How to Make Text Vertical in Word (Text Box, Table, Stacked)

Vertical text is handy for table headers, sidebars, spine labels, flyers, and name tents. Word doesn’t have a single “vertical text” button, but you can rotate text 90 or 270 degrees in a text box, shape, or table cell, or stack letters on top of each other. This guide shows each method on Windows and Mac, plus how to switch vertical text back to horizontal.

Quick Answer

Insert a text box (Insert > Text Box > Draw Text Box), type your text, and select the box. On the Shape Format tab, click Text Direction and choose Rotate all text 90° or Rotate all text 270°. Drag the box handles to make it tall and narrow.

Method 1: Rotate Text in a Text Box

1. Go to Insert > Text Box and choose Draw Text Box (or pick a built-in style).
2. Click and drag on the page to draw the box, then type your text.
3. Click the box border to select it. The Shape Format tab appears.
4. Click Text Direction and choose:
   • Rotate all text 90° — reads top to bottom.
   • Rotate all text 270° — reads bottom to top.
5. Resize the box so it’s tall and narrow. To hide the border, click Shape Outline > No Outline.

Method 2: Vertical Text in a Table Cell

1. Click inside the table cell.
2. Go to the Table Layout tab (called Layout in some versions).
3. Click Text Direction repeatedly to cycle through horizontal, top-to-bottom, and bottom-to-top.
4. Use the Alignment buttons to center the text in the cell, and drag the row taller if needed.

This is the neatest way to make narrow column headers in tables.

Method 3: Stack Letters Vertically

To keep letters upright but stack them one above another (like a sign):

• Stacked option: in some Word versions, Text Direction includes Stacked for text boxes.
• Manual stacking: type each letter followed by Shift + Enter to start a new line, or narrow the text box until only one character fits per line.
• Reduce line spacing (Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options > Exactly) to tighten the stack.

Method 4: Rotate at Any Angle

For diagonal text, select a text box or WordArt and drag the circular rotation handle at the top. Hold Shift while dragging to snap in 15° steps. For exact angles, right-click the box, choose More Layout Options > Size, and enter a Rotation value.

Word for Mac and the Web

• Mac: the steps are the same. Select the text box, then use Shape Format > Text Direction.
• Word for the web: text box rotation is limited. Table cells support text direction in recent versions; otherwise open the file in the desktop app.

Change Vertical Text Back to Horizontal

Select the text box or table cell and choose Text Direction > Horizontal (or click Text Direction until the text is horizontal). If you rotated the whole box with the handle, set rotation back to 0° in More Layout Options.

Formatting a long document? Select all headings at once to change them in one go.

To curve text instead, read how to arch words in Word.

Troubleshooting

• Text Direction is grayed out: you’ve selected regular body text. Vertical text only works in text boxes, shapes, and table cells.
• Text disappears after rotating: the box is too short. Drag it taller.
• Box moves around: set Wrap Text to In Front of Text or Square and check Fix position on page.
• Printing looks different: rotated text prints as shown, but check Print Preview if you use unusual fonts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make regular paragraph text vertical?

Not directly. Put it in a text box or table cell first. For East Asian vertical layouts, use Layout > Text Direction after enabling an East Asian editing language.

How do I make the text box invisible?

Select it and choose Shape Fill > No Fill and Shape Outline > No Outline.

Summary

1. Insert a text box and type your text.
2. Choose Shape Format > Text Direction > Rotate all text 90° or 270°.
3. For tables, use Table Layout > Text Direction.
4. Stack letters with Shift + Enter for upright vertical text.