how to make a power point presentation step by step

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6 Simple Parts for Beginners to Create a PowerPoint Presentation

Last Updated: December 19, 2022 Fact Checked

Creating a New PowerPoint

Creating the title slide, adding a new slide, adding content to slides, adding transitions, testing and saving your presentation.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 4,320,148 times. Learn more...

Do you want to have your data in a slide show? If you have Microsoft 365, you can use PowerPoint! PowerPoint is a program that's part of the Microsoft Office suite (which you have to pay for) and is available for both Windows and Mac computers. This wikiHow teaches you how to create your own Microsoft PowerPoint presentation on a computer.

Things You Should Know

• Templates make it easy to create vibrant presentations no matter your skill level.
• When adding photos, you can adjust their sizes by clicking and dragging in or out from their corners.
• You can add animated transitions between slides or to individual elements like bullet points and blocks of text.

• If you don't have a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, you can use the website instead of the desktop app. Go to https://powerpoint.office.com/ to use the website version.
• You can also use the mobile app to make presentations, though it's easier to do this on a computer, which has a larger screen, a mouse, and a keyboard.

• If you don't want to use a template, just click the Blank option in the upper-left side of the page and skip to the next part.

• Skip this step if your selected template has no themes available.

• If you're creating a PowerPoint presentation for which an elaborate title slide has been requested, ignore this step.

• You can change the font and size of text used from the Home tab that's in the orange ribbon at the top of the window.

• You can also just leave this box blank if you like.

• You can also click and drag in or out one of a text box's corners to shrink or enlarge the text box.

• On a Mac, you'll click the Home tab instead. [1] X Research source

• Clicking the white slide-shaped box above this option will result in a new text slide being inserted.

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

• Naturally, the title slide should be the first slide in your presentation, meaning that it should be the top slide in the left-hand column.

• Skip this step and the next two steps if your selected slide uses a template that doesn't have text boxes in it.

• Text boxes in PowerPoint will automatically format the bulk of your text for you (e.g., adding bullet points) based on the context of the content itself.
• You can add notes that the Presentation will not include (but you'll still be able to see them on your screen) by clicking Notes at the bottom of the slide.

• You can change the font of the selected text by clicking the current font's name and then clicking your preferred font.
• If you want to change the size of the text, click the numbered drop-down box and then click a larger or smaller number based on whether you want to enlarge or shrink the text.
• You can also change the color, bolding, italicization, underlining, and so on from here.

• Photos in particular can be enlarged or shrunk by clicking and dragging out or in one of their corners.

• Remember to keep slides uncluttered and relatively free of distractions. It's best to keep the amount of text per slide to around 33 words or less. [2] X Research source

• Slide content will animate in the order in which you assign transitions. For example, if you animate a photo on the slide and then animate the title, the photo will appear before the title.
• Make your slideshow progress automatically by setting the speed of every transition to align with your speech as well as setting each slide to Advance . [3] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

• If you need to exit the presentation, press Esc .

• Windows - Click File , click Save , double-click This PC , select a save location, enter a name for your presentation, and click Save .
• Mac - Click File , click Save As... , enter the presentation's name in the "Save As" field, select a save location by clicking the "Where" box and clicking a folder, and click Save .

Community Q&A

• If you save your PowerPoint presentation in .pps format instead of the default .ppt format, double-clicking your PowerPoint presentation file will prompt the presentation to open directly into the slideshow view. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
• If you don't have Microsoft Office, you can still use Apple's Keynote program or Google Slides to create a PowerPoint presentation. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Your PowerPoint presentation (or some features in it) may not open in significantly older versions of PowerPoint. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Great PowerPoint presentations avoid placing too much text on one slide. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=DBDCE00C929AA5D8!252&ithint=file%2cpptx&app=PowerPoint&authkey=!AH4O9NxcbehqzIg
• ↑ https://www.virtualsalt.com/powerpoint.htm
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/set-the-timing-and-speed-of-a-transition-c3c3c66f-4cca-4821-b8b9-7de0f3f6ead1#:~:text=To%20make%20the%20slide%20advance,effect%20on%20the%20slide%20finishes .

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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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7 Steps to Create a Presentation in PowerPoint (+ Templates)

Learn essential steps and tips to move beyond data slides. Discover why PowerPoint falls flat and unveil next-gen tools for impactful presentations.

Hadar Peretz

6 minute read

Short answer

7 steps to create a presentation in PowerPoint

Begin with a surprise or bold statement.

Provide necessary background information.

Frame your presentation as a story.

Keep the text concise and meaningful.

Use visuals to complement the text.

Incorporate interactive design.

Conclude with actionable insights.

Effective data and visual presentation requires specific knowledge

Displaying complex data and project visuals via multimedia elements demands substantial knowledge.

It's not merely about presenting data but doing so in a manner that's intuitive and engaging for the audience.

Utilizing graphs, charts, videos, and interactive animations effectively necessitates a good grasp of design principles, storytelling, and data visualization.

Moreover, familiarity with the technology and platforms for creating and sharing these multimedia presentations is crucial.

This blend of design acumen, technological expertise, and succinct communication is key to ensuring the data and project visuals are comprehended well by the audience.

5 benefits of mastering PowerPoint presentations

PowerPoint presentations come with a variety of benefits that make them a popular choice for both professional and educational settings. Here are some of the advantages:

Visual Engagement: Utilize visuals to keep audiences engaged and convey ideas effectively.

Organization: Structured slides ensure a clear, linear flow of content.

Customization: Modify designs to suit different topics or branding needs.

Compatibility and Reusability: Easily share across platforms, and update or reuse presentations.

Supports Multimedia: PowerPoint supports the integration of videos, hyperlinks, and other multimedia elements.

How to make a presentation in PowerPoint? (7 steps)

Creating a compelling presentation in PowerPoint is a blend of artistry and storytelling, combined with a clear understanding of the material at hand.

Let’s break down this process into seven detailed steps to craft a presentation that not only captivates your audience but leaves a lasting impact.

1. Start with a surprising statement, a bold promise, or a mystery

Kicking off with something unexpected grabs your audience's attention right from the outset.

It might be a shocking fact related to your topic, a bold promise of what they'll learn, or a mystery that piques their curiosity.

For instance, if your presentation is about time management , you might start with a surprising statistic about the average amount of time people waste on trivial tasks.

learn how to avoid these presentation starters : overloading facts, over-explaining initially, generic content, relying solely on PowerPoint norms, revealing key benefits early, and focusing on self over audience engagement.

Aim for curiosity-sparking, audience-tailored narratives.

2. Provide context with a bit of background information

Before diving deep, give your audience a clear understanding of the topic at hand. Offer a brief background to set the stage.

Going with the time management example, you could provide some insights into how modern distractions have made managing time more challenging.

3. Structure your presentation within a story framework

Stories are a powerful medium to convey messages. Structuring your presentation as a story keeps your audience engaged.

Introduce a protagonist, which could be an individual, a group, or even your audience, facing a problem that your presentation will help solve.

For instance, narrate a day in the life of a person struggling to manage time and how the techniques you’re about to share turn things around.

4 steps to structuring your presentation within a story framework:

Introduce Setting and Characters: Kickstart by presenting the backdrop and the entities involved, making them relevant to your audience.

Highlight a Conflict or Challenge: Unveil a significant problem or hurdle that the audience can relate to, setting the stage for your solutions.

Propose the Resolution: Unfold your solutions to the earlier stated problem, walking your audience through each resolving step.

Recap and Look Ahead: Conclude by recapping the narrative and offering actionable steps or insights for the audience to ponder upon or implement.

4. Make every word count, and use as few as possible

Conciseness is key. Make sure each word on your slide adds value to your presentation. This approach keeps your slides uncluttered and easy to follow.

For instance, instead of writing a long sentence about the importance of prioritizing tasks, use a brief statement like “Prioritize to Monetize.”

5. Use visuals only to support your presentation text

Utilizing visuals judiciously within your presentation is crucial. Visuals should complement your narrative, not overshadow it.

Explore the steps to make a presentation creative , apply these methods, and see your skills enhance, leading to captivating presentations.

The essence is to employ images, graphs, and charts to enhance understanding or convey a message more efficiently.

For instance, a simple pie chart can swiftly illustrate how much time is saved by effective prioritization.

By adhering to this guideline, you ensure that your audience remains focused on the key messages being delivered, with visuals serving as a supportive tool rather than a distraction.

6. Use interactive design to make your audience active participants

Engage your audience with interactive elements. Incorporating clickable links, embedded videos, or live polls can make your presentation more interactive and engaging.

For instance, a live poll could be used to understand the audience’s prior knowledge about time management.

7. End by telling your audience what they can do with what they’ve learned

Your conclusion should empower your audience to apply the learnings in their lives. Recap the key points and provide actionable steps they can take post-presentation.

For instance, share a list of time-management tools or a 30-day challenge to improve productivity.

By following these seven steps, you’re on the path to mastering the art of creating impactful PowerPoint presentations.

Each step is geared towards making your content more engaging, understandable, and memorable, ensuring that your message not only resonates with your audience but prompts action long after your presentation concludes.

Browse basic examples about how to end a presentation and discover what should be on the last slide of the presentation.

8 pro tips for crafting effective PowerPoint presentations

Crafting an effective PowerPoint presentation demands a blend of clear objectives, engaging narrative, visual creativity, and audience-centric communication.

