Last Updated: 5/9/2023
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Questions? Contact us at blackboard@ttu.edu or 806-742-5933.
Text Editor for Blackboard
The Blackboard Text Editor appears in most places where you can add text. Use the editor to
add and format text, embed images, attach files, and insert equations, links, and tables when
you work in assignments, tests, discussions, messages, conversations, journals, and more.
Select the More icon, the three horizontal dots at the right end of the first row, to show the
most used text options, as well as all the available options. Some options appear in different
rows when you expand or collapse the editor rows. Unavailable options appear “grayed out.”
For example, the Remove Link option is available only after you select text or an object that
already contains a link in the textbox. The options for modifying a table become active only
when a table is created and selected.
NOTE Hover your mouse over an icon to view the icon’s function.
Editor Icons & Options
Icons/Options Description
Bold or remove this style for the selected text.
Italicize or remove this style for the selected text.
Underline or remove this style for the selected text.
Strikethrough – Display text with a horizontal line through the letters.
Select a paragraph style (e.g., Paragraph, Heading, etc.) for the text
from the pulldown list.
Select the font style for the text from the pulldown list of available
fonts.
Last Updated: 5/9/2023
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Questions? Contact us at blackboard@ttu.edu or 806-742-5933.
Icons/Options Description
Select the font size for the text from the pulldown list.
Create a bulleted list. Choose the bullet style from the pulldown list.
Create a numbered list. Choose the number style from the pulldown
list.
Select the text color from the color swatch box.
Select the text highlight color from the color swatch box. The color
appears as a background.
Remove all formatting so that only plain text appears.
Cut the selected item(s).
Copy the selected item(s).
Paste the most recently copied or cut item(s).
Find and replace text.
Undo the previous action.
Redo the previous action – Available only if an action has been
undone.
Align text to the left margin.
Last Updated: 5/9/2023
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Questions? Contact us at blackboard@ttu.edu or 806-742-5933.
Icons/Options Description
Align text in the center of the left and right margins.
Align text to the right margin.
Align text to both the left and right margins (Justified alignment).
Increase Indent – Move the text or object to the right. Select the icon
again to indent further.
Decrease Indent (Outdent) – Move the text or object to the left. Select
the icon again to outdent further. You cannot outdent beyond the left
margin.
Superscript – Make the selected text appear slightly above your
regular text or remove this style for the selected text.
Subscript – Make the selected text appear slightly below your regular
text or remove this style for the selected text.
Insert/Edit Link – Select text or an object and select the Insert/Edit
Link icon to add a new hyperlink or edit an existing hyperlink. You can
create a link to a website, a file from your computer, or a file from the
course's Content Collection.
Remove a hyperlink from the selected text or object.
Add text to the left of the current mouse pointer location.
Add text to the right of the current mouse pointer location (default).
Select the More icon (toggle) to show more or less toolbar icons.
Last Updated: 5/9/2023
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Questions? Contact us at blackboard@ttu.edu or 806-742-5933.
Icons/Options Description
Add a thin horizontal line to the current mouse pointer position,
which spans the entire width of the text area.
Insert a non-breaking space character at the current mouse pointer
position.
Begin the automatic spellchecker.
Open the MathType window to insert a math equation.
Select the Show Invisible Characters icon to show all non-printing
characters. Select the icon again to hide them from view.
Format the text as a blockquote.
Open the Select Special Character window and select a symbol to
insert at the current mouse pointer position.
Open the Emoticons window and select an emoticon to insert at the
current mouse pointer position.
Use anchors to position other items and objects, such as images.
Position the mouse pointer where you want the anchor to appear and
select the Anchor icon to open the Insert/Edit Anchor window.
Last Updated: 5/9/2023
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Questions? Contact us at blackboard@ttu.edu or 806-742-5933.
A B C D E F G H I J K
A. Insert/Edit Table – Click the pulldown arrow to access the Table, Cell, Row, Column,
Table Properties, and Delete Table options.
B. Delete Table – Deletes a table.
C. Table Properties – Opens the Table Properties window.
D. Row Properties – Opens the Row Properties window.
E. Cell Properties – Opens the Cell Properties window.
F. Insert Row Before – Insert a blank row in the table above the current mouse position.
G. Insert Row After – Insert a blank row in the table after the current mouse position.
H. Delete Row – Delete the current row from the table. If multiple rows are selected, all
are deleted.
I. Insert Column Before – Insert a blank column to the left of the current mouse position.
J. Insert Column After – Insert a blank column to the right of the current mouse position.
K. Delete Column – Delete the current column. If multiple columns are selected, all are
deleted.
Last Updated: 5/9/2023
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Questions? Contact us at blackboard@ttu.edu or 806-742-5933.
Icons/Options Description
Open the Source Code window to directly edit the HTML code. This
feature is included for experienced Web developers.
Open the Accessibility Checker window to show detected
accessibility issues.
Open the Insert/Edit Code Sample window to insert code from
various programming languages, including HTML/XML, JavaScript,
CSS, PHP, Ruby, Python, Java, C, C# and C++. This feature is included
for experienced Web developers.
Open the Preview window to view how your content will appear
after you submit.
Open the editor’s Help window.
Fullscreen – Expand the editor window to fill the browser window.
Add Content – Add and insert different types of content including
content from Local Files, the course Content Collection, and Cloud
Service. Use this option to insert an image/picture.
Add Content – Common Tools
The Common Tools appear in the Add Content window after you select the Add Content icon.
• Insert Local Files – Insert a file from your local computer. This feature may be used to
insert pictures, images, audio, and video.
o Audio file types supported: AIFF, MP3, MIDI, MP, WAV, and WMA
o Video file types supported: ASF, AVI, MOV, MOOV, MPG, MPEG, QT, SWF,
and WMV
• Insert from Content Collection – Insert a file from the course Content Collection.
• Insert from Cloud Service – Insert a file from your Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or
Box account.
