How To Get Into Presentation Mode In PowerPoint

Are you looking to take your PowerPoint presentations to the next level?

We will discuss why you should use Presentation Mode, how to enter it, its key features, and how to navigate through your slides.

Key Takeaways:

What is presentation mode in powerpoint.

Presentation Mode in PowerPoint refers to a feature that allows presenters to display their slides in a full-screen view, enhancing the visual impact of their presentation.

Why Use Presentation Mode in PowerPoint?

Using Presentation Mode in PowerPoint offers numerous advantages, such as creating a more engaging and professional presentation experience for both the presenter and the audience.

Presentation Mode allows the presenter to navigate slides effortlessly, maintaining a smooth flow of information that keeps the audience’s attention intact. The ability to preview slides on a separate monitor while presenting ensures that the speaker remains in control of the presentation pace and content delivery.

Allows for a more engaging and professional presentation

One of the key reasons to use Presentation Mode in PowerPoint is that it allows presenters to deliver a more engaging and professional presentation by providing advanced control over their slides, including features like a laser pointer .

Helps the presenter stay on track and organized

Presentation Mode in PowerPoint aids presenters in maintaining focus, organization, and efficiency throughout their presentation by offering tools like Presenter View, where notes and slide previews can be accessed.

Provides a better experience for the audience

When toggling to Presentation Mode, the display settings undergo a transformation that optimizes the presentation for viewer interaction. The ability to seamlessly swap displays allows the presenter to effortlessly navigate through slides, ensuring a smooth transition between different sections of the presentation. This elegant integration of features not only captivates the audience but also enables a more fluid and engaging delivery of the content. The visual appeal of the slides is enhanced, making it easier for viewers to follow along and grasp the key points being presented.

How to Enter Presentation Mode in PowerPoint?

Step 1: open your powerpoint presentation.

The first step to enter Presentation Mode in PowerPoint is to ensure that your presentation file is open and ready for display.

To do so, open PowerPoint and locate the file containing your presentation. Click on the file to open it. Review that the slides are arranged in the correct order and that any speaker notes or animations are set up as desired. Check the slide sorter view to confirm the flow of your presentation. Ensure that the current slide is the one you want to begin with when Presentation Mode is activated. This initial setup is crucial for a seamless transition into your presentation.

Step 2: Click on the ‘Slide Show’ tab in the top menu bar

Once you’re on the ‘Slide Show’ tab, you’ll find a variety of essential controls that aid in delivering a seamless presentation experience. Here, you can click on ‘From Beginning’ to start the slide show from the very first slide. You can choose ‘From Current Slide’ to begin from the slide you’re currently on.

Step 3: Select ‘From Beginning’ or ‘From Current Slide’ to start the presentation

After accessing the ‘Slide Show’ tab, choose between the ‘From Beginning’ or ‘From Current Slide’ options to initiate your presentation in Presentation Mode, ensuring the desired display settings and presenter view are selected.

When you opt for ‘From Beginning,’ your presentation will start from the very first slide, whereas selecting ‘From Current Slide’ allows you to start your presentation from the slide you are currently on. This choice depends on whether you want to begin at the start of the presentation or jump in at a specific point.

What Are the Features of Presentation Mode in PowerPoint?

Presenter view with notes allows speakers to refer to their talking points discreetly, ensuring a seamless delivery. The incorporated laser pointer feature permits highlighting key areas on slides, directing the audience’s focus effectively. Slide previews provide a comprehensive overview of the presentation flow, aiding in smoother transitions between topics. The option to hide or reveal slides as needed enhances the element of surprise and control during the presentation, captivating the audience’s attention. These combined features transform the presenter’s performance into a dynamic and engaging experience for all participants.

Full-screen display of slides

Ability to use a laser pointer or pen tool.

Presentation Mode enables presenters to use a laser pointer or a pen tool to highlight key points on slides, enhancing the clarity and impact of their presentation.

Presenter view with notes and slide previews

When utilizing the Presenter view, presenters gain the advantage of accessing notes discretely without them being displayed to the audience, allowing for a more professional and polished delivery. In addition, having a live preview of the upcoming slides enables the presenter to seamlessly transition between points, enhancing the flow of the presentation. Through system preferences or the displays app, customization options such as adjusting the layout to suit individual preferences or toggling between speaker notes and slide previews can be easily configured, providing a tailored experience for each presenter.

Option to hide the presentation controls

In scenarios where presenters are utilizing a two-monitor setup for advanced display configurations, such as showing notes on one screen while presenting on the other, hiding presentation controls on the main display ensures that only the essential content is visible to the audience, maintaining a neat and streamlined appearance.

How to Navigate Through Slides in Presentation Mode?

Use the arrow keys on your keyboard.

Utilize the arrow keys on your keyboard to seamlessly advance through slides in Presentation Mode, ensuring a smooth and controlled flow of your presentation.

Click on the arrows in the bottom left corner of the screen

Users can enhance their presentation experience by utilizing the fullscreen mode . By entering fullscreen, viewers can keep the focus solely on the presentation content, removing any distractions from the surrounding interface elements. This feature is particularly useful when showcasing detailed slides or when presenting to a larger audience, allowing for a more immersive and engaging delivery.

Use the scroll wheel on your mouse

With its responsive nature, the scroll wheel ensures quick and precise movements, enabling presenters to fluidly transition between slides with the utmost ease.

How to Exit Presentation Mode in PowerPoint?

To exit Fullscreen mode in PowerPoint, you can simply press the ‘Esc’ key, the keyboard shortcut that is universally used to escape full-screen views across various applications. This action will promptly take you out of the immersive mode and back to the regular interface.

Step 1: Press the Esc key on your keyboard

Exiting Presentation Mode using the ‘Esc’ key is a simple maneuver that can swiftly transition you back to your familiar workspace. Once you press the ‘Esc’ key, the fullscreen effect will dissolve, and any Speaker Notes you might have been glancing over will no longer dominate your screen, ensuring a seamless flow as you exit the presentation. This action provides an effortless way to shift the focus back to the general view of your PowerPoint, facilitating a smooth continuation of your usual workflow.

Step 2: Click on the ‘End Show’ button on the top left corner of the screen

Step 3: select ‘end show’ from the drop-down menu.

For a more detailed exit process, users can select ‘ End Show ‘ from the drop-down menu within PowerPoint, ensuring a controlled and comprehensive conclusion to their presentation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do i enter presentation mode in powerpoint.

To enter presentation mode in PowerPoint, click on the Slideshow tab in the top menu and then select “From Beginning” or “From Current Slide” depending on where you want to start your presentation.

Can I customize the way I enter presentation mode in PowerPoint?

Is there a shortcut to enter presentation mode in powerpoint, can i use a different display for presentation mode in powerpoint.

Yes, you can use a different display for presentation mode by going to the Slideshow tab and selecting “Set Up Slide Show.” From there, you can choose to present on a secondary monitor or projector.

How do I exit presentation mode in PowerPoint?

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

How to Use the Presentation Modes and the Screen Recording Features in PowerPoint | Quick Tips & Tutorial for your presentations

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

Presentation Modes

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

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

Start Slide Show group

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

Checkboxes in Set Up group

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

Options under Show type

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

Option under Show options

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

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How to Present a PowerPoint Slideshow With Presenter View (+ Video)

Andrew Childress

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Giving a presentation can be intimidating, even to seasoned speakers. Learn how to use PPT Presenter View , which is your private cockpit view.

Tezia presenter view in PowerPoint

This is a view that you'll see on your own screen while giving a presentation using PowerPoint. While the audience will see the presentation on the projector or big screen, you'll have your own private view on a second monitor.

This feature is like a cockpit for giving presentations. You'll keep all the most important controls front and center while presenting.

PowerPoint Presenter View gives you at least four essential tools that make presenting your slideshow more comfortable:

  • In Presenter View , this display keeps your  speaker notes  in view to reference while speaking.
  • You'll see a thumbnail for the next slide to begin preparing for your next key point, and you can jump to other slides quickly.
  • A timekeeping tool helps you track how long you've been speaking to ensure you don't overrun any time limits.
  • Drawing tools allow you to add illustrations on screen while presenting to draw attention to specific parts of your slides.

You need every advantage you can get when it's time to give a presentation. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to make the most out of Presenter View in PowerPoint.

In this tutorial, I'm going to focus on an underused feature of PowerPoint: Presenter View. 

How to Present a PowerPoint Slideshow With Presenter View (Video)

In this video, I'll teach you how to get started with Presenter View in PowerPoint. You'll learn how to enable Presenter View and then use the tools inside of it. I'll teach you to use the special Presenter View features to keep your notes and tools close, that way you can present more confidently. 

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Keep reading to find out more about using Presenter View in PowerPoint and the best features to try out.

Turn On PowerPoint Presenter View

In PowerPoint for macOS, simply click on  Presenter View  on the  Slide Show  tab to kick off the presentation in Presenter view .

Start presenter mode PowerPoint

You'll see the Presenter View interface on one screen. The other display will show the "audience version" of the presentation. In other words, it shows what they'll see on a projector screen, or even their own display. 

How to Make the Most of Presenter View

Let's dive into some of my favorite features that Presenter View brings to the table. Using even one of these is reason enough to try out Presenter View in PowerPoint. But when you combine them together, it's a no-brainer.

This is how to use Presenter View on PowerPoint. But the real question is why to use presenter mode PowerPoint. The reason is twofold:

  • It helps your slides look better.
  • It keeps you organized.

You can share neat, uncluttered slides that aren’t packed with content. That’s because you can keep your supporting content to yourself.

For this Presenter View in PowerPoint tutorial, we’ll be using the beautiful Tezia - Corporate PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. Tezia has 40 stunning slide layouts. Each one works great in PowerPoint Presenter View . Download it today and follow along.

Tezia Presenter mode PowerPoint

Now, let’s learn how to use Presenter View in PowerPoint fast!

1. Speaker Notes

Speaker Notes is a top feature that works best with Presenter View in PowerPoint. Many presenters will spend time filling out cards or scribbling ideas onto paper. But it's much easier to add them directly into your PowerPoint file.

how to save ppt in presentation mode

To add Speaker Notes to a presentation, start off by working in Normal view on PowerPoint's View tab. At the bottom of your screen, you can click on Notes to open up the Speaker Notes section and add your own text.

How to present on PowerPoint

Speaker Notes and Presenter View go hand in hand. When you're in Presenter View , your speaker notes will show up on the right side of your screen. You can adjust the text size with the icons near the lower right corner. 

How to use presenter view in PowerPoint

Speaker Notes show how to use Presenter View in PowerPoint to your advantage. They help keep you on track as you present on your key topics.

Speaker Notes are important because they avoid the potential of you reading off your slides. Why? Because you don’t have to commit every key detail to memory! You can engage with your audience, all while referring to pre-built notes that they’ll never see.

2. Slide Previews

Let’s face it: you might be sharing a presentation with dozens of different slides inside. When you know how to put PowerPoint in presentation mode, you can get a sneak preview as you present. It’s easy to forget exactly how you sequenced slides together.

With Presenter View , you can stop guessing. That’s because you’ll always have a preview of the next slide in your deck.

As you work in Presenter View in PowerPoint, notice the slide thumbnail in the upper right corner. It’s labeled Next Slide , and that’s exactly what you’re seeing. This helps you transition smoothly from slide to slide. Often, you may set up some closing narration on one slide to help introduce the next. Guesswork and delays are gone, thanks to using Presenter View in PowerPoint.

Knowing how to present on PowerPoint involves keeping slides in a logical order. That means that on occasion, your next slide should no longer be the next one in line. Presenter View helps you handle this situation. 

How to put PowerPoint in presentation mode

Across the bottom of the view is a filmstrip of every slide’s thumbnail. You can scroll through it and click on any slide to jump directly to it.

This way, you can jump around in your slide deck without your audience ever knowing it! This helps you drive the flow of your slide deck in real time, with no interruptions or distractions. 

3. Drawing Tools

Like sports commentators do during a broadcast, you can use drawing tools to draw on top of your slides. This is perfect if you've got a tablet for example, but the feature works well for computer users with a mouse too.

To enter the drawing tools, you can click on the icon shown in the PowerPoint screenshot below. This turns on the tools you need to add highlights and annotations to the selected slide.

Using presenter view in PowerPoint

Annotations are great if you want to call out key details in real time. You can highlight, mark up, or circle any element on a slide. This is how to use Presenter View in PowerPoint in a live environment. You can use it to capture audience attention and focus on details as your narrative flows. 

How to use presenter view on PowerPoint

Choose from tools like the Laser Pointer, Pen, and Highlighter to add annotations to a slide. A laser pointer is a digital version of the popular tool used to draw attention to parts of a slide.

The Pen and Highlighter tools will actually add new marks on top of the slide that your audience will see. 

4. Timekeeping

This feature is straightforward to use, but I can't stress enough how helpful it is. Nothing is worse than giving a presentation and realizing that you used only half of the time. Or that you went far over the time limit.

In Presenter View , you'll see a feature that keeps time above the current slide thumbnail. You can pause this feature with the Pause button or reset the counter with the icon on the far right. But often, it's best to leave it running. This keeps you on pace, on track, and focused on your message. 

Time presenter view in PowerPoint

Plus, this is how to put PowerPoint in presentation mode to work for you. At a glance, you can see how much time you have left. This may encourage you to speed up your dialogue. Or it may afford you extra time to expound on a key point or new supporting detail. 

I can think of many times when this feature would have been a big help during presentations in college. When you're graded or judged based upon your runtime, it's a great idea to keep that time total in view.

5. Navigate Effortlessly with Keyboard Shortcuts

Presenter mode PowerPoint presentations are easy to navigate. That’s because they work well with a variety of keyboard shortcuts. By using these shortcuts, you can see how to present on PowerPoint efficiently.

Presenter mode PowerPoint tips

Presenter View offers an array of keyboard and mouse shortcuts that you can use as you present. Again, your audience won’t notice this. 

For a look at them, click on the Tips button in the upper left corner of Presenter View . You’ll see a complete cheat sheet of shortcuts listed. Refer to it often and use these tips to navigate through your slides.

The Best Source for Stunning PowerPoint Templates (With Unlimited Downloads)

Envato Elements is the best place to find stunning PowerPoint templates in 2022 . For a flat, monthly rate, you can download as many PowerPoint templates as you want. Plus, Elements offers an array of other creative content. This includes stock photos, music, fonts, and more.

Unlimited Elements

When you’re using Presenter View in PowerPoint, you need templates that look their best. It’s tempting to turn to free options. But premium templates from Envato Elements are always your best bet.

Why? They’re designed by creative experts with you in mind. You simply fill in the blanks to add your own content. You don’t have to spend time and effort designing slides from scratch. This gives you even more time to craft a compelling narrative to wow any audience.

Elements PowerPoint templates

With premium Envato Elements templates, you’ll unlock an array of features. Each of these helps you shine when you use presenter mode PowerPoint features:

  • easy-to-edit text placeholders
  • photos and illustrations throughout
  • charts and infographics
  • pre-built animations

As you learn how to put PowerPoint in presentation mode, you’ll see how all these benefit you.  

Learn More Powerful PowerPoint Tools

We can use tools like Presenter View to reduce the anxiety that comes along with giving presentations. It may still take time to prepare and feel confident about your presentation. But Presenter View keeps those key features in easy view so that you aren't scrambling for written notes.

Check out these tutorials to learn more about giving presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint :

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Download Our eBook on Making Great Presentations (Free PDF)

We have the perfect complement to this tutorial, which will walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. 

Download our  eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It's available for FREE with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. 

How to Make a Great Presentation Free eBook PDF Download

Start Using Presenter View Today

You just learned how to use Presenter View in PowerPoint. You're the pilot, and now you're in the cockpit of your presentation plane! The features you saw in this tutorial will keep everything you need in view while you give a presentation.

Don't forget to launch your presentation in presenter mode PowerPoint mode. That means you'll always have your slide cues, notes, and more while you speak to an audience.

Editorial Note:  This post has been updated with contributions and a video from Andrew Childress . Andrew is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+.

Andrew Childress

How to Save a Power Point Presentation so that it Opens Automatically

In this article, we are going to explain how to save a PowerPoint presentation so it opens automatically . Many times we want our presentation to start without having to click any button, whether for an event or a work meeting. Fortunately, Power Point offers us a simple way to achieve this goal. Read on to discover the steps needed to save your presentation this way and ensure everything goes as planned.

– Step by step ➡️ How to Save a Power Point Presentation So It Opens Automatically

  • Open your PowerPoint presentation . Once you've finished designing your presentation, open it in PowerPoint.
  • Click on “File” in the upper left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will open.
  • Select “Save As” in the dropdown menu. A pop-up window will appear.
  • Choose the location where you want to save your presentation . You can choose to save it on your computer or in the cloud.
  • Enter a name for your presentation . Be sure to give it a descriptive name so you can easily find it later.
  • Select “Save as type: PowerPoint Presentation” . This will ensure that your presentation is saved in the proper format.
  • Scroll down the pop-up window and click “Tools” . A drop-down menu will appear.
  • Select "General Options" . Another pop-up window will appear.
  • Check the box that says “Show presentation to audience with automatic slides” . This option will cause your presentation to open automatically when launched in PowerPoint.
  • Click "OK" to close the popup window.
  • Finally, click on “Save” in the main window to save your presentation with auto-open settings.