Here are key tips to guide you in this endeavor:

Know Your Audience: Tailor your message to match audience expectations.

Clear Objective: Define the primary goal of your presentation.

Engaging Storyline: Employ a compelling narrative to convey your message.

Simplicity is Key: Keep content concise and language simple.

Visual Aids: Use visuals like images and charts to support text.

Practice and Prepare: Familiarize yourself with your content and anticipate questions.

Interactive Elements: Incorporate polls or Q&A to engage the audience.

C all to Action: End with a clear call to action guiding the audience on the next steps.

Why it's time to move to the next-gen presentation tools

Making a memorable presentation requires more than just PowerPoint slides. In fact, making a PowerPoint presentation interesting is impossible .

In today's digital era, engaging your audience demands innovative tools and a narrative approach.

Let’s explore a game-changing tool for impactful presentations.

Embrace interactivity

Interactive presentations foster real-time engagement, turning monologues into dialogues.

Tools like Storydoc offer a fresh, engaging approach to sharing your message.

With the right tools, creating lasting impressions is a breeze. It’s time to change the narrative and make your presentations both informative and inspiring.

Here’s our CEO, Itai Amoza, discussing the key elements that make a presentation engaging:

Best tool for making an effective presentation

Traditionally, PowerPoint or Google Slides were the go-to platforms for crafting presentations, offering simplicity.

However, to truly engage modern audiences, stepping up your game is essential. This is where next-gen AI-driven tools like Storydoc come into play.

Unlike static slides, Storydoc enables the creation of interactive, immersive content experiences. It’s not merely about showcasing data, but weaving a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.

Creative presentation templates

Ever faced the daunting blank slide with a blinking cursor urging creativity? It's like having a stage awaiting your script.

Overcoming this initial challenge can be hefty, but there's a savior - creative presentation templates.

These templates act like a structured canvas, guiding your narrative while leaving room for your unique flair.

Grab a template and witness the simplicity it brings to narrating your distinct tale.

I am a Marketing Specialist at Storydoc, I research, analyze and write on our core topics of business presentations, sales, and fundraising. I love talking to clients about their successes and failures so I can get a rounded understanding of their world.

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A step-by-step guide to captivating PowerPoint presentation design

november 20, 2023

by Corporate PowerPoint Girl

Do you often find yourself stuck with a lackluster PowerPoint presentation, desperately seeking ways to make it more engaging and visually appealing? If your boss has ever told you to "please fix" a presentation and you didn't know where to start, you're not alone. In this article, we'll walk you through a straightforward method to transform your PowerPoint slides into a visually captivating masterpiece. 

Let's dive right in! 

Clean up your slides 

The first step in this journey to presentation excellence is all about decluttering your slides and elevating their impact. Say goodbye to those uninspiring bullet points that often dominate presentations. Instead, focus on what truly matters – the key call-out numbers. By increasing the font size of these numbers, you ensure they take center stage, immediately drawing your audience's attention. 

To make those numbers pop, consider breaking the text after the numbers into the next line and adding a touch of color. The contrast created by pairing a dark color with a lighter shade, like dark teal and light teal or burnt orange with peach, can work wonders. This simple adjustment makes your data more engaging , enhancing the overall impact of your presentation. 

Add dimension with boxes 

Now, let's introduce an element of depth and organization to your slides. By adding boxes, you'll create a visually pleasing structure that guides your audience through the content. In the "Insert" menu, select "Table" and opt for a one-by-one table. Change the table color to a light gray shade, elongate it, and position it neatly to the left of your text. 

To improve readability and aesthetics, increase the spacing between text phrases. A small adjustment in the before spacing setting (setting it to 48) significantly enhances the visual appeal of your slides. 

Insert circles 

To further enhance the visual appeal and engagement of your slides, let's introduce circles. In the Insert menu, navigate to Shapes and choose the circle. Adjust the circle's height and width to 1.2, ensuring it complements your content seamlessly. Match the circle's shape fill color with the corresponding text color for a harmonious look. 

Avoid using colored outlines for the circles, as they may distract from the overall aesthetic. This simple addition of circles adds an element of visual interest to your presentation, making it more captivating. 

Choose icons 

Now, it's time for a touch of creativity. Selecting icons to complement your text can elevate the clarity and appeal of your slides. In the "Insert" menu, you can search for relevant keywords to find the perfect icon from PowerPoint's extensive library . 

For instance, if your text discusses investment portfolio yield, search for "growth" and choose an upward arrow growth icon. These icons add an extra layer of visual appeal and clarity to your content, making it more engaging and informative. 

Final touches 

To wrap up the transformation process, we come to the final touches that give your presentation a polished, professional finish. Align your icons with their corresponding circles and change the shape fill color to white. This simple adjustment creates a crisp, cohesive look that ties everything together seamlessly. 

In conclusion, by following these steps, you've embarked on a journey to enhance your PowerPoint presentation . These initial steps are just the beginning of your exploration into the world of design elements and styles that can cater to your specific presentation needs. The key to a stunning PowerPoint presentation lies in the details. By following these steps, you can turn a lackluster set of slides into a visually engaging and dynamic presentation that will captivate your audience. So, the next time your boss says, "Please fix," you'll know exactly where to start. Happy presenting! 

Related topics

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

Have you ever been asked to give a presentation, but weren’t sure how to make a PowerPoint presentation? Knowing how to create an effective and professional PowerPoint presentation can be a useful skill for any professional.

In this article, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to make a PowerPoint presentation and ensure it is engaging and effective.

We will cover topics such as determining the purpose and desired outcome, gathering and organizing the content, designing the slides, incorporating visuals, selecting a font, practicing the presentation, and finally finalizing the presentation.

Read on to learn how to make a PowerPoint presentation that will be sure to wow your audience.

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Making a PowerPoint presentation is a relatively easy process.

Firstly, open a blank PowerPoint presentation by launching the program.

Then, select a theme or template for your presentation.

Next, add content to the slides, such as text, images, and animations.

Finally, use the ‘Slide Show’ tab to practice presenting and save the presentation when you’re done.

Determine the Purpose and Desired Outcome

Before you create your PowerPoint presentation, it is important to take a step back and determine the purpose and desired outcome of the presentation.

Ask yourself what the goal of the presentation is and what you want the audience to take away from it.

Do you want to inform, educate, or persuade? Knowing the purpose of the presentation will help guide the design and content.

Additionally, consider the audience and the material that is most appropriate for them.

For example, a presentation for a group of experts should include more technical information than one for a general audience.

With the purpose and desired outcome in mind, you can then begin to gather the necessary content and organize it.

Gather and Organize the Content

Gathering and organizing the content for a PowerPoint presentation is the first step in the process and is essential to ensure its success.

It is important to start the process by identifying the purpose of the presentation and the desired outcome.

Once these have been determined, the next step is to gather all the necessary information and organize it in a way that will be easy to understand and follow.

When gathering content, it is important to have reliable sources and to be sure to cite any material used from outside sources.

Additionally, it is important to include only the most pertinent information for the presentation.

This will help to keep the audience engaged and ensure that the presentation is concise and to the point.

Once all the content has been gathered, it is time to organize it.

Organizing the content will help to ensure that the presentation flows smoothly and logically.

Start by creating an outline of the presentation that includes the main points and any supporting details.

It is also helpful to divide the content into sections or subsections, depending on the length of the presentation.

Additionally, it is important to consider the order in which the content should be presented, as this will help to ensure that the audience is able to follow the presentation from beginning to end.

Once the content is organized, the next step is to design the slides.

Design the Slides

Designing the slides of a PowerPoint presentation is a crucial step.

This is where you will be able to create an engaging experience for your audience.

When designing your slides, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

First, keep the design simple.

Too much text or too many visuals can be overwhelming for the audience.

Second, use visuals that are relevant and visually appealing.

Be sure to incorporate images, charts, and graphs that help illustrate the points you are making.

Lastly, choose a font that is easy to read.

Using a font size that is too small or a font that is too decorative can be difficult to read and make your presentation difficult to follow.

With these tips in mind, you will be able to create an effective and engaging PowerPoint presentation.

Incorporate Visuals

When creating a PowerPoint presentation, visuals can help engage an audience and reinforce your key points.

Visuals can include images, charts, graphs, and other graphics, as well as animations and videos.

The visuals should be appropriate for the topic and audience and should be used to enhance the presentation rather than overwhelm it.

When selecting visuals, it is important to consider the purpose of the presentation.

If the goal is to inform, visuals should be used to illustrate data or concepts.

If the goal is to persuade, visuals should be used to show the benefits or consequences of an action.

In either case, visuals should be relevant and easy to understand.

When adding visuals to a slide, it is important to consider the size and placement of the visual.

For example, if the visual is an image, it should be large enough to be clearly visible, but not so large that it takes up the entire slide.

Additionally, it should be placed in the most effective location on the slide.

Too much text or too many visuals can be distracting, so it is important to keep the slide simple and uncluttered.

Incorporating visuals into a PowerPoint presentation can help engage an audience and reinforce key points.

When selecting visuals, it is important to consider the purpose of the presentation and the desired outcome.

Additionally, it is important to consider the size and placement of the visual on the slide in order to keep the presentation uncluttered and effective.

Select a Font

Font selection is an important part of creating an effective PowerPoint presentation.

The font used should be professional and easy to read.

It should also reflect the tone and content of the presentation.

