Set, change, or clear tab stops

Set tab stops

Change tab stops

Clear tab stops

Change the spacing between the default tab stops

Set tab stops

Microsoft Office PowerPoint

You can use the ruler to set manual tab stops at the left side, middle, and right side of your slides.

Note If the ruler is not already visible, you must first display it before you can set or clear tab stops on it. On the View tab, in the Show/Hide group, click Ruler.

You can quickly set tabs by clicking the tab selector at the left end of the ruler until it displays the type of tab that you want and then clicking the ruler at the location you want.

	A Left Tab stop sets the start position of text that will then run to the right as you type.
	A Center Tab stop sets the position of the middle of the text. The text centers on this position as you type.
	A Right Tab stop sets the right end of the text. As you type, the text moves to the left.
	A Decimal Tab stop aligns numbers around a decimal point. Independent of the number of digits, the decimal point will be in the same position. (You can align numbers around a decimal character only; you cannot use the decimal tab to align numbers around a different character, such as a hyphen or an ampersand symbol.)

If you want to set tab stops at precise positions, follow these steps:

1. On the Home tab, click the Paragraph Dialog Box Launcher.
2. In the Paragraph dialog box, click Tabs.
3. In the Tabs dialog box, do the following:
   • In the Tab stop position box, enter the measurement for the new tab stop position.
   • Under Alignment, choose how the text should align against the tab stop.
4. To save the new tab stop, click Set.
5. To set any additional tab stops, repeat the previous steps. When finished, click OK to apply the changes.

Microsoft Office Publisher

You can use the ruler to set manual tab stops at the left side, middle, and right side of your publications.

Note If the ruler is not already visible, you must first display it before you can set or clear tab stops on it. On the View menu, click Rulers.

You can quickly set tabs by clicking the tab selector at the left end of the ruler until it displays the type of tab that you want and then clicking the ruler at the location you want.

	A Left Tab stop sets the start position of text that will then run to the right as you type.
	A Center Tab stop sets the position of the middle of the text. The text centers on this position as you type.
	A Right Tab stop sets the right end of the text. As you type, the text moves to the left.
	A Decimal Tab stop aligns numbers around a decimal point. Independent of the number of digits, the decimal point will be in the same position. (You can align numbers around a decimal character only; you cannot use the decimal tab to align numbers around a different character, such as a hyphen or an ampersand symbol.)

If you want to set tab stops at precise positions, do the following:

1. On the Format menu, click Tabs.
2. In the Tabs dialog box, do the following:
   • In the Tab stop position box, enter the measurement for the new tab stop position.
   • Under Alignment, select how the text should align against the tab stop.
3. Under Leader, select the style of lead characters to be added in front of the tab stop.
4. To add the new tab stop to the list, click Set.
5. To set any additional tab stops, repeat the previous steps. When finished, click OK to apply the changes.

Change tab stops

Microsoft Office PowerPoint

To change the location of an existing tab stop, do one of the following:

• On the ruler, drag the existing tab stop that you want to change left or right along the ruler to a different position.

  Note If the ruler is not already visible, you must first display it before you can set or clear tab stops on it. On the View tab, in the Show/Hide group, click Ruler.

• If you want to set tab stops at precise positions that you cannot set by clicking the ruler, do the following:
  1. On the Home tab, click the Paragraph Dialog Box Launcher.
  2. In the Paragraph dialog box, click Tabs.
  3. In the Tabs dialog box, select the tab stop that you want to change from the list, and then click Clear.
  4. In the Tab stop position box, enter the measurement for the new tab stop position, and then click Set.
  5. To apply the changes, click OK.

Microsoft Office Publisher

To change the location of an existing tab stop, do one of the following:

• On the ruler, drag the existing tab stop that you want to change left or right along the ruler to a different position.

  Note If the ruler is not already visible, you must first display it before you can set or clear tab stops on it. On the View menu, click Rulers.

• If you want to set tab stops at precise positions that you cannot set by clicking the ruler, do the following:
  1. On the Format menu, click Tabs.
  2. In the Tabs dialog box, select the tab stop that you want to change from the list, and then click Clear.
  3. In the Tab stop position box, enter the measurement for the new tab stop position, and then click Set.
  4. To apply the changes, click OK.

• Tip To quickly change an existing tab stop, double-click it on the ruler to open the Tabs dialog box.

Clear tab stops

Microsoft Office PowerPoint

To remove an existing tab stop, do one of the following:

• On the ruler, drag the tab stop that you want to remove up or down off the ruler.

  Note If the ruler is not already visible, you must first display it before you can set or clear tab stops on it. On the View tab, in the Show/Hide group, click Ruler.

• If you cannot remove a tab stop by dragging it from the ruler, do the following:
  1. On the Home tab, click the Paragraph Dialog Box Launcher.
  2. In the Paragraph dialog box, click Tabs.
  3. In the Tabs dialog box, select the tab stop that you want to remove from the list, and then click Clear.

     Note To clear all tab stops in the list, click Clear All.

  4. Click OK.

Microsoft Office Publisher

To remove an existing tab stop, do one of the following:

• On the ruler, drag the tab stop that you want to remove up or down off the ruler.

  Note If the ruler is not already visible, you must first display it before you can set or clear tab stops on it. On the View menu, click Rulers.

• If you cannot remove a tab stop by dragging it from the ruler, do the following:
  1. On the Format menu, click Tabs.
  2. In the Tabs dialog box, select the tab stop that you want to remove from the list, and then click Clear.

     Tip To clear all tab stops in the list, click Clear All.

  3. Click OK.

Change the spacing between the default tab stops

Microsoft Office PowerPoint

Default tab stops are the preset positions to which you can align text by repeatedly pressing the TAB key. You can adjust the spacing between default tab stops as needed.

1. On the Home tab, click the Paragraph Dialog Box Launcher.
2. In the Paragraph dialog box, click Tabs.
3. In the Default tab stops box, enter the amount of spacing that you want between the default tab stops, and then click OK.

   Each time you press the TAB key while editing text on a slide, the cursor moves to the next default position at the distance that you specified.

Note If you manually set your own custom tab stops, the default tab stops are interrupted by the manual tab stops that you set. Manual tab stops that are set on the ruler override the default tab stop settings.

Microsoft Office Publisher

Default tab stops are the preset positions to which you can align text by repeatedly pressing the TAB key. You can adjust the spacing between default tab stops as needed.

1. On the Format menu, click Tabs.
2. In the Default tab stops box, enter the amount of spacing that you want between the default tab stops, and then click OK.

   Each time you press the TAB key while editing text in a story, the cursor moves to the next default position at the distance that you specified.

Note If you manually set your own custom tab stops, the default tab stops are interrupted by the manual tab stops that you set. Manual tab stops that are set on the ruler override the default tab stop settings.