frame dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
Select a method of text wrapping in the Text Wrapping area of the dialog box.
Click on OK.

Tip #3499 applies to Microsoft Word versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

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Wrapping Text Around a Text Box or Frame