Popular choices for PowerPoint presentations include sans serif fonts like Arial and Calibri.

Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman and Georgia, can also be used but may be more difficult to read.

It is important to select a font size that is appropriate for the audience.

Smaller fonts may be difficult to read, while larger fonts may be too overwhelming.

Consider using a different font for titles and subtitles to add variety and emphasize important points.

With the right combination of font type and size, a professional and engaging PowerPoint presentation can be created.

Practice the Presentation

Practicing the presentation is the final step in creating an effective PowerPoint presentation.

It is important to practice in order to ensure that all the content is accurate and that the presentation is delivered confidently.

Before practicing, it is helpful to set up a mock audience to practice in front of.

This will help to prepare for any questions and ensure that the presentation is presented in an organized manner.

When practicing, it is important to pay attention to the pacing, intonation, and body language.

The presenter should practice speaking in a clear and concise manner, using pauses to emphasize key points.

They should also practice using appropriate facial expressions and body language to ensure that the presentation is engaging and inviting.

Lastly, the presenter should practice speaking in a natural and conversational tone to keep the audience engaged.

Practicing the presentation is key to success.

It allows the presenter to become familiar with the content and practice their delivery.

With adequate practice, the presenter will be able to create an engaging and successful PowerPoint presentation.

Finalize the Presentation

Once the content is ready and the slides are designed, the next step is to finalize the presentation.

This includes making sure that all the visuals, slides, and fonts are properly implemented.

Visuals can be used to enhance the presentation and make it more engaging, so it is important to choose images and graphics that are appropriate and relevant to the subject matter.

Additionally, the chosen font should be easy to read, as this can greatly affect the audience’s comprehension.

It is also important to think about the timing of the presentation and how long it should be.

Keep in mind that shorter is better; try to limit the total time to around 10 minutes.

After this is done, the presentation can be practiced in order to ensure confidence and effective communication.

Once the presenter is comfortable, the presentation is ready to be shared with the audience.

With the right combination of planning, design, and delivery, a successful PowerPoint presentation can be created.

With an engaging and informative presentation, audiences can gain a better understanding of the subject matter and be more likely to remember the key points.

Planning ahead and taking the time to design the slides and visuals will pay off when it comes to delivering a successful presentation.

Final Thoughts

Creating a successful PowerPoint presentation is a combination of planning, design, and delivery.

From determining the purpose and desired outcome, to gathering and organizing content, to designing the slides and incorporating visuals, to selecting a font and practicing the presentation, each step is critical in creating an effective and engaging presentation.

With the right combination of these steps, you can create an impressive PowerPoint presentation and achieve great results with your audience.

Now that you know the steps for creating a successful presentation, it’s time to get started!

James Wilson

James Wilson has extensive knowledge in the information technology industry.His second love, besides dealing with computers, is smart home technology. He is continually updating information to better comprehend this problem and has a deep understanding of the apartment’s support system.

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15 PowerPoint Tutorials to Help You Master PowerPoint

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By Iveta Pavlova

in How-To Tutorials

4 years ago

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Need PowerPoint Backgrounds? Read The Best Places to Find PowerPoint Backgrounds [+ Freebies]

PowerPoint is software for presentations that offers many opportunities for creativity. If you want to create visually appealing and engaging presentations, check out this collection of 15 beginner PowerPoint tutorials that will help you step up your game, no matter if you are a regular presenter or a beginner in the software.

In this selection of PowerPoint tutorials, we’ve included tutorials for beginners, intermediate and advanced users. Some are incredibly impressive and will teach you hacks that you never thought were possible in PowerPoint. Let’s begin!

*Last updated July 1st, 2022

2. Tips and Tricks for working with PowerPoint

Level: Intermediate / Advanced

A one-hour web session with PowerPoint guru Tess Ausman. In the video tutorial, she shares advanced tips and techniques for PowerPoint which will take your presentations to the next level. Animations, screencasts, and everything you need to know in order to use and master PowerPoint’s superpowers.

You may also want to check out these amazing  12 PowerPoint Presentation Tips .

3. How to add audio in PowerPoint?

Level: Beginners

PowerPoint is perfect for newbies and experienced presenters and it allows a lot of audio customization. Our guide shows you how to add audio to PowerPoint in a quick step-by-step guide. You will also see how to record yourself, to get the best results. All steps are explained with images, to ensure you understand the concept well. Adding audio is one of the first things you need to do to attract customers’ attention.

4. How to make photos 3D in PowerPoint?

It’s always a good idea to come up with interesting concepts. In this PowerPoint tutorial, you will learn how to use separate images and then add them to PowerPoint, to achieve a smooth 3D look. The video is quite long, so if you want to watch only the PowerPoint part, you can skip to 15:31.

5. How to collaborate in PowerPoint?

Level: Beginner / Intermediate 

Learning how to collaborate with your team is crucial. Fortunately, PowerPoint has advanced a lot over the years and nowadays it’s not hard to work together with your peers. There are many collaboration tutorials for PowerPoint but this one is extremely easy to apply.

6. How to Insert a GIF in PowerPoint?

Level: Beginner

GIFs are a very powerful method to deliver a message. They represent information in a more visual way. Our guide on how to insert GIFs into PowerPoint will help you insert simple animations and attract attention. On top of that, you will learn where you can find resources for inspiration. All steps are visualized for easy access.

7. How to Add Speaker Notes in PowerPoint?

Level: Intermediate

Speaker notes are crucial for all presenters. They let you memorize key phrases during the slides, and avoid any mishaps. In this PowerPoint video tutorial, you’ll learn not only how to add and show speaker notes, but also some of the reasons why people use them.

8. Microsoft PowerPoint Tutorial for Beginners Level 1

If you are a complete beginner to the software, we recommend to start off with a tutorial that covers the basics of working with PowerPoint. Jamie K. from Teacher’s Tech explains the basic functions and the interface options of the software and takes you through the process of creating a basic presentation.

9. Ten Powerful PowerPoint Tips

Level: Beginners / Intermediate

A video of PowerPoint hacks and tricks that will help you create a more appealing presentation design. Again created by Jamie K. from Teacher’s Tech, this video presents you to handy features in PowerPoint that reveal how to craft visually pleasing presentations more easily and quickly.

10. PowerPoint Slide Master tutorial – Placeholders & Basics

Working with Slide Master in PowerPoint requires you to be at least an intermediate user of the software, so we recommend you to check out the PowerPoint tutorials for beginners first. This great tutorial by Andrzej Pach introduces you to the Slide Master tool which will be really useful to you if you’d like to create custom presentation templates. His channel is full of useful videos, so we highly recommend you to check it out.

11. Three PowerPoint Hacks for Instant Improvement

Level: Advanced

A very insightful video tutorial by Leila Gharani who shares advanced hacks on how to instantly improve your presentations in PowerPoint. She talks about working with smart shapes, morph transitions, and advanced morph available in the newest version of PowerPoint. Every step is explained and the final result for your presentation is super impressive.

Need an amazing resume template? Take a look at these  Top Resume Powerpoint Templates to Help You Stand Out .

12. How To Make Videos in PowerPoint?

A tutorial by Michael Kinney who will teach you how to turn your PowerPoint slideshow into a narrated video. The tutorial assumes you are already familiar with the software and explains how to set up your mic, use the recording features in PowerPoint, and later on, export your presentation into a video.

13. Animated 3D Models in PowerPoint – Part 1, The Basics

Thanks to the evolving technologies, incorporation 3D objects in your PowerPoint presentation is now completely possible. The following video will introduce you to the basics of using 3D models in PowerPoint and is a part of a sequence, so if you feel impressed, you can check out the second video which will show you advanced tricks with 3D models in PowerPoint. The video tutorial is made by Lia from Spicy Presentations and for doing it, you will need to have the latest Microsoft Office 365.

You may also be interested in How to Add Audio to PowerPoint: The Quick Step-by-Step Guide

14. How To Create Parallax Effect PowerPoint Step-by-Step?

A video tutorial by One Skill who shows how to create a parallax effect in your PowerPoint presentation. The tutorial is suitable for users who are already familiar with the software and want to make their presentations more attractive and modern. This step-by-step narrated tutorial will help you get there easily!

15. 40 Best Animation Tutorials for PowerPoint

There are so many animation effects you can achieve with PowerPoint that they cannot possibly be gathered into one video tutorial. The YouTube channel The Teacher regularly uploads great PowePoint tutorials which can be achieved by users with at least intermediate knowledge of the software. In the video below, you will see previews of 40 great animation effects. If you like any, just look for it in the description of the video and head over the tutorial itself.

To wrap up,

PowerPoint is a software that offers a lot as long as you know how to use it right. We hope this collection of 15 PowerPoint tutorials was useful to you and helped you learn new tricks and tips. It certainly was useful to us! If you want to recommend PowerPoint tutorials that helped you master your skills, you are welcome to share them in the comments below.

You may also be interested in these related articles:

• The Best Free PowerPoint Templates to Download in 2022
• 35+ Free Infographic PowerPoint Templates to Power Your Presentations
• 50 Free Cartoon PowerPoint Templates with Characters & Illustrations

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Iveta Pavlova

Iveta is a passionate writer at GraphicMama who has been writing for the brand ever since the blog was launched. She keeps her focus on inspiring people and giving insight on topics like graphic design, illustrations, education, business, marketing, and more.

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How to Create a PowerPoint Presentation

Introduction: How to Create a PowerPoint Presentation

The possible uses of PowerPoint are countless.  A slide show can help a teacher teach a lesson, illustrate an event in history, easily display statistical information, or be used for training in corporations.  A slide show can be a valuable tool for teaching, sharing and learning.  Whether presenting at a conference or convincing your parents to get a puppy, PowerPoint presentations are useful no matter what the topic and help communicate ideas to an audience.  The invention of PowerPoint by Gaskins has saved presenters hours of painstakingly handcrafting displays, and created a professional and easy way to relay information.  The following are steps on how to create a basic PowerPoint presentation, however certain steps may vary slightly depending upon what version of PowerPoint you are using.  This tutorial is specifically using PowerPoint 2007.

Step 1: Launch the PowerPoint Program

When you launch the PowerPoint program, you may be prompted to pick what kind of document you want to create.  Choose to create a blank presentation.  If it does not ask you this, a blank presentation will automatically launch.

Step 2: Choosing a Design

The next thing you want to do is decide what design you want for the presentation. To do this, go to the 'Design' tab at the top of the page. Scroll through all the options and decide which one looks best for the presentation you want. To get a preview of what the design will look like before applying it to the presentation, hover over the design you want to preview. This design will be automatically continued throughout the rest of your presentation. Once you have more than one slide, you can add a different design for just one slide. To do this, select the slide you want to change the design on by clicking on it. It will pop-up as the big slide in the screen. Then you can right-click the design you want for this slide and select 'Apply to Selected Slide'. It will appear on that slide, but will not change the design of the other slides.

Step 3: Create Title Page

Click the first box that says 'Click to add title' and add the title of your presentation.  Click the bottom box to add your name, or any other subtitle that you choose.  Once you have your text in the boxes, you can change their font, size, color, etc. with the toolbar options at the top.  You can change the size of the text box by selecting it, and then dragging the corners of the box.  To move the text boxes, select the box, and move your arrow over the border of the box.  A four-arrow icon will appear, and clicking with this icon will allow you to move the text boxes wherever you choose.

Step 4: Add More Slides

Chances are, you are going to need more than one slide.  There are a few ways you can add more slides.  Notice that there is a separate area to the left of the screen where your first slide is located.  The first way to add a slide is to right-click the area under where your first slide is located and select 'New Slide'.  A new slide will appear.  The second way to add another slide it to click 'New Slide' in the toolbar above the slides.  This button is divided into two parts,. The top will insert a new slide with a default layout.  You can also click the bottom half of this button, which will allow you to choose what type of layout you want.  You can choose a slide with two text-boxes and a title, one text-box, only a title, and many other options.  You will see your new slide appear to the left under the first, as well become the large slide that you can edit.  The design you picked earlier will have carried over to this slide.  The design will carry over for the rest of the slides you create unless you decide to change just one, like described earlier.  The guideline layout you chose will appear, and you can then add in your information.

Step 5: Add Charts, Pictures, Graphs, Etc.

If you want to insert a chart, picture, graph, or any other graphic, click on the 'Insert' tab at the top of the window.  Here you will see buttons of all the options of what you can insert into your slide.  Click the designated box and insert what it is you want to have on that slide.  A second way you can insert pictures and graphs is when you have an empty text or image box.  Little pictures of the same options you saw in the toolbox will show up in the middle of the box, and you can click any of these to insert as well.  Once you have your chart or picture, you can add a border or edit it however you want in the 'Format' tab.

Step 6: Add Transitions

To add transitions in between your slides, click the 'Animations' tab at the top of the page.  Here you can scroll through all the options of transitions, and hover over them to see a preview.  Select the slide you want the transition applied to, and then click the transition you chose.  You can do this for every slide, selecting the same or different transitions.

Step 7: Changing the Order

Once you have all your slides made, you can change the order of the slides.  To do this, click and drag the slides from where they are to where you want them in the order.  Another possibility, which is particularly useful if you presentation is longer, is to click the 'Outline' button.  You can find this small button above the left area where all your slides are located smaller, directly to the right of the 'Slides' button.  Here you will see a list of all your slides and you can click and drag your slides to where you want them.

Step 8: Play the Presentation

Once you have all your slides completed and in the order you want, view your slideshow.  Click the 'Slide Show' tab at the top of the page and select 'From Beginning'.  You can go through your entire slideshow, and change slides by clicking or pressing the right arrow.  A shortcut to this is pressing F5.  Congratulations! You have now made a PowerPoint presentation.

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How to Start PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Starting PowerPoint is as easy as opening the program and selecting a template or a blank presentation. Once you’ve got the program open, you’ll be greeted with various options to create your perfect presentation, whether it’s for a business meeting, a school project, or just for fun. Just be sure you have PowerPoint installed on your computer or you have access to it online through Microsoft 365.

After you’ve opened PowerPoint and selected your template, you’ll be able to add text, images, videos, and other elements to your slides to make your presentation unique and engaging.

Introduction

PowerPoint is a versatile tool used by millions to create engaging and dynamic presentations. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone who just wants to make a fun slideshow for friends and family, knowing how to start PowerPoint is a must-have skill in today’s digital world. This program has been around for decades, evolving with technology to offer a wide range of features that can make any presentation go from bland to brilliant.

But why is it so important to know how to start PowerPoint? Well, think about it. Presentations are a key part of communication in various settings. They can make or break a business pitch, help or hinder a teacher’s lesson, and add a lot of fun to personal projects. PowerPoint is relevant to just about anyone who needs to convey information in a visual and organized way. So let’s dive in and get started on mastering the basics of opening and using PowerPoint.

Step by Step Tutorial: Starting PowerPoint

Before we begin, make sure you have PowerPoint installed on your computer. If you do, fantastic! If not, you can download it from the Microsoft website or access it online through Microsoft 365. Ready? Let’s go!

Step 1: Open PowerPoint

Launch PowerPoint by clicking on the program icon on your computer.

Once you’ve found the PowerPoint icon, either on your desktop, start menu, or taskbar, give it a click, and the program will open. You may see a loading screen briefly before the main window appears.

Step 2: Choose a Template

Select a template or a blank presentation to start creating your slides.

PowerPoint offers a variety of templates to fit every need and occasion. Whether you want something simple and professional or colorful and creative, there’s a template for you. If you prefer to start from scratch, you can choose a blank presentation.

Step 3: Customize Your Slides

Add text, images, videos, and other elements to your slides.

Once you’ve picked your template or opened a blank slide, it’s time to make it your own. You can add title text, bullet points, images, and even videos. PowerPoint has a range of tools for customizing each slide to fit your content perfectly.

Additional Information

When starting PowerPoint, it’s essential to keep your audience in mind. Who will be viewing your presentation? What is the main message you want to convey? Answering these questions can help you choose the right template and design elements. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different fonts, colors, and layouts to find what works best for your content.

Remember, a well-organized and visually appealing presentation can significantly impact your audience’s engagement and retention of information. Also, consider using PowerPoint’s various features like transitions and animations sparingly – while they can add a dynamic touch, overuse can be distracting. And always save your work regularly!

• Open PowerPoint by clicking on the program icon.
• Select a template or a blank presentation.
• Customize your slides by adding text, images, videos, and other elements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do i need a microsoft account to use powerpoint.

Yes, to download and use PowerPoint, you’ll need a Microsoft account.

Can I access PowerPoint online?

Absolutely, PowerPoint is available online through Microsoft 365, which allows you to work on presentations from any browser.

Is PowerPoint free?

PowerPoint is not free, but it is included in the Microsoft Office Suite, which is available for purchase. However, you can use the online version with a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Can I collaborate with others on a PowerPoint presentation?

Yes, PowerPoint supports collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same presentation simultaneously.

Can I convert a PowerPoint presentation to a video?

Indeed, PowerPoint has a feature that lets you save your presentation as a video file.

Starting PowerPoint is just the beginning of creating compelling and memorable presentations. Whether you use a template or start from a blank canvas, the key to a great PowerPoint presentation is creativity, clarity, and audience engagement. Remember, practice makes perfect!

So go ahead and play around with all the tools and features PowerPoint offers. The more you use it, the more proficient you’ll become. And if you ever get stuck, there’s a vast community of PowerPoint users and an array of online resources to help you out. Now that you know how to start PowerPoint, where will your presentations take you?

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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What are the steps to create a PowerPoint presentation?

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Knowing how to create a PowerPoint presentation is without doubt one of the most basic and important skills that businesses today expect their employees to have. We have frequently seen people struggle and literally spend days, even weeks in creating a PowerPoint presentation and they still don’t get it right! This can be a daunting task or a cakewalk depending on who you ask. In case you are one of those people who fear PowerPoint presentations – don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

But first, just in case you are wondering, what is a PowerPoint presentation? A PowerPoint presentation is a tool that allows us to share information about a certain topic in an effective manner. As opposed to other forms of sharing information, PowerPoint presentation allows us to make the information specific to our audience and often present it in an engaging manner. It has a wide range of uses. However, the beauty of PowerPoint is that it is very easy to use for beginners and packs some awesome features even for experts! PowerPoint presentation file can be used as a standalone file or as a reference in the background while delivering your presentation . The term is derived from Microsoft PowerPoint who created the PowerPoint software. While there are other tools that also allow us to create and deliver a presentation, PowerPoint, today, has become synonymous with any form of presentation.

