Once you've added a graphic or text element to a page, you can edit its geometry using the tools in the Edit group on the contextual Format tab for the element. The tools are divided into three categories: edit vertices, rotate or flip, and merge shapes.
Edit vertices
The Edit Vertices tool 
allows you to move, add, or delete vertices on a line or shape. You can also
use this tool to change a line segment to a line, circular arc, or Bezier curve.
To edit vertices, select a graphic on the layout or in the Contents pane. On the Format tab, click Edit Vertices . You can also right-click and choose Edit Vertices from the context menu. The layout switches to editing mode and the vertices of the graphic appear. The vertices toolbar also appears with the following options:
| Option | Use |
|---|---|
Move  | Click a single vertex and move it, or draw a lasso with the mouse to select multiple vertices and move them simultaneously. |
Add  | Click the shape to add a vertex, then drag to position that vertex. |
Delete  | Click a vertex to delete it. |
Continue  | Insert vertices from the last created vertex. In editing mode, the red vertex represents the last created vertex. |
Finish  | Finish the sketch and exit editing mode. |
Cancel  | Cancel the edits and exit editing mode without changing the shape. |
In editing mode, right-click a shape to open the edit context menu. From this menu, you can choose Add Vertex 
, Delete Vertex 
, Finish , or Cancel the sketch. Additionally, you can choose Change Segement to change a line segment to a Line, Circular Arc, or Bezier Curve. If you are editing a line, you can choose Reverse Direction to switch the from-to direction of the line. This reverses the order of the vertices but preserves their location and is useful when using the Continue tool .
Note:
Along with line and polygon graphics, you can also edit the vertices of a map frame.
Rotate or Flip
The Rotate or Flip 
menu has tools to rotate the graphic or flip its geometry. The following tools are available:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
Rotate Right 90° | Rotate the graphic 90° to the right. If the graphic is already rotated, 90° is added to the existing rotation. |
Rotate Left 90° | Rotate the graphic 90° to the left. If the graphic is already rotated, 90° is added to the existing rotation. |
Flip Horizontal | Create a mirror image of the graphic. This does not change the x- or y-positions of the graphic. |
Flip Vertical | Turn the graphic upside down. This does not change the x- or y-positions of the graphic. |
To rotate or flip a graphic, select it on the layout or in the Contents pane. On the Format tab, click the Rotate or Flip button and choose a tool from the drop-down menu.
Merge Shapes
The Merge Shapes menu 
has tools for combining multiple polygon graphics into one graphic. Merge shape tools are not available for lines, polygons, or groups. For each tool, the resulting graphic takes the symbology of the first selected graphic. The following merge tools are available:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
Union | Combines selected graphics into a single graphic. |
Intersect | Combines overlapping graphics by keeping only the areas that intersect all the graphics. |
Remove Overlap | Combines overlapping graphics by keeping everything except the overlapping areas. |
Subtract | Combines overlapping graphics by taking the first selected graphic and removing the overlapping areas, as well as any other selected graphics. |
Note:
Intersect, Remove Overlap 
, and Subtract 
are designed for use on overlapping graphics. Using these tools on graphics that do not overlap can lead to unexpected results. To merge graphics, select multiple graphics on the layout or in the Contents pane. On the Format tab, click the Merge Shapes button and choose a tool from the drop-down menu.