Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Using WordArt in Excel.

Using WordArt in Excel

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 20, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007


WordArt is a program that allows you to treat text as a graphic. You can use the program to add special effects and flourishes to text, and then insert the text—as a graphic—in your worksheet. It is useful for creating special text elements such as logos, mastheads, or titles. Don't confuse the program name (WordArt) with Microsoft Word; these are two entirely different programs, and you can use WordArt with Excel as easily as you can use it with Word.

To add WordArt to an Excel worksheet in Excel 2007, follow these steps:

  1. Display the Insert tab of the ribbon..
  2. In the Text group, click the WordArt tool. You then see the WordArt Gallery.
  3. Select a general appearance that you want used for your text, and then click on OK. You then see some default text appear in the worksheet.
  4. Enter the text you want used by WordArt, and click on OK.

It should be pointed out that the WordArt in Excel 2007 is markedly different than WordArt in earlier versions of Excel. In Excel 2007 WordArt consists of straight text, with different types of color, fill, and shadow formatting applied. In earlier versions there were actual changes made to the fonts and paths followed by the fonts; not so any more.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6220) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Using WordArt in Excel.

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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