Let’s dive right into the steps for creating a PowerPoint presentation – 

Step 1 – preparing to create your PowerPoint presentation

Preparing for creating your presentation is one of the KEY STEPS that can set your presentation apart. A good PowerPoint presentation is engaging & easy to follow, aesthetically beautiful, has a clear objective, and actionable next steps (wherever possible).

Thus, there are a few things that you should keep in mind even before you begin creating a PowerPoint presentation. You should step back for a moment and ask yourself –

• Who is my target audience? 
• How much time do I have with my target audience? 
• Will I be sharing this deck over email or do I plan to present it in person? 
• What is the audience size who you would be delivering the presentation?

Answers to the above questions can give you direction for a few key things while creating a presentation. For example, if you are planning to present to a large audience, you may want to ensure that you don’t cram too much of the information on the slides as it may be difficult for people to read and it will act as a distraction.

Another example on how the above questions can help would be on the number of slides. If you know that you have about 30 minutes for delivering the presentation, you may want to keep about 10 minutes for answering questions from the audience. Thus, you would only be left with about 15-20 minutes to for the actual presentation. Such an assessment allows you to identify how many slides should you consider for your presentation based on a rough estimate on the amount of time each slide would take.

Step 2 – create your PowerPoint presentation structure

Once you’ve completed step 1, you will now have to start thinking about what is the objective of the PowerPoint presentation that you intend to create. What content would you like to include in order to achieve the objective. Mostly importantly, how you would want to structure the content of your presentation.

The best presentations are those which represent the most complex piece of information in the easiest and the simplest manner possible such that your audience spends the least amount of time understanding it!

-Shrot Katewa

When it comes to structuring your presentation – there is no right or wrong. It’s about what works best for you and what would be the easiest and the most simplest way you can represent the most complex piece of information such that your audience spend the least amount of time understanding it.

Every presentation is different and each presentation follows its own structure. But, what’s really important is the information flow. We recommend our customers to start with a high level view of your presentation objective – an abstract idea or a problem statement. As you proceed in your presentation, substantiate your idea and go deeper explaining more about your objective or the key idea. You can close with specific takeaways or call to actions that you want your audience to focus on. 

Let’s look at an example. Let’s say you were the founder of Uber. Now, if you were creating a PowerPoint pitch deck for Uber, a great place to start the presentation would be with a “Problem” that Uber is trying to solve

Stating the problem upfront gives a sense of the direction in which the rest of the presentation would flow. In the above example, the problem statement indicates that you would be talking about cabs or transportation or topics related to the problem in the rest of your presentation (it would be really odd if otherwise).

In a well structured pitch deck, your next steps will elaborate on the market size – how big a problem it is, solution – how does Uber solve that problem, demo – how does the app work, revenue model – how the company plans to earn money, funding related details – funds to be raised and how it will be utilised.

Step 3 – collating content to create your PowerPoint presentation

This is relatively the easy part of your PowerPoint presentation. Once you have a fair idea about the content structure, it is a lot easier for you to put the content on those slides. Most of us know what our organisation does. However, some of us often struggle with the right type of information for some slide.

One of the tricks that we’ve seen work very well with our customers who are unable to put content on the slide is to look at the topic of the slide and think about what your response would be if a 12 year old child asked you about the topic of your slide! How would you respond? Speak the response out loud. You may also want to record your own response. Then, make a note of the points that you mentioned and include content on those points on the specific slide.

Lastly, make sure to look at what your competitors are talking about. You will surely find a few relevant points for your presentation as well.

Step 4 – designing your PowerPoint presentation

Designing your PowerPoint presentation, in itself, is very difficult to cover in just one post. We will soon be carrying a series on designing your PowerPoint presentation. However, sharing below some of the basic things that all of us should keep in mind –

Choosing the right fonts for your PowerPoint presentation is important. If you are making a professional presentation, avoiding casual fonts is highly recommended. Small decisions like choosing the right fonts can make a big impact to your presentation. There’s a whole science behind how caligraphy impacts individual behaviour. Steve Jobs was one of the pioneers and early adopters of the concept of personalised calligraphy right through his early Macintosh days ( Source )

Small decisions like choosing the right fonts can make a BIG IMPACT to your PowerPoint presentation

You may ask what fonts are right to use for your PowerPoint presentation. San Serif fonts such as Arial or Calibri would both be great fonts to use for your PowerPoint presentation. Some of our other favourites are Montserrat and Helvetica. These work great for most professional presentations.

Another thing to keep in mind would be to use not more than 2 fonts in your presentation. Ensure that there is consistency in the use of fonts. For instance, all your headings should be of the same font family and font size. We recommend avoiding any special effects on the fonts especially for professional PowerPoint presentations, but that’s really a personal choice. Also, do note that the size of the font is not too small as this can make your presentation difficult to read, especially for a larger audience.

Colour scheme

In some cases, the use of your colour pallette may be restricted to the brand guidelines of your organisation. That may actually make it easier for you to choose the colours for your PowerPoint presentation as your choice is restricted. Regardless, a critical point that you may want to keep in mind while designing the slides would be to use contrasting colours for your fonts and the background. That means using colours on the opposite end of the colour wheel. This will ensure good readability of the content. Avoid using flashy colours and more than 4-5 colours throughout the presentation. This maintains consistency of your PowerPoint presentation. If you need to use additional colours, using monochromatic colour scheme would be better than using multiple colours

Images & Graphics

Graphics and images break the monotony of your PowerPoint presentation content. However, using images & graphics is great for your presentation if used appropriately and sparingly. When using images, ensure that it relates to your content. Make sure that you have the legal rights and license for using the images. It is easy to fall in the trap of using copyrighted images from Google. Copyright infringement can damage the reputation of your organisation. We wrote an extensive post on how to avoid using copyrighted images and use images from Google and other sources for free. (Read more about it – https://www.owlscape.in/can-i-use-google-images-for-my-presentation/ ) 

Similarly, use graphics only when needed. A general rule of thumb for using graphics would be when you have bullet point based content on your slides. In such scenarios, graphics will enhance the overall look and feel of your slides.

Number of Slides

Our attention span is very limited. Thus, having too many slides on your presentation is something that should be avoided. There is no fixed rule on how many slides should one have on a presentation although Guy Kawasaki’s “10/20/30 rule” ( source ) may be an exception. However, an easy way to calculate the number of slides that you should have on your presentation is to identify the total amount of time you have for delivering the presentation. Divide that by the approximate time that you may spend on each slide. The resulting number could act as a reference to the number of slides you should be looking at.

We hope that this blog was useful for you and that it helps you to create better presentations in the future. What did you think about it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Let us know if you have any questions or if you would like to cover some specific topics that will help you upgrade your presentation skills.

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How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

Create a basic PowerPoint presentation to share information

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In This Article

Jump to a Section

Create a PowerPoint Presentation

Add text and images to a powerpoint presentation.

• Save and Share PowerPoint Presentation

What to Know

• Select File > New > Blank Presentation or choose preset theme.
• Next, select Home tab > New Slide . Or right-click Slide Sorter bar > select New Slide .
• Select Insert tab > Text Box > select spot in slide for text box > enter text. Select Insert > add images.

This article details how to put together a PowerPoint presentation using PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2019, 2016, and 2013.

Here are the steps to create a basic PowerPoint presentation.

Open PowerPoint. The program may open a blank presentation. If so, select File > New to see the options for creating a new slideshow.

If you'd like to take a tour of the most popular PowerPoint features, go to File > New , then choose the Welcome to PowerPoint template.

Select either a Blank Presentation or choose one of the Microsoft-supplied design themes to create your presentation. When you choose a blank presentation, PowerPoint creates a one-slide presentation that starts with a title slide. You can then select the text boxes on the Title Slide to add your text.

Themes include matching color palettes and fonts to help you create a document with a cohesive look.

Add more slides to your presentation. Go to the Home tab and select New Slide . Or, right-click the Slide Sorter bar in the left pane and select New Slide .

Change the slide layout, if desired. Go to the Home tab and select Layout . Then, choose options for content layout in your slides, which you can resize or delete as needed.

Repeat these steps until you have enough slides to finish your presentation.

Now that you've created the framework of your presentation, you can use some basic operations to make it more interesting.

If you selected a pre-determined layout for a slide that includes text or image elements, click any element. Selecting a text box opens it for editing. You can then type or paste your content into the text box. General content boxes have icons to click to insert objects, including tables, charts, SmartArt, pictures, and video.

Add a text box to a slide. Go to the Insert tab and choose Text Box . Click any place in the slide to place the box. When you begin typing, the Home tab opens with text formatting options such as font, size, bold, italics, color, and alignment. The text editing buttons are only available when a text box is selected.

To resize a text box, drag (click and hold with a mouse) one of the adjustment handles on the outside of the text box until the text box is the desired size.

Add an image. Go to the Insert tab and find the options in the Images group. Choose from these options:

• Picture opens a file browser. Navigate to the photo on your computer you wish to use.
• Online Picture opens a search window. Search Bing for an image online or use OneDrive to access your photos.
• Screenshot captures part of your screen and adds it to your presentation.
• Photo Album accesses a group of photos on your computer.

Adding other objects is also done through the Insert tab. You can drag and create shapes, SmartArt, and charts.

Save and Share a PowerPoint Presentation

Don't leave your new presentation without saving it. Also, you may want to share it with someone or put it where you can access it easily.

Save your presentation by selecting File > Save As .

You can also select Save as Adobe PDF to convert the presentation to a PDF file.

If you use OneDrive, save your presentation to OneDrive for easy access and sharing.

Select File > Share to see options to share your presentation quickly. Depending on your other software, PowerPoint allows you to share through OneDrive, email, and other options.

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Step By Step Guide On How To Make A PowerPoint Presentation

Create and share interesting and engaging presentations with PowerPoint.

PowerPoint is a widely-used presentation software that allows users to create dynamic and engaging presentations for a variety of purposes.

Whether it's for school projects, business presentations, or personal use, PowerPoint provides a user-friendly platform to present information in an organized and visually appealing way.

Before we dive in, it’s important to mention that there are numerous ways to make a PowerPoint presentation. We put this guide together for you to get the lowdown of PowerPoint in the easiest way possible without any overwhelm.

Now, let’s get into it!

Steps On How To Make A PowerPoint 🤔

Frequently asked questions 🙋, it’s a wrap 🎁.

Important disclosure: we're proud affiliates of some tools mentioned in this guide. If you click an affiliate link and subsequently make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (you pay nothing extra). For more information, read our affiliate disclosure .

Here are some basic instructions on how to make a PowerPoint presentation:

• Open the Microsoft PowerPoint program on your computer. If you don't have it installed, you can download it from the Microsoft website or use the free online version.

2. Once you have opened PowerPoint, you can choose a design for your presentation. You can choose a pre-made template or create your own design .

3. You can add slides by clicking on the "New Slide" button on the top left corner or by using the shortcut "Ctrl + M" . You can also duplicate slides if you want to keep the same layout.

4. To add content to your slides, you can click on the text boxes and start typing. You can also insert images, videos, charts, tables, and other objects by clicking on the "Insert" tab on the top menu.

The world is your oyster to completely customize your presentation and make it truly unique.

5. You can customize your presentation by changing the background, font, and color scheme. You can also add transitions between slides and animations to make your presentation more dynamic.

6. Once you have finished creating your presentation, you should save it by clicking on the "Save" button in the top left corner. You can also choose to save it as a PDF or other formats.

7. To present your slides, click on the "Slideshow" button in the bottom right corner. You can also use the shortcut "F5" . You can navigate through your slides using the arrow keys or by clicking on the screen .

What is the first step in creating a PowerPoint presentation? Open the PowerPoint program on your computer or PowerPoint online and choose a design or create your own design.

How do I add content to my PowerPoint presentation? Add content by clicking on the text boxes and typing in your text. You can also insert images, videos, charts, tables, and other objects by clicking on the "Insert" tab on the top menu.

How do I customize the design of my PowerPoint presentation? Customize the design of your presentation by changing the background, font, and color scheme. You can also add transitions between slides and animations to make your presentation more dynamic.

Can I collaborate with others on a PowerPoint presentation? Yes, you can! You have a few options here. Collaborate with others on a PowerPoint presentation by using the "Share" feature, convert the presentation to Google Slides, or upload it to Google Drive, a cloud-based storage service.

How do I present my PowerPoint presentation? Click on the "Slideshow" button in the bottom right corner. You can also use the shortcut "F5". You can navigate through your slides using the arrow keys or by clicking on the screen.

How do I save my PowerPoint presentation? To save your PowerPoint presentation, click on the "Save" button in the top left corner. You can also choose to save it as a PDF or other formats.

How long should my PowerPoint presentation be? The length of your PowerPoint presentation depends on the presentation's purpose and target audience. Generally speaking, presentations range from anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes, but it's important to keep in mind the attention span of your audience and to avoid adding fluff to your presentation. Keep it concise, engaging, and informative.

Creating a PowerPoint presentation may seem daunting at first, but with these basic instructions, you can create a professional and engaging presentation in no time.

By choosing a design, adding slides and content, customizing your presentation, and saving it properly, you can easily present your ideas to an audience in a clear and concise manner .

So whether you're presenting in a classroom or a boardroom, PowerPoint can be a valuable tool to help you communicate your message effectively .

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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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How to Create Slides That Suit Your Superiors: 11 Tips

When you’re pitching ideas or budgets to execs in your organization, you need to deliver slides that fit those particular people just right. This checklist identifies the key considerations.

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I recently interviewed 20 of my customers, all in senior roles at Fortune 100 companies, and asked them their biggest pain point in presenting to higher-ups and even colleagues. What I heard consistently was that it can feel like Goldilocks bouncing from one option to the next, testing to figure out what’s “just right.” Does the audience want deep reports? Sparse slides? Something in between? Like … what?

Teams often come to presentation meetings with vast amounts of backup content just in case an exec wants to take a deep dive on any given point. There’s often a struggle to anticipate every direction attendees might want to go. It’s frustrating, and it’s not efficient.

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There are many ways to build slides. I’m not just talking about crafting them well versus poorly. I’m talking about all of the important decisions regarding how to organize them, how much text to use, when to lean into a chart, the best ways to use bullets and color, and whether to include an appendix with additional information. Before you make your next proposal or request of the executive team, use this list of 11 tips for your next set of slides as a guide.

Four Things You Must Have in Every Exec’s Slides

Before we drill down into the harder aspects, the ones where your executives’ tastes may vary widely, let’s quickly cover four aspects that you can consider the building blocks — the basics you should never proceed without.

Start with an executive summary. Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure. First, start with stating the current realities. Second, clearly state the problem or opportunity your idea addresses and its potential impact. Third, explain how your recommendation solves the problem or exploits the opportunity and the next steps you’re proposing.

Have a logical organization. The arc of the deck — the package from beginning to end — should make sense. If your audience reads only the headline of every slide, the order should be coherent and make most of the case for you. The content below each slide’s headline must support the statement made in the title. Remove everything that doesn’t support your point; as writers will tell you, you sometimes need to “kill your darlings” when you’re editing.

Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure.

Make it skimmable. Help your audience to quickly grasp the point without getting bogged down in details. Create a clear visual hierarchy. Guide the reader’s eye through the content: Use bold headings, bullet points, and numbered lists to break down information into digestible pieces. Highlight key takeaways or conclusions in a different color or font size to draw attention to these critical points.

Focus on concise insights. Succinct statements with clear insights are everyone’s jam. Every slide should serve a purpose and contribute directly to the decision-making process. Distill complex information. Don’t use 100 words when 20 words will nail it. If you’re having difficulty trimming, consider using company-approved AI tools to help you take out the fluff.

Five Preferences to Confirm With the Person You Want to Reach

Now we’ll delve into what your particular audience does and does not want. If you haven’t yet, start by asking the person you’re presenting to what they generally prefer. They probably know themselves well but have not been asked to articulate how they like to receive information.

Ask how dense is too dense. Some executives prefer detailed slides with comprehensive data. Others favor a more high-level approach. You’re weighing how to balance informative content with readability, ensuring that slides are not overloaded yet are sufficiently detailed to support decision-making.

Confirm the delivery format and timing. Some execs like information presented to them. Others prefer a pre-read of the material followed by a discussion. I always recommend our tool Slidedocs (I’ve written a free e-book on them), which are visual documents using both words and images. The templates help presenters organize their thoughts into a document for a pre-read or a read-along. They are designed to be skimmable and able to travel through your organization without the help of a presenter.

I’m a huge fan of pre-reads and prefer to use my time in meetings to ask questions and build alignment. If your audience didn’t review your material in advance, ask at the top of the meeting whether they would like you to present it or would prefer to read through it and then discuss it.

Find out how much data visualization they prefer. Charts, graphs, photos, and illustrations often communicate complex data more clearly than words alone. When execs can see what you’re saying, they often can better understand the impact of your idea. Does the exec want to understand exact numbers? Bar charts allow them to move their eyes across a series of specifics. Does the exec want to know the shape of a trend over time? Line charts can show the pattern. (See “Classic Charts Communicate Data Quickly.”) Some prefer charts with annotations that draw attention to what you think is the most important point. Others want to make their own conclusions from the data.

One of my clients, the CEO of a massive commercial real estate company, doesn’t want anything visualized. He prefers numbers, only in a table, and only in two colors — black and red. You might think this is archaic. But the fact that he’s clear to his teams about what he wants takes all the mystery out of how to communicate with him.

When the stakes are high, have a conceptual thinker help with diagrams and concepts. If you don’t have one on your team, and when it’s high stakes, find an internal designer to help you or hire one. You can’t afford to have the baby (your idea) thrown out with the bathwater (terrible slides).

Identify which details need spelling out. How well do the people you’re presenting to know the landscape and function of the company and products you’re talking about? For example, if your engineering team threw a slide into a deck about an issue that requires executive approval, do the execs all speak geek? Or do you need to explain the technology so that they will really understand the ask? Either eliminate internal jargon and acronyms or unpack those bits, especially if your proposal deeply involves expertise outside of the executives’ domain.

Ask whether appendices will be useful. When you’re organizing a presentation, you often troll data, read through complicated reports, and even hire external experts to figure out what’s best for the company. Do your execs want access to that supporting data? You can add a document to the end of the presentation as an appendix to show all of the data and source material. This allows the main content of the slides to remain focused and accessible while still providing comprehensive background information for those who want more.

Two Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills

Getting materials in place is the biggest step. They will be your best tools for selling your ideas. But there are two extra areas to pay attention to as a presenter: how you handle questions and how you use every experience to improve.

