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How to Work with Presenter View in PowerPoint

Not all presenters have excellent memory recall or the ability to speak flawlessly to the audience without any cues. However, many of them are good at hiding it by using Presenter View in PowerPoint. It is a presentation mode that enables the presenter to hide speaker notes and presentation controls from the audience while leveraging the various handy features offered by PowerPoint.

How to Use Presenter View in PowerPoint

To start using Presenter View, ensure it’s enabled before you begin your slideshow. If you are new to this feature, we recommend using this option to familiarize yourself with the various navigation options for this presentation mode. This might also be helpful if the PowerPoint templates you are accustomed to using might have animations that you might want to preview in this mode to understand when to give the next visual cue.

How to Enable Presenter View in PowerPoint

To enable PowerPoint presenter view, go to the SlideShow tab and make sure the Use Presenter View option is enabled. This will ensure that you can access Presenter View when you switch your slides to SlideShow mode.

Adjust Display Settings

You can swap between the presenter view and slideshow mode or duplicate the slideshow to exit the Presenter View from the Display Settings menu from the top toolbar.

Navigate Slides in Presenter View

Like any standard PowerPoint presentation in SlideShow mode, you can navigate between slides by using the arrow keys or with a presentation remote. Presenter View also provides slide navigation buttons to move the slides back and forth.

View Taskbar in Presenter View

The Show Taskbar option at the top enables viewing the taskbar. This can be helpful if you require using the taskbar, such as to view your battery charge, see the time, enable or disable another app from the taskbar menu, etc.

Reset or Pause the Timer

Once you start your presentation in Presenter View, a timer starts showing how much time you have spent in slideshow mode. This is an excellent way to understand how much time you have consumed for your session and to keep an eye out for good timekeeping. You can also hit Pause or reset the timer anytime.

Change the Size of the Speaker Notes

How to view notes in PowerPoint while presenting? If you have any speaker notes added to your slides, they will appear in Presenter View on your screen. You can increase or reduce the size of the text via the two options at the bottom of the speaker notes pane.

Using Annotation Tools in Presenter View

PowerPoint annotation tools can be accessed from the bottom toolbar in Presenter View. The Pen and Laser Pointer Tools button gives you access to the pen, ink colors, laser pointer, and eraser and also allows you to show or hide the mouse pointer via Arrow Options .

View All Slides in Presenter View

If you need to go back and forth to find a relevant slide for an ongoing discussion or query during your presentation, you can view all slides in Presenter View via the See all slides option.

Zoom Slides using Presenter View

PowerPoint’s Zoom feature lets presenters quickly pick a portion of the slide to zoom into. Presenter View allows you to leverage this feature by instantly selecting a portion of the slide to enlarge it after selecting Zoom into the slide option. To exit the Zoom mode or hit the Esc key.

Black or Unblack SlideShow

Sometimes, you might want to turn the screen blank for a while, such as during a mid-presentation break. The Black or Unblack SlideShow option blanks the slides for your audience while continuing to show you all navigation options via Presenter View.

Toggle Subtitles in Presenter View

One of the most revolutionary features introduced by Microsoft for PowerPoint over the past decade has been Live captions. This feature enables subtitles by converting speech to text as you present. You can toggle Live subtitles on or off while in presenter view to help your audience read what you speak.

Toggle Camera in Presenter View

Like subtitles, you can also toggle the camera on or off in Presenter View.

End Slideshow in Presenter View

There are different ways to end or exit a SlideShow from Presenter View. You can hit the Esc key or click End Slide Show . Similarly, you can click the three dots at the bottom and select End Show .

More Slideshow Options

Other than the various visibility prominent menus available to navigate, annotate, and present your slides, you can also find a few additional options via More slideshow options , which are accessible via the three dots at the bottom toolbar. These include adjusting the position of the subtitles, turning your screen white or black, ending the slideshow, etc.

How to Use Presenter View on a Single Screen

While Presenter View can be enabled to work with dual monitors, you can also use Presenter View on a single monitor with remote meeting apps like Zoom. A simple method for switching to Presenter View on a single monitor is to click the three dots ( More slideshow options ) at the bottom in SlideShow mode and select Show Presenter View .

You can also switch to Presenter View on a single monitor anytime using the ALT+F5 hotkey.

The presenter can easily manage a PPT in presentation mode, with the utility to view speaker notes, annotate or zoom slides, toggle subtitles or camera on or off, and keep your audience engaged via better slideshow management. However, if you’re new to this presentation mode, a bit of practice might help you avoid confusion when presenting before an audience in Presenter View for the first few times.

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How to use Presenter View in PowerPoint

• Categories: PowerPoint productivity , Presentation skills
• Comments: 1

Think of PowerPoint’s Presenter View like the cockpit of an aeroplane (or airplane for our American readers!). Like an experienced pilot, you have all the controls you need at your fingertips when you’re navigating your slides, whether you’re presenting online or in person, helping you give a seamless presentation and leave your audience seriously impressed.

Presenter View in PowerPoint works best if you have two monitors. On one monitor, you can display your slides for your audience to see. On the other, you have your own private view (which isn’t visible to your audience), where you can see your notes and the upcoming slide while you’re presenting.

How to start using Presenter View in PowerPoint:

– Open your presentation. – Select Slide Show in the top ribbon. – Make sure Presenter View is selected in the Monitors section. – Choose from the dropdown menu which monitor you want your presentation to appear on. (Presenter View will automatically appear on whichever monitor you don’t choose.) – When you’re ready to start presenting, click From Beginning in the Start Slide Show section of the PowerPoint ribbon, or click the Slide Show icon in the bottom right of the screen, or hit the Alt + F5 keys on your keyboard to start your presentation in Presenter View.

PowerPoint Presenter View’s most useful features (by number!):

• This is your current slide. This shows you what your audience can see. This should be the same content that is displayed on your other monitor. The timer in the top-left corner lets you keep an eye on how long you’ve spent on the slide so far, helping you to pace your presentation. You can pause or reset the timer using the icons to the right.
• Here you can see your speaker notes. While we don’t generally recommend that you read out your speaker notes like a script (because it can make you sound like a monotonous robot and make your audience disengage very quickly), it can be useful to have some prompts in the speaker notes so that you know what happens with each mouse click and so that you don’t forget the key points on each slide. You can use the font icons in the bottom left of this panel to make your speaker notes larger or smaller.
• The tracker shows you how far through your presentation you are. Click the forward or back arrows to navigate to your next or previous animation. Hitting the forward or back keys on your keyboard will do the same thing.
• This is a preview of your next animation or next slide. This shows you what’s coming up next, which helps you to transition seamlessly from one slide to another.
• The Pen and laser pointer:  This allows you to write on or highlight a particular part of your slide as you present. Adding ink annotations while you’re presenting won’t change your original slides – you can choose whether to keep or discard your annotations when you end your slide show.
• The See all slides tool: Click this to view thumbnails of all the slides in your presentation without your audience seeing. This means you can jump straight to a specific slide without flicking through all the slides in between.
• The Zoom tool:  Use this to magnify a specific part of your slide. This is handy if you need to draw your audience’s attention to a particular detail.
• The Black or un-black tool:  Use this to blank out the screen the audience sees. This is helpful whenever you want to release your audience’s attention from the slide content and back to you (e.g., during a Q&A). You can choose whether you want the blank screen to be black or white by clicking on the More slide show options icon at the far-right end of the toolbar.
• Toggle subtitles:  Use this to turn automated subtitles on or off. You can adjust subtitle settings (such as language and where the subtitles appear on your slide) by clicking on the More slide show options icon.
• Click Show taskbar to open another program on your private monitor. This can be useful if you need to pull up another document without changing what your audience sees.
• Select Display settings to swap the monitors your slides and Presenter View appear on.
• Click End slide show when you’ve finished presenting. Hitting the Esc key on your keyboard will also close Slide Show mode and Presenter View.

And there you have it! Now you know everything there is to know about PowerPoint’s Presenter View. Give it a try next time you present – you might find it helps you to navigate and deliver your slides more confidently.

And for more tips on presenting, check out our ULTIMATE guide to presentation skills .

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Also you can resize the sections (next slide preview, notes etc) if necessary: https://imgur.com/a/2NnYECf

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How to See Your Notes When Presenting in PowerPoint

As a presenter, delivering a seamless and confident presentation is key to making a lasting impression. However, it can be challenging to remember every detail of your presentation, especially if you have a lot of content to cover. Fortunately, with PowerPoint’s Presenter View, you can easily access your notes and confidently deliver your presentation. In this article, we will cover all aspects of using PowerPoint’s Presenter View to enhance your presentation.

Table of Contents

Why You Need to See Your Notes When Presenting in PowerPoint

Presenting without having your notes at hand can be daunting and can affect the quality of your presentation. Whether you are presenting in front of a small group or a large audience, you will need to have access to your notes. This will help you deliver your presentation confidently, as you will have a clear idea of what to say or do next. In addition, having your notes visible can help you stay focused on the topics you want to cover and avoid straying off-topic.

Another reason why it is important to see your notes when presenting in PowerPoint is that it can help you manage your time effectively. By having your notes visible, you can keep track of the time and ensure that you are covering all the important points within the allocated time frame. This can help you avoid rushing through the presentation or running out of time before you have covered all the key points.

Furthermore, having your notes visible can also help you engage with your audience better. When you are confident and well-prepared, you are more likely to make eye contact with your audience and use body language effectively. This can help you build a connection with your audience and keep them engaged throughout the presentation.

