While the referenced video focuses on adding a drop shadow to shapes, the process is very similar for rectangles (which are shapes in Excel). Here's how you add a drop shadow to a rectangle in Excel:
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Insert a Rectangle:
- Go to the "Insert" tab on the Excel ribbon.
- Click on "Shapes" in the "Illustrations" group.
- Choose the "Rectangle" shape from the "Rectangles" section.
- Click and drag on your worksheet to draw the rectangle to the desired size.
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Format the Shape (Rectangle):
- Select the rectangle you just created. This will activate the "Shape Format" tab on the ribbon.
- In the "Shape Styles" group or "Shape Fill" and "Shape Outline", select the style or color fill and outline of your rectangle.
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Add the Drop Shadow:
- With the rectangle still selected, in the "Shape Format" tab, locate the "Shape Effects" button within the "Shape Styles" group.
- Click on "Shape Effects," and a dropdown menu will appear.
- Hover over "Shadow." A submenu with various shadow styles will appear (e.g., Outer, Inner, Perspective).
- Choose the drop shadow style you want. "Outer" shadows are typically what people mean by a "drop shadow".
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Customize the Shadow (Optional):
- To further customize the shadow, after selecting your initial shadow style, go back to "Shape Effects" -> "Shadow" -> "Shadow Options". This opens the "Format Shape" pane on the right side of the screen.
- Here you can adjust:
- Color: Change the shadow color.
- Transparency: Adjust how see-through the shadow is.
- Size: Modify the size of the shadow.
- Blur: Control the blurriness of the shadow.
- Angle: Alter the angle at which the shadow is cast.
- Distance: Adjust the distance between the shape and its shadow.
By following these steps, you can easily add a drop shadow to a rectangle (or any shape) in Excel.