Anticipate questions, and practice your answers. Before you have your meeting, gather a small team to challenge every point you make. Invite colleagues you trust to role-play as “a rapidly inquisitive exec” or “the doubting naysayer exec” so you are prepared to present your idea well. They’re gonna grill you, and practicing will help you remain unruffled when it happens.

Related Articles

Ask for feedback after the presentation. Establish a feedback loop with those you presented to. Ask what worked well and how you can improve. If attendees don’t have the time, find people who have had their ideas funded and talk to them about what they did that worked. Advice and some perspective will help you nail your performance even better next time.

Empathetically understanding your audience members and how they process information, whether it’s executives or peers, sets up your ideas for success. Clarity creates efficiency. When a presentation fits just right, you’ve given your great thinking the best chance of moving through your organization and having maximum impact.

About the Author

Nancy Duarte is CEO of Duarte Inc. , a communication company in the Silicon Valley. She’s the author of six books, including DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story (Ideapress Publishing, 2019).

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How to Insert a Line in PowerPoint

Last updated on April 10th, 2024

Lines are very useful to design diagrams, charts or just remark some ideas. You can also use lines to separate concepts or content in your presentation slide or you can also make awesome arrows with lines. In PowerPoint you can insert lines easily using shapes.

To insert a line in PowerPoint just need to go to Insert -> Shapes -> Line. Now draw the starting point and end point. Then you can apply special line styles for example to change the line color or the line width.

Quick Tip: If you want to draw horizontal or vertical lines, just keep pressed the Shift key while drawing the line. This tip can also be used to draw diagonal lines in PowerPoint. Once the line is inserted in the slide, if you keep the Shift key pressed while dragging any of the end points, you can enlarge the line without changing the orientation or current line rotation.

Even simple lines in PowerPoint has special properties. When you draw a line in PowerPoint you can right click to choose the line conenctor type. This let you change the way connectors are used in the line. For example you can use curve line connector, elbow connector or straight connector.

While the examples above show different types of lines, PowerPoint also allows to set the dash type. In the image below, we created a simple comparison between the different dash line types available when inserting a line into a PowerPoint slide.

Here is an example showing where you can change the connector types.

If your lines are connected to objects, you can also enable Reroute Connectors option, which will help to reorganize the way objects are connected with lines.

Remember that if you need free PowerPoint templates you can download free PPT templates from our website, including this free line PowerPoint template . Simple Line PowerPoint template is a fresh and free PPT background that you can download with gray lines and background.

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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 .

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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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.

Save Time and Effortlessly Create Presentations with SlidesAI

How an AI Powerpoint Generator Transforms Ordinary Presentations into Extraordinary Experiences

How to create high quality power point presentations - quickly - with AI

Say goodbye to dull and monotonous presentations and hello to extraordinary experiences that will leave a lasting impact!

AI PowerPoint Generators are revolutionizing the way ordinary slideshows captivate audiences. Whether you're a professional speaker, a student, or simply someone who wants to impress with their slides, an AI PowerPoint generator is here to take your presentations to the next level.

But what is the best free AI PowerPoint generator? How can you choose the best tool to use, and how can AI voiceovers bring your PowerPoint presentation to the next level using text-to-presentation processes?

Whether you're using Powerpoint or Google Slides, this article will delve into all you need to know about using AI to generate your next presentation. Let's dive in!

What is an AI PowerPoint Generator?

An AI PowerPoint Generator is a tool that uses artificial intelligence to automatically create presentations.

The tool takes input in the form of data, text, or images and generates slides with relevant content and visual elements. This eliminates the need for manual slide creation and saves time for users, making it a convenient solution for creating engaging presentations.

What is the best tool for generating AI presentations? In our opinion, Canva or ChatGPT are both fantastic options that you can try out.

5 Steps to Incorporating an AI PowerPoint Generator in Your Presentation

So, how can we use AI to generate a great presentation?

Step 1: Choose an Appropriate AI PowerPoint Generator

To start using AI in your presentations, you need to pick the right AI PowerPoint tool. It's important to choose one that works well for you, matches your needs, and has the features you want.

This initial decision sets the stage for a presentation that smoothly includes AI, fitting your style and needs.

Our favorite options include ChatGPT and Canva. With accessible price points and easy-to-use interfaces, these two options stand out as great tools. Whether you need a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or an AI presentation maker for Google Slides, both these options are standouts.

Step 2: Get to Know the AI Tool Inside Out

After picking your AI tool, it's crucial to really understand how it works.

Take the time to learn about the algorithms it uses to create content, its design tips, and any special things it can do. This deep understanding helps you make the most of the AI tool so you can improve your presentation's content and visuals for a better experience.

When you're learning a new tool, our recommendation is to browse YouTube for tutorials and get acquainted with experts in that niche. There are hundreds of great creators out there who have fantastic tutorials, so get exploring!

Step 3: Pick the Right Presentation Style

Now, it's time to get started on the actual content generation.

At this step, it's critical to choose a presentation style that fits your content's theme and your audience's expectations.

But don't panic - AI PowerPoint tools usually offer various templates for different themes and purposes; whether you're looking for a corporate feel, a fun-friendly presentation, or even a video template, then your AI tool should have you covered.

Remember: Selecting the right template makes the creative process smoother, resulting in a polished and professional look.

Step 4: Customize Your Content with AI-Powered Suggestions

Now, you're ready to get to the meat of the presentation - the content. While you may already have a load of content that's ready to be slotted into your presentation, you may also take this time to get writing.

Remember, it's always possible to incorporate AI into your content creation process at this stage.

Content creation tools like ChatGPT can help refine your language, ensuring accuracy and impact and generating scripts and images.

Step 5: Add AI-Enhanced Visuals and Effects to Your Presentation

In the final step, use AI-generated visuals and effects to enhance your presentation.

Explore the AI tool's capabilities to create impactful visuals, sophisticated graphics, or interactive elements that grab your audience's attention. From data visualization to smooth transitions, AI elevates the visual appeal of your presentation, leaving a memorable impression on your audience.

As well as this, now's the time to add an AI voiceover to your presentation to allow your content to be shared and rewatched over and over again or even translated into multiple languages. Plus, having an AI voiceover makes a presentation more accessible to those with visual impairments or who use a screen reader.

ElevenLabs  is a great tool for you to use here. With high-quality, human-like narration and an accessible, easy-to-use platform, ElevenLabs is the perfect tool for generating fantastic audio for your AI-generated presentations.

Ultimately, by following these five steps carefully, integrating AI into your presentation workflow becomes an efficient process that results in a professional and sophisticated presentation that resonates with your audience.

The Future of Presentations Using AI

Using AI in presentations has a bright future with lots of exciting possibilities. AI technology is changing the way we do presentations, making them more interactive and engaging. These AI tools can create cool visuals, understand data in real time, and even help with understanding what people say and translating languages. So, when people make presentations, they can use AI to make them more powerful and grab the audience's attention.

In the future, AI in presentations is likely to keep getting better. Experts think that AI will become even smarter, allowing for more advanced and personalized presentations. This means that presentations can be customized to fit what each person likes and how they learn best.

For businesses, using AI in presentations is increasingly important. It helps companies in many industries communicate better and engage employees and clients alike. These AI tools make it easier to create convincing presentations that engage clients, partners, and audiences and make content accessible to those with visual impairments or different learning abilities. Plus, AI can quickly and accurately analyze data and make it easier for businesses to make smart decisions.

In a nutshell, AI is changing the presentation game, making a Google Slide or PowerPoint presentation more exciting and personalized. As AI keeps improving, businesses are set to benefit from better communication and smarter decisions. It's an exciting future for presentations in the business world.

Final Thoughts

To sum it all up, we're on the brink of a big change in how we do presentations, thanks to the increasing use of an AI PowerPoint generator. AI is making presentations more engaging, interactive, and tailored to individual preferences, and the future holds even more exciting possibilities, with AI getting smarter and making presentations even more customized.

For businesses, using AI in presentations is not just a trend; it's a smart move. It helps companies communicate better and make informed decisions with data, reaching their employees and their clients with more curated content. For individuals, an AI PowerPoint generator saves time and makes creating engaging presentation content simple.

So, as we look ahead, embracing AI in presentations is more than just an option—it's an opportunity to excel in communication, engagement, and data-driven decision-making.

The combination of human creativity and AI innovation promises to redefine how we present information, creating a world where presentations are not only informative but also captivating and personalized.

Try ElevenLabs today

How to Create an Animated GIF in Microsoft PowerPoint

I f you want to spruce up your PowerPoint presentation with animated GIFs, you’ve landed on the right article. Animated GIFs are a great way to captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process of creating animated GIFs from a video, custom animations, and multiple slides. Let's dive in.

How to Create an Animated GIF From a Video in PowerPoint

The easiest way to create animated GIFs in PowerPoint is from a video. Here's how to go about it.

• Start with a blank slide—right-click on a slide, click Layout , and select Blank .
• Navigate to the Insert tab, click Media , select Video , and click This Device if the video is saved on your computer.

If your video fails to play, check out our guide on how to fix microsoft powerPoint not playing videos to fix the issue.

• With the video selected, navigate to the Playback tab and select Trim video .

You can also use the red & green clips or the reverse & forward buttons to adjust the video length.