How to Access Presenter View in PowerPoint

Before you can access Presenter View, you need to have a PowerPoint presentation open in Slide Show mode. Once your presentation is open, simply click on the ‘Slide Show’ tab and check the box beside ‘Use Presenter View.’ Your screen will then automatically switch to Presenter View, allowing you to see your notes and other helpful controls.

Presenter View is a great tool for giving presentations, as it allows you to see your notes and upcoming slides while your audience only sees the current slide. You can also use Presenter View to zoom in on specific parts of your slide, draw on your slides, and even use a virtual laser pointer to highlight important information. To exit Presenter View, simply press the ‘Esc’ key on your keyboard.

Understanding the Presenter View in PowerPoint

Presenter View is a powerful tool that enables you to manage your presentation effectively. It comprises several elements, including:

• The slide display area, which shows the slide that your audience sees.
• The notes section, which displays any text that you have added as notes or comments.
• The timer, which can help you stay within your allotted time.
• The navigation controls, which let you move forward and backward in your presentation easily.
• The zoom slider, which enables you to zoom in and out of your slides for added detail.
• The laser pointer and highlighter tools, which allow you to emphasize important points on your slides.

Presenter View also allows you to preview upcoming slides, giving you a chance to prepare for the next section of your presentation. This feature can be especially helpful if you need to refer to specific information on a later slide.

In addition, Presenter View provides a way to keep your audience engaged by allowing you to add annotations to your slides. You can draw attention to specific areas of your slide, highlight key points, or even add additional information that may not be included in the slide itself.

Setting Up Presenter View: Step-by-Step Guide

If you want to customize your Presenter View experience, follow these steps:

• On the ‘Slide Show’ tab, click ‘Set Up Slide Show.’
• Under ‘Multiple Monitors,’ select the ‘Use Presenter View’ checkbox.
• If you’re using a single monitor, select the ‘Display slide show on’ option and choose your primary monitor.
• If you’re using dual monitors, select the ‘Display slide show on’ option and choose the monitor that you want to display Presenter View on.
• Customize the Presenter View by selecting the options that you want to use, such as speaker notes, the timer, and the navigation controls.
• Click ‘OK.’ Your Presenter View should now be set up.

It’s important to note that not all versions of PowerPoint have the Presenter View feature. If you don’t see the ‘Use Presenter View’ checkbox under ‘Multiple Monitors,’ it’s likely that your version of PowerPoint doesn’t support this feature. In this case, you may need to upgrade to a newer version or use a different presentation software that offers Presenter View.

How to Customize Presenter View Settings in PowerPoint

If you have specific preferences for Presenter View, you can customize it by following these steps:

• Click the ‘Settings’ button in the Presenter View toolbar.
• Select the options that you want to use, such as the color scheme, font size, and slide size.
• Click ‘Save Changes’ to apply your changes.

Customizing your Presenter View settings can greatly enhance your presentation experience. For example, you can choose to display your notes on one screen while your audience sees only the slides on the other screen. Additionally, you can select the option to display a timer or a clock to help you keep track of time during your presentation. Experiment with different settings to find what works best for you and your audience.

Using Presenter View on Dual Monitor Setup

If you have a dual-monitor setup, you can use Presenter View to present your slides on one screen while managing your notes and tools on the other screen. To do this, simply select the ‘Use Presenter View’ checkbox under ‘Multiple Monitors’ in the ‘Set Up Slide Show’ dialog box. Once you start presenting, the Presenter View screen will appear on the secondary monitor, while the slides will appear on the primary screen.

Presenter View is a great tool for presenters who want to keep their notes and tools hidden from the audience. With Presenter View, you can see your notes, upcoming slides, and a timer, while your audience only sees the current slide. This feature is especially useful for longer presentations, where you may need to refer to your notes or keep track of time.

Another benefit of using Presenter View is that it allows you to easily navigate through your presentation. You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move forward or backward through your slides, or you can use the thumbnails on the Presenter View screen to jump to a specific slide. This makes it easy to adjust your presentation on the fly, without having to interrupt the flow of your presentation.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with Presenter View in PowerPoint

If you experience common issues with Presenter View, such as notes not displaying correctly, audio not working, or distorted visuals, try these troubleshooting tips:

• Make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for using Presenter View.
• Check that the correct audio output is selected in the control panel.
• Review your slides and notes to ensure that there are no formatting errors.
• Try closing other open applications to free up system resources.
• Ensure that your computer is updated with all available updates.
• Try reinstalling or repairing PowerPoint to eliminate any software conflicts.

However, if these troubleshooting tips do not resolve your issues, there may be other factors at play. One possible cause of issues with Presenter View is outdated or incompatible drivers for your computer’s graphics card. Check with your computer manufacturer or graphics card manufacturer to see if there are any updates available.

Another potential issue could be related to your computer’s display settings. Make sure that your display settings are optimized for the resolution and aspect ratio of your presentation. You may also want to try adjusting the scaling settings to see if that improves the display of your slides and notes.

Tips and Tricks for Effective Note-taking During Presentation

To get the most out of Presenter View, try these effective note-taking tips:

• Organize your notes by slide or topic to stay on track during the presentation.
• Use bullet points and keywords to keep your notes concise and easy to read.
• Include cues or action words to remind you of any demonstrations, animations, or other interactive elements in your presentation.
• Use the highlighter tool to draw attention to the most critical points.

Enhancing Your Presentation with Presenter View

Presenter View can enhance your presentation in several ways, such as by allowing you to add visual aids and multimedia elements, manage your time effectively, and engage your audience. By using Presenter View, you can keep your presentation on track, highlight key information, and maintain your audience’s attention throughout.

The Importance of Rehearsing Your Presentation with Presenter View

Practicing your presentation with Presenter View can help you become familiar with the interface, identify any errors or issues, and ensure that your presentation will run seamlessly. Use Presenter View during your presentation rehearsal to simulate the actual presentation environment and get a feel for how it works.

Taking Advantage of the Laser Pointer and Highlighter Tools in Presenter View

The laser pointer and highlighter tools are handy for emphasizing key points on your slides and improving audience engagement. To use them, simply press and hold the ‘Ctrl’ key and click the mouse to activate the laser pointer or highlighter. Release the key to deactivate them.

How to Switch Between Slides and Notes during a Presentation

If you need to switch between slides and notes during your presentation, simply click the ‘Notes’ button in the Presenter View toolbar. This will display your notes and allow you to scroll through them as needed.

Utilizing the Timer and Countdown Features of Presenter View

The timer and countdown features are useful for keeping your presentation on track and ensuring that you do not exceed your allotted time. To use them, simply enable the ‘Timer’ feature in the ‘Settings’ section of Presenter View. You can then set the countdown time and choose whether to display it during the presentation or keep it hidden.

Sharing Your Screen Using Presenter View in Microsoft Teams or Zoom Meetings

If you are using Microsoft Teams or Zoom Meetings to deliver your presentation remotely, you can still use Presenter View by sharing your screen. To do this, simply select the ‘Share Screen’ option and choose the ‘Presenter View’ screen. This will allow you to present your slides while keeping your notes and controls visible to you for an uninterrupted presentation experience.

By following the steps and tips outlined in this article, you can use PowerPoint’s Presenter View to deliver a polished and professional presentation that wows your audience. Always remember to rehearse your presentation before the actual day so that you’re comfortable with the tools and settings for Presenter View, and ready to tackle any issue that might arise.

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View Options in PowerPoint – A Complete Beginner’s Guide!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

There are many different types of presentations view available in PowerPoint including Normal View, Outline View, Presenter View, and Slide Show View to name a few. All these views serve different purposes and it is important to know how to use them appropriately to get the most out of PowerPoint!

In this article, we will talk about what each type of view does in PowerPoint and how to access them so that you can choose the best for your needs! So, let’s get started!

[ A Quick Note Before We Begin – for this article, I will be using one of the presentation templates from Envato Elements . With Envato Elements, you get access to thousands of presentation designs with unlimited downloads so you never run out of options again. Plus, you get free previews so you know exactly what you’re getting before buying! It is also very affordable. Check out their pricing here ]

1. What are the Different Type of View Options Available in PowerPoint?  

Microsoft PowerPoint is equipped with a variety of Slide View options that can be used for different purposes.

These are the different view options available in PowerPoint –

• Normal View
• Slide Sorter View
• Notes Page View
• Reading View
• Outline View
• Slide Show View
• Presenter View
• Slide Master View

2. How to Access the Different View Modes in PowerPoint?

To access the different view modes in PowerPoint, you have to click on the ‘View’ tab in the ribbon. The 2-step process is described below.

Step-1: Click on the ‘View’ tab

At first, select the ‘View’ tab, which is the second to last tab in the ribbon section of your PowerPoint Window.

Step-2: Select your preferred ‘View Mode’

Once you have access to the ‘View’ tab, you can select your preferred view mode such as the Outline View , Slide Sorter view, Slide Master view, etc. from the Presentation View section or the Master View section. (as shown in the image in step 1)

3. What is the Purpose of Various View Modes in PowerPoint?

Each view mode in PowerPoint has its own purpose. Let’s go through the purposes of the different slide view options one by one below –

1. Normal View

The ‘Normal View’ option is the first option in the ‘Presentation Views’ section of the ‘View’ tab. It is the most commonly used viewing option and is also the default slide view for PowerPoint.

