How to Curve Text in Word with WordArt

To curve text in Word, insert WordArt, select it, then choose Shape Format > Text Effects > Transform and pick a curved effect. Click outside the object to see the finished lettering. For text around a full circle, choose Circle in the Follow Path group.

Use the desktop version of Word for this task. Microsoft documents the feature for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024, 2021, and 2019 on Windows and Mac. Word for the web can display existing WordArt, but creating and shaping it requires desktop Word.

Create curved text in Word for Windows

WordArt is decorative lettering inside an object you can select separately from the document’s paragraphs. Start with a short heading, such as a name or event title. Save a copy of an important document before experimenting with its layout.

1. Open your document in desktop Word and click where you want the lettering to begin. Select Insert > WordArt in the Text group. The gallery shows letter styles; choose one to insert an object.
2. Replace the highlighted placeholder with your own words. For a first attempt, use a short phrase so you can judge the curve without squeezing in a paragraph.
3. Select the WordArt. The contextual Shape Format tab appears; some older interfaces call it Drawing Tools Format.
4. Open Text Effects > Transform. Pick a curved preview that suits your heading. Use the options in the WordArt Styles group, rather than the effects for the object’s background.
5. Click outside the object. The letters should now follow the chosen curve. Select it again to resize or try another transform, then inspect the result at the size your reader will see.

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Microsoft’s WordArt training guide covers insertion, fonts, and the effect menu. You can also select existing document text before choosing Insert > WordArt to convert that selection.

Make text follow a circle

For a circular label or badge, select the WordArt and open Shape Format > Text Effects > Transform. Choose Circle under Follow Path, then drag the object’s sizing handles until its dimensions suit the design.

Microsoft’s circle and shape guide documents this method. Judge both the box proportions and the amount of text: a short label and a long sentence will not produce the same visual balance. Change one thing at a time so you can tell whether resizing or wording improves it.

WordArt does not automatically trace every custom outline you draw. For lettering along the straight sides of a rectangle, Microsoft’s example uses a separate WordArt object for each side. For an intricate logo or irregular path, a drawing program may be more suitable than forcing a built-in transform to match it.

Adjust the lettering without changing the curve

Select the letters and use the Home tab for the font and size. Use Shape Format > Text Fill for their color and Text Outline for their outline. These controls affect the lettering; Shape Fill affects the surrounding object.

To tilt the entire heading, select the WordArt and drag its rotation handle, or use Shape Format > Rotate. Rotation changes the angle of the object; Transform changes the path or shape of its letters. Microsoft’s WordArt reference explains these separate controls.

Use a readable font and enough contrast against the background. A decorative effect should help the heading stand out without making the actual words harder to recognize. Check the longest word, not just the overall silhouette.

Curve text in Word for Mac

In desktop Word for Mac, choose Insert > WordArt, select a style, and replace its text. Select the WordArt, then use Shape Format > Text Effects > Transform to choose the curve. Click outside it to inspect the result.

Microsoft’s guide to changing WordArt’s shape includes Windows and Mac instructions. If your controls differ, verify that you are editing the desktop document and have selected the WordArt itself.

If Transform is missing or the text stays straight

• Check the application: a browser document is Word for the web. Open it in desktop Word to add or transform WordArt.
• Select the correct object: clicking in an ordinary paragraph will not expose the WordArt Shape Format controls. Click the decorative lettering again.
• Check the menu: use Text Effects in WordArt Styles. Shape Effects changes the container, and the Home tab’s ordinary font controls are not the transform gallery.
• Check the final view: after picking an effect, click outside the text box. Microsoft explicitly includes this step for viewing the effect.
• Check the ribbon width: on a narrow window, the WordArt controls may appear as icons. Expand the window or inspect the controls’ labels rather than assuming the feature is absent.

If the result is crowded, shorten the phrase or revise the font size before trying another effect. An easily read arc is usually more useful than a complete circle of tiny lettering.

Remove the curve or delete the object

To straighten the lettering while keeping the WordArt, select it and choose Shape Format > Text Effects > Transform > No Transform. Microsoft’s effect removal guide explains that this removes the path or warp; other separately applied effects may remain.

To remove the entire WordArt, select its box border and press Delete. Select the object rather than just the letters inside it, as shown in Microsoft’s WordArt removal instructions. Use Undo immediately if you removed something unintentionally.

Curved lettering versus wrapping paragraphs

Curving changes the shape of the letters in a heading. Wrapping moves ordinary lines of text around a picture. If you want a paragraph to flow beside an image, use our guide to wrapping text around a picture in Word instead.

Begin with one WordArt heading, apply a transform, and inspect the lettering before adding more decoration. Save once the words and layout both look right.