aspect ratio

Question

how do i turn off aspect ratio? I can't change the width or height without the other one changing.

Answer 1

Hi Angelee K Blasko,

This usually happens when the object’s Lock aspect ratio option is enabled, which causes the width and height to change together.

Quick workaround

Instead of dragging a corner handle, use the side handles:

• Drag the left or right middle handle to change the width only
• Drag the top or bottom middle handle to change the height only

This lets you resize in one direction without changing the aspect ratio setting.

Turn off Lock aspect ratio completely

1. Select the object first
2. Depending on the object type, go to:
   • Picture: Picture > Picture Format
   • Shape or text box: Shape Format
   • Table: Select the entire table > Table Layout
3. In the Size group on the ribbon, click the small dialog box launcher (the tiny arrow in the bottom‑right corner)
4. Clear Lock aspect ratio, then enter the width and height separately

Quicker right‑click method

• Right‑click the object and choose Format Picture or Format Shape
• When the Format pane opens on the right, expand Size if needed
• Clear Lock aspect ratio

For tables, make sure the entire table is selected first, then go to Table Layout > Table Size and clear Lock aspect ratio there. The behavior is generally similar to pictures and shapes, although some users may notice minor quirks in certain builds.

Additional notes

• If the object is SmartArt, the option may be unavailable until the SmartArt is converted to shapes
• If you’re cropping a picture, check that Crop > Aspect Ratio isn’t selected. That’s a separate setting and can override resizing behavior

Please let me know if this proves useful to you, or if you would like further assistance.

I'm looking forward to your reply.

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Answer 2

In PowerPoint for Windows, unlock the aspect ratio so width and height can be changed independently.

1. Select the picture, shape, text box, or WordArt.
2. On the ribbon, go to the Picture Tools Format tab (for pictures) or Drawing Tools Format tab (for shapes/other objects).
3. In the Size group, click the small dialog box launcher icon in the bottom-right corner.
4. In the format pane or dialog box that opens, clear the Lock aspect ratio check box.
5. Now change Height and Width separately, or enter different Scale percentages for each.

If the screen is small, first click the down arrow in the Size group to reveal the Height, Width, and dialog box launcher options.

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References:

• Change the size of a picture, shape, text box, or WordArt