The slides appear on the left of the PowerPoint window in the ‘Slide Navigation’ bar. Thumbnails of the slide are represented as boxes in the ‘Slide Navigation’ bar with its consecutive serial number to the left of it.

The main function of normal view mode in PowerPoint is to navigate through slides in a vertical grid while allowing you to add, design, or edit the slides while getting a preview of the slides on the left.

2. Slide Sorter View

The ‘Slide Sorter’ option gives you an overview of all the slides in your PowerPoint presentation.

The slides are represented as thumbnails as a grid of boxes arranged side by side. The serial number of the slide is given on the bottom left corner of the slide thumbnail.

This option serves the purpose of viewing the slides together in one window making it easier to rearrange and organize them in a quick fashion.

3. Notes Page View

The ‘Notes Page View’ option gives you the view of each slide and its speaker notes in one page.

In this view, the slides appear at the top and the speaker notes are given on the bottom of the two sections. The serial number of the slide is not shown in this view. You can also edit speaker notes from here.

The main purpose of the notes page view in PowerPoint is to preview what each page will look like before you print the slides with speaker notes.

4. Reading View:

The Reading View option allows you to view your PowerPoint presentation without going into Full Screen mode. All the transitions and animations can be seen in this view. The serial number of the slide is given at the bottom right corner of the window.

It is used to preview the slide and review the slides with full focus. This mode also makes other view options easily accessible, which is not the case in ‘Slide Show’ mode where the presentation is shown in the full screen, and the options are not visible on screen.

The reading mode is actually more useful for word documents, as it allows the reader to focus just on the text. In my opinion, it adds little value to a PowerPoint presentation.

5. Outline View:

The ‘Outline View’ shows you the entire outline of your PowerPoint presentation in the ‘Slide Navigation’ bar.

In this view, there is no thumbnail of the presentation. Instead, there is an outline of all the data present in that slide. The serial number of the slide is at the left followed by a small white box that represents a slide and then the outline of that slide.

You can also create an entire slide in the pane of this view by copy and pasting data from Microsoft Word. However, you will have to design the slide separately once the data has been added to each slide.

6. Slide Show View:

The Slide Show View is the view that your audiences are going to see. This view shows each slide of your PowerPoint presentation in full screen.

All the transitions, animation, and multimedia files in your PowerPoint presentation are played here. Consecutive slides can be accessed using the direction keys on your keyboard or by clicking once on the slide.

7. Presenter View:

This is the view that you as a presenter are going to see while the audience is seeing the ‘Slide Show’ view.

Although you can give a presentation even in the slide show view, but it is always recommend to deliver the presentation using the “Presenter View” mode in PowerPoint as it provides you with additional features and benefits!

This view mode in PowerPoint will split the screen in multiple windows. The window on the left represents the current slide that is being displayed (the one that is visible to your audience).

The window in the top right section indicates the next slide in the queue. Whereas, the notes section displays the notes or key points made by each slide. Both, the notes section as well as the next slides window are only visible to the presenter and not to the audience!

The purpose of the “ Presenter View ” is to give the presenter all the aids to be prepared for the next slide and highlight the key points to be made on the current slide while delivering the presentation.

8. Slide Master View:

This view gives you a view of all the layouts used on the slides of your PowerPoint presentation.

The ‘ Slide Master View ’ option allows you to edit all the aspects of the layouts in your presentation such as fonts, background, color, and pretty much everything you can think of.

You can edit all the slide layouts of the presentation. Furthermore, you can also edit the header and footer of the presentation using the “ Slide Master View ” in PowerPoint.

4. How to Open the Presenter View in PowerPoint?  

There are 2 different ways you can enter into Presenter View in PowerPoint –

• Using Slide Show View
• Using the short cut key i.e. Alt+F5

If you are using the Office 365 version of PowerPoint , you can actually directly access the “Presenter View” in the View section. Simply click on “View”. Then, click on “Presenter View”

Let’s look at both the methods quickly –

Method 1 – Using the Slide Show View

Step-1: Click on the ‘Slide Show’ button at the bottom right corner of the screen

At first, you have to click on the ‘Slide Show’ button that looks like a projector screen which is located at the bottom right corner of your PowerPoint window. (as indicated in the image above)

Step-2: Right-click and choose “Show Presenter View”

Once you are in the ‘Slide Show’ mode, using your mouse right-click anywhere on the screen. From the menu that appears, choose the “ Show Presenter View ” option

Method 2 – Using the Keyboard Shortcut

Alternatively, you can press ‘ Alt + F5 ’ on your keyboard and that will immediately open the ‘Presenter View’ mode.

The keyboard shortcut to open the “Presenter View” in PowerPoint on Mac is “Option+Enter” key.

5. How to Change PowerPoint Back to Normal View? 

To change your PowerPoint back to ‘Normal View’ from ‘Slide Show’ mode, ‘Presenter View’ option or the ‘Reading View’ option, all you have to do is simply press the ‘ESC’ button on the keyboard of your computer. This will take you back to Normal View.

If you are using any other view apart from these 3 view modes in PowerPoint, you need to do the following –

If you are in a different viewing option, such as ‘Slide Sorter’ option, or the ‘Reading View’ option then you have to select the ‘Normal View’ option from the ‘View’ tab instead of the ‘Slide Sorter’ option or the different slide view option you are currently on.  

More PowerPoint Related Topics

• How to Crop a Picture in PowerPoint? [Complete Step-by-Step Tutorial!]
• How to Give a Presentation on Zoom? A Helpful Resource!
• What is a Presentation Clicker? [And How to Use it!]
• How to Convert a PowerPoint to PDF? [A Simple Guide!]
• PowerPoint vs Google Slides: Which is Better? [ULTIMATE Test!]
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Credit to Pressahotkey (via Freepik) for the featured image of this article

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How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation (Step-by-Step)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Presentation Design
• January 22, 2024

In this beginner’s guide, you will learn step-by-step how to make a PowerPoint presentation from scratch.

While PowerPoint is designed to be intuitive and accessible, it can be overwhelming if you’ve never gotten any training on it before. As you progress through this guide, you’ll will learn how to move from blank slides to PowerPoint slides that look like these.

Table of Contents

Additionally, as you create your presentation, you’ll also learn tricks for working more efficiently in PowerPoint, including how to:

• Change the slide order
• Reset your layout
• Change the slide dimensions
• Use PowerPoint Designer
• Format text
• Format objects
• Play a presentation (slide show)

With this knowledge under your belt, you’ll be ready to start creating PowerPoint presentations. Moreover, you’ll have taken your skills from beginner to proficient in no time at all. I will also include links to more advanced PowerPoint topics.

Ready to start learning how to make a PowerPoint presentation?

Take your PPT skills to the next level

Start with a blank presentation.

Note: Before you open PowerPoint and start creating your presentation, make sure you’ve collected your thoughts. If you’re going to make your slides compelling, you need to spend some time brainstorming.

For help with this, see our article with tips for nailing your business presentation  here .

The first thing you’ll need to do is to open PowerPoint. When you do, you are shown the Start Menu , with the Home tab open.

This is where you can choose either a blank theme (1) or a pre-built theme (2). You can also choose to open an existing presentation (3).

For now, go ahead and click on the  Blank Presentation (1)  thumbnail.

Doing so launches a brand new and blank presentation for you to work with. Before you start adding content to your presentation, let’s first familiarize ourselves with the PowerPoint interface.

The PowerPoint interface

Here is how the program is laid out:

• The Application Header
• The Ribbon (including the Ribbon tabs)
• The Quick Access Toolbar (either above or below the Ribbon)
• The Slides Pane (slide thumbnails)

The Slide Area

The notes pane.

• The Status Bar (including the View Buttons)

Each one of these areas has options for viewing certain parts of the PowerPoint environment and formatting your presentation.

Below are the important things to know about certain elements of the PowerPoint interface.

The PowerPoint Ribbon

The Ribbon is contextual. That means that it will adapt to what you’re doing in the program.

For example, the Font, Paragraph and Drawing options are greyed out until you select something that has text in it, as in the example below (A).

Furthermore, if you start manipulating certain objects, the Ribbon will display additional tabs, as seen above (B), with more commands and features to help you work with those objects. The following objects have their own additional tabs in the Ribbon which are hidden until you select them:

• Online Pictures
• Screenshots
• Screen Recording

The Slides Pane

This is where you can preview and rearrange all the slides in your presentation.

Right-clicking on a slide  in the pane gives you additional options on the slide level that you won’t find on the Ribbon, such as  Duplicate Slide ,  Delete Slide , and  Hide Slide .

In addition, you can add sections to your presentation by  right-clicking anywhere in this Pane  and selecting  Add Section . Sections are extremely helpful in large presentations, as they allow you to organize your slides into chunks that you can then rearrange, print or display differently from other slides.

The Slide Area (A) is where you will build out your slides. Anything within the bounds of this area will be visible when you present or print your presentation.

Anything outside of this area (B) will be hidden from view. This means that you can place things here, such as instructions for each slide, without worrying about them being shown to your audience.

The  Notes Pane  is the space beneath the Slide Area where you can type in the speaker notes for each slide. It’s designed as a fast way to add and edit your slides’ talking points.

To expand your knowledge and learn more about adding, printing, and exporting your PowerPoint speaker notes, read our guide here .

