Visio How-To: Resizing Shapes in Patent Drawings

Resize Shapes Precisely to Match Your Patent Drawing Needs

When drafting patent figures in Microsoft Visio, shape size matters. Whether you’re diagramming a multi-step process or illustrating a system component, properly sized shapes ensure clarity, balance, and room for annotations like reference numbers or text labels.

By default, shapes appear in a standard size when dragged onto the page—but that’s rarely ideal. Here’s how to adjust them confidently.

Step-by-Step: Resize Shapes with Confidence

🟦 Basic Manual Resizing

• Click the shape to select it.
• Drag any corner or side handle to resize the shape.
  • Corner handles resize proportionally.
  • Side handles stretch width or height independently.

🎯 Resize with Precision (Alternative Method)

• Right-click the shape → Size and Position Window
• Enter exact width and height values for consistent formatting.

🔁 Maintain Proportions

• Hold Shift while dragging a corner to keep the aspect ratio fixed (for certain shape types).

Best Practices for Patent Drawings

• ✅ Leave room inside shapes for readable text and reference numbers.
• 🧩 Keep sizes consistent across similar shape types in flowcharts or block diagrams.
• 📐 Use the Size & Position window for exact control when standardization matters.