Adding text or a callout to your video is a great way to add context and keep things interesting.

• Under the Insert tab, click Shapes , and select any of the shapes under Callouts .
• Drag your mouse on the slide to draw the callout, then move the yellow circle on the callout to point it in your desired direction.
• With the callout selected, you can change its Shape Fill and Shape Outline colors under the Shape Format tab.
• Double-click on the callout to add some text and format it with options under the Font group of the Home tab.
• When you’re all set to export the file, click File and Save As , or simply use the Ctrl + Shift + S shortcut to open the Save As dialog box.
• Choose a file location, enter a File name , select Animated GIF Format as the Save as type , and click the Save button when you’re done.

How to Create a Custom GIF From Animations in PowerPoint

Instead of extracting clips from videos to make a GIF, you can create one from scratch directly inside PowerPoint using animations. Here's how:

• Set a custom slide size for your GIF—navigate to the Design tab, select Slide Size , and Custom Slide Size .
• In the dialog box that appears, enter your custom dimensions and click OK . (For this example, we’ll stick with the default slide size.)
• Add the elements you want to animate onto the slide. These could be text, images, icons, or illustrations. (For this example, let’s use some icons from the PowerPoint library.)
• So under the Insert tab, click Icons .
• Select the icons you want to add to the slide and click Insert .
• After inserting the icons (or other graphics of your choice), you can adjust their size, colors, and positions. You can also add a drop shadow to any graphic to add depth and enhance its appearance.
• Now, it’s time to add the animations. You can apply some free cool animations to the elements from the built-in animation library. After adding your desired animations, the file is ready for export.
• To export the file, navigate to the File tab.
• Click Export and select Create an Animated GIF .
• Set the GIF quality
• Make the GIF transparent
• Set the duration spent on each slide
• Specify the slides to include in the GIF
• When you’re done, click the Create GIF button.
• In the dialog box that appears, choose a file location, enter a name for your GIF, and click the Save button.

How to Create a Custom GIF From Multiple Slides

Asides animations, you can create a custom GIF by looping through a bunch of slides. Let's walk through the steps:

• Add the content you want to include in the GIF onto the slides. (For this example, we’ll be using four stickers.)
• Arrange the content as desired on each slide.
• Navigate to the Export GIF settings, adjust the settings to fit your requirements, and click the Create GIF button.

How to Insert a GIF in Microsoft PowerPoint

• To insert a GIF in PowerPoint, drag and drop the file directly onto a slide. Or you can navigate to the Insert tab, click Pictures , and select This Device .
• Select your GIF and click the Insert button to add it to your slide.
• You can crop it, modify its appearance, and position it as you like.

Transform Your Presentations With Animated GIFs in PowerPoint

There you have it—everything you need to know to create animated GIFs in Microsoft PowerPoint. Take some time to practice these techniques and experiment with them to create the perfect GIFs for your presentation.

However, remember not to overdo it—using them sparingly and purposefully will have a greater impact. Alongside this, there are more ways to build engaging presentations in PowerPoint.

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How to Use Slidego Templates for Free (Step-by-Step)

SlideGo is a notorious platform offering many professionally designed presentation templates tailored for diverse purposes. These templates are readily available for download and can be seamlessly customized to meet your specific needs. If you're new to SlideGo and unsure where to begin, this guide is here to assist you every step of the way, addressing all your queries and helping you make the most of this valuable resource.

How to Download Slidesgo PowerPoint Templates

Slidesgo, established in 2010, is a comprehensive platform catering to designers, small business proprietors, educators, and content creators, offering a diverse range of content, inspiration, and solutions. With an array of presentation ideas and themes across various categories, users can customize them to suit their specific requirements. Let's now explore how to download a presentation theme that we like from Slidesgo:

Step 1 : Open your preferred browser and navigate to the Slidesgo website to search for new presentation ideas.

Step 2 : On the website, users can search for a template directly using the search bar or scroll down to browse different categories and select a design.

Step 3 : Once a design is selected, hover over it and click on the download button at the top left of the thumbnail.

Step 4 : Users then have the option to choose whether they want to import it to Google Slides or download a template editable on Microsoft PowerPoint.

Step 5 : If you want a closer look at the template before downloading, click on it.

Step 6 : You will be redirected to the template's page, where you can preview other slides and better understand the theme.

Step 7 : Finally, click on the "Download this template" button and choose between Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint.

Downloading a presentation from Slidesgo is relatively simple, but the challenging part lies in selecting a presentation idea since there are numerous creative options available, making it difficult to choose just one.

How to Import a Slidesgo Template into Google Slides

Slidesgo provides its users with the option to download a template for both Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint. The download process for PowerPoint is similar to downloading any other file. However, using a template for Google Slides requires importing, which can be challenging for some users. Let's take a look at how to use a Slidesgo template in Google Slides:

Step 1 : Once you have chosen the template, go to the template page by clicking on the thumbnail.

Step 2 : Click on the "Download this template" button and select Google Slides.

Step 3 : You will be redirected to a new page where you will be asked if you want to make a copy of the template on Google Slides. Simply click on "Make a copy" to import the template to Google Slides.

Step 4 : The template will be uploaded to your Google Slides, where you can now customize it, and it will be saved automatically to your Google Drive.

Unlock More Free and Delicate Templates with WPS Office

You may already be familiar with WPS Office , a renowned office suite known for its comprehensive set of tools, including Writer, Presentation, and Spreadsheet. What sets WPS apart is its remarkable compatibility across all major operating systems, spanning Mac, Windows, and even Linux. However, one of the standout features of WPS Office is its vast collection of templates, readily available for use.

These templates cover a wide range of needs, from professional presentations to business reports and creative projects. They're all free, easily accessible, and compatible with WPS Office, making them a convenient choice for users looking to enhance their productivity and streamline their workflow.

Use Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE, No Ads.

Edit PDF files with the powerful PDF toolkit.

Microsoft-like interface. Easy to learn. 100% Compatibility.

Boost your productivity with WPS's abundant free Word, Excel, PPT, and CV templates.

How to get PowerPoint templates for free in WPS Office

Unlike Slidesgo, WPS Office not only offers a wide variety of templates on its online template store, but users can also easily download and edit PowerPoint templates within the WPS Office application, providing convenience to their users. Let's take a look at some of the best templates available on WPS Office.

1. Children’s Education

Children’s Education is an engaging template available in the WPS Office template store, impressively designed to captivate young learners. With vibrant colors, captivating infographics, and charming cartoons, it aims to seize the attention of students, fostering an environment conducive to learning and exploration. Whether it's for classroom presentations or educational materials, this template is tailored to inspire curiosity and promote active engagement in young minds.

2. Company Product Introduction

The Company Product Introduction template, available in the WPS Office template store, serves as an ideal platform for companies to effectively introduce their products or ideas. This dynamic template facilitates seamless communication between departments or stakeholders, covering essential aspects of discussion. Its engaging design and intuitive layout ensure clarity and coherence in conveying key messages. It can be utilized for internal presentations or external pitches, this template empowers companies to showcase their offerings with confidence and professionalism, facilitating productive discussions and informed decision-making.

3. Personal Photo Album

The Personal Photo Album template, available in the WPS Office template store, offers an elegant solution for creating memorable photo albums. With its captivating cover design, which can be customized with a personal photo and name, this template sets the tone for a personalized and cherished collection. Featuring a unique coral layout, it provides a visually appealing backdrop for showcasing your photos in style. It is a wonderful template for documenting special occasions, travel adventures, or everyday moments, ensuring a delightful and organized presentation of your cherished memories.

1.How much does Slidesgo premium cost?

Here's a breakdown of the Slidesgo premium plan:

Cost: €19.99 per year (Euros)

Plan type: Solo subscription (with an additional user for free)

Access to over 15,000 premium templates and assets

Ad-free experience

Ability to share templates without crediting Slidesgo

Priority support

Favorite list functionality

Suitable for use by minors

2. How to add or change themes in Google Slides?

To change the theme of your presentation on Google Slides, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open your Google Slides presentation and click on the "Slide" tab.

Step 2: Select the "Change Theme" option from the dropdown menu.

Step 3: A menu will appear on the right side of the screen with several themes available to choose from.

Step 4: Click on any theme to apply it to your slides.

Step 5: If you wish to import a theme from a previous Google Slides presentation, click on "Import a theme".

Step 6: Double click on the Google Slides presentation from which you want to import the theme.

Step 7: If there are multiple themes within the Google Slides presentation, select the slide with the theme you want to import, and then click on "Import theme”.

3. Can Slidesgo templates be used without copyright restrictions?

Slidesgo templates are indeed copyright-free. Users are permitted to utilize them for both personal and commercial purposes. However, it's important to note that users are not permitted to sublicense, sell, or rent any Slidesgo content or modified versions of it.

Beyond SlideGo: Discover Compatibility and Template Freedom with WPS Office

While SlideGo offers plenty of templates for various purposes, it's worth exploring other websites to discover similar offerings with their unique twists. However, if you're working within an office suite environment where seamless file import is crucial for your presentations, consider downloading WPS Office. Not only does WPS Office provide its own extensive collection of templates, but they are also highly compatible with both Microsoft Office and WPS Office formats.

This compatibility ensures that you can effortlessly import and utilize these templates across different platforms, enhancing your productivity and presentation quality. Download WPS Office now to access a diverse range of templates tailored to your needs.

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15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.