Your speaker notes are visible when you print your slides using the Notes Pages option and when you use the Presenter View . To expand your knowledge and learn the ins and outs of using the Presenter View , read our guide here .

You can resize the  Notes Pane  by clicking on its edge and dragging it up or down (A). You can also minimize or reopen it by clicking on the Notes button in the Status Bar (B).

Note:  Not all text formatting displays in the Notes Pane, even though it will show up when printing your speaker notes. To learn more about printing PowerPoint with notes, read our guide here .

Now that you have a basic grasp of the PowerPoint interface at your disposal, it’s time to make your presentation.

Adding Content to Your PowerPoint Presentation

Notice that in the Slide Area , there are two rectangles with dotted outlines. These are called  Placeholders  and they’re set on the template in the Slide Master View .

To expand your knowledge and learn how to create a PowerPoint template of your own (which is no small task), read our guide here .

As the prompt text suggests, you can click into each placeholder and start typing text. These types of placeholder prompts are customizable too. That means that if you are using a company template, it might say something different, but the functionality is the same.

Note:  For the purposes of this example, I will create a presentation based on the content in the Starbucks 2018 Global Social Impact Report, which is available to the public on their website.

If you type in more text than there is room for, PowerPoint will automatically reduce its font size. You can stop this behavior by clicking on the  Autofit Options  icon to the left of the placeholder and selecting  Stop Fitting Text to this Placeholder .

Next, you can make formatting adjustments to your text by selecting the commands in the Font area and the  Paragraph area  of the  Home  tab of the Ribbon.

The Reset Command:  If you make any changes to your title and decide you want to go back to how it was originally, you can use the Reset button up in the Home tab .

Insert More Slides into Your Presentation

Now that you have your title slide filled in, it’s time to add more slides. To do that, simply go up to the  Home tab  and click on  New Slide . This inserts a new slide in your presentation right after the one you were on.

You can alternatively hit Ctrl+M on your keyboard to insert a new blank slide in PowerPoint. To learn more about this shortcut, see my guide on using Ctrl+M in PowerPoint .

Instead of clicking the New Slide command, you can also open the New Slide dropdown to see all the slide layouts in your PowerPoint template. Depending on who created your template, your layouts in this dropdown can be radically different.

If you insert a layout and later want to change it to a different layout, you can use the Layout dropdown instead of the New Slide dropdown.

After inserting a few different slide layouts, your presentation might look like the following picture. Don’t worry that it looks blank, next we will start adding content to your presentation.

If you want to follow along exactly with me, your five slides should be as follows:

• Title Slide
• Title and Content
• Section Header
• Two Content
• Picture with Caption

Adding Content to Your Slides

Now let’s go into each slide and start adding our content. You’ll notice some new types of placeholders.

On slide 2 we have a  Content Placeholder , which allows you to add any kind of content. That includes:

• A SmartArt graphic,
• A 3D object,
• A picture from the web,
• Or an icon.

To insert text, simply type it in or hit  Ctrl+C to Copy  and Ctrl+V to Paste  from elsewhere. To insert any of the other objects, click on the appropriate icon and follow the steps to insert it.

For my example, I’ll simply type in some text as you can see in the picture below.

Slides 3 and 4 only have text placeholders, so I’ll go ahead and add in my text into each one.

On slide 5 we have a Picture Placeholder . That means that the only elements that can go into it are:

• A picture from the web

To insert a picture into the picture placeholder, simply:

• Click on the  Picture  icon
• Find  a picture on your computer and select it
• Click on  Insert

Alternatively, if you already have a picture open somewhere else, you can select the placeholder and paste in (shortcut: Ctrl+V ) the picture. You can also drag the picture in from a file explorer window.

If you do not like the background of the picture you inserted onto your slide, you can remove the background here in PowerPoint. To see how to do this, read my guide here .

Placeholders aren’t the only way to add content to your slides. At any point, you can use the Insert tab to add elements to your slides.

You can use either the Title Only  or the  Blank  slide layout to create slides for content that’s different. For example, a three-layout content slide, or a single picture divider slide, as shown below.

In the first example above, I’ve inserted 6 text boxes, 3 icons, and 3 circles to create this layout. In the second example, I’ve inserted a full-sized picture and then 2 shapes and 2 text boxes.

The Reset Command:  Because these slides are built with shapes and text boxes (and not placeholders), hitting the  Reset button up in the  Home tab  won’t do anything.

That is a good thing if you don’t want your layouts to adjust. However, it does mean that it falls on you to make sure everything is aligned and positioned correctly.

For more on how to add and manipulate the different objects in PowerPoint, check out our step-by-step articles here:

• Using graphics in PowerPoint
• Inserting icons onto slides
• Adding pictures to your PowerPoint
• How to embed a video in PowerPoint
• How to add music to your presentation

Using Designer to generate more layouts ideas

If you have Office 365, your version of PowerPoint comes with a new feature called Designer (or Design Ideas). This is a feature that generates slide layout ideas for you. The coolest thing about this feature is that it uses the content you already have.

To use Designer , simply navigate to the  Design tab  in your Ribbon, and click on  Design Ideas .

NOTE: If the PowerPoint Designer is not working for you (it is grey out), see my troubleshooting guide for Designer .

Change the Overall Design (optional)

When you make a PowerPoint presentation, you’ll want to think about the overall design. Now that you have some content in your presentation, you can use the Design tab to change the look and feel of your slides.

For additional help thinking through the design of your presentation,  read my guide here .

A. Picking your PowerPoint slide size

If you have PowerPoint 2013 or later, when you create a blank document in PowerPoint, you automatically start with a widescreen layout with a 16:9 ratio. These dimensions are suitable for most presentations as they match the screens of most computers and projectors.

However, you do have the option to change the dimensions.

For example, your presentation might not be presented, but instead converted into a PDF or printed and distributed. In that case, you can easily switch to the standard dimensions with a 4:3 ratio by selecting from the dropdown (A).

You can also choose a custom slide size or change the slide orientation from landscape to portrait in the Custom Slide Size dialog box (B).

To learn all about the different PowerPoint slide sizes, and some of the issues you will face when changing the slide size of a non-blank presentation,  read my guide here .

 B. Selecting a PowerPoint theme

The next thing you can do is change the theme of your presentation to a pre-built one. For a detailed explanation of what a PowerPoint theme is, and how to best use it,  read my article here .

In the beginning of this tutorial, we started with a blank presentation, which uses the default Office theme as you can see in the picture below.

That gives you the most flexibility because it has a blank background and quite simple layouts that work for most presentations. However, it also means that it’s your responsibility to enhance the design.

If you’re comfortable with this, you can stay with the default theme or create your own custom theme ( read my guide here ). But if you would rather not have to think about design, then you can choose a pre-designed theme.

Microsoft provides 46 other pre-built themes, which include slide layouts, color variants and palettes, and fonts. Each one varies quite significantly, so make sure you look through them carefully.

To select a different theme, go to the  Design tab  in the Ribbon, and click on the  dropdown arrow  in the  Themes section .

For this tutorial, let’s select the  Frame  theme and then choose the third Variant in the theme. Doing so changes the layout, colors, and fonts of your presentation.

Note: The theme dropdown area is also where you can import or save custom themes. To see my favorite places to find professional PowerPoint templates and themes (and recommendations for why I like them), read my guide here .

C. How to change a slide background in PowerPoint

The next thing to decide is how you want your background to look for the entire presentation. In the  Variants area, you can see four background options.

For this example, we want our presentation to have a dark background, so let’s select Style 3. When you do so, you’ll notice that:

• The background color automatically changes across all slides
• The color of the text on most of the slides automatically changes to white so that it’s visible on the dark background
• The colors of the objects on slides #6 and #7 also adjust, in a way we may not want (we’ll likely have to make some manual adjustments to these slides)

Note: If you want to change the slide background for just that one slide, don’t left-click the style. Instead, right-click it and select Apply to Selected Slides .

After you change the background for your entire presentation, you can easily adjust the background for an individual slide.

Inside the Format Background pane, you can see you have the following options:

• Gradient fill
• Picture or texture fill
• Pattern fill
• Hide background

You can explore these options to find the PowerPoint background that best fits your presentation.

D. How to change your color palette in PowerPoint

Another thing you may want to adjust in your presentation, is the color scheme. In the picture below you can see the Theme Colors we are currently using for this presentation.

Each PowerPoint theme comes with its own color palette. By default, the Office theme includes the Office color palette. This affects the colors you are presented with when you format any element within your presentation (text, shapes, SmartArt, etc.).

The good news is that the colors here are easy to change. To switch color palettes, simply:

• Go to the  Design tab in the Ribbon
• In the Variants area, click on the  dropdown arrow  and select  Colors
• Select  the color palette (or theme colors) you want

You can choose among the pre-built color palettes from Office, or you can customize them to create your own.

As you build your presentation, make sure you use the colors from your theme to format objects. That way, changing the color palette adjusts all the colors in your presentation automatically.

E. How to change your fonts in PowerPoint

Just as we changed the color palette, you can do the same for the fonts.

Each PowerPoint theme comes with its own font combination. By default, the Office theme includes the Office font pairing. This affects the fonts that are automatically assigned to all text in your presentation.

The good news is that the font pairings are easy to change. To switch your Theme Fonts, simply:

• Go to the  Design tab  in the Ribbon
• Click on the  dropdown arrow  in the  Variants  area
• Select  Fonts
• Select  the font pairing you want

You can choose among the pre-built fonts from Office, or you can customize them to create your own.

If you are working with PowerPoint presentations on both Mac and PC computers, make sure you choose a safe PowerPoint font. To see a list of the safest PowerPoint fonts, read our guide here .

If you receive a PowerPoint presentation and the wrong fonts were used, you can use the Replace Fonts dialog box to change the fonts across your entire presentation. For details, read our guide here .

Adding Animations & Transitions (optional)

The final step to make a PowerPoint presentation compelling, is to consider using animations and transitions. These are by no means necessary to a good presentation, but they may be helpful in your situation.

A. Adding PowerPoint animations

PowerPoint has an incredibly robust animations engine designed to power your creativity. That being said, it’s also easy to get started with basic animations.

Animations are movements that you can apply to individual objects on your slide.

To add a PowerPoint animation to an element of your slide, simply:

• Select the  element
• Go to the  Animations tab in the Ribbon
• Click on the  dropdown arrow  to view your options
• Select the  animation  you want

You can add animations to multiple objects at one time by selecting them all first and then applying the animation.

B. How to preview a PowerPoint animation

There are three ways to preview a PowerPoint animation:

• Click on the Preview button in the Animations tab
• Click on the little star  next to the slide
• Play the slide in Slide Show Mode

To learn other ways to run your slide show, see our guide on presenting a PowerPoint slide show with shortcuts .

To adjust the settings of your animations, explore the options in the  Effect Options ,  Advanced Animation  and the  Timing  areas of the  Animation tab .

Note:  To see how to make objects appear and disappear in your slides by clicking a button,  read our guide here .

C. How to manage your animations in PowerPoint

The best way to manage lots of animations on your slide is with the Animation Pane . To open it, simply:

• Navigate to the  Animations tab
• Select the  Animation Pane

Inside the Animation Pane, you’ll see all of the different animations that have been applied to objects on your slide, with their numbers marked as pictured above.

Note: To see examples of PowerPoint animations that can use in PowerPoint, see our list of PowerPoint animation tutorials here .

D. How to add transitions to your PowerPoint presentation

PowerPoint has an incredibly robust transition engine so that you can dictate how your slides change from one to the other. It is also extremely easy to add transitions to your slides.

In PowerPoint, transitions are the movements (or effects) you see as you move between two slides.

To add a transition to a PowerPoint slide, simply:

• Select the  slide
• Go to the  Transitions tab in the Ribbon
• In the Transitions to This Slide area, click on the  dropdown arrow  to view your options
• Select the  transition  you want

To adjust the settings of the transition, explore the options in the  Timing  area of the Transitions tab.

You can also add the same transition to multiple slides. To do that, select them in the  Slides Pane  and apply the transition.

E. How to preview a transition in PowerPoint

There are three ways to preview your PowerPoint transitions (just like your animations):

• Click on the Preview  button in the Transitions tab
• Click on the little star  beneath the slide number in the thumbnail view

Note:  In 2016, PowerPoint added a cool new transition, called Morph. It operates a bit differently from other transitions. For a detailed tutorial on how to use the cool Morph transition,  see our step-by-step article here .

Save Your PowerPoint Presentation

After you’ve built your presentation and made all the adjustments to your slides, you’ll want to save your presentation. YOu can do this several different ways.

To save a PowerPoint presentation using your Ribbon, simply:

• Navigate to the  File tab
•  Select  Save As  on the left
• Choose  where you want to save your presentation
• Name  your presentation and/or adjust your file type settings
• Click  Save

You can alternatively use the  Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut to save your presentation. I recommend using this shortcut frequently as you build your presentation to make sure you don’t lose any of your work.

This is the standard way to save a presentation. However, there may be a situation where you want to save your presentation as a different file type.

To learn how to save your presentation as a PDF, see our guide on converting PowerPoint to a PDF .

How to save your PowerPoint presentation as a template

Once you’ve created a presentation that you like, you may want to turn it into a template. The easiest – but not technically correct – way, is to simply create a copy of your current presentation and then change the content.

But be careful! A PowerPoint template is a special type of document and it has its own parameters and behaviors.

If you’re interested in learning about how to create your own PowerPoint template from scratch, see our guide on how to create a PowerPoint template .

Printing Your PowerPoint Presentation

After finishing your PowerPoint presentation, you may want to print it out on paper. Printing your slides is relatively easy.

To open the Print dialog box, you can either:

• Hit Ctrl+P on your keyboard
• Or go to the Ribbon and click on File and then Print

Inside the Print dialog box, you can choose from the various printing settings:

• Printer: Select a printer to use (or print to PDF or OneNote)
• Slides: Choose which slides you want to print
• Layout: Determine how many slides you want per page (this is where you can print the notes, outline, and handouts)
• Collated or uncollated (learn what collated printing means here )
• Color: Choose to print in color, grayscale or black & white

There are many more options for printing your PowerPoint presentations. Here are links to more in-depth articles:

• How to print multiple slides per page
• How to print your speaker notes in PowerPoint
• How to save PowerPoint as a picture presentation

So that’s how to create a PowerPoint presentation if you are brand new to it. We’ve also included a ton of links to helpful resources to boost your PowerPoint skills further.

When you are creating your presentation, it is critical to first focus on the content (what you are trying to say) before getting lost inserting and playing with elements. The clearer you are on what you want to present, the easier it will be to build it out in PowerPoint.

If you enjoyed this article, you can learn more about our PowerPoint training courses and other presentation resources by  visiting us here .

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How to Use Microsoft's Free PowerPoint Viewers

Use PowerPoint on the web or mobile app to view, create, and print PowerPoint files for free

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In This Article

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• PowerPoint Online

PowerPoint Mobile Apps

Other free powerpoint viewers, what to know.

• PowerPoint Online is Microsoft's free stripped-down, web-based version of PowerPoint.
• Another way to get PowerPoint free is with the mobile app.
• Some non-Microsoft programs also support PowerPoint files, like LibreOffice and Google Slides.

This article explains all the different ways you can create, share, edit, print, and open PowerPoint files for free, without ever installing PowerPoint to your computer.

Instructions in this article apply to desktop and mobile users on basically any platform.

Microsoft PowerPoint Online

PowerPoint Online is the web version of PowerPoint and my absolute first pick when I need to edit a PPTX file online. It doesn't have all the features as the desktop edition but it still lets you edit existing files, create new ones, share presentations with others, and print off presentations. And all of this works from a browser, so there's nothing to download or install.

This version of PowerPoint is available if you have a Microsoft account (any email address that ends with hotmail.com, outlook.com, live.com , or msn.com ) or a Microsoft 365 work or school account.

The easiest way to view or edit an existing PowerPoint file online is to drag it from your computer and drop it directly on the PowerPoint Online web page, or use the Upload link on that page. You can also save it to your OneDrive account.

PowerPoint Online is compatible with all versions of PowerPoint. You can save a presentation from PowerPoint Online back to your computer in a number of file formats, including images, PDF, PPTX, and ODP.

Microsoft also provides PowerPoint to mobile users. There's an app for Android, iPhone, iPad, and Windows 11/10 devices (mobile, PC, and Surface Hub). The Microsoft 365 app for Android and iOS also includes PowerPoint, along with Word and Excel.

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Similar to the online PowerPoint viewer, the app has you log in with your Microsoft account so that you can access all the files from your OneDrive account, the ones that are stored on your device, and PowerPoint files saved in other cloud storage services (like Dropbox, Box, and several others).

You can edit directly from the app and use the menu from an open slideshow to save as a new title and to print it off.

The two options described above are Microsoft's free methods for opening PowerPoint files, but third-party programs can be used, too.

Unless you're interested in the Microsoft 365 free trial which lets you have PowerPoint for a limited time only, check out our lists of free online presentation makers and free Microsoft 365 alternatives for some additional choices that won't cost you a dime.

You might be relieved at the variety that's available, especially if you're looking for a way to open and edit PowerPoint files in a program that doesn't resemble Microsoft's software so much.

Microsoft used to let you open slideshows without PowerPoint with their free viewer tool , but it was restricted to viewing only and is no longer available from their website.

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As a frequent presenter using PowerPoint, I understand the importance of having control over which screen displays the Presenter View. Whether you’re presenting in-person or virtually, it’s crucial to have the ability to customize your display settings to ensure a smooth presentation. In this article, I will share my personal experience and knowledge on how to change which screen PowerPoint Presenter View displays on.

PowerPoint offers several options for displaying Presenter View, including automatic and manual settings. Depending on your presentation setup, you may need to adjust these settings to ensure that your audience sees only the slides while you have access to the Presenter View on a different screen. In the following sections, I will provide step-by-step instructions on how to change which screen PowerPoint Presenter View displays on, as well as some expert tips on how to make the most of this feature.

Before we dive into the specifics, it’s worth noting that the process of changing which screen PowerPoint Presenter View displays on can vary depending on your operating system and version of PowerPoint. However, the general steps should be similar across different versions and operating systems. So, let’s get started and learn how to customize your Presenter View display settings in PowerPoint!

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Choosing the Right Display Settings

Optimizing powerpoint setup, enhancing slides with animations and templates, effective use of presenter tools, navigating through your slides, managing presentation flow, setting up your presentation.

When it comes to presenting your PowerPoint slides, it’s essential to set up your presentation correctly to avoid any technical difficulties. Here are some tips to ensure your presentation runs smoothly.

Before you start presenting, you need to choose the right display settings. If you’re using a single monitor, you can set up Presenter View by selecting the “Show Presenter View” option in the Slide Show tab. This will allow you to view your notes and upcoming slides while your audience sees the presentation on the other screen.

If you’re using multiple monitors, you can choose which monitor to use for Presenter View by going to the “Monitor Setup” option under the Slide Show tab. From there, you can select which monitor to use for Presenter View and which monitor to use for the audience view.

To optimize your PowerPoint setup, you should consider the following:

Zoom Level: Set the zoom level to ensure that your slides are legible and easy to read. You can adjust the zoom level by using the zoom slider in the bottom right corner of the PowerPoint window.

Duplicate or Extend: Choose whether to duplicate or extend your desktop on the second monitor. Duplicating your desktop will show the same content on both screens, while extending your desktop will allow you to use Presenter View on one screen and show the presentation on the other.

Show Presenter View: Use the “Show Presenter View” option to enable Presenter View and view your notes and upcoming slides.

Desktop and Taskbar: Hide your desktop icons and taskbar to avoid distractions during your presentation.

PowerPoint Version: Ensure that you’re using the latest version of PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, or PowerPoint 2013 to take advantage of the latest features and improvements.

By following these tips, you can optimize your PowerPoint setup and ensure that your presentation runs smoothly. Remember to test your setup before your presentation to avoid any last-minute technical difficulties.

Mastering Presentation Tools

As a presenter, I always strive to make my presentations engaging and informative. To achieve this, I rely on a variety of presentation tools that help me deliver my message effectively. In this section, I will discuss two essential tools that every presenter should master: enhancing slides with animations and templates, and effective use of presenter tools.

PowerPoint offers a vast collection of templates and animations that can help make your presentation look professional and visually appealing. Templates are pre-designed slides that you can use as a starting point for your presentation. They come in various styles and colors, and you can customize them to fit your needs. Animations, on the other hand, are effects that you can apply to your slides to make them more dynamic and engaging.

When it comes to using templates and animations, I recommend using them sparingly. Overusing them can distract your audience and take away from your message. Instead, use them strategically to highlight key points and keep your audience engaged.

Presenter tools are features in PowerPoint that help you deliver your presentation smoothly. Some of the most useful presenter tools include presenter view, laser pointer, timer, slide show view, and notes pane.

Presenter view is a powerful tool that allows you to see your current slide, next slide, and speaker notes while presenting. It also enables you to choose which monitor to display the presenter view on, making it easier to manage multiple screens. I find this feature especially useful when presenting in Microsoft Teams or other virtual presenting platforms.

The laser pointer tool is another valuable feature that allows you to highlight specific areas of your slide while presenting. It is an excellent way to draw attention to critical points and keep your audience engaged.

The timer is a simple but effective tool that helps you stay on track during your presentation. It enables you to set a time limit for each slide and alerts you when you are running out of time.

Slide show view is a feature that allows you to preview your presentation as it will appear to your audience. It is an excellent way to ensure that your presentation looks the way you intended.

Finally, the notes pane is a feature that allows you to add notes to your slides that only you can see while presenting. It is an excellent way to keep track of important points and reminders.

In conclusion, mastering presentation tools is essential for delivering engaging and effective presentations. By using templates and animations strategically and using presenter tools effectively, you can keep your audience engaged and deliver your message with confidence.

Delivering a Seamless Presentation

When it comes to delivering a seamless presentation, PowerPoint’s Presenter View is an excellent tool to help you manage your slides and keep your audience engaged. In this section, I will discuss how to navigate through your slides and manage the flow of your presentation.

One of the most critical aspects of delivering a successful presentation is the ability to navigate through your slides seamlessly. In Presenter View, you have access to various tools that can help you do this. For example, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move to the next slide or the previous slide. You can also use the pen tool to highlight specific points on your slide or make annotations.

If you need to zoom in on a particular part of your slide, you can use the zoom tool to do so. Additionally, you can use the laser pointer tool to draw attention to specific areas of your slide. If you need to refer to your speaker notes, you can do so by clicking on the Notes button.

Another critical aspect of delivering a seamless presentation is managing the flow of your presentation. Presenter View offers several tools that can help you do this. For example, you can use the highlighter tool to highlight specific points on your slide or use the eraser tool to remove annotations.

If you need to pause your presentation, you can do so by clicking on the Pause button. You can also show the taskbar by clicking on the Show Taskbar button. If you want your presentation to run automatically, you can set it up to do so by clicking on the Automatic button.

If you need to print your presentation or create a self-running presentation, you can do so by clicking on the appropriate buttons. Finally, if you need to end your presentation, you can do so by clicking on the End Slide Show button.

In conclusion, delivering a seamless presentation requires careful planning and the use of effective tools. By using PowerPoint’s Presenter View and the tools it offers, you can navigate through your slides and manage the flow of your presentation with ease. Remember to use the appropriate keyboard shortcuts, drawing tools, and presentation tools to keep your audience engaged and focused on your message.

Related posts:

• How to Enable Copilot in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
• Organize Your Presentation Like a Pro: How to Organize a PowerPoint Presentation
• Find the Slide Navigation Pane in PowerPoint: A Quick Guide
• Track Changes in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Share PowerPoint for Collaborative Editing: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Easily Add a Slide to an Existing PowerPoint Presentation
• How to Recover a PowerPoint Presentation: Step-by-Step Guide
• Inserting Captions in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Create a Basic PowerPoint Presentation: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Insert Picture as Background in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Copy a Shape in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Change a Shape in PowerPoint: A Quick and Easy Guide

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the Presenter view feature is greyed out on my presentation. How can i enable that feature to select if in Slide Show?

I am using a powerpoint presentation that was shared with me. When i select the slide show tab to enable presenter view, it is greyed out. How do I enable that feature to be able to use it.

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• Microsoft Agent |

Hello, Charles 

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

I understand that you are experiencing an issue in PowerPoint where the Presenter View feature on the presentation is grayed out.

If the Presenter View feature is grayed out in PowerPoint, it usually means that the feature is not available. This may be because the version of PowerPoint you are using does not support Presenter View, or your computer is not connected to multiple monitors. Presenter View usually requires at least two monitors to work: one for the presenter's notes and controls, and another for the slides seen by the audience.

Here are some possible steps to fix this, please try them to see if they work for you:

Make sure your computer is connected to an external monitor or projector.

In PowerPoint, go to the Slide Show tab and check that the Use Presenter View option is checked.

If you are using a PowerPoint presentation that is shared with you, you may want to check the original settings of the presentation to make sure that Presenter View is not disabled.

Check your display settings to make sure the multi-monitor settings are correct. In Windows, you can check these settings by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting Display Settings.

If none of the above steps work, try restarting PowerPoint and your computer to resolve the possible temporary issue.

We hope this information helps you resolve the issue. Please let me know if you need more help.

Best wishes

Ian - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

Engage your audience with cool, actionable features.

Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.

How to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint

What type of content do you primarily create?

Recording yourself presenting a PowerPoint can be challenging, especially getting the technical aspects right. You need to capture your screen, webcam, and audio seamlessly while delivering your content naturally and avoiding awkward transitions between slides.

Finding a tool that integrates all these components can seem daunting. However, recording yourself presenting a PowerPoint doesn't have to be reserved for the tech-savvy or professional speakers.

Whether you're a teacher creating online lessons, a marketer producing a product demo, or someone looking to improve their presentation skills, this guide will walk you through user-friendly tools and strategies that will teach you how to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint.

• Recording yourself presenting a PowerPoint can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be reserved for experts.
• Video recording offers unlimited reach, repurposing opportunities, and a more engaging experience.
• Use PowerPoint's built-in recording feature or tools like Descript for a polished presentation.
• Other tools like Zoom, Loom, OBS Studio, Clipchamp, and Quick Time Player can also be used for recording.
• Tips include practicing your script, using slide notes, ensuring high-quality audio and lighting, and incorporating storytelling techniques.

Why video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint? 

Video recording your PowerPoint presentations offers several advantages:

• Unlimited reach : Unlike in-person presentations confined to a specific time and location, recorded videos allow your message to reach audiences globally at their convenience.
• Repurposing opportunities: Recorded presentations can be repurposed as evergreen content across multiple platforms, such as social media, online courses, webinars, and internal training materials, maximizing their value.
• Personal and engaging : Recording yourself narrating a presentation adds a personal touch and dynamic element that static slides alone cannot replicate. Your viewers can see and hear you deliver the content, creating a more immersive and engaging experience.

How to record your presentation with the PowerPoint app

Built-in recording feature in powerpoint.

1. Open the PowerPoint slide you want to record. 

2. Click on the Record tab of the top toolbar.

3. Click on the Record button and choose from any of the following options:

• From Current Slide
• From Beginning

4. You'll see the PowerPoint screen recording window.

5. Select the microphone and camera from the icon on the top-right.

6. Click the Stop and Replay buttons to end or replay your recording.

7. To export your presentation's recording, click Export to Video within the Recording tab.

Benefits : Easy to use, no external tools needed

Limitations : Limited editing capabilities.

How to make a more polished recording of your presentation with Descript 

While PowerPoint's built-in recording features are helpful, they may not produce the refined result you want for your presentation. That's where Descript comes in handy. 

It’s a whole production studio at your fingertips, with video recording, transcription, and editing capabilities, ready to transform dull PowerPoint slides into an engaging experience for your audience. Descript also has a built-in screen recorder.

You can use Descript on Windows, Mac, or even straight from your web browser. 

Here's step-by-step guide to recording your PowerPoint presentation with Descript.

Set up your screen recording

1. Install and open Descript. At the top of the editor, click and open the Record panel. 

2. Select Screen.

3. Set Recorder settings:

Adjust the default recording settings to your liking, including the transcription language, the maximum recording resolution, and more. 

4. Set recording options. Choose which audio and video sources to record (e.g., microphone, computer audio, camera). Remember to turn the camera on to capture your talking head video alongside your PowerPoint presentation.

5. Click the Additional Settings icon for

• Studio Sound (Optional): Enhance audio quality with noise reduction and background removal
• Transcription (Optional): Enable automatic transcription for easier editing
• Recording separate audio tracks

6. Add (optional) Speaker labels for each audio track (e.g., "Narrator," "Expert") by typing them in the text box next to your audio inputs. 

Capture your screen recording

1. Select the right recording option:

• Recording into script : Choose this if you haven’t recorded anything yet.
• Replace selection : Choose this if you already have a script and want to replace a specific section with a new recording.
• Record new layer : Pick this for recording your video as a new layer on top of an existing recording.

2. Click Record at the bottom of the Record panel.

3. Drag over the area of your screen you wish to record. Click Start Recording. Press Space to start recording the full screen.

4. Click Stop to finish recording

Bonus: Descript creates separate tracks for camera, microphone, and computer audio. You can edit each track individually for more precise control.

• Do a short test recording to ensure everything is set up correctly.
• Set your recording to transibe for easier editing.

Editing and polishing your PowerPoint recording in Descript

Descript's AI video editing tool makes it a breeze to trim, cut, and splice your video footage, ensuring a seamless flow from start to finish. You can add smooth transitions and other visual effects to make your presentation pop.

Here’s a glimpse of how to edit and polish your PowerPoint recording in Descript:

Edit your recording like a doc

Did you make a mistake during a slide transition? No problem. Just delete those sections in the text transcript (created automatically by Descript) and the video will adjust to match.

Remove filler words

Sound smoother and more confident by easily removing filler words like "um" and "uh" from the transcript.

Fix voiceover mistakes by typing

Didn't nail your delivery on a specific slide? No need to start from scratch! Descript's Overdub feature lets you simply type in the correct narration and replace the audio on that slide with AI voice cloning.

Boost video quality and engagement : 

• Crisp up audio quality by reducing background noise and room reverb with the AI-powered Studio Sound feature.
• ‎Replace your background completely with the Green Screen Video Editor —look like you're presenting in a sleek studio or broadcasting from a beach.
• Enable Eye Contact simulation with AI, so it appears you're making direct eye contact with viewers, even if you’re looking or reading something off-camera.

Other ways to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint 

Use Zoom’s meeting recording feature to record yourself giving a PowerPoint presentation. Start a Zoom meeting with yourself, share your PowerPoint window, and enable recording

Loom is a handy screen recording tool that also offers a webcam overlay. Launch the Loom app or Chrome extension and set it to record your screen and webcam. Expect high-quality recordings but no advanced editing features. The free plan offers only five minutes of recording at a stretch.

3. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free, open-source screen recorder/streaming software with a steeper learning curve. It’s popular among advanced or tech-savvy users who need granular customization and control.

To record your presentation, add a "Screen Capture" source to capture your PowerPoint window and a "Video Capture Device" source for your webcam. 

4. Clipchamp: Recording natively in Windows

You can use Microsoft’s Clipchamp , the built-in screen recorder and video editor for Windows, to simultaneously capture your computer screen, webcam, and audio for recording your PowerPoint presentation. It’s also available as a browser-based app. You can record up to 30 minutes on screen and webcam recordings.

Users can also adjust the screen and webcam recordings in the editing timeline separately. 

5. Quick Time Player Recording natively in Mac

Use Mac’s Quick Time Player to record your PowerPoint presentation. It’s not as straightforward as the other options on this list, so here’s a quick guide to help you out:

• Launch Quick Time Player.
• Select File and go to New Movie Recording.
• You'll be recording your entire screen in addition to recording your face, so adjust the size and location of the recording window so that it's in a nonintrusive corner of your PowerPoint.
• Go to View and select Float on Top .
• Next, go to File and select New Screen Recording.
• On the menu that appears, select Record Selected Portion and drag a border around your PowerPoint and the webcam recording window.
• Press Record and start presenting.
• You can adjust the video quality and the audio source in the webcam recording window.

How to turn your PowerPoint presentation slides into a video 

Did you know PowerPoint lets you save your presentation as a video, too? 

Here's a breakdown of the two ways you can do so—keeping all the presentation elements (narration, animation, pointer movements, timings, and so on) intact in the presentation itself.  

Save your PowerPoint presentation as a video

This creates a separate video file (MP4 or WMV) that anyone can play, even without PowerPoint. 

Follow these steps:

• Save your presentation
• Go to File > Export > Create a Video
• Ultra HD (4K): Best for large screens (if you have Windows 10+)
• Full HD (1080p): Great for computers and TVs
• HD (720p): Good for streaming online or on DVDs
• Standard (480p): Smallest size, good for phones

4. Decide on narration

• If you haven't recorded yourself talking, choose "Don't Use Recorded Timings and Narrations" from the dropdown menu
• If you have a recording, choose "Use Recorded Timings and Narrations." You can also set how long each slide shows for (default is 5 seconds)

5. Click Create Video

6. Name your video, pick a folder to save it in, and choose a file type (MPEG-4 or Windows Media Video)

Creating the video might take a while, especially for longer presentations. You can even leave it running overnight. Once done, find your video in the chosen folder and double-click to play it.

Save your PowerPoint presentation as a slideshow

This saves your presentation as a special file (PPSX) that starts playing automatically on full screen when opened. It only works with PowerPoint.

Here’s how it works:

• Make sure your presentation is saved (regular PowerPoint file)
• Go to File > Save As .
• Pick a folder to save the slideshow in.
• Under Save as type, choose PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx) .
• Click Save .

Now when someone opens the file, it will automatically play the slideshow.

Pro tips for making better video PowerPoint presentations 

Practice your script.

Recording a flawless PowerPoint video rarely happens in one take. The key is practice.

Record practice run-throughs and watch them back. Make notes on areas that need improvement or parts lacking clarity. The more you drill your script, the more confident and natural you'll sound in the final recording.

Take advantage of PowerPoint's built-in Speaker Coach . The feature shows you whether your pace is too fast or slow, your use of filler words like "um," and suggestions to improve your voice modulation.

Use slide notes for coherent delivery

Wouldn’t a personal teleprompter make presentations so much easier? That’s what slide notes are for.

Having your thoughts and talking points organized within your PowerPoint file lets you have all crucial information and prompts readily available when recording.

Go ahead and add detailed notes or even a full script for each slide. This will help you stay on track and provide a handy transcript reference if you need to do any editing or voiceover work in post-production.

Use high-quality audio equipment or turn on Studio Sound

Poor audio recording quality is a surefire way to make even the most visually polished video feel amateurish. Do your presentation justice by investing in a decent external or Bluetooth microphone and audio interface to capture clear voiceover audio.

If you must use a built-in mic, record in a quiet environment to minimize background noise pickup. Or better yet, pair up with an AI-powered audio enhancement tool like Descript's Studio Sound , which reduces background noise , reverb, and other artifacts.

Ensure a clean background and even lighting

Ditch cluttered backgrounds. You want people to focus on the content of your PowerPoint and not be distracted by the funny shapes and colors in your video. 

Your video lighting and framing matters, too. Position yourself facing a natural light source or bring supplemental video lighting to eliminate weird shadows and squinting-level glare.

Look directly into the camera or turn on Eye Contact

Looking directly into the camera is essential to create a sense of connection with the audience. Position your webcam or camera at eye level and imagine you're talking to a friend. If you're using Descript, enable the Eye Contact feature to auto-adjust your gaze towards the camera.

• Dress professionally and maintain a good posture to project confidence and authority.
• Use visuals, animations, and multimedia elements to enhance your presentation and keep your audience engaged.
• Consider adding closed captions or subtitles to your video for better accessibility and engagement, especially for those watching without sound.
• Speak clearly and at a moderate pace, using vocal variety to emphasize key points and maintain interest.
• Incorporate storytelling techniques, real-life examples, or personal anecdotes to make your video presentation more relatable and memorable .

Take your PowerPoint presentations from amateur to amazing 

Recording yourself virtually presenting a PowerPoint allows you to distribute your message using the most engaging type of content: video. And there are many screen recording tools out there that can capture your screen and web camera footage with just a few clicks. 

But how do you stand out?

By focusing on the presentation's depth, your delivery, and the video's quality. The first two are the bare minimum to communicate your message effectively. 

But the right screen capture software and all-in-one video creation tool like Descript can help you with third. Use the tool to improve the quality of your recorded PPT presentations. 

With Descript, it's easier than ever to record your screen, polish up the audio, and create stunning visuals all in one place. So why wait? 

Sign up for Descript today and simplify your workflow while creating a PowerPoint presentation video that sticks with your audience in the long term.

How do you make a presentation video with your face?

To create a presentation video with your face, follow these steps:

• Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
• Go to the Slide Show tab.
• Click on Record and choose From Current Slide or From Beginning .
• Choose your microphone and camera by clicking on a sound icon on the top-right.
• Start recording by clicking on the record button.
• Speak into your microphone to narrate the presentation.
• Your webcam will capture your face during the recording.
• Click Stop when you finish recording.
• Export your recorded presentation by clicking on File> Export>Create a video.

How do you present yourself in PowerPoint?

To present yourself effectively in PowerPoint, follow these steps:

• Determine the key information to include in your presentation.
• Design and prepare your PowerPoint slides with a cohesive theme.
• Craft a compelling introduction to engage your audience.
• Tailor your presentation to different time constraints for flexibility.
• Capture the audience's attention before you begin speaking.

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How to use Google Slides, Google's free slideshow presentation maker

• Google Slides is Google's slideshow presentation program that allows real time collaboration.
• Google Slides is part of the Google Workspace suite, which also includes Google Docs and Gmail.
• Google Slides differs from Microsoft PowerPoint in its simplicity and collaboration options.

Google Slides is a presentation program that's part of Google Workspace, a group of productivity apps that also includes Gmail, Google Sheets, Goole Docs, Google Meet , and more. Workspace has more than 3 billion users worldwide. 

With Google Slides, users can create, present, and collaborate via online presentations from various devices. You can present during Google Meet calls directly from Slides and embed charts from Google Sheets. You can also add YouTube videos to Slides presentations. 

Google recently announced plans to add artificial intelligence features like its Gemini AI tool to its Workspace programs, which include Slides. Users will be able to use Gemini to create images or written content for slides, or even reference other files in their Drives or emails in their Gmail accounts.

What is Google Slides? 

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation program that's part of the Google Workspace. Google Slides can be used to create and deliver presentations online. 

Several different themes are available in Slides for designing presentations. Users can customize Slides presentations in a variety of colors and styles. You can add photos, videos from YouTube, charts from Google Sheets , and information from many other sources. Different members of a team can contribute and collaborate on the presentation in real time. 

There's no specific limit on how many slides you can add to your Google Slides presentation, but there is a 100 MB file size limit.

How to download Google Slides 

To access Google Slides, visit slides.google.com . 

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You can also open Slides while Gmail or Google Chrome is open by clicking on the Google Apps icon in the upper-right corner (shown as three rows of dots) and selecting Slides. 

Another option is to download the Google Slides app for your Apple or Android device. Search for Google Slides in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

What templates are available? 

Dozens of Google Slides templates are available, depending on your needs. For instance, there are general presentation templates, photography portfolios, pitch decks, case studies, science fair projects, and more. 

To browse the templates available, open Google Slides. Then, click Template Gallery in the upper-right corner. Scroll through the options, choose the one that meets your needs, and start creating a presentation. 

What's the difference between Google Slides and PowerPoint? 

Both Google Slides and PowerPoint are presentation programs. Google Slides is a program within Google Workspace, and PowerPoint is a Microsoft program. PowerPoint is an offline program, while Slides is online which allows for real time collaboration.

The programs share many features that allow for presentation creation and delivery, but PowerPoint may offer more advanced design features. 

You can convert Google Slides into PowerPoint presentations, and vice versa. From the top menu in Slides, click File, Download, and choose Microsoft PowerPoint. 

How to learn to use Google Slides 

Through Google Workspace, you can access several quick-start guides, cheat sheets, and troubleshooting resources to help you learn to use Google Slides. There are also many YouTube videos with tutorials for using Slides.

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

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Create a presentation

Create a presentation in PowerPoint

Create presentations from scratch or start with a professionally designed, fully customizable template from Microsoft Create .

Tip:  If you have Microsoft Copilot it can help you create a presentation, add slides or images, and more. To learn more see  Create a new presentation with Copilot in PowerPoint.

Open PowerPoint.

In the left pane, select New .

Select an option:

To create a presentation from scratch, select Blank Presentation .

To use a prepared design, select one of the templates.

To see tips for using PowerPoint, select Take a Tour , and then select Create , .

Add a slide

In the thumbnails on the left pane, select the slide you want your new slide to follow.

In the  Home tab, in the  Slides  section, select  New Slide .

In the Slides section, select Layout , and then select the layout you want from the menu.

Add and format text

Place the cursor inside a text box, and then type something.

Select the text, and then select one or more options from the Font section of the Home tab, such as  Font , Increase Font Size , Decrease Font Size ,  Bold , Italic , Underline , etc.

To create bulleted or numbered lists, select the text, and then select Bullets or Numbering .

Add a picture, shape, and more

Go to the  Insert  tab.

To add a picture:

In the Images section, select Pictures .

In the Insert Picture From menu, select the source you want.

Browse for the picture you want, select it, and then select Insert .

To add illustrations:

In the Illustrations section, select Shapes , Icons , 3D Models ,  SmartArt , or Chart .

In the dialog box that opens when you click one of the illustration types, select the item you want and follow the prompts to insert it.

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• What is ChatGPT?
• How to Use Google Gemini

The 5 best things you can do with Copilot Pro right now

Copilot Pro is Microsoft’s AI subscription service that costs $20 per month for individuals and is integrated into the brand’s Microsoft 365 suite. The paid service offers unique features to Microsoft users, provides faster and more consistent AI performance with priority access to the GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo large language models (LLM) during peak times, and also brings the AI technology to the brand’s most popular PC applications — and that’s where things get really interesting.

Create custom GPTs

Dalle-3 access in microsoft designer, make powerpoint presentations from text prompts, create graphs and visuals through text prompts, have copilot write for you directly in word.

Here are some of the best features on Copilot Pro and how they work.

One of the most interesting features of Copilot Pro is that you can build your own custom GPT within the AI service, meaning you can create and edit a unique chatbot to do your bidding. You can create your chatbot as a personal trainer, a chef, a language tutor, a language adviser, or a career coach, among many other personalized ideas. You can do so by accessing the Microsoft Copilot GPT Builder at copilot.microsoft.com and signing in using your Microsoft account (such as outlook.com).

Follow the setup steps included there to get started building your custom GPT. Because it is a GPT environment, you essentially need only to input the text parameters of your chatbot to begin training it. There are also instructions on how to edit the GPT, if needed. For the best results, complete the steps in the Microsoft Edge browser.

Because Copilot Pro is a paid service, it benefits from OpenAI’s latest DALL-E 3 image model, which can generate images from more elaborate text descriptions or generate from other images. It also has upgraded editing abilities. Much of the image generation for the brand’s AI subscription service takes place within the Microsoft Designer tool.

Within Copilot Pro, you can generate up to 100 images per day and have the option to create images in either landscape or square. This is a massive upgrade in comparison to the free version, which allows 15 generations per day and square images only.

A very fascinating part of Microsoft’s Copilot Pro is you can use the brand’s AI service in conjunction with other popular programs, such as the Microsoft 365 suite. The Copilot Pro chatbot and icon are integrated into all of these apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook. Typically, you must have a separate Microsoft 365 subscription to access Microsoft Copilot Pro features in tandem with the apps of that service on PCs. However, to access the features without having to invest in a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can use Microsoft 365 apps through the web apps at no extra cost.

Creating presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint is a popular productivity option in the Microsoft 365 suite. Adding Copilot Pro makes the function as simple as typing a sentence. Once you’re in PowerPoint, you go to the Home tab to open the drop-down menu. This reveals the Copilot button in the upper-right corner. Click it to open the Copilot menu on the right side of the PowerPoint window.

Click Create a Presentation, type your prompt, and it will begin to generate the slides of your presentation. You can add a slide, ask questions prompts, and edit the text of your prompt to improve your presentation. You also have access to the Microsoft Designer tab in the drop-down menu, which gives you creative options for your slide within PowerPoint, since you can’t use prompts to make creative edits within Copilot. There is also the Copilot Labs section for generating ideas.

Excel is an extremely useful app for professionals who need to crunch numbers and simplify statistics. Copilot Pro can calculate, analyze, and present your figures and graphs in a manner that is easy to decipher. Once in Excel, you can access the Copilot button in the upper-right corner of the drop-down menu. If you are using Excel online, you may see a notice that says it only works with Excel table, but all of the AI functionalities are actually still intact.

If you have a file with some figures, you can highlight some text and Copilot Pro will give you some prompt ideas (such as show formula suggestions, highlight filter, sort data, and bold the first column) that you can select and will make up the entirety of your prompt once you’re done. These details will not only be the information but the look and feel of your results.

Select Ask for Insights and Excel will generate the tables and graphs with all of your data laid out. Select another insight or All insights for a more complete look at your information. Alternatively, you can enter a prompt in Copilot Pro with the parameters you desire.

Word is one of the most used apps in the Microsoft 365 suite and Copilot Pro introduces several automated features into the word processors. Before even launching Copilot Pro within Microsoft Pro, you can highlight blocks of text within Word and a Copilot icon will appear on the left of the text, indicating that it can be edited by the chatbot. Right-click the highlighted text with your mouse and you can select the options, rewrite with Copilot, or visualize as a table. It will do those functions in the text area without having to execute a prompt.

You can also access the Copilot button in the upper-right corner of the drop-down menu and use it whether you have a blank document or you’re working with an existing document.

You can type your prompt directly into Copilot Pro to generate whatever result you need, or you can get assistance via a host of assistant tabs and quick options, including write about, ask a question, and summarize this document. Summarize this document, for example, will roll out text in a bullet point format and pull credits from the source document that you can refer back to later. For further assistance in prompt generation, you can select more prompts and access Copilot Labs.

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