press what to quickly create a new presentation within powerpoint

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Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations

Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint helps them work more efficiently. For users with mobility or vision disabilities, keyboard shortcuts can be easier than using the touchscreen and are an essential alternative to using a mouse.

For a separate list of shortcuts to use while delivering your presentation, go to Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations .

The shortcuts in this topic refer to the US keyboard layout. Keys for other layouts might not correspond exactly to the keys on a US keyboard.

A plus sign (+) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys at the same time.

A comma sign (,) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys in order.

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts you can use in PowerPoint for Windows when creating or editing presentations.

To quickly find a shortcut in this article, you can use the Search. Press Ctrl+F and then type your search words.

If an action that you use often does not have a shortcut key, you can add it to the Quick Access Toolbar to create one. For instructions, refer to  Use a keyboard to customize the Quick Access Toolbar .

Get the PowerPoint 2016 keyboard shortcuts in a Word document at this link: PowerPoint 2016 for Windows keyboard shortcuts .

In this topic

Frequently used shortcuts, work with presentations and slides, work with objects and text, copy objects and text, work in objects and text, select text, delete text, move around in text, find and replace text, format text, work with tables, move a slide.

Work with views and panes

Work with the Selection pane

Work with the task pane, ribbon keyboard shortcuts, open the ribbon tabs, work in the ribbon with the keyboard, other useful ribbon keyboard shortcuts, custom keyboard shortcuts.

The following table itemizes the most frequently used shortcuts in PowerPoint.

Top of Page

Tip:  To select multiple objects with the keyboard, use the Selection Pane . For more information refer to  Manage objects with the Selection Pane .

Before using these keyboard shortcuts, select the text you want to format.

Create a bulleted list using different styles

Do one of the following:

To create a list that uses filled round bullets, press the Asterisk sign (*).

To create a list that uses hyphens, press the Minus sign (-).

To create a list that uses arrow bullets, press the Right angle bracket (>).

To create a list that uses diamonds, press Left angle bracket (<) + Right angle bracket (>).

To create a list that uses arrows, press two minus signs (-) + Right angle bracket (>).

To create a list that uses double arrows, press the Equal sign ( = ) + Right angle bracket (>).

Press Spacebar.

Type the list item, and then press Enter.

The ribbon groups related options on tabs. For example, on the Home tab, the Paragraph group includes the Bullets option. Press the Alt key to display the ribbon shortcuts, called Key Tips, as letters in small images next to the tabs and options.

You can combine the Key Tips letters with the Alt key to make shortcuts called Access Keys for the ribbon options. For example, press Alt+H to open the Home tab, and Alt+Q to move to the Tell me or Search field. Press Alt again to see KeyTips for the options on the selected tab.

In Office 2010, most of the old Alt key menu shortcuts still work, too. However, you need to know the full shortcut. For example, press Alt, and then press one of the old menu keys E (Edit), V (View), I (Insert), and so on. A notification pops up saying you're using an access key from an earlier version of Microsoft 365. If you know the entire key sequence, go ahead and use it. If you don't know the sequence, press Esc and use Key Tips instead.

To go directly to a tab on the ribbon, press one of the following access keys. Additional tabs might appear depending on your selection in the presentation.

Note:  Add-ins and other programs might add new tabs to the ribbon and might provide access keys for those tabs.

To assign custom keyboard shortcuts to menu items, recorded macros, and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code in PowerPoint, you must use a third-party add-in, such as Shortcut Manager for PowerPoint, which is available from OfficeOne .

PowerPoint help & learning

Screen reader support for PowerPoint

Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

Use keyboard shortcuts to navigate modern comments in PowerPoint

Use the keyboard to work with the ribbon

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts you can use in PowerPoint for macOS when creating or editing presentations.

The settings in some versions of the Mac operating system (OS) and some utility applications can conflict with keyboard shortcuts and function key operations in Microsoft 365 for Mac. For information about changing the key assignment of a keyboard shortcut, refer to the Mac Help for your version of the macOS, your utility application, or refer to Change a conflicting keyboard shortcut on Mac .

If you don't find a keyboard shortcut here that meets your needs, you can create a custom keyboard shortcut. For instructions, go to Create a custom keyboard shortcut for Office for Mac .

Many of the shortcuts that use the Ctrl key on a Windows keyboard also work with the Control key in PowerPoint on Mac. However, not all do.

To quickly find a shortcut in this article, you can use the Search. Press Command+F, and then type your search words.

Work with tables

Other useful shortcut keys.

The following table itemizes the most frequently used shortcuts in PowerPoint for Mac.

Format text

Type the list item, and then press Return.

Work with views and panes

Screen reader support for PowerPoint

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint for iOS when creating or editing presentations.

If you're familiar with keyboard shortcuts on your macOS computer, the same key combinations work with PowerPoint for iOS using an external keyboard, too.

To quickly find a shortcut, you can use the Search. Press Command+F and then type your search words.

Frequently used shortcuts on iPad

Navigate in PowerPoint for iPad

Move the insertion point within placeholders and notes on iPad

Select content on ipad, edit and format presentations on iphone, navigate and select within a text box on iphone.

This table shows the most frequently used shortcuts for PowerPoint for iPad.

Navigate in PowerPoint for iPad

PowerPoint for iPad is a mobile application, so the keyboard shortcuts and navigation might be different from those in desktop versions of PowerPoint.

To move through the options, press Shift+Right arrow key until the focus is on the ribbon, and then press the Right or Left arrow key. To select an option, press ⌘+Option+Spacebar.

To move the focus to different areas in PowerPoint for iPad (from the ribbon to the thumbnail pane, for example), place the focus on a button, and then press Shift+Right arrow key to move forward or Shift+Left arrow key to move backward.

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint for Android when creating or editing presentations.

Note:  To quickly find a shortcut, you can use the Search. Press Ctrl+F and then type your search words.

Edit and format the presentation

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts you can use in PowerPoint for the web on Windows when creating or editing presentations.

If you use Narrator with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you have to turn off scan mode in order to edit documents, spreadsheets, or presentations with Microsoft 365 for the web. For more information, refer to Turn off virtual or browse mode in screen readers in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update .

To quickly find a shortcut, you can use the Search. Press Ctrl+F and then type your search words.

When you use PowerPoint for the web, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because PowerPoint for the web runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, you’ll use Ctrl+F6 instead of F6 for jumping in and out of the commands. Also, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl+O (Open) apply to the web browser – not PowerPoint for the web.

Work with objects and text

Work with comments

Navigate with only the keyboard, navigate the ribbon and panes.

The following table provides the shortcuts that you'll likely use often in PowerPoint for the web.

Tip:  To quickly create a new presentation in PowerPoint for the web, open your browser, type PowerPoint.new or ppt.new in the address bar, and then press Enter.

Except for the shortcut for adding a new comment, the keyboard shortcuts listed below work only when the Comments pane is open and in focus.

To move the focus to different parts and areas of PowerPoint for the web (from the ribbon to the thumbnail pane, for example) and in and out of the content of a slide, press Ctrl+F6 (forward) or press Ctrl+Shift+F6 (backward). To navigate options and controls in PowerPoint for the web, press the Tab key to move forward, press Shift+Tab to move backward, and press Enter to select.

Tip:  To quickly perform an action while in the Editing mode, press Alt+Q. The focus moves to the Search or  Tell Me search field. Then type the action or option you want. Press the Up arrow key or Down arrow key until you find the option, and then press Enter to select it.

The ribbon is the strip at the top of the PowerPoint for the web window. The ribbon is organized by tabs. Each tab displays a different set of tools and functions, made up of groups, and each group includes one or more options. To move the focus to the ribbon, press Alt+Period (.) or Alt+Windows logo key. You can also press Ctrl+F6 repeatedly until the ribbon has the focus.

Other shortcuts for using the ribbon include the following:

To move between tabs, use the Right and Left arrow keys.

To access the ribbon for the currently selected tab, press the Tab key once.

To move between options on the ribbon, use the Right and Left arrow keys.

Options are activated in different ways, depending on the type of the option:

If the selected option is a button or split button, press Spacebar or Enter to activate it.

If the selected option is a list (such as the Font list), to open the list, press Alt+Down arrow key. Then, to move between items, press the Up or Down arrow key. When the focus is on the item you want, press Enter to select it.

If the selected option is a gallery, press the Tab key to go to the More option for the gallery and then, to open the gallery, press Enter. Press the Tab key to move through the items, and then press Enter to select one.

Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk .

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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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PowerPoint  - Creating and Opening Presentations

Powerpoint  -, creating and opening presentations, powerpoint creating and opening presentations.

PowerPoint: Creating and Opening Presentations

Lesson 3: creating and opening presentations.

/en/powerpoint/understanding-onedrive/content/

Introduction

PowerPoint files are called presentations . Whenever you start a new project in PowerPoint, you'll need to create a new presentation , which can either be blank or from a template . You'll also need to know how to open an existing presentation .

Watch the video below to learn more about creating and opening presentations in PowerPoint.

To create a new presentation:

When beginning a new project in PowerPoint, you'll often want to start with a new blank presentation.

• A new presentation will appear.

To create a new presentation from a template:

A template is a predesigned presentation you can use to create a new slide show quickly. Templates often include custom formatting and designs , so they can save you a lot of time and effort when starting a new project.

• Click the File tab to access Backstage view , then select New .

• A preview of the template will appear, along with additional information on how the template can be used.

• A new presentation will appear with the selected template .

It's important to note that not all templates are created by Microsoft. Many are created by third-party providers and even individual users, so some templates may work better than others.

To open an existing presentation:

In addition to creating new presentations, you'll often need to open a presentation that was previously saved. To learn more about saving presentations, review our lesson on Saving Presentations .

Most features in Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint, are geared toward saving and sharing documents online . This is done with OneDrive , which is an online storage space for your documents and files. If you want to use OneDrive, make sure you’re signed in to PowerPoint with your Microsoft account. Review our lesson on Understanding OneDrive to learn more.

To pin a presentation:

If you frequently work with the same presentation , you can pin it to Backstage view for easy access.

• Select the File tab to go to Backstage view , then click Open . Your Recent Presentations will appear.

Compatibility Mode

Sometimes you may need to work with presentations that were created in earlier versions of PowerPoint, like PowerPoint 2003 or PowerPoint 2000. When you open these types of presentations, they will appear in Compatibility Mode .

Compatibility Mode disables certain features, so you'll only be able to access commands found in the program that was used to create the presentation. For example, if you open a presentation created in PowerPoint 2003, you can only use tabs and commands found in PowerPoint 2003.

In the image below, you can see at the top of the window that the presentation is in Compatibility Mode. This will disable some current PowerPoint features, including newer types of slide transitions.

To exit Compatibility Mode, you'll need to convert the presentation to the current version type. However, if you're collaborating with others who only have access to an earlier version of PowerPoint, it's best to leave the presentation in Compatibility Mode so the format will not change.

You can review this support page from Microsoft to learn more about which features are disabled in Compatibility Mode.

To convert a presentation:

If you want access to the newer features, you can convert the presentation to the current file format.

Note that converting a file may cause some changes to the original layout of the presentation.

• The presentation will be converted to the newest file type.
• Open our practice presentation .
• Notice that the presentation opens in Compatibility Mode . Convert it to the current file format. If a dialog box appears asking if you would like to close and reopen the file in order to see the new features, choose Yes .
• In Backstage view, pin a file or folder.

/en/powerpoint/saving-presentations/content/

Creating and Saving a New Presentation

Locked lesson.

• Lesson resources Resources
• Quick reference Reference

About this lesson

Let's create our first new presentation using a blank template. We'll learn how to save presentations locally and to the cloud, and understand how this determines how the presentation is saved going forward.

Exercise files

Download the ‘before’ and ‘after’ PowerPoint presentations from the video tutorial and try the lesson yourself.

Quick reference

A fundemental skill in PowerPoint is knowing how to create a new blank presentation and save it to a folder. Blank presentations by default contain one slide with no placeholders, text or other graphical elements. It provides a blank canvas from which to design a slide deck. 

All presentations should be saved to a local folder, a network drive or into cloud storage. This ensures that any changes we make are saved and the liklihood of losing work is reduced. Presentations saved to the cloud automatically save and synchronize as you work. As a general rule, most presentations we create are saved with the default .pptx file extension. 

When to use

We will need to create and save a new blank presentation when we want to design a slide deck from scratch.

Instructions

Create a new blank presentation.

New blank presentations can be created in a few ways: from the File menu, using a keyboard shortcut or from the Quick Access Toolbar. 

From the File Menu

• Click the File tab. 
• Click New . 
• Choose Blank Presentation . 

Using a Keyboard Shortcut

• Press CTRL+N . 

From the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)

• Click the New button on the Quick Access Toolbar. 

Design Ideas

When we create a new presentation, the Design Ideas pane will show on the right-hand side. The Design Ideas feature examines the contents of the selected slide and offers a variety of design choices based on the layout and content.  

To apply a design to a slide, simply select one from the list and click to apply. 

Switch between Presentations

If you are working on more than one presentation at any time, its beneficial to know how to switch between them efficiently. PowerPoint will only display one presentation at a time in the window. 

• Click the View tab. 
• In the Window group, click Switch Windows .
• Choose the presentation to switch to from the list. 

Save a Presentation

Presentations can be saved to a local folder on our PC, a network drive, an external storage device or in the cloud.

Save a Presentation to Cloud Storage

Presentations saved into a cloud storage application like OneDrive are automatically saved and synchronised as we work. This means we only need to save the presentation once at the beginning and any changes made from that point on are automatically saved. 

• Click Save As . 
• Click Browse and choose a folder. 
• Choose a meaningful name for the presentation and type it into the File name field. 
• Verify the Save as type is set to PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx). 
• Click Save . 

Once saved, check the AutoSave slider is toggled on in the Quick Access Toolbar to ensure any changes made are automatically saved and synchronised to the cloud.

Save a Presentation to a local folder on our PC

Presentations saved to a local folder do not automatically save as we work. This means we need to ensure that we save at regular intervals. 

• Click Save .

Remember to save your work at regular intervals. Click the Save icon on the Quick Access Toolbar, or select Save from the File menu. Alternatively, we can use the keyboard shortcut, CTRL+S . 

Close a Presentation

A common mistake people make when working in PowerPoint is closing down the application when they meant to close down the current presentation. If we click the X in the top right-hand corner of the PowerPoint window, the application and all open presentations will close. 

To close just the current presentation but leave PowerPoint open, click the File tab and Close . 

Hints & tips

• To make saving into OneDrive easier from within PowerPoint, click the File tab, Save A s and then Add a place . Select your OneDrive account (if you have one). 
• The Design Ideas pane will pop open automatically when we create a new presentation. We can suppress this through PowerPoint Options. Click the File tab, Options and select the General page. Scroll down to the PowerPoint Designer section and remove the tick from the Automatically show me design ideas box.   
• 00:04 Now we're a bit more familiar with the PowerPoint interface.
• 00:07 It's time for us to delve into the subject of creating and saving presentations.
• 00:12 Now currently on the screen I have opened my first presentation.
• 00:16 If you recall, this was just a blank presentation that I saved into a folder.
• 00:21 And I want to start out just by reiterating a really important point when
• 00:25 it comes to closing down presentations.
• 00:28 Something I see people doing all the time is jumping up to the cross in the top
• 00:32 right-hand corner, and clicking it in order to close down the presentation.
• 00:38 But what you'll find is that if you do click on this cross,
• 00:41 it's going to close down all of PowerPoint.
• 00:43 So that is any presentations that you have open as well as the entire application.
• 00:49 No, it might be that that is exactly what you want to do.
• 00:51 And in that case, it's absolutely fine to click on that cross.
• 00:55 However, if you just want to close down the presentation that you currently have
• 01:00 on the screen, you need to go about this in a slightly different way.
• 01:04 So I'm going to close this down, I'm going to jump up to File, and
• 01:08 you'll see halfway down at the bottom here, I have a closed option.
• 01:13 When I click that, it's just going to close down that open presentation, but
• 01:17 it's still going to leave PowerPoint open.
• 01:19 So I can then go in, open up something else, or create a new presentation.
• 01:24 Which moves us nicely on to our next subject,
• 01:27 and that is creating a new presentation from scratch.
• 01:31 Now there are a few different ways that you can do this.
• 01:34 If we jump back into that file tab and go down to new,
• 01:38 this shows us all of the different ways that we can create new slide decks.
• 01:44 And the two options that you really have are you can create a new blank
• 01:48 presentation from scratch, or
• 01:50 you can create a new presentation based off of a template.
• 01:54 We're going to talk a lot more about what these templates are, how you access them,
• 01:58 and how they work in the next lesson.
• 02:01 For now, I simply want to focus on creating a new blank presentation.
• 02:06 So what I could do here is just click on Blank presentation.
• 02:11 It's going to open in PowerPoint, and
• 02:13 it's also going to pop open that design ideas pane.
• 02:17 As I mentioned previously, design ideas is there to allow
• 02:20 you to quickly add some pizzazz to your presentation.
• 02:24 So for example, if I scroll through these design ideas,
• 02:27 I might find one that I like and select it.
• 02:30 And with just one click, I've been able to style up that title page very effectively.
• 02:36 Now the design ideas that you see in here changed depending on the slide layout that
• 02:41 you're using.
• 02:42 Now, I know that terminology isn't too familiar to you at the moment, but
• 02:46 it will be when we get on to the topic of slide layouts.
• 02:49 But just be aware that what you see in the design ideas pane changes depending on
• 02:54 the layout of your slide.
• 02:56 Now I'm going to close down this pane simply by clicking on the cross.
• 02:59 Now that isn't the only way that I can create a new presentation in PowerPoint.
• 03:05 An even quicker way of doing this is to use the keyboard shortcut of Ctrl N.
• 03:11 And you'll see as soon as I do that it pops open another new blank presentation.
• 03:16 And again, I get that design ideas pane,
• 03:19 I can select something from that menu if I want to.
• 03:22 So currently, I have two blank presentations open that I haven't saved.
• 03:27 And because when PowerPoint opens presentations,
• 03:30 they open directly on top of each other.
• 03:32 If you want to quickly switch back to your previous presentation,
• 03:36 a good way of doing this is to jump up to the View tab,
• 03:39 and you'll see that you have a switch windows option.
• 03:43 That's going to list out all of the PowerPoint presentations that
• 03:46 you currently have open, and allow you to toggle or switch between them.
• 03:51 So super nice and simple.
• 03:54 So now I have these new presentations, I'm probably going to want to save them so
• 03:58 I don't lose anything.
• 03:59 So there are a few different ways that I can save.
• 04:02 However, if this is a new presentation you've created,
• 04:05 the first thing you are going to want to do is select Save As.
• 04:10 So let's jump up to File, I'm going to go down to Save As in the left-hand menu, and
• 04:14 then I need to choose a location where I want to save this file.
• 04:18 Now I could choose to browse my local drives and find a folder.
• 04:22 However, if it is a folder that I've accessed recently,
• 04:26 I'm more than likely going to find it in my recent files list.
• 04:30 And I can see here that earlier today,
• 04:32 I save something into the Course Files folder.
• 04:35 And this is the folder that I want to save this file into.
• 04:39 So I can simply click, and it jumps me to the correct folder.
• 04:43 Let's click in the title bar and add the name of this presentation.
• 04:50 I'm saving it as a regular PowerPoint file.
• 04:52 So the file extension is .pptx, and all I need to do is click on the Save button.
• 04:58 Now as soon as I do that, if you take a look at my quick access toolbar,
• 05:02 you can see I have an option that says AutoSave which is toggled to on.
• 05:07 And if you'red using PowerPoint for Microsoft 365,
• 05:10 you will find this option on your Quick Access Toolbar.
• 05:14 And I would recommend that you have this toggle to on because what it means is that
• 05:18 it's going to save automatically for you at regular intervals.
• 05:22 So this really negates the need for you having to keep clicking on the Save icon
• 05:27 in order to save any changes as you go along.
• 05:30 And this AutoSave option is set to save every time you do anything to your
• 05:34 PowerPoint presentation.
• 05:36 And the good thing about that is that if PowerPoint was to crash unexpectedly,
• 05:41 it means that when you reopen this file,
• 05:43 pretty much everything you've done to date is going to be saved.
• 05:47 Now, I will say that if you're not using PowerPoint for Microsoft 365,
• 05:52 you might not see this AutoSave toggle.
• 05:54 And in that instance,
• 05:55 I would recommend that you save your presentations on a regular basis.
• 06:00 And you can either do that by clicking on the Save button which you have by default
• 06:04 on your Quick Access Toolbar, or pressing the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl S.
• 06:09 So all that's left for me to do here, is close down this file, so file Close.
• 06:15 I'm also going to close down this presentation which I didn't actually save.
• 06:19 And I'm going to say don't save.
• 06:22 And now if I want to go back in and reopen that first presentation,
• 06:26 if I go down to open, you should see that sitting right at the top of my list.
• 06:31 Because it was the last presentation that I accessed.
• 06:34 So I think that is more than enough information for
• 06:37 you to wrap your head around.
• 06:38 It's time for you to grab a drink, and join me over in the next lesson.

Lesson notes are only available for subscribers.

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• What is PowerPoint? Video
• Create a presentation Video
• Choose the right view for the task Video
• Add and format text Video

Create a presentation

Create a presentation from scratch, or from a theme. All themes have a palate of colors and fonts designed to work together. 

Create a blank presentation

Open PowerPoint.

Select one of the Blank Presentation and start typing. 

Note:  Microsoft 365 subscribers will find Design Ideas based on the words you type. You can browse and select a new look.

Create a presentation from a theme

Select File > New .

Double-click a theme in the gallery to create a presentation in that theme. Or search for more templates.

Apply or change a slide layout

Apply a template to your presentation

Create and save a PowerPoint template

Get Microsoft presentation templates

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Unit 1 Use a Theme Template and Slide Layouts to Create a Presentation

3 Create a Slide Presentation

Create a slide presentation, topics include:.

• Choose a Theme Template

Create Slide Content

Create a new slide, multi level bulleted lists.

A PowerPoint has two methods for creating a slide presentation:

• Choose a theme template
• Create a blank presentation (this method is covered in Unit 3)

PowerPoint software has built in and free online pre-designed templates that contain various color schemes and pre-arranged elements in a slide, eg. text and graphics. Select a template and PowerPoint will format the entire presentation according to that template.

Steps to choosing a theme template:

• Open PowerPoint.
• At the PowerPoint window, click the File tab, then click New.
• Once you have selected the desired template, it will be displayed in normal view. New slides can be added as needed.

Tips & Tricks

A theme template can be added to a presentation before, during or after you have added the presentation content.

To apply various templates to a presentation, click the Design tab, then click on the desired template in the themes group.

Whether you are using a pre-made theme template or working from your own design, it is very easy to insert a new slide.

• In the slide pane click on the slide where you would like the new slide to appear below.
• The new slide should appear below the selected slide. If you want to add a new slide between two, select the first of the two slides and click New Slide .

Entering text and images into your presentation slide is easy and fun. When using the theme template the first slide to appear in Normal view is called the Title Slide .

The title slide is the slide that is used to introduce the presentation to the audience. It has two text placeholders for text: title text placeholder and sub-title text placeholder. Placeholders are the building blocks for a PowerPoint slide.

To insert text in a placeholder, left click inside of the textbox and begin typing. Once you have entered text, click outside the text box to see how your text looks. The placeholder then becomes an object. An object is any item on a slide that can be manipulated. Objects are the building blocks that make up a slide. A text object can moved around and repositioned on a slide.

A object is selected when there is a gray, bold outline around the object, and when the cursor turns into a cross. Around the selected object are small white circles that are called sizing handles. You can drag the handles to position the object.

To apply formatting to text inside an object, select the text with your cursor, then click on the Home tab and in the Font group add text attributes such as bold, underline, and italics. The Paragraph group, located next to the Font group, contains commands that allow you to change the alignment of text, insert numbers or bullets to lists, and indent text.

You can also edit your text by accessing the Font dialogue box by clicking the Font group dialogue box launcher. (The dialogue box launcher is the small button containing a diagonal arrow that displays in the lower right corner of the group.) The Font dialogue box includes special effects such as: double strikethrough, superscript and subscript.

Another quick and easy way to format slides is by using a slide master. A Slide Master will reduce the steps needed to format all the slides in a presentation. Any changes made in the slide master will affect all slides in the presentation. This allows for consistency in any presentation.

When you choose a theme template PowerPoint automatically adds a Slide master. To format the slide master click the View tab and then choose Slide Master located in the Presentation View group.

A slide master appears in the slide pane and in the Outline/Slide pane. The largest thumbnail in the pane is the slide master and the other thumbnails represent associated layouts.Click on the master slide or a specific layout to apply formatting or themes. Once formatting changes have been made click on Close Master View to return to the normal view.

For more information on Slide Masters take this link to Microsoft Tips for using Slide Masters .

PowerPoint allows information to be displayed as multilevel bulleted lists. Bulleted lists are used in PowerPoint to display levels of importance within the presentation. Various slide layouts in the Slide Layout task pane contain bullets. To add multi levels to a bulleted list you need to choose the appropriate layout.

The first-level bullet will be displayed under the title placeholder. Once you have typed your text next to the first-level bullet press Enter on your keyboard. The new first-level bullet automatically appears. Press Tab on your keyboard and the first-level bullet becomes a second level bullet. Press Shift + Tab this will decrease the indent and bring the bullet back to first level.

Another method to add levels to your presentation is by clicking the decrease list level or increase list level buttons on the Paragraph group in the Home tab.

You can customize the bullets in your presentation by selecting the Bullets and Numbering dialogue box from Paragraph group located in the Home tab. Select the bullet text, click on the drop down arrow next to Bullets or Numbering, click on Bullets and Numbering , then choose the from the pre-designed bullets.

Now that you are able to create a presentation let us move on to view and save presentations.

Presentation Software Copyright © 2013 by bpayne is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Tips for Powerpoint by Regina Griffin

Windows PPT Shortcut: Ctrl+O: Open Presentation

Looking to improve your PowerPoint skills and productivity?

One of the most useful shortcuts in PowerPoint is Ctrl+O, which allows you to quickly open a presentation file.

This article will explore what a Windows PPT shortcut is, specifically focusing on Ctrl+O. We will discuss how to use this shortcut to open a PowerPoint presentation, its benefits, and other common PowerPoint shortcuts.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, mastering these shortcuts can save you time and make your presentation creation process more efficient. Enhance your PowerPoint skills with the Ctrl+O shortcut!

Key Takeaways:

• Ctrl+O is a Windows PPT shortcut that opens a presentation quickly and efficiently.
• This shortcut saves time, is easy to remember, and can be used in other Microsoft Office programs.
• Other common PowerPoint shortcuts include Ctrl+N, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+P, Ctrl+Z, and Ctrl+Y. A full list of shortcuts can be found online, and they can also be customized to fit individual needs.

What is a Windows PPT Shortcut?

A Windows PPT Shortcut is a combination of keyboard inputs that allow users to navigate and interact with slides and presentations in PowerPoint quickly.

By memorizing and utilizing these keyboard shortcuts , users can perform various tasks without the need to navigate through menus and options, saving both time and effort. For example, pressing ‘Ctrl+S’ to save a presentation or ‘Ctrl+Z’ to undo an action can significantly enhance user efficiency. These shortcuts can be particularly handy during presentations, enabling seamless transitions between slides, formatting text, or even accessing different views with a simple keypress. Knowing and mastering these shortcuts can make the presentation creation process smoother and more streamlined.

What is the Ctrl+O Shortcut?

The Ctrl+O Shortcut in PowerPoint is a key combination used to open a presentation file within the application.

By pressing the Ctrl key and the letter O simultaneously, users can conveniently access and load their presentation files without having to navigate through multiple menus. This shortcut is particularly handy for those who work on multiple presentations and need swift access to specific files.

Instead of clicking through various tabs and menus, the Ctrl+O Shortcut provides a quick and efficient way to retrieve and open presentation files promptly. It streamlines the workflow and enhances productivity for individuals working on different presentations simultaneously.

What Does Ctrl+O Do in PowerPoint?

Ctrl+O in PowerPoint allows users to open a presentation file from a specific location or folder on their device.

With this key combination, individuals can easily access and retrieve their presentation files stored in various locations, such as the desktop, external drives, or cloud services. This shortcut simplifies the process of locating and selecting the desired presentation for editing or viewing within the PowerPoint application.

How to Open a PowerPoint Presentation using Ctrl+O?

To open a PowerPoint presentation using Ctrl+O, users need to follow a simple process of accessing the application and selecting the desired presentation file.

Once the PowerPoint application is launched, the user can press the Ctrl and O keys simultaneously, triggering the ‘Open File’ window. From here, the user can navigate to the location where the presentation file is stored. Select the desired file by clicking on it, then press the ‘Open’ button to load the presentation into PowerPoint. This method provides a quick way to access and open specific presentation files without having to navigate through multiple menus within the application.

Step 1: Open PowerPoint

The first step in opening a PowerPoint presentation using Ctrl+O is to launch the PowerPoint application on your device.

Once you have successfully opened the PowerPoint application, you will be greeted by the welcoming screen providing you with various options and templates to start your presentation. Move your cursor to the top left corner of the screen, and you will notice a menu bar with different commands. Locate the ‘File’ tab in the menu bar, and click on it to unveil a dropdown menu of options. From this menu, select the ‘Open’ command, which is usually denoted by an icon resembling an open folder. By doing so, a file explorer window will appear, enabling you to navigate to the location where your desired presentation file is saved. With the file selected, click ‘Open’ to initiate the loading of your PowerPoint presentation.

Step 2: Press Ctrl+O

Upon launching PowerPoint, press the Ctrl+O keys simultaneously to activate the shortcut for opening a presentation.

By pressing the Ctrl+O keys together, you prompt PowerPoint to open the ‘Open’ dialog box, providing a quick way to access and load your desired presentation file. Remember, this action can be executed from any screen within PowerPoint, making it a convenient and efficient method for opening files without navigating through multiple menus. Once you have pressed the keys, a window will appear allowing you to browse and select the file you wish to open with a simple click.

Step 3: Select the Presentation File

After activating Ctrl+O, users should select the specific presentation file they wish to open by using the keyboard arrows and Enter key.

Once the dialog box appears, you can efficiently navigate through your files by utilizing the up and down keyboard arrows to move through the list. To select a file, simply press the Enter key , highlighting the chosen presentation. This streamlined approach allows for quick and precise file selection , ensuring a seamless experience when opening your desired presentation in PowerPoint. Remember, mastering these keyboard shortcuts can significantly enhance your workflow efficiency.

What are the Benefits of Using Ctrl+O in PowerPoint?

Utilizing Ctrl+O in PowerPoint offers several advantages, including time-saving benefits, ease of recollection, and compatibility across Microsoft Office programs.

When you use Ctrl+O in PowerPoint, you streamline your workflow by instantly opening a new file without navigating through multiple menus. This time-saving feature is particularly useful during presentations or when working on multiple projects simultaneously.

The simplicity of pressing Ctrl+O makes it easier to remember as part of your regular keyboard shortcuts. This ensures that you can quickly access files without having to look up the specific commands each time.

The functionality of Ctrl+O extends beyond PowerPoint, allowing you to swiftly open files in other Microsoft Office applications like Word or Excel. This seamless integration enhances productivity and creates a more efficient user experience across the entire Office suite.

One of the key benefits of using Ctrl+O is the significant time saved in accessing presentations directly from specific locations or slide layouts.

This feature streamlines the process of locating and opening relevant files, eliminating the need to navigate through multiple folders manually. By simply pressing Ctrl+O and entering the designated keywords, the user can quickly retrieve the required presentation or slide layout, enhancing productivity and efficiency.

