How do you lock elements in a Powerpoint page so they cant be moved?

Anonymous
2011-10-14T00:56:46+00:00

How do you lock elements in a Powerpoint page so they cant be moved?

Can you lock and unlock a given element on a page?

Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Steve Rindsberg 99,176 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2011-10-14T15:22:13+00:00

There are lots of good reasons why you might want to lock a shape in place, and some of us have been begging for this feature for years.  I've even written this into a couple of my add-ins but haven't ever done 'em for Mac.

One workaround is to use a new master and put the "locked" content on the master.  Users won't be able to select it/move it while editing slides based on that master.

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

46 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Steve Rindsberg 99,176 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2016-11-27T17:34:09+00:00

    Perfectly understandable. 

    Until we get what we're asking for, your best bet, I think, would be to put the "untouchables" on a new layout rather than on the slides themselves.  Far from perfect, but most naive users won't know to drill down to the layout to move stuff.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-11-27T17:11:05+00:00

    this has been going on for years without any positive reaction from MS.

    since I was an early requester, here is why:

    I often create slides which include authored or copyrighted items and pass the slides on to other people or companies to use in their own presentation. I just don't want them to be able to delete or modify the authored items which should not be deleted or modified.

    it is that simple, and Bob is your uncle.

    GZ

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-11-27T15:03:54+00:00

    couldn't agree more

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-06-22T22:31:23+00:00

    The only workaround I have ever found for this is to find the object I want to "lock" in the selection pane and turn off its visibility. Do whatever I needed to to that would have been easier with it locked and then turn visibility back on. If you are dragging to select a number of objects in an area and do not want to select a specific one object selected there is another work around as well. You can group the object you don't want to select with something far outside of the selection area. This makes it so that the object group does not get selected because some of its group is outside of the selection area.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments