How to Fix Not Being Able to Resize Textboxes in Microsoft Word

Quick Tips

• Textboxes not resizing is a problem that affects “*.doc” files in newer versions of Microsoft Word.
• You can fix this issue by converting a document from compatibility mode and changing the format to “*.docx”
• For minor resizing problems, try unlocking the aspect ratio, entering dimensions manually, or choosing the layout option of the textbox.

As any long-time user of Microsoft Word will tell you, inserting files and text boxes into a Word document is a surefire way to throw the formatting into chaos. It’s a frustrating problem.

If you’re suddenly unable to resize a textbox in Word, let alone reposition it, the problem might be one of document compatibility.

Why Can’t I Resize Textboxes in Microsoft Word?

As a rule of thumb, if something you’ve been able to do for a while suddenly doesn’t work, the problem is bigger than the tool or method you’re using. The textbox resize error was first reported in 2021, and is related to Word itself, and affecting older “*.doc” Word files. These files can run into compatibility issues with newer versions of Microsoft Word.

The key is to see whether your current file is in compatibility mode, then (if it is) change it to a newer “*.docx” file format.

Check for Compatibility Mode

There are three ways to check if a document is open in compatibility mode:

1. The easiest place to check is in the file name. Look at the title bar at the top of your document. If you see “Compatibility Mode” shown anywhere in the document title, that’s a clear indication.
2. Word also offers an easy way to convert compatibility mode files. Navigate to the “File” tab, then select “Info” from the side menu. If you see a “Convert” button, you’ll know your document is in this mode.
   
3. Under the “File” tab, click “Options” from the side bar (it might be hidden in “More…”). Click “Advanced” in the window that pops up and scroll down to “Compatibility options for.” If you see a long list of checkboxes stretching down under the subheading, then your document is in compatibility mode.

Convert Your Document

Once you’ve figured out the compatibility mode status of your Word document, the next step is to convert it. Here’s how:

1. Head to the “File” tab and select “Info” from the side menu.
   
2. Click the “Convert” button next to “Compatibility Mode.”
3. You’ll be greeted with a window telling you that performing the conversion may result in some layout changes. Click “OK” to continue.
   
4. Your document will then be converted. “*.doc” files will keep their format.

You may have to deal with a few layout changes, but should be able to resize textboxes now.

Change the Format

If you’d like to bring an older document up to Microsoft Word’s modern standards and ensure that you’ll have no more compatibility issues, you can change its format to “*.docx” by doing the following:

1. Hit the F12 key to open the “Save As” window.
2. Click the “Save as type” dropdown list and select “Word Document (*.docx)” from the list of options.
   
3. Check “Maintain compatibility with previous versions of Word” if you want to be able to open your document in older versions of the software.
4. Click “Save” to complete the conversion process.

Fixing Minor Resizing Errors

If you’re able to resize your textboxes, but not in the way you’d like, here are a few things to try:

Manual Resizing

If dragging the edges isn’t quite doing things for resizing your textbox, you can always enter your desired size manually:

1. Select your textbox, then navigate to the “Drawing Tools” and “Shape Format” tabs.
   
2. In the “Size” subgroup on the right of the menu ribbon, enter your desired dimensions manually or via the arrow keys.
3. The box’s shape will adjust as the new numbers are inserted.

Maintain or Unlock the Aspect Ratio

If resizing your textbox is upsetting its aspect ratio, there’s a quick way to ensure things scale in the right way. When clicking any point to resize your textbox, hold down the Shift key while you drag. This will maintain the aspect ratio, no matter the scale.

If you’d like to ensure that every textbox can be resized without changing the aspect ratio by default, you can set this to be the default resizing technique. Here’s how:

1. Select your textbox, then switch to the “Shape Format” tab.
   
2. Click the window icon in the corner of the “Size” subgroup to open the Layout window.
   
3. Under the “Scale” sub header, check the “Lock aspect ratio” box.
4. Click “OK” to finalize the changes.

With this box checked, the ratio will be maintained by default when you resize any textbox. However, you can still resize a textbox without retaining the aspect ratio by holding Shift while dragging. You can change this setting by heading back to this window and unchecking the box.

Use Layout Options

Just like inserting pictures, a textbox can become a formatting nightmare without the proper layout configuration. To choose how your textbox interacts with the text around it:

1. Select your textbox.
2. Click the “Layout Options” icon that appears in the top right of the textbox.
   
3. You’ll see the textbox’s current wrapping settings here, and can change to a different setting.