Easy to Remember

Ctrl+O is an easily recalled keyboard shortcut in PowerPoint, making it convenient for users to access presentation files without relying on extensive menus or commands.

By simply pressing Ctrl+O, users can efficiently open a new or existing file, streamlining their workflow and enhancing productivity. This shortcut acts as a Tech Reference , simplifying the process of retrieving essential documents in just a keystroke.

Its ease of use contributes to a seamless user experience, enabling quick file access during presentations or when preparing materials. Remembering Ctrl+O not only saves time but also demonstrates proficiency in leveraging software functionalities effectively.

Can be Used in Other Microsoft Office Programs

The versatility of Ctrl+O extends to other Microsoft Office software, enabling users to open presentations seamlessly across various programs.

One of the notable advantages of using Ctrl+O is the convenience it offers in terms of cross-program functionality within the Microsoft Office suite. This feature allows users to access and open files not only in PowerPoint but also in applications like Word, Excel, Outlook, and more.

By simply pressing Ctrl+O, users can efficiently navigate through different Microsoft Office tools without the need to manually switch between programs. This streamlined process enhances productivity and workflow by providing a seamless experience for users to access their files quickly.

What are the Other Common PowerPoint Shortcuts?

Along with Ctrl+O, several other common keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint facilitate actions like creating new presentations, saving files, printing, undoing, and redoing actions.

• Ctrl+N : Pressing Ctrl+N will quickly create a new presentation slide within PowerPoint, helping users start afresh or add a new section to their existing work.
• Ctrl+S : Using Ctrl+S brings up the save dialog box , allowing users to save their presentation with a specific file name and location to avoid losing any changes.
• Ctrl+P : Pressing Ctrl+P instantly opens the print dialog , enabling users to print their slides or notes for physical distribution or reference.
• Ctrl+Z : The Ctrl+Z shortcut functions as the ‘Undo’ command , allowing users to reverse their last action or series of actions if needed.
• Ctrl+Y : Conversely, Ctrl+Y acts as the ‘Redo’ command , redoing the action that was just undone, helping users correct mistakes or iterate efficiently.

Ctrl+N: New Presentation

Ctrl+N is a keyboard shortcut in PowerPoint that enables users to create a new presentation with default slide layouts for adding content such as body text or images.

By simply pressing Ctrl+N, users can swiftly kickstart fresh projects without the need to manually set up slide formats, saving time and ensuring uniformity in presentation design. This function is incredibly handy for professionals and students alike who need to begin work promptly with a structured layout.

With the default settings provided by Ctrl+N, creators can focus on the content rather than the format, fostering a more efficient workflow and enhancing productivity. This feature comes in especially useful when brainstorming ideas or sketching out initial concepts, allowing for quick visualization in a presentation-ready format.

Ctrl+S: Save Presentation

Ctrl+S serves as a quick keyboard shortcut in PowerPoint for saving the current presentation file, ensuring that changes are preserved and files are updated regularly.

The primary purpose of utilizing Ctrl+S is to safeguard your hard work against unexpected system crashes or power outages. By hitting this simple combination, you can instantly store all modifications made to your presentation, securing them in the designated file directory on your device.

It’s crucial to develop a habit of frequently pressing Ctrl+S during your editing process to prevent any data loss. Consistently updating your file also acts as a safety net that allows you to backtrack to previous versions if necessary, maintaining the integrity and completeness of your work.

Ctrl+P: Print Presentation

Ctrl+P allows users to initiate the printing process directly from PowerPoint, enabling them to select printing options and configurations for specific slides or the entire presentation.

When utilizing the print functionality through Ctrl+P, users have the flexibility to choose whether they want to print the entire slideshow or just select slides . Various customization options such as selecting the number of copies, choosing the printer, and adjusting the layout can be accessed through this feature. To print specific slides, users can specify the slide range or individually select the slides they want to print. This ensures that users can have complete control over their printing preferences and tailor the output to their specific needs.

Ctrl+Z: Undo Action

Ctrl+Z facilitates the undoing of the most recent action in PowerPoint, allowing users to reverse edits or modifications within the presentation, akin to the Undo feature in Presenter mode.

When operating in PowerPoint, the Ctrl+Z shortcut becomes a handy tool for quickly retracting changes that were not intended or mistakenly made. This simple yet powerful function ensures that any undesired modifications made during the design process can be swiftly rectified. By a simple press of Ctrl+Z, users can revert to the previous state, providing a safety net against accidental errors while working on a crucial presentation. Hence, understanding and utilizing Ctrl+Z effectively can significantly enhance a presenter’s efficiency and confidence in managing their slides and content.

Ctrl+Y: Redo Action

Ctrl+Y enables users to redo previously undone actions in PowerPoint, restoring edits or modifications to advance the presentation, similar to reapplying changes in the slide layout as needed.

By executing Ctrl+Y, users can efficiently navigate through the revision history of their presentation, allowing them to reconstruct any inadvertently removed elements or changes seamlessly. This Redo Action proves to be a valuable tool in ensuring a smooth and precise editing experience, especially when fine-tuning the slide layout or rearranging content for better visual impact. It significantly enhances the productivity of users, helping them swiftly correct any errors or omissions without disrupting the flow of their presentation.

Where Can I Find a List of All PowerPoint Shortcuts?

For a comprehensive compilation of all keyboard shortcuts available in PowerPoint, users can refer to reliable tech references or official documentation provided by Microsoft.

These resources offer a wealth of information on the list of shortcut commands, categorized for various functions within PowerPoint. Whether you are looking to streamline your workflow, enhance productivity, or simply navigate through the software more efficiently, accessing these tech references is crucial.

By consulting the official documentation, users can easily find the complete list of keyboard shortcuts tailored specifically for PowerPoint, allowing for a smoother and more proficient user experience. The organized layout of these resources makes it convenient to search for shortcuts related to formatting, slideshows, animations, and more.

How Can I Customize PowerPoint Shortcuts?

To personalize your PowerPoint experience, you can customize keyboard shortcuts according to your preferences and workflow, offering enhanced efficiency and user-specific commands.

By customizing these shortcuts, you can streamline common actions, such as inserting slides, changing fonts, or formatting objects, into a few simple keystrokes, saving you valuable time during presentations. One key benefit of this approach is that you can align the shortcuts with your familiarity and usage patterns, making the navigation and execution of tasks more intuitive and seamless.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the windows ppt shortcut ctrl+o used for.

The Windows PPT Shortcut Ctrl+O is used to open a presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint.

How do I use the Windows PPT Shortcut Ctrl+O?

To use the shortcut, simply hold down the Ctrl key and press the letter O on your keyboard.

Can I use the Windows PPT Shortcut Ctrl+O in any version of PowerPoint?

Yes, this shortcut works in all versions of Microsoft PowerPoint.

Is there an alternative way to open a presentation besides using the Windows PPT Shortcut Ctrl+O?

Yes, you can also use the “Open” button in the File menu or the “Open” option in the right-click menu.

Can I customize the Windows PPT Shortcut Ctrl+O to open a specific presentation file?

Yes, you can customize this shortcut to open a specific presentation file by right-clicking on the file and selecting “Properties”, then going to the “Shortcut” tab and assigning the Ctrl+O shortcut to the “Target” field.

Can I use the Windows PPT Shortcut Ctrl+O to open multiple presentations at once?

No, this shortcut only opens one presentation at a time. However, you can use it multiple times to open multiple presentations quickly.

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6.2: Designing a Presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Create a new slideshow from a blank presentation
• Create a presentation from a theme or template
• Understand the functions of the Home tab
• Understand the functions of the Design tab
• Understand the functions of the View tab

At WorldCorp, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are used company-wide for a variety of purposes, such as presenting quarterly sales data or providing training for new sales personnel. As part of the Microsoft 365 suite, PowerPoint has characteristics similar to those of other programs such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel . PowerPoint is divided into various tabs, which appear across a ribbon that helps you organize your actions.

In general, creating a storyboard or outline of a presentation , as outlined in the previous section, is a great starting point, and this is the approach we will use to build My Life in a Snapshot . To get started, this section provides an overview of the PowerPoint program, with a review of several tabs within the ribbon that you will use to develop your first slideshow from scratch. As we start using the primary elements of PowerPoint, you will begin to develop an understanding of how the program works with examples to provide context.

The vast capabilities of PowerPoint enable WorldCorp employees to present complex ideas, facts, and figures in the form of easily digestible visuals. Allowing users to create visual representations of information on the blank canvas slides can allow viewers to interpret, engage with, and expound on what they’re seeing.

Let’s begin by using the blank canvas approach to crafting a presentation.

Getting Started

Open PowerPoint and choose a blank presentation (the first option). You should see a screen that looks like Figure 6.5, with an arrow highlighting the desired choice. If you want to open an existing presentation, select Open from the left sidebar and search for the file. Another option is to start with a PowerPoint template —a predesigned set of slides that you can use as a starting point for creating a new PowerPoint presentation. Templates include a defined layout and color scheme, and they often include sample text and images that you can replace with your own content. Using template s is a way to save time and ensure consistency in the design of your presentation. Like many organizations, WorldCorp has a preset template that is often used for external communications, such as presentations for clients. However, for the My Life in a Snapshot presentation, you are not restricted to using the template, as this is an internal presentation and is more informal.

In this example, you will start with a blank presentation. After opening this blank document (by double-clicking on Blank Presentation ), you should save it to your computer or to the cloud using a file name that is identifiable to the content of the presentation. As seen in Figure 6.5, select the Blank Presentation option on the Home screen indicated by the arrow.

In a blank presentation, the initial slide PowerPoint provides is blank except for two placeholders: one for the title and one for the subtitle. When you choose a blank presentation, none of the design elements are defined in advance. The Title Slide layout that is provided by PowerPoint can quickly be altered. Most presentations should have a title. Additionally, the program opens to the Home tab found within the ribbon, as seen in Figure 6.6. Now, the blank canvas is ready for you to craft My Life in a Snapshot for your team at WorldCorp.

Creating a Presentation with Themes and Templates

Many companies tend to already have a theme developed for use with company presentations. A presentation’s theme refers to the overall design and layout of the slides, including elements such as color scheme, font choices, and graphic elements. Themes are useful because they give you an easy way to create a consistent presentation by using preset fonts and color schemes. If you had chosen a theme instead of a blank presentation, the initial slide would show the same elements, but with the design features of the theme applied. A theme can also include predesigned slide layouts, which can be used to create a cohesive and consistent look throughout the presentation.

Within the New tab, as seen in Figure 6.7, selecting a theme allows the designer to set the tone and style of the presentation, which can help to engage the audience and convey the message more effectively. Themes can be either built-in or custom-made, depending on the software you are using. PowerPoint offers numerous themes that you can apply and search for in the search window.

Another option that users have is to select a template instead of just a theme. Unlike a theme, a template is a blueprint of a group of slides that can help meet the topic of a presentation. Templates can contain layouts, fonts, colors, and background styles much like a theme. Much like a résumé template in Word, for instance, a template in PowerPoint prompts the user, suggesting sections and topics to include. As an example, a classic conference presentation might have a specific cadence and style. Slides will be arranged to meet the needs of a conference with suggested slides and topics to include. Theme and template options are worth considering and searching for, especially if a theme matches the overall type of presentation you plan to create.

There are benefits to creating a PowerPoint presentation from a theme. First, this approach provides consistency . The program will offer multiple slides with various concepts, all using the same color pattern, style, and texture. A theme allows users to focus on the presentation message without distraction from differing designs, although it does not necessarily guarantee that they will understand the message. Additionally, starting with a theme ensures that all the slides in the presentation will have a professional aesthetic design and layout, making it look polished. Aesthetics is the study of how things look and how we perceive and respond to them. It can also refer to the overall look and feel of something—for example, the aesthetics of a website or a building.

PowerPoint themes often include a multitude of predesigned slide layouts, which can save time and effort in creating your presentation. You can click into the various text boxes or image boxes to provide the required content, copying the desired layouts that work best for you and deleting those that don’t.

Real-World Application - Marketing Toolkits

Most companies now offer their internal stakeholders Marketing Toolkits to use. Marketing Toolkits provide users with the logos, color schemes, outlines, photo depositories, and ideas on what the company is looking for when designing marketing materials. Digital presentation information is almost always included in the toolkit.

With advances in cell phone technology and social media’s growing presence in our lives, companies can now maximize their marketing reach by enlisting their entire workforce into marketing. By providing accessible content for creators and guidelines, any employee can now be a part of promoting their employer.

Not all employees will embrace a Marketing Toolkit. It is only as effective as leadership and the culture of the company allow. See if any companies you know have a Marketing Toolkit online. Does the company toolkit offer guidelines for PowerPoint presentations? Presentations to external stakeholders can be a valuable marketing opportunity.

The themes that PowerPoint provides can be customized to reinforce your company’s image and message by matching the company’s branding and style. The visual design and layout of themes can be chosen to convey the message or tone of the presentation in a more effective way, which can make it more engaging for the audience. These themes can also be easily modified to include different colors, fonts, and graphics, allowing you to personalize the presentation while still maintaining a consistent design.

Themes are helpful, but to learn PowerPoint more deeply, you will also need to learn how to create a presentation from scratch. Start by getting to know the Home tab . The tools found on the Home tab are used to create the general structure of the slideshow, as seen in Figure 6.8. As an introduction to this group of tools, we will review five key commands, which are circled in the figure: New Slide , Layout tab , the tools in the Font command group, the tools in the Paragraph command group, and Design Ideas .

Using the outline laid out in Figure 6.9, you can create a slideshow from a blank document to present to the team. From here, you can see how a well-planned presentation of ideas can be created in the form of a PowerPoint slideshow.

Following the outline in Figure 6.9, the presentation requires five distinct groups of information arranged in numerical order with subtopics. In PowerPoint, you will want to add five slides, each of which will represent one of these groups. To do this, go to the New Slide command group and, with your mouse, select the green button on New Slide four times. (Reminder: PowerPoint provides the first slide by default.) Note that you can change the layout at any time after creating a slide. For this exercise, any layout will do to get started. The default layout provided is fine.

Once complete, there should be five slides listed in the thumbnail pane on the left side of the screen. (Figure 6.10 shows the first two of five.) You can then use the thumbnail feature to click in and out of individual slides as we develop and edit content that meets the storyboard criteria.

Now that you have created five new slides, you can edit and format them. It’s a good idea to use the same steps to edit and format each. For example, you might create a step called “adding text,” ensuring that every slide that needs text will receive text. The first slide, which is similar to a cover page for the presentation, requires a standard title and subtitle, and these are provided by default.

The next command in the Home tab (see Figure 6.8) is Layout tab . When you open the drop-down menu in Layout, you will see that PowerPoint offers nine basic layout options, which are designed to provide variety, balance, and consistency to each presentation design. (One of the options is “blank.” This layout gives you a blank, white canvas to build from, enabling you to design an infinite number of layouts.) For your WorldCorp presentation example, use the default layout Title Slide for the first slide. A title slide is a slide layout that provides space for a title and a subtitle. (Note that you are not using a template here.)

To add your content, click into each text box provided (it says “Click to add title” and “Click to add subtitle”). Start by typing “My Life in a Snapshot” in the first text box. In the second text box, type your name, followed by your title at WorldCorp and your geographic location, as seen in Figure 6.11.

Next, in the thumbnail panel, select each slide and change the layout for the rest of the slides. Depending on the content of your presentation, it can be helpful to have different layouts on different slides. This presentation will use three different layouts to accommodate different types of information. Follow along by selecting each slide from the thumbnails, then selecting the Home tab, followed by selecting the layout option from the ribbon. You can choose to have information on the slide presented in a different way by changing the slide layout. For example, you could have two groupings of text side by side, as is shown in Figure 6.12, or have the content on the slide grouped all in one area. Make sure to change the layout setting so it accurately reflects the recommendations found in Figure 6.12.

