Add and customize shapes in Lucidchart

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Add a shape to your document

There are several ways to add a shape to your diagram. You can:

• Click   the Shapes icon and drag a shape onto the canvas.
• Drag a shape from the Document tools section of the left panel and drop it onto the canvas.
• Drag a line from a shape that is already on the canvas and select a new shape from the auto-prompt menu.
• Hover over or select a shape on the canvas and click one of the round nodes that appear on or around the shape.
  • When there is available space, a new shape will be added in the direction of the round node you click. When a shape is already present in that direction, a new branch will be created.
• Hold Command + Shift (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift (PC), then click and drag an existing shape on the canvas to duplicate it. 

For information on how to add a shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Repeat the options above to add more shapes branching off of a single shape.

Format and modify shapes

To format and modify a shape, select the shape and click the right panel icon in the upper-right corner of the workspace.

You can also customize a shape’s type, fill, border, and more using the shape editing bar that appears next to a selected shape when the right panel is closed. To learn more about the tools in the shape editing bar read our Welcome to Lucidchart article.

For full instructions to open the shape options menu in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Move a shape

To move a shape, drag it with your cursor or select it and move it using the arrow keys on your keyboard. Hold down "Shift" on your keyboard while using your arrow keys to move your shape in smaller increments, or toggle the X and Y position values under “Arrange” in the right panel. 

For full instructions to move a shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Reshape a shape

To resize a shape, select it and drag one of the blue squares along its border. Hold down "Shift" on your keyboard to maintain the shape's dimensions while resizing. You can also toggle the arrows next to the width and height icons under “Object” in the right panel. 

For full instructions to resize a shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

When you specify width and height, the units align with your document settings. To change the units your document uses, see our Adjust document and board settings article. 

Rotate a shape

To rotate a shape, select it and drag it clockwise or counter-clockwise using the handle in the top-left corner of its border. You can also rotate you object by a specific degree in the Right panel. Here’s how:

1. Select a shape.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right corner of the workspace.
3. Click the three-dot icon for “Object settings” from the bottom-right corner of the “Object” section.
4. Toggle the arrows next to the Rotation icon. 

For full instructions to rotate a shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Fill color

To add a fill color to a shape:

1. Select the shape you want to fill with color.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Click the Fill Color icon under “Fill” at the top of the right panel.
   • Alternatively, select a shape and click the Fill color icon from the shape editing bar.
4. Select a color or create a custom color by clicking the plus icon at the bottom of the color swatch window.
5. Match your shape's color to an existing color on your canvas by selecting the color dropper icon and clicking the object you want to match.

At the top of the Fill Color menu, there is a dropdown menu with options to fill your shape with a linear or radial gradient or an image. Use the image option to crop images to a specific shape.

For information on how to add a fill color shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Opacity

To adjust the opacity of a shape:

1. Select the shape.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Click the three-dot icon for “Object settings” from the bottom-right corner of the “Object” section.
4. Toggle the arrows next to “Opacity”.

Mirror a shape

To mirror a shape, follow these steps:

1. Select a shape.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace. 
3. Under the “Object” section click the Flip horizontally icon to mirror the shape from left to right or the Flip vertically icon to mirror the shape from top to bottom.

Add a shadow to a shape

To add a shadow to a shape:

1. Select a shape.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Click the three-dot icon for “Object settings” from the bottom-right corner of the “Object” section.
4. Once enabled, you can customize the shadow's distance, blur, color, and angle.

For full instructions to add a shadow to a shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Round the corners of a shape

To round the corners of a shape:

1. Select a shape.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace. 
3. Under the “Object” section, toggle the arrows to the right of the  rounded icon.

For full instructions to round the corners of a shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Modify shape border

To modify a shape's border color:

1. Select the shape you want to modify.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. In the right panel under “Border”, click the Line color icon.
   • Alternatively, select a shape and click the Line color icon from the shape editing bar that appears.
4. Select a color.
5. Use the Line style and Line width menus to modify the border style and thickness.

Change shape

To change an existing shape on the canvas to another shape in the same shape library:

1. Select a shape on the canvas.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Click the Change shape icon at the top of the panel.
   • Alternatively, select a shape and click the Change shape icon from the shape editing bar.
4. Select a new shape option.

For full instructions to chnage a shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Modify text on a shape

For most shapes in Lucidchart, you can add text by double-clicking the shape and typing the text you want to add. Text cannot be added to some shapes such as an “Or” or “Summing junction” shape from the Flowchart shape library.

Some shapes have text outside of the shape rather than inside. Double-click the text to edit it, and drag it to move it to a new location relative to the shape—you can move it to the top, bottom, left, or right of the shape.

Set default style

To change the default style applied to new shapes added to your canvas:

1. Click anywhere on the canvas to un-select any selected objects.
2. Click the right panel in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Update the style settings, such as fill color, line color, line style and font.

For full instructions to set a default shape style in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Any new shapes added to the document will display the updated style.

