Can't delete text box in PowerPoint

Anonymous
2014-02-06T06:17:02+00:00

I've recently had a problem deleting text boxes in PowerPoint.  I'm able to select the box by clicking on the box perimeter (which changers the little circles and squares at the perimeter from open to solid, as it should).  But when I hit delete, it deletes the last text character within the box, rather than the box itself.  I also can't copy the box.   When I select the box and hit command-C, I hear a little whish, signifying (I suppose) an disallowed action.  The boxes in question are not part of a slide background.  This problem does not occur with pictures.

I've found a workaround which is to select the box differently, namely by dragging the cursor around the box with the mouse button held down.  Then I can (sometimes) delete or copy it.  Still looking for a real fix.

Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2014-04-15T21:34:15+00:00

I stumbled on a fix today.  

Under system preferences, chose Keyboard, then chose Shortcuts, and then at the bottom under Full Keyboard Access, click the "All controls" radio button. 

Previously, the "Text boxes and lists only" radio button was selected.  I can recreate the problem by clicking this other radio button, i.e. the fix is fully reversible.  I don't think I ever touched either of these buttons before yesterday.

I believe this fix completely resolves for me the issues with selecting text boxes in PowerPoint. 

Note that it's very puzzling that a system tabbing option should have anything to do with selecting text boxes in PowerPoint.  I expect there is still an underlying bug.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-11-04T00:02:36+00:00

    Awesome! This issue had been annoying me for a month with my brand new macbook pro. Thanks so much for the solution!

    I stumbled on a fix today.  

    Under system preferences, chose Keyboard, then chose Shortcuts, and then at the bottom under Full Keyboard Access, click the "All controls" radio button. 

    Previously, the "Text boxes and lists only" radio button was selected.  I can recreate the problem by clicking this other radio button, i.e. the fix is fully reversible.  I don't think I ever touched either of these buttons before yesterday.

    I believe this fix completely resolves for me the issues with selecting text boxes in PowerPoint. 

    Note that it's very puzzling that a system tabbing option should have anything to do with selecting text boxes in PowerPoint.  I expect there is still an underlying bug. 

    Was this answer helpful?

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-12-04T09:52:46+00:00

    I am having the problem on Powerpoint for Mac version 14.4.6 on my Macbook Pro 15" Late 2013 running on OS X Yosemite version 10.10.1.

    I tried all the solutions listed in this thread and nothing works except changing the user account.

    1. tried quitting all office apps and removing all the com.microsoft* files from ~/Library/Preferences
    2. tried uninstalling and re-installing office for mac and followed all the instructions listed

    here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975723/en-us

    1. Also checked that I had checked "All controls" in in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Full Keyboard Access as suggested by RalphKeeling.

    What should be done about this?

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-12-05T01:42:46+00:00

    I just stumbled upon a solution.

    My problem was related to System preferences > Keyboard > Input Sources. I have been using Japanese as an input language. Whenever I select Japanese, I am not able to delete/copy textbox. However the problem resolves when I change the language to US. Only then I am able to delete/copy a textbox. Just for information, I have installed Office for Mac installed in English, but I need to create most of the documents in Japanese hence I was using the Japanese language

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  4. Jim G 134.1K Reputation points MVP
    2014-12-07T16:26:59+00:00

    Have you run Microsoft Language Register application? It's in

    Applications:Microsoft Office 2011:Additional Tools:Microsoft Language Register

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