Font choice plays a big role in PowerPoint presentations. Each letter, number, or symbol on a slide can be adjusted to a specific design. Using these options allows you to make your text more visually appealing. The process for selecting or changing a font is similar to the way you change a font’s details in Word. In PowerPoint, however, you will often have much less text to manipulate than in a Word file, and the text is usually much larger so an audience can easily view the information from a distance.

When you change font characteristics, be sure to choose what will best meet the audience’s needs. There are a few easy rules of thumb to follow when you create text for a presentation to a large audience. One of them is what’s known as the seven-seven rule —that each slide should have no more than seven lines of text and each line of text should have no more than seven words. This will help prevent you from relying on punctuation or sentence structure to convey your message. When it’s necessary to communicate via paragraphs of text, Word may be a better tool to distribute those types of communication either as handouts along with the presentation or in lieu of the presentation altogether. But, remember, this is only a rule of thumb. It is acceptable to deviate by a few words or lines based on the message and content of the presentation. The point is to keep the slides clear and simple and not to distract from the presenters themselves. Best practices can be a great help in keeping the audience front and center in your mind and staying focused on the purpose of your presentation.

Fill in the required text as displayed in Figure 6.13. As with changing the layouts, click on each thumbnail, select the required text box, change the font to meet your needs (including the type and color of the font), and adjust the font size as needed. Type the required information (this will be your chance to start explaining who you are to your team), and then make sure to review your work for any errors. Take your time. Word choice can be a challenging task. Make sure that every slide is accounted for. Then, you’re ready to move on to the next step of designing My Life in a Snapshot .

A variety of presentation styles are available, so be sure to take note of the things you like and dislike in the presentations you attend as you develop your own style preferences. Consider the contrast between the text and the background. How easy is it to read the text while listening to a presenter? Does the text work both compressed on a laptop screen (as in a Zoom call) and displayed on a 176-inch projector screen designed for a room full of people? You will notice that the font size and choice are large and easy to read in this project. Later, as you explore the many available options, you are likely to find that the text font needs to match the theme of the presentation.

Next, consider the text. Is this the appropriate content to display? As an example, in Figure 6.14, you can compare the options for our closing slide choice. Is the use of a graphic image of a question mark the best option, or would a written question, as in the center image, be more effective? In some cases, a combination of pictures and text may work best. There is no perfect answer—PowerPoint gives you many options. But at some point, you will need to make decisions. No matter how creative the formatting of the text, a combination of content may be a better option when deciding what layout and kinds of content to use.

Both the font and the paragraph options have functionality only when a text box has been selected. As with the paragraph options, Office offers a helpful array of choices for line spacing, adding bullets, numbering, aligning text, and adding or removing columns. If the default bullet points or line spacing options provided in the text box layouts are incorrect or missing, this can be a place to add or change the required element. You can make changes within a text box either by selecting the entire text box or by selecting only the location you want to change.

Design Ideas/Designer

The latest option group Microsoft has built into the newest PowerPoint versions is the Design Ideas tab (also called the Designer tab in different versions of PowerPoint). (Refer again to Figure 6.8.) This is an on/off button that provides advanced slide layouts and “smart” options when turned on. The Design Ideas feature increases the options available to you as the content creator of My Life in a Snapshot —or any presentation you may be called on to create.

Select the first slide in your presentation, which is typically the title slide , and type in the title of the presentation. As the title is added, you can see how quickly a few words can shape an entire slide. Turn on the Design Ideas option in the Home tab . You will notice several options to the right of the screen. These options are often unique to the words and layout you provide. In this step, select an option that fits your personality, and the transformation will occur. An example is provided in the comparison Figure 6.15 from an employee who started not too long ago in WorldCorp’s South Asian Marketing division. The image on the left was the general text the WorldCorp team member typed into the default Title Slide layout. The image on the right is the option they chose that best matched their personality, which was created and offered by the designer in PowerPoint. Keep in mind that the Design Ideas option is available for only one slide at a time.

Because the Design Ideas option was turned on, it reviewed the text within the text boxes and considered several complete design options that could apply. Starting with a very limited bit of information, the Design Ideas option could add multimedia content (3D models, pictures, background themes); alter the text alignment, color, size, and formatting; change the layout; and create an entire theme representing the keywords on the page. It could even add simple animations, such as a snowflake background with snowflakes gently falling. Having these action components is like having an entire production team on call to quickly merge your ideas with existing collaborative content to make exquisite slides.

Instead of using the Design Ideas feature, you may want to design your PowerPoint yourself. The wide range of design options in PowerPoint allows you to change the overall look and feel of your presentation, quickly and easily. By using the built-in template s, color schemes, and slide layouts, you can transform the roughed-out text that you added earlier to polished, professional-looking presentation slides without spending much time and effort on design. (You will learn more about this process in the chapter on Giving Presentations). Rather than using the Design Ideas feature, which only formats a single slide at a time, the Design tab provides a collection of tools for altering color schemes and layout designs for all of the slides at once. For example, you could change your entire color palette with just a few clicks of the mouse, applying the design to all the slides according to their predefined layout. Additionally, the option to change the slide layout makes it easy to organize the information in a way that is easy for the audience to follow and understand.

In summary, the Design tab in PowerPoint will help to make the process of creating a presentation faster, easier, and more professional-looking, by allowing you to communicate your message in the best possible way for your audience. Building new content for presentations is like building anything else: To do a professional job, you need professional tools, and you need to know how to use them.

Now it’s time to select the design and variation recommended in Figure 6.16. The first command group on the Design tab focuses on themes. Each theme is unique and modifiable. We have a particular theme we want you to use for the remainder of your slides. Hold down the Control key on your keyboard (Ctrl). With your mouse, select slides 2, 3, 4, and 5 from the thumbnails. Go to the top of the screen and choose the theme circled in Figure 6.16. The theme will be applied to only the slides you selected. Your uniquely designed title slide will remain. Remember to save your work. You will quickly notice how themes and variations can elevate your design.

For more ideas, you can turn to the Design Ideas pane at the right of the slide area, as shown in Figure 6.16. (Note that in this figure, the Design Ideas option is called Designer.) For even more ideas, click on See More Design Ideas at the bottom of the pane. This can be accomplished by selecting a particular slide. On the ribbon on the Design tab, the Designer/Design Ideas option will illuminate on the far-right side. Click on the icon and then scroll down, and you can click again on See More Design Ideas. If you have Microsoft 365, your app will be updated as designers add new themes.

The next command group on the Design tab is titled Variants. Variants are essentially modifications you can make within a single theme. These provide a way to add a different overall look. This group initially displays four different color schemes to use with your theme. It lets you change the color combinations, font, or background, or add special effects. For every theme you choose, you can alter the color scheme and font combination (title and regular text). Make sure in your slideshow for My Life in a Snapshot that you have selected both the theme and the corresponding variation of the theme.

Figure 6.17 displays other variant settings that you can customize, including fonts, effects, and background styles. These options can be accessed in the Design tab, within the Variants ribbon, using the down arrow option. Colors, Fonts, Effects, and Background Styles all become options with a multitude of choices.

Selecting the arrow to the right for Colors extends a drop-down list that displays many preset color scheme possibilities, plus a Customize Colors option that allows you to change all of the colors in a scheme. The Font variant lets you pick different fonts for title text and body text. The Effects variant, or Artistic Effects, applies a graphic effect or filter to your slides, such as making them look like a sketch or a painting. Effects can be applied to a single slide or to all slides within the presentation.

The last command group on the Design tab is Customize , which gives options to change the slide size and format the background appearance. You won’t need to use this option for your first presentation, but it is a helpful tool to learn for your future presentations. The slide size command offers two principal choices of aspect ratio , which is the relationship of the slide’s width to its height: standard (compatible with older screen sizes), with an aspect ratio of 4:3, and widescreen (for today’s HD environment), with an aspect ratio of 16:9 (Figure 6.18).

Also found in the Customize group of commands is the Format Background command. Click on it and you will see the menu as shown in Figure 6.19. This command lets you change the background of a slide by changing the fill to a solid color, gradient fill, pattern fill, and so on. Select fill and then hover over each of the circles to see the available color and background options.

