Shape Alignment

Shape alignment actions align multiple shapes relative to each other, creating perfect horizontal or vertical alignment in one click.

How It Works

When you select multiple shapes and use an alignment action:

1. Offgen calculates the reference point based on all selected shapes
2. All shapes move to align to that reference point
3. The "anchor" shape (the one at the extreme) doesn't move

Horizontal Alignment

Align Left

Aligns all shapes to the leftmost shape's left edge.

Use Case:

• Creating left-aligned text blocks
• Building navigation menus
• Organizing sidebar content

How to Use:

1. Select all shapes to align
2. Click "Align Left" or press Ctrl+Shift+L
3. All shapes align to the leftmost shape

Example:

Before:          After:
  ▢               ▢
    ▢             ▢
      ▢           ▢

Align Right

Aligns all shapes to the rightmost shape's right edge.

Use Case:

• Right-aligning text or labels
• Creating right sidebars
• Aligning prices or numbers in tables

How to Use:

1. Select all shapes to align
2. Click "Align Right" or press Ctrl+Shift+R
3. All shapes align to the rightmost shape

Example:

Before:          After:
▢                     ▢
  ▢                   ▢
    ▢                 ▢

Align Center

Centers all shapes horizontally around their collective center point.

Use Case:

• Centering headers
• Creating balanced compositions
• Centering buttons or CTAs

How to Use:

1. Select all shapes to align
2. Click "Align Center" or press Ctrl+Shift+C
3. All shapes center horizontally

Example:

Before:          After:
▢                  ▢
    ▢              ▢
  ▢                ▢

Vertical Alignment

Align Top

Aligns all shapes to the topmost shape's top edge.

Use Case:

• Creating rows of shapes
• Aligning icons with text
• Building horizontal navigation

How to Use:

1. Select all shapes to align
2. Click "Align Top" or press Ctrl+Shift+T
3. All shapes align to the topmost shape

Example:

Before:    After:
▢          ▢ ▢ ▢
  ▢
    ▢

Align Bottom

Aligns all shapes to the bottommost shape's bottom edge.

Use Case:

• Aligning footer elements
• Creating baselines for text
• Bottom-aligning chart elements

How to Use:

1. Select all shapes to align
2. Click "Align Bottom" or press Ctrl+Shift+B
3. All shapes align to the bottommost shape

Example:

Before:    After:
▢          
  ▢        ▢ ▢ ▢
    ▢

Align Middle

Centers all shapes vertically around their collective center point.

Use Case:

• Vertically centering content
• Aligning icons with text
• Creating balanced vertical layouts

How to Use:

1. Select all shapes to align
2. Click "Align Middle" or press Ctrl+Shift+M
3. All shapes center vertically

Example:

Before:    After:
▢            ▢
▢              ▢
  ▢              ▢

Advanced Techniques

Center on Slide

To center shapes in the middle of the slide:

1. Select shapes to center
2. Dock Left to create a reference
3. Select all shapes including the docked shape
4. Align Center
5. Delete the reference shape

Or use the AI assistant: "Center these shapes on the slide"

Create Perfect Rows

1. Select all shapes in the row
2. Align Top (or Bottom or Middle)
3. Distribute Horizontal

Result: Perfect evenly-spaced row

Create Perfect Columns

1. Select all shapes in the column
2. Align Left (or Right or Center)
3. Distribute Vertical

Result: Perfect evenly-spaced column

Align Multiple Groups

When aligning complex layouts:

1. Align shapes within each group
2. Group them (using Group action)
3. Align the groups themselves

This maintains internal spacing while aligning the overall structure.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Wrong Selection

Problem: Selected shapes don't include the anchor shape you want

Solution: Make sure to select the shape you want others to align to

Mistake 2: Hidden Shapes

Problem: Alignment seems off because there's a hidden or transparent shape in the selection

Solution: Check for any transparent shapes or objects in your selection

Mistake 3: Grouped Shapes

Problem: Shapes within a group don't align individually

Solution: Ungroup first, then align, then regroup if needed

Combining with Other Actions

Alignment works great with other Offgen features:

Align + Distribute

Align Top → Distribute Horizontal = Perfect row
Align Left → Distribute Vertical = Perfect column

Align + Get/Set Size

Get Size from one shape → Set Size on others → Align = Uniform aligned layout

Align + AI Assistant

"Align these shapes in a 3x3 grid" = AI handles alignment + distribution

Keyboard Shortcuts

FAQ

Q: Why do my shapes overlap after aligning?

A: Alignment doesn't prevent overlapping—it only moves shapes to the same edge or center. Use Distribution to space them out after aligning.

Q: Can I align to the slide instead of to other shapes?

A: Yes! Use Docking actions to align to slide edges. See Docking documentation.

Q: How do I align shapes to a specific shape instead of the extremes?

A: Position your target shape at the extreme (e.g., leftmost for Align Left), then align all shapes.

Q: Can I align text within shapes?

A: For text alignment within shapes, use Text Alignment actions.

What's Next?