Move Shapes within SmartArt Graphics in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac

SmartArt is a powerful visual feature that typically places common PowerPoint shapes in relation to each other so that they can represent some logic or hierarchy. You can of course change individual shapes within SmartArt, as in changing a square to a circle or anything else, but, what many users don't realize is that you can do much more. You can move some shapes around within the SmartArt graphic if you want. This sort of creative freedom lets you customize existing SmartArt layouts to your liking.

Follow these steps to move shapes within any SmartArt graphic in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac:

1. Select the SmartArt graphic that contains the shape that you want to move, as shown in Figure 1, below. The layout used in this example is Alternating Hexagons.
2. 
   Figure 1: Alternating Hexagons SmartArt graphic
2. Click on the shape which you want to move within the selected SmartArt graphic. In Figure 2, below, you can see that the hexagon shape in the center has been selected.
3. 
   Figure 2: Shape selected within the SmartArt graphic
3. Now, drag the selected shape without releasing the mouse button to a new location within the SmartArt graphic, as shown in Figure 3, below.
4. 
   Figure 3: Selected shape being dragged within the SmartArt graphic
4. Place the shape in a new location, as shown in Figure 4, below, and release the mouse button. Do you see the bounding box that surrounds the entire SmartArt graphic? You can move shapes contained inside a SmartArt graphic only within the area of the bounding box.
5. 
   Figure 4: Shape relocated within the SmartArt graphic
5. Save your presentation often.