Visio Quick Start

Format

Format a shape

  1. Select the shape you want to format.

  2. On the Home tab, select an option:

    • Shape Styles - Select a style.

    • Fill - Select a color, No Fill, or More Colors. Select Fill Options to see all options.

    • Line - Select the color, weight, or type of line. Select Line Options to see all options.

    • Effects - Select an effect: Shadow, Reflection, Glow, Soft Edges, Bevel, 3-D Rotation.

Visio Format Shape

Screenshot of two connected shapes, with different shape formatting, in a Visio diagram.

Add text to the drawing page

  1. Select Home > Text tool buttonText or press Ctrl+2.

  2. Drag to draw a text box.

  3. Type the text.

  4. Click outside the text box or press Esc.

  5. Select Home > Pointer buttonPointer Tool or press Ctrl+1 when you're done adding text.

For more, see Add, edit, move, or rotate text in Visio.

Visio Tools

Screen shot of a text entry box on a diagram page.

Apply Themes and Variants

Give your Visio drawing a professional look.

  1. On the Design tab, select one of the Themes.

    Hover over each theme to preview it.

  2. Select one of the Variants.

Select More More button to see more Themes and Variants.

Visio Themes ribbon

Visio Variants ribbon

Select a background

  1. Select Design > Backgrounds.

  2. Select a background:

    • Solid

    • Vertical, Horizontal, Corner, and Center Gradients

    • World

    • Verve

    • Flow

    • Technic

    • Currency

The background color changes with the Themes and Variants.

Visio Backgrounds

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