What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated October 9, 2021

Applies to: Microsoft® PowerPoint® 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

You can rotate objects in PowerPoint by dragging the rotation handle, entering an exact rotation amount or by using keyboard shortcuts. To rotate an object means to turn it around its center. Shapes, images and other objects can be rotated in Normal View or Slide Master View. In this article, we'll talk about rotating two-dimensional objects, not 3D models.

Note: Buttons and Ribbon tabs may display in a different way (with or without text) depending on your version of PowerPoint, the size of your screen and your Control Panel settings. For PowerPoint 365 users, Ribbon tabs may appear with different names. For example, the Picture Tools Format tab may appear as Picture Format and the Drawing Tools Format tab may appear as Drawing Format or Shape Format.

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Rotating an object using the rotation handle

You can drag the rotation handle that appears when you select an object to rotate it.

To rotate an an object object using the rotation handle (circular arrow):

  1. Select the object by clicking it. If you are selecting a text box or placeholder, click its edge.
  2. Press the left mouse button and drag the rotation handle that appears in the middle above the object to the right or left. This is called free rotation. If you hold down Shift, PowerPoint will constrain the rotation to 15 degree increments.
  3. Release the mouse button.

Note the rotation handle that appears above a selected object:

What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

If you rotate multiple shapes, they do not rotate as a group. Each shape rotates around its own center.

Rotating an object by 90 degrees

To rotate an object by 90 degrees:

  1. Select the object by clicking it. If you are selecting a text box or placeholder, click its edge.
  2. Click the Format tab in the Ribbon. This tab may appear as Picture Tools Format, Picture Format, Drawing Tools Format, Drawing Format, Shape Format or Graphic Format depending on the object you have selected and your version of PowerPoint.
  3. In the Arrange group, click Rotate. A drop-down menu appears.
  4. Click Rotate Right 90° or Rotate Left 90°.

Below is the Rotate drop-down menu:

What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

Rotating an object by typing rotation values

You can also type exact rotation values to rotate an object. This is helpful if you want to rotate by specific increments such as 10, 45 or 90 degrees.

To rotate an an object object by typing rotation values:

  1. Select the object by clicking it. If you are selecting a text box or placeholder, click its edge.
  2. Click the Format tab in the Ribbon. This tab may appear as Picture Tools Format, Picture Format, Drawing Tools Format, Drawing Format, Shape Format or Graphic Format depending on the object you have selected and your version of PowerPoint.
  3. In the Arrange group, click Rotate. A drop-down menu appears.
  4. Click More Rotation Options. The Format task pane appears.
  5. In the Rotation box in the task pane, enter the amount that you want to rotate the object (such as 45, 90, -45 or -90) and then press Enter. You can also click the arrows in the Rotation box to rotate the object.

The Format Shape task pane appears as follows tor a shape with 45 entered in the Rotation box:

What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

Rotating an object using keyboard shortcuts

If you prefer, you can use keyboard shortcuts to rotate an object.

To rotate an an object object using keyboard shortcuts:

  1. Select the object by clicking it. If you are selecting a text box or placeholder, click its edge.
  2. Press Alt + right arrow or Alt + left arrow to rotate in 15 degree increments.

If you want to rotate a table or a SmartArt object, you'll need to copy the table or SmartArt object, paste it as a picture  and then rotate the picture.

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What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

Note: If you don't see the Shape Format, Drawing Tools, or Picture Tools tabs, make sure that you've selected a text box, shape, or WordArt. You may have to double-click the object to open the Format tab.

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Select the rotation handle at the top of the object, and then drag in the direction that you want.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

    • To constrain the rotation to 15-degree increments, press and hold Shift while you drag the rotation handle.

    • When you rotate multiple shapes, they do not rotate as a group, but instead each shape rotates around its own center.

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Go to Shape Format, Drawing Tools or Picture Tools > Format.

  3. Select Rotate, and then select More Rotation Options.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

  4. In the pane or dialog box that opens, enter the amount to rotate the object in the Rotation box. You can also use the arrows to rotate the object exactly where you want.

