Applies ToPowerPoint for Microsoft 365 PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac PowerPoint for the web PowerPoint 2024 PowerPoint 2024 for Mac PowerPoint 2021 PowerPoint 2021 for Mac PowerPoint 2019 PowerPoint 2019 for Mac PowerPoint 2016 PowerPoint 2016 for Mac

The best way to animate multiple objects on a slide in the same way is to group them first. That way, you only have to apply your animation effect once. You select all the objects and apply the Group command. Here’s a video demonstration:

Your browser does not support video. Install Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Flash Player, or Internet Explorer 9.

42 seconds

Group a set of items and then apply an animation

(SmartArt graphics and text boxes—including bullet lists—are already grouped, so you can animate them without these preparation steps.)

  1. Hold down the Ctrl key and click all the objects that you want to animate together.

    They don’t have to be touching each other, and it’s all right if they’re mixed in with things that you don’t want to animate. For example, in the mix of rectangles and triangles pictured below, all the rectangles are selected to be grouped.

  2. Select the Shape Format tab, then select  The Group icon. Group > Group.

  3. On the Animation tab, select the animation effect that you want to apply to the group.

    When you play back the animation, the grouped objects behave like one object.

More about grouping and animation

Another way to select a set of objects for grouping is to drag across them. It’s called drawing a marquee. If the marquee misses some things that you want to include, hold down the Ctrl key and click them. If it includes some objects you don’t want, do the same thing—hold down the Ctrl key and click the extra objects to unselect them. When you've selected all the objects you want, group them using the procedure above.

Group a set of items and then apply an animation

(SmartArt graphics and text boxes—including bullet lists—are already grouped, so you can animate them without these preparation steps.)

  1. Hold down the Ctrl key, then select all the objects that you want to animate together.

    They don’t have to be touching each other, and it’s all right if they’re mixed in with things that you don’t want to animate. For example, in the mix of rectangles and triangles pictured below, all the rectangles are selected to be grouped.

  2. Select the Format tab, then select  The Group icon. Group > Group.

  3. On the Animation tab, click on the animation effect that you want to apply to the group.

    When you play back the animation, the grouped objects behave like one object.

See Also

Group or ungroup shapes, other objects, or pictures

Animate text or objects

Set the start time and speed of animation effects

Group a set of items and then apply an animation

(SmartArt graphics and text boxes—including bullet lists—are already grouped, so you can animate them without these preparation steps.)

  1. Hold down the ⌘ key, then select all the objects that you want to animate together.

    They don’t have to be touching each other, and it’s all right if they’re mixed in with things that you don’t want to animate. For example, in the mix of rectangles and triangles pictured below, all the rectangles are selected to be grouped.

  2. Select the Shape Format tab, then select  mac group icon Group > Group.

  3. On the Animation tab, click on the animation effect that you want to apply to the group.

    When you play back the animation, the grouped objects behave like one object.

See Also

Group or ungroup shapes, pictures, or other objects

Animate text or objects

Group a set of items and then apply an animation

(SmartArt graphics and text boxes—including bullet lists—are already grouped, so you can animate them without these preparation steps.)

  1. Hold down the Ctrl key, then select all the objects that you want to animate together.

    They don’t have to be touching each other, and it’s all right if they’re mixed in with things that you don’t want to animate. For example, in the mix of rectangles and triangles pictured below, all the rectangles are selected to be grouped.

  2. Select the Shape tab, then select  The Group button allows you to join selected objects together to move and format them as if they were a single object. Group > Group.

    Caution: Insert alert text here.

    If you don't see the Group option: On the Shape tab, select  The Arrange button. ArrangeThe Group button allows you to join selected objects together to move and format them as if they were a single object. Group.

  3. On the Animation tab, click on the animation effect that you want to apply to the group.

    When you play back the animation, the grouped objects behave like one object.

See Also

Group or ungroup shapes, pictures, or other objects

Animate text or objects

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.