To rotate text in Word, put it in a text box and rotate the box. Normal paragraphs in the body of a document can’t be turned to an angle. This works in desktop Word for Windows and Mac, and it’s the right choice for a label, a callout, or a design element. For text that just needs to run sideways, you can also change the Text Direction of a text box or table cell.
Rotate text with a text box (Windows)
- Choose Insert > Text Box, pick a style or select Draw Text Box, and type your text. Our text box guide covers placing and editing boxes.
- Click the box’s border so the whole box is selected, not just the cursor inside it.
- Select the Shape Format tab, then Rotate.
- Choose a preset, or select More Rotation Options and type an exact angle in the Rotation box.
- Click outside the box to see the result.
To rotate by hand instead, drag the circular rotation handle at the top of the selected box. Hold Shift while you drag to snap to 15-degree steps.
The box may look straight again when you click into it to edit the text. That’s normal. Word straightens it while you type, then shows the rotation again when you click away. Microsoft’s rotate text instructions confirm this behavior.
What each Rotate option does
| Option | Result |
|---|---|
| Rotate Right 90° | Turns the box a quarter turn clockwise |
| Rotate Left 90° | Turns the box a quarter turn counterclockwise |
| Flip Vertical / Flip Horizontal | Flips the box shape; to mirror the text itself, use 3D Rotation (below) |
| More Rotation Options | Sets any exact angle, such as 45° or 30° |
Rotate text on a Mac
- Insert a text box from the Insert tab and type your text.
- Click the border of the box to select it.
- Use Shape Format > Rotate, or drag the rotation handle. Hold Shift for 15-degree steps.
On a Mac you can also select the box, hold Option, and press the left or right arrow key to turn it a little at a time.
Turn text sideways with Text Direction
For a vertical label that reads top to bottom or bottom to top, change the text direction instead of rotating the box.
- Select the text box border.
- Choose Shape Format > Text Direction.
- Pick Rotate all text 90° or Rotate all text 270°.
In a table, click in the cell and select Text Direction on the table’s Layout tab. Each click turns the text to the next direction, so keep clicking until it faces the way you want. This is handy for narrow column headings. For stacked letters and other vertical styles, see our guide to making text vertical in Word.
Mirror text or turn it upside down
The flip buttons don’t reverse the letters in a text box. To mirror the text:
- Select the text box.
- Choose Shape Format > Text Effects > 3D Rotation > 3D Rotation Options.
- Set X Rotation to 180°.
To turn text upside down, rotate the box 180° with More Rotation Options. Our guide to flipping words upside down goes further.
Rotate text inside a shape
Text typed into a shape turns with the shape, so a shape works like a styled text box. Choose Insert > Shapes, draw the shape, right-click it and select Add Text, then type. Select the shape’s border and rotate it with Shape Format > Rotate or the rotation handle, just as you would a text box.
Rotate WordArt
WordArt sits in its own box, so it rotates the same way: select it, then use Shape Format > Rotate or the rotation handle. See how to insert WordArt if you want a styled heading to angle.
Clean up the rotated text
- To hide the box border, select the box and choose Shape Format > Shape Outline > No Outline.
- Give the rotated box enough room so it doesn’t cover nearby paragraphs.
- If surrounding text wraps in an odd way, open the box’s Layout Options and try a different wrapping choice, then check the neighboring pages.
Put rotated text back to normal
Select the text box border, choose Shape Format > Rotate > More Rotation Options, set Rotation to 0°, and select OK. If you changed the direction instead, choose Text Direction > Horizontal.
If Rotate is missing or doesn’t work
- Shape Format doesn’t appear: you’ve clicked inside the text, not the box. Click the border.
- You’re in Word for the web: it shows rotated text boxes made in desktop Word, but Microsoft says you can’t currently insert or rotate a text box there. Open the file in the desktop app.
- No rotation handle appears: check the title bar for Compatibility Mode. Older .doc files use legacy text boxes that can’t be rotated. Choose File > Info > Convert, save, and select the box again. If an old box still won’t turn, insert a new text box and move the text into it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rotate a whole page?
Not at an angle. You can turn a page sideways with Layout > Orientation > Landscape, which changes the page, not the text on it.
Can I rotate a table?
Tables don’t have a rotation handle. You can turn the text in cells with Text Direction, or use the workarounds in our guide to rotating a table in Word.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com