Lock callout tail in Word 2010
In Word 2007, I could insert a callout and the end of the tail would be locked in place so if I moved the text box, the tail end would still point to where I originally placed it. In 2010, I haven't found a way to lock the tail and when I move the callout text box, the entire tail moves. This is killing productivity as I then have to change all the tails after I move the callout text box. Any ideas?? Thanks.
February 1st, 2012 10:18pm

In Word 2010, you'll have to place the shapes inside a drawing canvas before you can add the connector.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
February 1st, 2012 10:29pm

Thanks, but this isn't for adding a connector. I'm annotating air photos and on my picture, I've inserted a callout that already has a line, and it is the end of this line (the callout tail) that I want to lock. If I resize the calllout text box, the line moves and I want it to lock into place so I don't have to fix the line after making changes to the callout text box. This could be done in 2007 but not (so far that I've found) in 2010.
February 2nd, 2012 6:52pm

Thanks, but this isn't for adding a connector. I'm annotating air photos and on my picture, I've inserted a callout that already has a line, and it is the end of this line (the callout tail) that I want to lock. If I resize the calllout text box, the line moves and I want it to lock into place so I don't have to fix the line after making changes to the callout text box. This could be done in 2007 but not (so far that I've found
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
February 2nd, 2012 7:19pm

It did it automatically. Really missing this feature!

February 6th, 2012 5:49pm

This is definitely a broken item in Office 2010 and the issue resolution not been fully answered.  In all previous versions of Office the Callouts had fixed leader lines when the text box or text area was moved around.  To move the leader you had to choose the little yellow diamond at the end.  Now, the entire shape is moved around thus rendering the callouts pretty much unusable. I have had to annotate many charts and have given up with callouts completely for this purpose.

One workaround is to create a small rectangle, give it no colours, link to a bigger rectangle with an arrow or line and create a composite shape.  This can then be grouped and duplicated on a particular sheet.  It can also be copied across documents so you don't have to repeat yourself

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
September 5th, 2012 3:07pm

I too have been very frustrated by the tail of the callout moving when I moved my bubble. Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but:

1) Create your callout

2) then place your mouse within the main part of the callout so that it forms a blue square around the shape

3) Hover the mouse around the edge until it looks like a icon with 4 arrows (like a compass), click then drag the bubble to the position you'd like. This will enable the callout to move while the tail portion stays in the same position.

*Note: Its seems that if you wait to long from clicking in the bubble (to form the blue square) to moving the item, the entire callout will move. Steps 2-3 must be done relatively quickly.

Hope this helps! =)
January 23rd, 2013 9:33pm

I couldn't replicate that behaviour BeBe.  However quickly I go from 2 to 3 the tail/pointer/leader of the callout moves too.  I wish I had a better idea but I came here looking for answers...

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
October 17th, 2013 4:14pm

In Word 2007, I could insert a callout and the end of the tail would be locked in place so if I moved the text box, the tail end would still point to where I originally placed it. In 2010, I haven't found a way to lock the tail and when I move the callout text box, the entire tail moves. This is killing productivity as I then have to change all the tails after I move the callout text box. Any ideas?? Thanks.
I know it's been a few years, but I am having the same trouble and wonder if you found an alternative?  We would build the screen shots and call-outs in a separate document and take a screen capture for the final document.  This kept the screen and callout locked.  However now that our documents need to be translated into multiple languages, the callout text must be "in" the document, not just a screen shot.
August 28th, 2015 1:25pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics