how to turn on presentation mode in powerpoint

• Use Presenter View Video
• Add speaker notes​ Video
• Practice and time your presentation​ Video
• Record a presentation Video
• Print a presentation Video

Use Presenter View

PowerPoint Presenter View shows you the current slide, the next slide, and your speaker notes, to help you focus while presenting and connect with your audience. 

Select the Slide Show tab.

Select the Use Presenter View checkbox.

Select which monitor to display Presenter View on.

In Presenter View , you can:

See your current slide, next slide, and speaker notes.

Select the arrows next to the slide number to go between slides.

Select the pause button or reset button to pause or reset the slide timer in the upper left.

See the current time to help you pace your presentation.

Select the font icons to make the speaker notes larger or smaller.

Select the annotations pen icon to draw on the screen in real time, or select a laser pointer.

Select the thumbnail icon to see all the slides in your presentation and quickly jump to another slide.

Select the magnifying glass icon to zoom in on a particular part of a slide.

The screen icon let's you make the screen temporarily black to focus the attention on you.

Select END SLIDESHOW when you're done presenting.

Start the presentation and see your notes in Presenter view

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• Slidesgo School
• PowerPoint Tutorials

How to Use the Presentation Modes and the Screen Recording Features in PowerPoint

After designing all the slides for your presentation, the next and last step is presenting in front of your audience. In this new Slidesgo School tutorial, you’ll see how the presenter view works and how you can record your presentation .

Presentation Modes

Presentation modes — set up slide show, presentation modes — record slide show.

• There are different presentation modes in PowerPoint, besides the one you can find at the bottom of the screen.
• To access the presentation modes, go to the Slide Show tab.
• The first two options allow you to start the presentation from the beginning or from the currently selected slide.

• If you choose Present Online, an URL will be generated, which you can then share with your potential online viewers. After clicking this button, a new window will open, displaying info about the Microsoft Office online presentation service and a checkbox to enable remote download for your online audience. To enjoy this service, you need an Office 365 account. When you’re ready, click Connect to generate the URL.
• If you choose Custom Slide Show, you can select which slides to display in your presentation.  First, create a new custom slide show and select the slides that you want to display. Then, click Add, enter the name of the presentation and click OK. This new custom presentation will appear on the list. Select it and click Show to begin the presentation.
• In the Set Up group you’ll find options to set up the presentation, hide slides, rehearse your presentation and even record it.
• Click Set Up Slide Show to adjust several settings regarding your presentation. You’ll find more information in the next section of this tutorial .
• If you click Hide Slide, the selected slide won’t show up during your presentation. Hidden slides will appear faded out on the list and their numbers will be crossed out.
• If you click Record Slide Show, you’ll be able to record your presentation from the beginning or from the current slide. We’ll go into detail in the last section of this tutorial.
• There are several checkboxes regarding whether to play narrations, use timings and show media controls.

• In the Monitors group you can choose which screen to display your presentation.
• The last group, Captions & Subtitles, is only available in Office 365. You’ll find options to enable subtitles, which will be generated out of your speech (so you’ll need to have a mic). There are settings to change the language and the position of the subtitles.
• Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
• Go to the Slide Show tab.
• In the Set Up group, click Set Up Slide Show. A new window will open, where you’ll find several options.
• In the top-left corner, under “Show type”, you can choose whether the presentation will be in fullscreen with speaker notes, windowed, or in fullscreen without speaker notes or the menu bar.

• Under “Show options” you can choose whether to show the presentation without narration or animations, or disable the hardware graphics acceleration (for better performance). You can also set the pen and laser pointer color.

• Under “Show slides”, you can choose which slides to show in your presentation. You can select all of them, a specific range or a custom slideshow.
• There are other settings to determine how to advance slides (manually or using timings), what the resolution will be and whether to use the presenter view.
• Click Record Slide Show. From the drop-down menu, select From the Current Slide or From the Beginning.
• A new window will open, along with the presentation in fullscreen mode. At the top-left you’ll find a button to start recording.

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Jump Start Series: Learn How to Run a PowerPoint Slide Show

About this lesson, how do i run powerpoint slideshows in presenter mode.

This tutorial will walk you through the steps of getting your presentation on the screen.

You will not just see how it works, but get coaching of some subtle techniques that we have learned from our decades of experience.

What Will I Learn?

• How to launch Slideshow Presenter Mode (including shortcut keys)
• How to manage multiple monitors or a laptop and a big screen projector/TV
• Navigating your slides with both the mouse, keyboard, or even a Bluetooth remote
• How to use the big screen laser pointer and magnifier

Watch and learn in under 11 minutes.

BONUS: Room Projector Test File

See below for PDF files which is a four-slide PowerPoint room tester slide deck used in this training tutorial.

Topics include (with video timestamps):

• Intro: 0:00
• Windows Shortcut Extend Screen: 1:16
• Swap Presenter View Monitors: 2:28
• Slide Show Navigating Techniques: 2:53
• Bluetooth Remote Control: 3:58
• Blanking the Screen: 4:58
• Tour of Presenter View: 5:38
• Pen & Laser Pointer: 7:02
• Magnifier: 7:50
• Jump to Slide: 8:14
• On-Screen Controls: 8:50
• Wrap Up: 9:08

Subject Microsoft PowerPoint

Software Compatibility All versions of PowerPoint from Office 2013 to current Office 365

Level Foundation

Course Completed Complete

PDF Files There are not any files associated with this lesson.

TRAINING SERIES VIEW ALL

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Rough Training Video Transcript for “Learn How to Run a PowerPoint Slide Show”

You have created your presentation and you’re about to go on stage and you need help knowing how to run the presentation within PowerPoint.

Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered

This is Les from Power UP Training where my years of experience can become your expertise for free.

In this particular series, we’re gonna walk you through a variety of topics. 

I’m gonna explain how to work with a monitor and a projector screen 

We’ll also go through how to navigate to the presentation. I’ll talk about some of the keystrokes Mount strokes. And other techniques to keep things under control will also go through a hands-on demonstration of all the aspects of the presentation tools so as you feel comfortable before you go on stage and they’ll be some tricks and some tips along the way so let’s power up to running presentation mode. 

Just so you know, this particular training series is being run, guess what in PowerPoint, I do every green screen but we are live going forward, so how do you go from a regular PowerPoint mode into presentation mode, well the trick is to get it up on the projector you hook your laptop or your computer to the projector and then you need to be able to turn on the projection piece and if it’s not automatically being extended out to that presentation monitor, you can use a Windows keyboard trick of the Windows key in the control and the P. 

And it’s going to pop up this screen to give you some choices of how to extend your presentation out to the second monitor or the big screen presentation video system, you’re going to want to choose extend you don’t want to duplicate you don’t want to do any of the choices extends gonna create a second screen for your work from. 

Once you’ve got that turned on the next trick you need to do before you start your presentation is to figure out where the heck your mouse is because you’re going to have to move from one side to the other in your giant upstream video projection system, maybe on the right side or the left side, it’s helpful to know upfront where that is. 

The second thing you may need to do is swap your display once in a while PowerPoint gets confused and what it will do is it’s going to put your presentation on your little laptop screen, when you want it on the big presentation screen for other room simple enough at the very top with the screen you’re going to see that there’s something called a display setting that should then going to be able to swap presenter views and flies show. 

I’ll show you that in a moment but before we go too far, let’s get down some of the basics of how to control your presentation, there are some different ways to manage your presentation one. Is. Moving backwards and forwards with the keyboard or with your mouse You’re going to see on the screen and we’ll see this in just a moment that there’s going to be a VCR like I know a VCR like control the little triangles to maybe afford or backwards that you find often in YouTube or other types of video systems there. 

You’re going to be able to use that but I find I like using the keyboard the reason I like using a keyboard is I don’t have to look around where things are. I can just move things forward by using the space bar to advance to the next slide. You can also use your arrow keys or up and down. 

Lots of different ways to move forward and backwards including the end and home key the home getting to the very beginning your presentation and the end key getting to the very last slide your presentation. And then you can use the letter P to go your previous slide. So lots of techniques, you just need to find ones that you’re comfortable with using up on the stage. 

Hey the quick interruption here because I know people are going to ask on the comments below. That’s not how you’re running your presentation and that’s true when I get my classes. I’d like to stick to the tools that are in PowerPoint, but There are other techniques including some Bluetooth tools that’ll actually advance the slide with a click of a button. 

These are great because you can then walk around on the stage and not have to be tied to your keyboard your mouse and you can move forward on your slides one by one. Personally, I use the Logitech presentation remote control tool, which I love but I need to warn you this extremely expensive. 

It is cool and easy to use and it has looked little tricks like my spotlight mode here and you can see here. I’m using just my little remote to change. The spotlight on the screen. With that let’s go back to our ongoing training video on using Microsoft PowerPoint presenter mode. 

A couple keys that I really prefer is the black and white key. If I hit B in here we go, look what it just did. It blank the screen in black. If I hit the W key, it does the same thing it blanks the screen to white. Why would we use these? 

If I’m doing a presentation and it turns out a discussion pops up on a completely different topic and I don’t want them to be distracted with what they see. On the screen. I can easily blank the screen out by toggling on and off with you the W or the B key. 

So enough talk, let’s go in and see how this is going to work. And switch on over to the presenter view which would typically be displayed on the laptop in front of you. You can see here that we have a giant slide the top left corner. This represents what you’re going to see up on the big screen. 

On the right side is a smaller thumbnail which is showing what the next slide will look like so you have a preview of what’s about to show up. If I click the advantage to slide I’m not really advancing the slide. I’m actually advancing to the next bullet point because I have these as they structured bullet points one by one by one but they click. 

You can see here this is how I actually swap back and forth between my presentation view and my ash will presented you so if you have a confusion with the way is showing up let’s go down advance the slide and we’ll see the bullet points going forward we’ll see on the right side on the bottom right is where the script would be on the right the preview of the next slide the main screen and then these are some advanced tools for us to be able to use and then down here is the slide controls with the mouse or as we said before you can use your keyboard to move forward you could actually click inside the big slide. 

The area to advance or the little slide to advance all of those are hot spots but you cannot click in the other black areas on the screen nothing happens there, so you need to use the advanced at those three different locations, so let’s move on and take a look at some of our extra tools of how to best present we look over on the left side here the first set that I want to point out is the later pointer tool if you really have to highlight because you did not design your slides to be as clear as you wish you could turn this on as you move your mouse only in this hospital. 

One area it would show up on the screen once you leave that hot spot it disappears you can switch to the pen view which is not a favorite of mine is one. I can’t draw very clearly and it’s not as bright once again that’s a choice one that I hate worse is the highlighter because the highlighter just doesn’t demonstrate things any fair fashion, it makes things look messy but it’s there note that you can’t move forward until you turn the tool off by going back and clicking on again now you use your mouse to move forward through your slots a tool that I do love is the magnifying tool now at the moment. 

This is not showing on the big screen until I get to the spot that I want and but once I click that blows up on this screen and the big screen so everyone’s seen the same thing and then you can drag around the spy to show a variety pieces once again, you’re not going to be able to advance the slides until you turn the magnifier off one of the tools that I want to show you that I do enjoy using is the ability to jump back to the presentation to a different slide spot. 

I go down here. I will see all the slides of my presentation at the moment where I’m flight 18. I had to go back to an earlier slide because someone asked something I could just click on it and then run through go back to the giant slide list and go back to my slide 18, so it’s a great way to navigate through your presentation without going left and right with your arrows to bring them back up. 

When you’re done you could hit the escape key to go out but I’m going to swatch back and now we’re back in our presentation on the bottom left hand corner. I’m going to show you just a single view you can still control some of those magic tools, they’re just highlighted on the very bond it’s very very faint which you see you can do your slide advances and your other advanced tools such as laser pointer and slide jumper so you should now feel very comfortable using the presentation mode of powerpoint you do want to practice before you get up on the stage. 

If you like this video give me thumbs up as it encourages me to make more free videos for you also subscribe to our channel subscriptions help tremendously build the community that we are continuing to work on you got questions about this video or about other PowerPoint leave them in the comments below and you can even ask for future training videos on topics that I may not have already covered that you can find in our channel. 

Share this with others if you thought it was hopeful and that they would benefit from it and this particular class was just a subset of our master class series is a six-part training series that teach you from the beginning to becoming a PowerPoint power user in under three hours take a look for that playlist showing up here on our screen. 

And with that power up.

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Presenter View in PowerPoint

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How to Use Presenter View in PowerPoint

• You can use thumbnails to select slides out of sequence and create a customized presentation for your audience.
• Preview text shows you what your next click will add to the screen, such as a new slide or the next bullet in a list.
• Speaker’s notes are shown in large, clear type so that you can use them as a script for your presentation.
• You can temporarily black out the screen during a presentation and then resume where you left off. This can come in handy during breaks or question and answer periods.

Start Presenter View

• Click the Options button.

The Presenter view fills the screen. The same presentation tools are available below the slide, and it also shows the current time and a thumbnail of the upcoming slide. At the bottom of the screen, use the arrows to move forward or backward in the presentation.

Command Buttons

At the top of the Presenter view, there are command buttons.

• Show Taskbar : Show or hide the Windows taskbar.
• Display Settings : When projecting, swap which display shows the presenter view or duplicate the slide show on both screens.
• End the Slide Show : Return to Normal view.

The timer is located at the top-left corner of the current slide. It keeps track of how long Presenter view has been running.

• Click the Pause button to temporarily stop the timer.

The Notes pane gives you a large look at any notes added to the slide. In Presenter view, you have the flexibility to change the display size.

End Presenter View

You can close Presenter view without ending the presentation entirely.

• Click the Options menu.

You return to the regular slide show view.

To close Presenter View and end the presentation, just press Esc .

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Play a Slideshow on PowerPoint

How to Play a Slideshow on PowerPoint

Slide Show mode is one of the most important features of any presentation app. In fact, all the effort presenters put into their slides by endlessly editing PowerPoint templates is ultimately meant for presenting content, which is usually done using Slide Show mode.

To run a slideshow in PowerPoint, use the Slide Show option at the bottom.

Alternatively, you can go to the Slide Show tab and start the slideshow from the beginning, current slide, or customize the slides you wish to present from your PowerPoint presentation via the Custom Slide Show tab.

Once in Slide Show mode, you can move between slides using the arrow keys on your keyboard, a presentation remote, or a mouse click. Numerous options are available either via right-click menu or the bottom of the presentation mode. These include slide navigation and annotation options, camera and subtitle options, the ability to switch to a black or white screen, and the option to end the slideshow or switch to Presenter view .

How to Customize Slideshow Options

The Setup Slide Show option via the Slide Show tab can be used to customize how your slideshow works. From this menu, you can select how the slideshow appears (full screen, window, kiosk fullscreen), select only certain slides to run before an audience, loop the slideshow, and turn off narrations, animations, and hardware graphic acceleration. Other options allow selecting the color for the laser pointer and pen, the ability to enable Presenter view, and the options for selecting between automatic and manual slide advancement.

Final Words

Slideshows are important for presenters to showcase their slides. A bit of customization can help better control how a slide deck works. If a slide deck is causing issues while running, you can disable hardware acceleration, animations, and narrations to try to make the performance of the slide deck more efficient. This is why knowing slideshow-specific options can save a presenter time and effort in ensuring that their slideshow runs smoothly during their presentation.

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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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How to practice your presentations with powerpoint's presenter coach.

Rehearsing presentations gets easier with PowerPoint.

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How the presenter coach helps you with your presentations, what you'll need, how to launch the presenter coach in powerpoint, reading your rehearsal report.

Microsoft PowerPoint now has a Presenter Coach to let you rehearse your presentations before going to the audience. This coach gives you a detailed report telling you how well you did and suggesting areas for improvement. Here's how to use it.

Consider the Presenter Coach in PowerPoint as a trusted friend who listens to you practice performing  your presentations . This coach reviews your entire presentation and creates a report detailing your performance.

For example, it will grade you on how fast you speak and how much you use filler words like "um" and "ah." It will also inform you of words you might want to avoid and encourage you not to simply read the words on your slides aloud.

Basically, if you need a second opinion on your presenting style, this is a great way to get it.

Related: 8 Tips to Make the Best PowerPoint Presentations

To use the Presenter Coach in PowerPoint, you must have:

• a Microsoft account or a Microsoft 365 work or school account
• a working internet connection
• a microphone (so that PowerPoint can listen to what you're saying)

Also, the Presenter Coach only works if you use the English language in PowerPoint. Other languages are not yet supported as of April 2021.

PowerPoint's Presenter Coach works for any presentation. You can use it with your commercial, educational, and even family presentations.

To start using this feature, open your presentation with PowerPoint.

In the PowerPoint window, click the "Slide Show" tab on the ribbon at the top of the window.

If you don't see the Slide Show tab, you're probably in Slide Master View. Close this view by selecting "Slide Master" at the top and then clicking "Close Master View."

In the Slide Show tab, click "Rehearse with Coach" to open PowerPoint's Presenter Coach.

Your presentation will open in fullscreen mode. To activate the Presenter Coach, click "Start Rehearsing" in the bottom-right corner of your window. Optionally, enable "Show real-time feedback" if you want the coach to give you tips while you're still presenting.

Now, begin your presentation like you normally would. If you enabled the real-time feedback option, you'll see some tips appear in the bottom-right corner of your window.

Press "Esc" when you're done presenting to exit fullscreen mode. PowerPoint will now open your rehearsal report.

It's important to read and analyze the Presenter Coach's report properly. This will help you find areas for improvement and see whether you're doing well.

The report will vanish as soon as you close the report window. To save the report, take a screenshot of it.

Here's what each section in the report tells you about your presentation:

• Summary : Summary tells you the amount of time you spent practicing your presentation. It also shows the number of slides you rehearsed.
• Fillers : In the Fillers section, you'll see the filler words (umm, ah) that you used during your presentation. Using these filler words makes you sound less confident, and you should try to avoid using them.
• Sensitive Phrases : Sensitive Phrases highlights culturally sensitive phrases that you used in your presentation, which you might want to avoid. It considers the following areas sensitive: disability, age, gender, race, sexual orientation, mental health, geopolitical topics, and profanity.
• Pace : The Pace section tells you the pace of your presentation. If you were too fast or too slow, you'll find that information here.
• Originality : Microsoft suggests that you avoid reading out the text written in your presentation slides, as this makes your presentation boring. Instead, you should use original content in your speech. The Originality section informs you if you only read the text from your slides.

Now that you know where you need to improve, click the "Rehearse Again" button at the top of the report to re-present your presentation. When you're done, PowerPoint will make another report detailing your new presentation performance.

Related: How to Add Music to Your PowerPoint Presentation

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How to turn on Dark Mode in PowerPoint

• October 4, 2023

PPT Productivity addin for PowerPoint is now compatible with Microsoft Office Dark Mode!

Dark mode is a popular feature that changes the appearance of your applications to a darker color scheme. It can help reduce eye strain, save battery life, and improve contrast. Many people prefer dark mode over the default light mode, especially when working in low-light conditions.

In this blog post, we will show you how to turn on Dark Mode in PowerPoint. We will also cover some common issues and troubleshooting tips for using PowerPoint dark mode.

How to enable dark mode in PowerPoint on Windows

If you are using Windows 10, Windows 11 or Microsoft 365, you can enable dark mode in PowerPoint by following these steps:

• Open PowerPoint and click on the File menu at the top left corner.

• Click on Account and then select Black/Dark Grey from the Office Theme dropdown menu (refer to the screenshot below for guidance). Note that this setting will apply dark mode to all Office applications, including PowerPoint.

• Click on OK and restart PowerPoint for the changes to take effect.

Once you have enabled Dark Mode for PowerPoint, the PPT Productivity ribbon and toolbars will also automatically apply the Dark Mode settings.

Alternatively you can turn on Dark mode via your computer settings. To do this:

• Open the Settings app by clicking on the Start menu and then the gear icon, or press Windows + I on your keyboard to open your settings menu
• Click on Personalization, which is the second option from the top.
• On the left sidebar, click on Colors.
• Under 'Choose your color', select Dark. This will apply Dark Mode to your windows and apps.

Note, you will need to ensure your apps are set to System Colors to enable Dark mode to be activated in your Microsoft apps, including PowerPoint, via settings

To set your apps to System Settings to allow Dark mode to be activated when set via Personalization in Settings, use the following steps.

• Click on Account and then select Use System Settings from the Office Theme dropdown menu. This will apply the dark mode to all Office applications, including PowerPoint, if dark has been chosen in as the default in Settings.

How to enable dark mode in PowerPoint on Mac

If you are using a Mac, you can enable dark mode in PowerPoint by changing your system theme to dark. To do this, follow these steps:

• Click on the Apple menu at the top left corner and select System Preferences.
• Click on General and then select Dark from the Appearance dropdown menu. This will apply the dark mode to your entire system, including Office applications.
• Restart PowerPoint for the changes to take effect.

Troubleshooting tips for using dark mode in PowerPoint

While Dark Mode can offer many benefits, it can also cause some issues or inconveniences when using PowerPoint. Here are some common problems and solutions for using Dark Mode in PowerPoint:

• Solution: It may be that your Account preferences are set to White or Custom mode. To resolve, Go to File, Account, then select Use System Settings from the Office Theme dropdown menu
• Solution: Dark mode only affects the interface of PowerPoint, not the content of your slides. To change the background color of your slides, you need to edit the slide master or apply a different theme or design. You can also use the Format Background option to customize the background color of each slide individually.
• Solution: Dark Mode can affect the contrast and visibility of your text or images, especially if they are already dark-colored. To improve readability and clarity, you need to adjust the font color, size, style, or effects of your text. You can also use the Format Picture option to edit the brightness, contrast, transparency, or color of your images.
• Solution: Dark Mode can change the appearance of your charts or graphs, especially if they use colors that are similar to the background. To fix this, you need to change the chart type, layout, style, or colors of your charts or graphs. You can also use the Format Chart option to customize various aspects of your charts or graphs.

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How to Change PowerPoint to Portrait? A Step-by-Step Guide

Table of contents.

PowerPoint slides typically use a landscape orientation, where the width of the slide is wider than its height. This layout has become the norm for presentations because it matches the shape of many projectors and computer screens, ensuring that your content looks its best when displayed to your audience.

Landscape and Portrait Slide Sizes?

In PowerPoint, slides are typically set to Landscape orientation by default, coming in two sizes:

• Standard : 4:3 ratio (10×7.5 inches)
• Widescreen : 16:9 ratio (13.33×7.5 inches)

For Portrait slides, the default size is 10×5.626 inches.

Landscape orientation provides a wider space for your content, making it great for including visuals like images, charts, graphs, and tables. The text flows naturally from left to right, which is easier for viewers to read and understand.

On the other hand, Portrait orientation has a taller, narrower layout, with the height exceeding the width. While it’s not as common in presentations, Portrait orientation might be useful for specific situations where a different layout is needed.

How to Change PowerPoint to Portrait  

On windows:.

Step 1 – Open your presentation:  Launch Microsoft PowerPoint and open the presentation you want to modify.

Step 2 – Access the Design tab:  Locate the ribbon at the top of the PowerPoint window. Click on the “Design” tab.

Step 3 – Find the Slide Size options:  Within the “Design” tab, look for the “Customize” group on the right-hand side. Click the dropdown menu under the label “Slide Size.”

Step 4 – Choose “Custom Slide Size”:   Several pre-defined sizes will appear. Instead of selecting one of those, choose the option at the very bottom: “Custom Slide Size.”

Step 5 – Set Orientation to Portrait:  A new window titled “Slide Size” will pop up. Under the “Orientation” section, you’ll see two radio buttons: “Landscape” (which is the default) and “Portrait.” Click the radio button next to “Portrait” to switch the orientation.

Step 6 – Click “OK”:  Once you’ve chosen “Portrait,” simply click the “OK” button at the bottom of the “Slide Size” window.

Step 7 – Choosing Between “Maximize” and “Ensure Fit”

After clicking “OK” in the previous step, PowerPoint might prompt you with a choice between two options:

• Maximize:  This option enlarges your existing slide content to fill the entire portrait space. However, this may cause some elements to appear distorted or cut off.
• Ensure Fit:  This option shrinks your slide content to fit proportionally within the portrait layout. This ensures everything stays visible but may leave extra blank space around the edges.
• Open your PowerPoint presentation.
• Go to the File menu and select Page Setup.
• In the “Page Setup” dialog box, under Orientation, choose Portrait. You can also adjust the width and height values here if needed.

Recommendations:

• For presentations intended to be shown on a screen:  Choose “Maximize” to utilize the full portrait area. Text and images might need slight adjustments to avoid being cropped.
• For printing handouts or notes:  Opt for “Ensure Fit” to guarantee all content remains visible on the printed page, even if there’s extra space.

Are you a Google Slides user? Check our guide on How To Make Google Slides Vertical here !

How to Make a Single Slide Portrait in PowerPoint? 

While PowerPoint doesn’t directly support both orientations within a single file, you can achieve this by linking separate presentations. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open your landscape presentation.

Step 2: Navigate to the slide where you want to insert the link.

Step 3: Add a text box or select existing text to act as the link.

Step 4: Go to Insert > Action.

Step 5: Choose between “Mouse Click” (triggers when you click the text) or “Mouse Over” (triggers when you hover over the text).

Step 6: Select “Hyperlink to:” and choose “Other PowerPoint Presentation” from the dropdown.

Step 7: Locate and select your portrait presentation. Then in “Hyperlink to Slide”, select the slide you want to start from.

Step 8: Click “OK.”

Now, during your presentation, clicking (or hovering, if you chose Mouse Over) the designated text will seamlessly switch to your portrait presentation.

Remember these things while linking the presentation :

• Ensure both presentations are saved in the same folder to avoid broken links.
• Consider using a clear call to action on the linked text, like “Click here for details” or “View data in portrait mode.”

Benefits of Portrait Orientation

There are several reasons why you might need to change the orientation to portrait:

1. Enhanced Viewing Experience

• Vertical Content Suitability : Documents, articles, and social media feeds primarily consist of text, making portrait orientation more efficient in utilizing the screen’s height. This allows for better readability with fewer scrolls needed to view content.
• Focused Viewing : Portrait orientation gives a better view of vertical content like portraits or tall buildings, allowing you to focus on the details without distractions.

2. Considering Device Limits

• Comfortable Handheld Use : Holding a phone or tablet in portrait orientation is often more comfortable for long periods.
• Optimized Screen Space : On smaller screens, portrait orientation might be the only way to see everything without zooming or scrolling sideways.

3. Tailoring to Application Needs

• App-Specific Design : Certain applications are primarily designed for portrait orientation, and using them in landscape mode may result in functionality or display issues.
• Seamless Reading Experience : Many ebooks and webcomics are formatted for vertical scrolling, making portrait orientation preferable for a smooth and uninterrupted reading experience.

Tips for Creating Visually Appealing Portrait Slides

Choosing the Right Images:

• Pick clear, well-lit portraits without blurriness or pixelation.
• Make sure the images match the slide content, avoiding generic stock photos.
• Select portraits that convey emotions and resonate with the audience, considering facial expressions and mood.
• Aim for diversity by including various genders, ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds.

Composition and Design:

• Crop images strategically to highlight the subject’s face and remove distracting background elements.
• Position portraits carefully within the slide layout for balance.
• Use empty space effectively to avoid clutter and draw attention to the portrait.
• Coordinate the color scheme of the portrait with other slide elements.

Text and Content:

• Keep text brief on the portrait slide to avoid overshadowing the image.
• Choose a clear, readable font that matches the overall style.
• Place text thoughtfully to ensure important parts of the portrait are visible.

Additional Considerations:

• Use filters sparingly to enhance the mood without compromising image quality.
• Consider adding subtle overlays or textures for visual interest.
• Maintain a consistent visual style for a professional look.

Closing Thoughts

Changing PowerPoint to portrait orientation is a straightforward process that lets you customize your presentations to fit different purposes. Whether you’re making a vertical infographic or getting slides ready for a poster presentation, these steps will help you easily switch between landscape and portrait orientations in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why change slide orientation in powerpoint.

While landscape dominates presentations, switching to portrait in PowerPoint can be beneficial for showcasing tall content like portraits and infographics, creating handouts, adapting to specific screens, or adding visual variety. However, this format has limitations – you can’t mix orientations and content might require adjustments. Choose the orientation that best suits your content and presentation goals.

Can I mix Portrait and Landscape slides in one presentation?

While directly combining them isn’t possible, you can achieve a similar effect. Here’s how:

Create two separate presentations: One in landscape and another in portrait.

Link the presentations: Insert hyperlinks in your main presentation (landscape) to specific slides in the portrait presentation.

Does changing one slide’s orientation affect the whole presentation?

Yes. By default, all slides in a presentation share the same orientation (landscape or portrait). Changing one slide’s orientation will automatically adjust the entire presentation to match.

Can I revert my portrait PowerPoint back to landscape?

Yes, you can easily revert to landscape by adjusting the slide size settings.

Are there specific templates designed for portrait presentations?

Some templates are optimized for portrait mode, or you can customize existing ones.

Is there a quick way to switch between Landscape and Portrait in PowerPoint?

Unfortunately, there’s no single shortcut key to change the entire presentation’s orientation. However, you can access the orientation settings through the following methods:

• Go to the “Design” tab. In the “Customize” section, you’ll find the “Slide Size” option. Clicking the dropdown menu allows you to choose between Landscape and Portrait.
• Right-click on any slide. Select “Size and Layout” from the context menu. A window will appear where you can choose the desired orientation.

How to put PowerPoint in portrait mode for handouts?

In Print settings under “Handouts,” choose a portrait layout option like “2 Slides per Page (Portrait)” to display your slides in portrait on printed handouts.

What happens to my existing content if I change the orientation to portrait?

PowerPoint will attempt to scale your existing content to fit the new orientation. However, depending on the amount of content and its layout, adjustments might be necessary to ensure everything displays correctly.

Will my presentation work on all projectors if it’s in portrait orientation?

While most modern projectors can handle portrait presentations, some older models might have limitations. It’s recommended to test your presentation on the specific projector beforehand if unsure.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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