Shape Intersect Command in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

PowerPoint 2016 for Windows lets you take a bunch of selected shapes and then apply one of the five Merge Shapes options to end up with some amazing results. However, the Intersect option that we are exploring within this tutorial works a little differently than the Combine, Fragment, Subtract, or Union options that we explore in other tutorials. Before we look at how the Intersect option is different, let us understand what it does.

You can see examples of the Intersect option in play within Figure 1, below. The three examples on the top area of the slide are separate shapes placed over each other. The shapes that you see at the bottom of the slide are the same shapes with the Intersect option applied, resulting in a single shape that essentially is a remnant of the area where all selected shapes intersected (overlapped).

Figure 1: Samples showing use of the Intersect command

You will notice in all the sample shapes shown in Figure 1, above that all the shapes used are around the same size. This is especially true of the two shapes to the right. And, this is helpful because we start with a selection of shapes that have large "intersecting" areas.

Let's explore another example, as shown in Figure 2, below:

• The leftmost shapes are varied in size. Above, there's a large doughnut shape with a small teardrop overlaid. Notice that the intersecting area is too small, and the resultant intersected shape below thus retains only that small intersecting area.
• The rightmost shapes comprise the same single doughnut shape, but now you have 4 teardrop shapes above. When all these 5 shapes are selected together, there's no area where all 5 overlap or intersect. Thus, the result below is a shape that has no existence!

Figure 2: More Intersect samples

Once you finish reading this tutorial, do view the sample presentations embedded on the bottom of this page to see more samples of shapes that use the Intersect command.

The Intersect command is one of Merge Shape commands in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows. Follow these steps to learn more:

1. Select any two or more shapes as shown in Figure 3. With these shapes selected, access the Drawing Tools Format tab on the Ribbon (highlighted in red within Figure 3).
2. 
   Figure 3: Drawing Tools Format tab
Note: The Drawing Tools Format tab is a Contextual tab. These tabs are special tabs in the Ribbon that are not visible all the time. They only make an appearance when you are working with a particular slide object which can be edited using special options.
2. Within the Drawing Tools Format tab, click the Merge Shapes button (highlighted in red within Figure 4). This brings up the Merge Shapes drop-down gallery (highlighted in blue within Figure 4).
3. 
   Figure 4: Merge Shapes drop-down gallery
3. Within the Merge Shapes drop-down gallery, hover the cursor over Intersect option to see a Live Preview of how the shapes will look when intersected, as shown in Figure 5. Click the Intersect option to intersect the selected shapes.
4. 
   Figure 5: Previously selected shapes are intersected
4. Save your presentation often.

Do remember these guidelines for any tasks that involve the usage of this command. The Intersect command:

• Works only when all selected shapes overlap each other
• If any shapes do not overlap, Shape Intersect causes complete deletion of all shapes
• Removes non-overlapping areas of all selected shapes
• Retains overlapping areas of all selected shapes
• Retains formatting of first selected shape

You will see these guidelines in use within the embedded presentations below (scroll down this page).

The sample presentations below show how we used different shapes placed next to and above each other, and then intersected.

Click below to view this presentation on SlideShare

Click below to view this presentation on YouTube