  1. Select the object that you want to rotate.

  2. Go to Shape Format, Drawing Tools or Picture Tools > Format.

  3. Select Rotate, and then:

    • To rotate the object 90 degrees to the right, select Rotate Right 90°.

    • To rotate the object 90 degrees to the left, select Rotate Left 90°.

You can create the effect of a mirror image or flip an object upside-down (invert it) by using the Flip tools.

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Go to Shape Format, Drawing Tools or Picture Tools > Format, select Rotate, and then:

    • To turn an object upside-down, select Flip Vertical.

    • To create a mirror image of the object (except WordArt), select Flip Horizontal.

  1. Select the WordArt or Shape to mirror.

    For more info see Insert WordArt.

  2. Select Shape Format or Drawing Tools Format.

  3. Select Text Effects

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?
    > 3D Rotation > 3D Rotation Options.

  4. Under 3-D Rotation, set X Rotation to 180°.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

Note: To rotate text in a shape,

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Select the rotation handle at the top of the object, and then drag in the direction that you want.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

    Note: To constrain the rotation to 15-degree increments, press and hold Shift while you drag the rotation handle.

  1. Select the object rotate.

  2. Under Drawing Tools (or Picture Tools if you're rotating a picture), on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, select Rotate, and then select More Rotation Options.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

    If you don't see the Picture Tools, Drawing Tools, or Format tabs, make sure that you've selected a picture. You may have to double-click the picture in order to open the Format tab.

  3. In the pane or dialog box that opens, enter the amount that you want to rotate the object in the Rotation box. You can also use the arrows to rotate the object exactly where you want.

You can create the effect of a mirror image or flip an object upside-down (invert it) by using the Flip tools.

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Under Drawing Tools (or Picture Tools if you're rotating a picture), on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, select Rotate, and then do one of the following:

    • To turn an object upside-down, select Flip Vertical.

    • To create a mirror image of the object (except WordArt), select Flip Horizontal.

If you don't see the Drawing Tools or Picture Tools Format tabs, make sure that you've selected a text box, shape, WordArt or picture. You may have to double-click the object to open the Format tab.

  1. Select the WordArt or Shape to mirror.

    For more info see Insert WordArt.

  2. Select Drawing Tools > Format.

  3. Select Text Effects > 3D Rotation > 3D Rotation Options.

  4. Under 3-D Rotation, set X to 180°.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Select the rotation handle at the top of the object, and then drag in the direction that you want.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

    • To constrain the rotation to 15-degree increments, press and hold Shift while you drag the rotation handle.

    • When you rotate multiple shapes, they do not rotate as a group, but instead each shape rotates around its own center.

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Go to Shape Format or Picture Format >Rotate.

  3. Select More Rotation Options.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

  4. In the pane or dialog box that opens, enter the amount to rotate the object in the Rotation box. You can also use the arrows to rotate the object exactly where you want.

  1. Select the object that you want to rotate.

  2. Go to Shape Format or Picture Format .

  3. Select Rotate, and then:

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

    • To rotate the object 90 degrees to the right, select Rotate Right 90°.

    • To rotate the object 90 degrees to the left, select Rotate Left 90°.

You can create the effect of a mirror image or flip an object upside-down (invert it) by using the Flip tools.

  1. Select the object to rotate.

  2. Go to Shape Format or Picture Format .

  3. Select Rotate, and then:

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

    • To turn an object upside-down, select Flip Vertical.

    • To create a mirror image of the object (except WordArt), select Flip Horizontal.

  1. Select the WordArt or Shape to mirror.

    For more info see Insert WordArt.

  2. Select Shape Format > Format Pane.

  3. Under 3-D Rotation, set X Rotation to 180°.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?

  1. Select the object that you want to rotate.

  2. Select the rotation handle at the top of the object, and then drag in the direction that you want.

    What is the purpose of the circular handle that appears at the top of an object when you select it?