Buzz
This article provides a step-by-step guide on creating a presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint. PowerPoint is a program included in Microsoft Office, available on both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Steps
Create a New PowerPoint Presentation
Open PowerPoint. Click or double-click the PowerPoint software icon, which features an orange box with a white "P," to open a PowerPoint template.
Browse available templates. Scroll through the template page until you find a design that appeals to you.
- Templates include predefined colors, fonts, and overall styles.
Select a template. Click on the template you wish to use to open its window.
- If you prefer not to use a template, click the Blank option located at the top-left corner of the page and skip the next two steps.
Choose a theme if available. Many templates offer a variety of color schemes or themes displayed at the bottom-right corner of the window; clicking on one of these options will alter the colors and/or theme of the template.
- Skip this step if your selected template does not include theme options.
Click Create at the bottom-right corner of the window. This action selects the template and creates your PowerPoint presentation.
Create a title slide
Understand the layout of the title slide. Unlike the rest of your PowerPoint presentation, the title slide should contain nothing but the title and subtitle. This is a mandatory rule when creating a PowerPoint presentation.
- If you need to create a PowerPoint presentation with a title slide that requires more information, feel free to skip this step.
Add a title. Click on the large text box in the center of the first slide to type your title.
- You can change the font style and size using the options in the Home tab located in the orange section at the top of the window.
Add a subtitle. Click on the smaller text box below the title box, then enter the subtitle you want.
- You can also leave this box empty if preferred.
Rearrange the title boxes. Hover your cursor over the edge of a title box, then click and drag the box around the slide to adjust its position.
- You can also click and drag the corners of the box to resize the text box.
Click on the Transitions tab at the top of the PowerPoint window. This will display a list of transition effects at the top of the window.
Select a transition effect for the title slide. Click on a transition effect you want to apply to your slide. This is the final step for the title slide; you can now proceed to add another slide for the main content of your presentation.
- Hovering your cursor over a transition effect will show you a preview of how the slide transition will look.
Add a New Slide
Click on the Insert tab at the top of the PowerPoint window. A new toolbar will appear near the top of the window.
- On a Mac, you will click on the Home tab instead.
Click on New Slide ▼ in the left corner of the toolbar to open a dropdown menu.
New Slide
Choose a slide type. Click on one of the following options in the dropdown menu to add to your presentation:
- Title Slide
- Title and Content
- Section Header
- Two Content
- Comparison
- Title Only
- Blank
- Content with Caption
- Picture with Caption
Add more slides if needed. You can add slides while developing your content, but adding a few slides beforehand will give you a better idea of the presentation's layout as you work.
Reorder slides if necessary. Once you have multiple slides in your PowerPoint presentation, you can rearrange them by clicking and dragging the slide previews up or down in the left-hand column of the PowerPoint window.
- Typically, the title slide is the first slide in the presentation, meaning it should always remain at the top of the left column.
Add content to the slides
Select a slide. In the left-hand slide preview column, click on the slide you want to edit to open it in the main presentation window.
Locate the text box. If the selected slide includes a pre-existing text box, you can start entering content directly into it.
- Skip this step and the next two if the chosen slide template does not include a text box.
Add content to the slide. Click inside the text box and type the content you want to include.
- PowerPoint text boxes automatically format your content (e.g., adding bullet points) based on the context of the text.
Format the slide content. If needed, highlight the text you want to modify, then click on the Home tab and explore the formatting options in the "Font" section of the toolbar.
- Change the font style by clicking the current font name and selecting a new one from the dropdown.
- Adjust the font size by clicking the number box and choosing a larger or smaller size depending on your preference.
- You can also modify text color, apply bold or italic styles, add underlines, and more using the options in this section.
Add images to the slide. To insert an image, click on the Insert tab, then select Pictures from the toolbar and choose an image to add.
Arrange the content on the slide. Similar to the title slide, you can move content around by clicking and dragging.
- Images can be resized by clicking and dragging their edges or corners.
Repeat this process for each slide in the presentation. Once you've completed each slide, you can proceed to the next step.
- Keep in mind that slides should not be cluttered or distracting. Ideally, each slide should contain around 33 words or fewer.
Add Transition Effects
Select a slide. In the left-hand column of the PowerPoint window, click on the slide you want to add a transition effect to.
Click on the Transitions tab at the top of the PowerPoint window. This will open the Transitions toolbar near the top of the window.
Explore the available effects. Effects make your slides appear more dynamic and engaging during the actual presentation; you'll find a list of available effects at the top of the window.
Preview the effect. Click on an effect at the top of the window to see how the slide will transition.
Select an effect to apply. Once you've decided on an effect, click on it to apply it to the current slide. The slide will now feature the chosen transition effect.
Add effects to specific content on the slide. You can apply effects to individual elements (e.g., images or bullet points) by selecting the content, clicking on the Animations tab at the top of the window, and choosing the desired effect.
- Content on the slide will appear in the order you set for the effects. For example, if you animate an image before a title, the image will appear first.
Review and Save the Presentation
Review your PowerPoint. After finalizing the animations and effects for your PowerPoint presentation, go through each slide to ensure there are no errors or omissions.
Click on the Slide Show tab at the top of the window to open the Slide Show tools.
Click on From Beginning in the left corner of the toolbar to start your PowerPoint presentation in slideshow mode.
Navigate through the slideshow. Use the left and right arrow keys to move between slides during the presentation.
- To exit the slideshow, press the Esc key.
Make any necessary changes before proceeding. After reviewing the presentation, you can add forgotten details, remove unnecessary content, and make other edits as needed.
Save your PowerPoint. This will save your presentation as a file that can be opened on any Windows or Mac computer with PowerPoint installed:
- On Windows - Click File, select Save, double-click This PC, choose a folder, enter a name for the presentation, and click Save.
- On Mac - Click File, select Save As..., enter a name for the presentation in the "Save As" field, choose a folder by clicking "Where," and then click Save.
Tips
- If you don’t have Microsoft Office, you can still use Apple’s Keynote or Google Slides to create a PowerPoint presentation.
- Save your work frequently to avoid losing content in case of unexpected computer shutdowns or crashes.
- If you save your PowerPoint presentation in .pps format instead of the default .ppt format, double-clicking the file will immediately open it in slideshow mode.
Warnings
- To create an effective PowerPoint presentation, avoid overcrowding slides with too much text.
- Your PowerPoint presentation (or some of its features) may not open properly in older versions of PowerPoint.