Copy shape style

To copy a shape’s style to other shapes on the canvas:

1. Select the shape with the style you want to copy.
2. Click the right panel in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Click    the Paint Format icon from the Formatting bar at the top-left of the workspace.
4. Select the objects you want the style applied to.
   • A single click will activate paint format for one selection change. A double-click will activate paint format until the button is clicked again or ESC is pressed on the keyboard.

For full instructions to copy a shape style in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Manage object layout

Arrange

To arrange the order of the objects on the canvas: 

1. Right-click the object you want to move.
2. Hover your cursor over “Arrange” in the menu that appears, and choose from the following options:
   • Bring to Front: Bring an object to the front of all overlapping objects.
   • Send to Back: Send an object to the back of all overlapping objects.
   • Bring Item Forward: Bring an object one level forward in the order of all overlapping objects. 
   • Send Item Backward: Send an object one level backward in the order of all overlapping objects. 

You can also arrange the order of objects from the right panel. Here’s how:

1. Select the shape you want to rearrange.
2. Open the right panel by clicking the icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Under “Arrange”, click the icon corresponding to how you want to arrange the shape. 

Align

TTo align objects on the canvas: 

1. Select the objects you want to align by clicking and dragging a box around them.
2. Right-click the selection.
3. Hover your cursor over “Align”.
4. Choose an alignment option from the list.

Distriute

To distribute objects evenly on the canvas:

1. Select the objects you want to distribute by clicking and dragging a box around them.
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. In the “Arrange” section, hover your cursor over one of the following options
   • Align: Adjusts selected shapes relative to one another or the canvas by positioning their top, bottom, left, or right edges, or centering them vertically or horizontally along a shared axis.
   • Distribute Horizontally or Vertically: Spaces selected shapes evenly from left to right or top to bottom between the outermost objects.
   • Tidy up: Organize objects into a grid pattern while keeping the objects as close as possible to their original location on the canvas.
   • Cluster: Place objects into a grid pattern and move them to be clustered near each other.
   • Apply grid layout: Organize content from Lucidchart and Lucidspark into swim lanes, Containers, and Frames with one click.

If multiple shapes are selected on the canvas, additional options appear in the right-panel under “Arrange” where you can select how you want to distribute the shapes.
 

For full instructions to distribute objects in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Group

1. Select the objects you want to group by clicking and dragging a box around them.
2. Right-click the selection.
3. Click Group. 

Lock

To lock a shape's position, size, and style:

1. Select the shape you want to lock. 
2. Click the right panel icon in the upper-right of the workspace.
3. Click the lock icon to the right of the shape name at the top of the panel.
4. Alternatively, select a shape and click the lock icon from the shape editing bar.

For full instructions to lock and object in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Create custom shapes

In Lucidchart, you have three ways to create custom shapes: by using the flex polygon shape, by grouping multiple shapes into one, or by uploading your own image to use as a shape.

Use the flex polygon shape

1. Click the search icon at the top of the left panel.
2. Search for “Flex polygon”.
3. Select the flex polygon icon from the list, and drag it onto the canvas.
4. Adjust the shape of the flex polygon by dragging the nodes along the edge of the shape.

For full instructions on how to use the flex polygon shape in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Group multiple shapes into one

1. Select the objects you want to group into one by clicking and dragging a box around them.
2. Right-click the selection.
3. From the menu, click Group. 
4. Right-click the grouped shape.
5. From the menu, click Add to Custom Shape Library.
6. Select a shape library.
7. Rename the custom shape.
8. Click Done.

Upload an image

1. Click the file menu from the top-left of the canvas.
2. Hover your cursor over “Insert”.
3. Click Image.
4. Select and upload an image from your device.
5. Right-click the image.
6. From the menu, click Add to Custom Shape Library.
7. Select a shape library.
8. Rename the custom shape.
9. Click Done.

Delete a shape

To delete a shape:

1. Select the shape you want to delete.
2. Press "Backspace" or "Delete" on your keyboard.

Add an image, icon, or GIF

Lucid’s search and import tools make it easy for you to find the shapes and images you need. We integrate with third-party websites, services, or resources to give you access to third-party content, including GIFs (powered by Giphy), Images (Bing Image Search, powered by Microsoft), and Icons (powered by Iconfinder) (collectively, “Non-Lucid Applications”). Please review the terms of service and privacy policy of any third party site or service applicable to your use of Non-Lucid Applications.

To add an image, icon, or GIF, follow these steps:

1. Click the Images icon from the toolbar to the far-left of the workspace.
2. Select the type of media you want to add from the options at the top of the right panel that opens.
3. Type a keyword into the search bar.
4. Click the magnifying glass icon next to the search bar.
5. Drag the image, icon, or GIF onto your canvas.
   

For full instructions to add an image, icon, or GIF in the classic Lucidchart editor, expand the dropdown below.

Still need help

Resources

To learn more about this feature, explore the additional resources below. These resources are available in English only.

Videos

Custom data in Lucidchart

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