How to Combine Shapes in PowerPoint (Union, Combine, Fragment, Intersect, Subtract)

PowerPoint isn’t just for rectangles and sad little circles. Hidden inside it is a set of tools that lets you build completely custom shapes by combining two (or more) shapes together — kind of like “pathfinder” in Illustrator. PowerPoint calls these the Shape Combination tools, and once you learn them, you’ll start using PowerPoint like a design program.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn:

• Where the shape combination tools live
• Why selection order matters (important!)
• How each tool works:
  • Union
  • Combine
  • Fragment
  • Intersect
  • Subtract

Let’s do it.

Where the Shape Combination Tools are

1. Insert two shapes (any shapes)
2. Select them both (Shift+Click)
3. Go to the Shape Format tab in the ribbon
4. Look on the far right for Merge Shapes (dropdown)

Inside the dropdown you’ll see:

• Union
• Combine
• Fragment
• Intersect
• Subtract

These are PowerPoint’s shape-combining superpowers.

The most important rule: Selection order matters

PowerPoint is extremely picky about this:

The first shape you select controls the formatting of the final result.

So if you select a blue heart first, then a purple cross…

Your final merged shape will be blue.

Even if the cross is on top.

Even if the heart is behind.

Even if the universe is against you.

It doesn’t matter which one is layered on top.

✅ Only the selection order matters.

The Cookie Dough + Cookie Cutter trick

This is the easiest way to remember selection order (credit to Mike Parkinson):

First select:

🍪 Cookie dough = the shape whose formatting you want to keep

Then select:

🔪 Cookie cutter = the shape used to cut / carve / define

Then apply the shape combination tool.

This rule will save you so much rage.

Below are the 5 options and what they do in plain English.

1) Union = “Smush shapes into one”

Union takes two shapes and turns them into one single combined shape.

✅ Keeps everything

✅ Removes internal boundaries

✅ Makes one shape

Use Union when:

• you want to fuse shapes together
• you’re building a custom icon
• you want one object (not layers)

2) Combine = “Punch out the overlap”

Combine creates one shape but removes the overlapping area.

Think of it like:

• you have two shapes
• where they overlap becomes a hole

✅ Keeps non-overlapping areas

✅ Overlap gets cut out

✅ Results in one shape (often with holes)

Use Combine when:

• you want a cut-out shape
• you want donut / ring-like effects
• you’re making negative space designs

3) Fragment = “Explode into pieces”

Fragment splits everything into separate parts.

It takes:

• Shape A
• Shape B
• The overlapping area

…and turns them all into separate individual shapes.

✅ Creates multiple shapes

✅ Everything becomes editable pieces

✅ Great for making custom geometry

Use Fragment when:

• you want to break shapes apart
• you want pieces you can recolor individually
• you want more control

4) Intersect = “Keep only the overlap”

Intersect keeps ONLY the part where both shapes overlap.

Everything else disappears.

✅ Keeps overlap

🚫 Deletes everything else

✅ Creates one shape

Use Intersect when:

• you want a shape cut perfectly from overlap
• you’re making custom crops or masking effects
• you want just the shared region

5) Subtract = “Cookie cutter removes from cookie dough”

Subtract is the most cookie-cutter one of all.

It removes the cookie cutter shape from the cookie dough shape.

In other words:

1. Select cookie dough (shape you want to keep)
2. Select cookie cutter (shape you want to remove)
3. Choose Subtract
4. The cutter “punches out” of the dough

✅ Great for cutting windows, holes, notches

✅ Very predictable if selection order is correct

Use Subtract when:

• you want to carve a shape out of another shape
• you’re making icons (speech bubbles, arrows, labels)
• you want intentional “missing sections”

Extra tip: Hover previews are your friend

When you open Merge Shapes, PowerPoint shows you a live preview when you hover over each option.

That means you don’t have to memorize everything immediately.

Just hover until the preview looks like what you want.

Recap

Here’s the easiest way to remember all of them:

• Union = everything becomes one shape
• Combine = overlap disappears
• Fragment = everything breaks into pieces
• Intersect = only overlap remains
• Subtract = cutter removes from dough

And always remember:

🍪 cookie dough first

🔪 cookie cutter second