How to Merge Shapes in Publisher

Merging shapes in Microsoft Publisher allows you to combine multiple objects into a single, unified shape, giving you more control over design elements. As highlighted in the provided reference, if you draw two shapes, then select both shapes, then "Merge Shapes" the two will become one, and you can edit the points (edit shape) to further refine the shape or customize it even more.

This process is straightforward and involves a few key steps.

Steps to Merge Shapes

To merge shapes in Publisher, follow these simple instructions:

1. Draw Your Shapes: Begin by adding the shapes you want to merge to your Publisher page. You can find shapes under the "Insert" tab in the "Shapes" group. Draw the first shape, then draw the second shape, positioning them as needed for your desired merge effect.
2. Select Both Shapes: This is a crucial step. You need to select all the shapes you intend to merge.
   • Click on the first shape.
   • Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard.
   • Click on the second shape (and any subsequent shapes you want to include in the merge). Both shapes should now be selected.
3. Access the Merge Shapes Option: Once multiple shapes are selected, a new tab typically appears in the ribbon, often labeled something like "Shape Format" or "Drawing Tools Format". Look for a group containing shape-related tools.
4. Use "Merge Shapes": Within the relevant format tab, you should find a "Merge Shapes" option. Click on it. Publisher offers various ways to merge shapes, such as Union, Combine, Fragment, Intersect, and Subtract. The specific options available and their names might vary slightly depending on your Publisher version.
   • Union: Combines all selected shapes into a single shape, retaining the outer boundaries.
   • Combine: Creates a single shape where overlapping areas are removed.
   • Fragment: Breaks the shapes into smaller pieces wherever they overlap.
   • Intersect: Creates a shape from the overlapping area only.
   • Subtract: Removes one shape from another.

Choose the merge option that produces the desired result for your design.

What Happens After Merging?

After you use the "Merge Shapes" function, the selected shapes will transform into a single object. This new shape can then be treated as one – you can apply a single fill, outline, or effect to the entire merged object.

An added benefit, as mentioned in the reference, is the ability to edit the points (edit shape) to further refine the shape or customize it even more. This allows you to adjust individual anchor points along the outline of the newly merged shape, offering significant flexibility for creating custom designs.

Merging shapes is a powerful tool in Publisher for creating complex or unique graphical elements from simpler ones.

Quick Reference Table

Step	Action
1. Draw Shapes	Insert two or more shapes onto your page.
2. Select Shapes	Click the first shape, then hold Shift and click other shapes.
3. Find Merge Option	Look for "Merge Shapes" on the context-sensitive format tab (e.g., Shape Format).
4. Choose Merge Type	Select a merge option (Union, Combine, etc.) to finalize the merge.

By following these steps, you can effectively merge shapes in Microsoft Publisher to enhance your publication designs.