Format Background contains all the options for changing the background: Solid fill, Gradient fill, Picture or texture fill, and Pattern fill. Each option has its own set of elements to adjust. Solid fill is just that—choose a solid color for your background. Gradient fill lets you choose the way the color is spread across the slide, the intensity or transparency of the color, and the shape the background effect follows as it moves across the slide. Finally, you can fill the background with a pattern or a photo.

There are many ways to customize a theme to meet your specific needs. Different color combinations, fonts, effects, and background styles are all elements you can use to customize your presentation. Even small changes may be transformative.

The next tab to review is the View tab. To have a basic understanding of PowerPoint , you will need to know the general purpose of several view options. Within the View ribbon, there are seven command groups. The first three are circled in Figure 6.20, starting with Presentation Views .

When creating slides, you will typically work with the Normal View , the default view that PowerPoint opens within a new presentation (Figure 6.21). The large window shows the current slide, and the other slides are shown as thumbnails down the left side of the window. The large window gives you plenty of room to focus on developing content and layout for each slide while you can also jump in and out of each slide through the thumbnails.

Outline View shows a list of the slides on the left, highlighting the text rather than the actual slides as pictures. In Outline View, you can scroll through the text of each slide rather than having to jump in and out of individual slides. This can be a great aid when reviewing or organizing text, as seen in Figure 6.22. (You may have noticed that we changed our title slide to match the theme of the rest of the slides. Now the presentation has a more consistent design.)

Slide Sorter is an option that lays out slides in order, allowing you to move them around with a drag-and-drop of the mouse. This view is useful when you want to add or delete a slide or change their order.

For example, suppose a team member creates a photo album to introduce themselves, with each slide consisting of a single photo. If they select thirty photos, creating an album with thirty slides, Slide Sorter View can help them edit the album by adding or deleting a photo and by arranging the photos in the desired order. In My Life in a Snapshot, with only five slides to edit, this view would be overkill. But with a larger presentation with many more slides, a Slide Sorter View can be a helpful option.

Notes view (or Notes Page ) displays a single slide with the notes below the text or image. These notes are typically designed for the speaker. They may be reminders, citations, or any various notes that the presenter wants to have at their fingertips. This can be handy when a user wants to add or edit a large amount of text. If, for example, they have a lot of text on a slide but are not sure yet which words might be best to highlight for the audience, this area of notes can provide a collection place for content.

The Reading View displays slides one at a time, as they would appear in a slideshow. Utilizing the View option allows you to take any one of the five slides and adjust the size of text boxes and change alignments—all while seeing most of the screen.

The Master Views option group may be a bit advanced for this introductory review, but we will provide a brief example. Within this group, the Slide Master is simply a template of the slide, breaking apart the individual components of the slide layout. This is a time-saving method for creating professional and consistent presentations. You can start with one of the PowerPoint themes or a blank slide, add or change the colors, add borders, change the font, and change or create a layout of your own. You can insert text boxes and object placeholders. When you do this on a master slide, you create a template that unifies the slides in a slideshow. When you have completed a slide that you want to keep as a master slide, select File, Save As, choose a location, and, in file type, choose PowerPoint Template. This is now a Master Slide template that you can use repeatedly.

Handouts Master and Notes Master are specialized viewing modes for specific tasks. The Handouts Master options allow developers to create a template for the PowerPoint printed handout for audience members. Slides can be arranged; titles, dates, and notes can be laid out. Within the Notes Master option group, the view of the slides and printable notes can be arranged as you desire.

How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

Engage your audience with cool, actionable features.

Quick Links

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

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

1. Add a QR code

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

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

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

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

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

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

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

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

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

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

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

3. Embed a Live Web Page

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

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

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

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

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

This is how ours will look.

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

4. Add Links and Menus

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

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

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

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

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

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. Add a Countdown Timer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to create a “new” presentation from pre-existing slides

by Olivia Mitchell | 2 comments

In a perfect world, every new presentation would be prepared from scratch, tailored exactly to the specific audience. But in reality, you sometimes have to cobble together a “new presentation” from pre-existing material.

How can you create an effective presentation in the shortest possible time using pre-existing slides from different sources?

There are two phases to this. First, organizing the content of the presentation and second, creating slides to go with it.

Organize the content

1. gather all your pre-existing slides.

First gather all the pre-existing slides you may want to use into one file.  I suggest that you either print out the slides, two to a page and cut them out, or work in SlideSorter view. What you want to be able to do is see all of your material at a glance and be able to rearrange and discard slides.

Sort your slides into two groups:

• Slides containing mainly text.
• Slides with a visual element that you may want to reuse.

Set aside the visual slides for the moment.

2. Find a unifying theme

This is the essential first step to tying your disparate text slides together. What unites them? What’s the common idea or concept that most of them point towards. Identify this and then express it in one short sentence. I call this the key message of your presentation (also called the core message, or the big idea).

Now check: is this the right message for the audience you’re presenting to? This is critical. Many recycled presentations fail because they’ve been designed for a different audience. You may realize that these slides don’t fit for the audience you’re presenting to. If that’s the case,  it’s better to find out now, than when you’re sinking in front of the audience.

3. Cut material that doesn’t support the key message

Be ruthless. Everything in your presentation should support and tie into the key message. If it doesn’t, out it goes.

See my post 9 ways to edit your presentation for more ideas on this.

You might have a worry at this point that you won’t be left with enough material for your presentation. This is a common pre-presentation concern which is hardly ever borne out in reality. It’s probably the main reason most presentations go on too long. So be brave – cut!

4. Isolate the most important points

Now out of the material that you have left, identify the main points that support the key message. I suggest three to seven points. If you have more than three points, chunk them into three groups. This is because presentations work best when structured in three parts. Andrew Dlugan has a great post on why this works so well Why successful speech outlines follow the Rule of Three .

5. Put them into a logical order

The order of your points must make sense, both to you and to your audience. There should be a flow from one point to the next. You might think of this in terms of what will the audience want or need to know first. Once they know that – what will they need to know next… and so on.

6. Support each point with evidence

Each point needs back-up. If you have just a list of points, your presentation may be as boring as a shopping list. It’s the evidence which makes a presentation really engaging. There are four main types of evidence:

• Stories , case studies, examples, anecdotes
• Statistics and numbers
• Endorsements from other credible experts
• Metaphors and analogies (OK these aren’t strictly evidence, but they’re great for explaining complex concepts).

If you can’t find evidence to support one of your points, ask yourself whether that point really is an essential part of the presentation.

Create slides

There are many different styles for designing PowerPoint slides . I’m going to show you a method to use when time is at a premium. You’ll have two types of slides: text slides and visual slides

1. Create a slide for your key message and each main point

Express your key message and each main point as a succinct but meaningful sentence. Create a new slide for each sentence.  These sentence slides will act as anchors for your audience, emphasizing and reinforcing your main points.

If you have time, find a relevant visual image to add to these slides. But beware. Visuals added just for the sake of adding a visual are baaad. I would prefer no image rather than an irrelevant or far-fetched visual metaphor.

2. Select which of your pre-existing visual slides to reuse

Now go back to the visual slides that  you set aside at the start. Select the ones which will enhance the content of your presentation.

Resist the temptation to add a visual slide that you already have just because it’s pretty or impressive. It must fit with the content of the presentation.

3. Make the design of your slides consistent

If your visual slides come from different presentations, you may find that they are using varying backgrounds, fonts, image styles. You also want your sentence slides to fit with the visual slides you’re re-using. Use one style and then convert all the slides to that style. For basic design principles see PowerPoint slide design – the basics and PowerPoint slide design – adding elegance .

Done. Present.

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Great post. Whenever working with a redesign, I always ask the client “If your audience could take a way one major theme, what would it be?” Answering that question is paramount in crafting a presentation and finding out what is truly necessary (and what isn’t).

Great stuff. It also helps to be specific when naming your files. That way you don’t waste time going through all of your presentations (if you have many).

Got an important presentation coming up?

Got an important presentation coming up and: You have so much content that you can't figure out what to leave out? Don't know where to begin your design process? Worried that your material won't be of value? Feeling overwhelmed and can't get started? Can't figure out your theme? Concerned you won't be engaging? Time is running out?

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