How to save a PowerPoint presentation so that it opens automatically?

  • Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
  • Click on “File” at the top left of the screen.
  • Select "Save As".
  • Choose the location where you want to save the presentation.
  • From the “Save as type” drop-down menu, select “PowerPoint presentation with .ppsx extension.”
  • Click "Save".
  • Now your presentation will automatically open in presentation mode when you open it.

How to make a Power Point presentation open by itself upon startup?

  • In the same window, select “Enable click to activate this content” if you want the presentation to open with a click.

How to save a PowerPoint presentation so that it plays automatically?

How to create a powerpoint presentation that starts automatically, how to convert a powerpoint presentation to open directly, how to generate a powerpoint presentation that activates itself, how to make my powerpoint presentation start on opening, how to save a powerpoint presentation so that it starts on its own, how to activate a powerpoint presentation so that it plays itself, how to save a powerpoint presentation so that it plays when opened, you may also be interested in this related content:.

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How can I edit a presentation while in presentation mode?

I'm looking for a way to present to a live audience and incorporate their input into my presentation. With a "static" presentation, you have to keep taking down, editing, and then re-presenting the slide deck. I'm looking for a way to incorporate and save changes directly into the live presentation.

I use Keynote and PowerPoint, so a method to accomplish this with either would be ideal. But I am open to a solution that requires something else.

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fixer1234's user avatar

  • I would gladly take a hack for PowerPoint or Keynote. That would be the preferred method –  Max Phillips Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 21:46
  • Would a PDF with fillable forms meet your requirements? It's not clear what sort of input you want to accept. If it's just text, then running a PDF reader in full-screen mode might do what you want. –  AFH Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 22:19
  • There is no hack. This behavior has been "normal" in Powerpoint at least for quite a while. 99% of people present by duplicating their screen (same thing on projector and their computer) but if you extend your display to the projector Powerpoint by default uses a different mode that has a special view on the computer display an the full-screen slide on the projecting display. And... you can edit in real time, while presenting, with live updates to the slides. –  music2myear Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 23:00

3 Answers 3

For Windows:

PowerPoint has had this capability for quite some time. The key is to NOT duplicate your computer screen with the presenting screen ( TV, projector, other screen, etc. I'll use "projector" in this how-to for simplicity purposes. ) The only requirement is that you have some screen besides the projector.

With a Windows computer, when you connect to a projector use the Win + P command and choose the Extend the display. This means that your computer screen and the projector will show different things. You can also do this in Display Settings if you're more familiar with that.

PowerPoint has some intelligence to determine which screen is a projector and which is not, but if you need more control over which screen the presentation is on and which one will be your control screen, in the Slide Show tab you'll find Set Up Slide Show, which includes settings for this.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Presenter View (also an option in the Slide Show tab) can make things a little more difficult, but not much. When using Presenter Mode, the default behavior is for the Presenter Mode window to go full-screen, and you cannot edit in Presenter Mode. However, resizing the Presenter Mode window should allow you to easily bring up the main PowerPoint window, which is where the magic will happen.

So, all that aside, the meat of the solution:

Just edit the darn thing. That's all it takes.

With the presentation running happily away on the projector and the main PowerPoint window up on your computer screen, you can edit as much as you please and your edits will be reflected in real-time in the presentation itself ( Note: I've known about the Presenter Mode and running presentations on multiple monitors for years, but am only testing the specifics of editing in PowerPoint 2016. I do not know how the behavior is different in previous versions. ).

I don't know. I could not find specific documentation of this ability/feature for either Keynote or PowerPoint for Mac. While in Windows the Presenter view can be resized, some suggest this is not an option in Office for Mac.

One work around would be to use the Freeze capability of most projectors to freeze the current image on the screen, then exit the presentation on the computer, edit the slideshow, begin it at that slide again, and then unfreeze the projector image.

music2myear's user avatar

  • I'm pretty familiar with extended desktop. It's what I work in most of the time. Is this procedure the same on Mac? And what version of PowerPoint are you using? –  Max Phillips Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 16:26
  • Macs an Keynote have generally encouraged people to use the extended desktop, so I'm not surprised you're more familiar with that mode. Unfortunately, I do not have the ability to test on an Apple computer. I tested this while writing the answer on Office 2016, which is the same version available for Mac. –  music2myear Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 16:38
  • I just can't figure out how to resize the Presenter Mode window. If I play the show without presenter view it takes over the PowerPoint module, there is no window behind it. –  Max Phillips Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 16:44
  • Interesting. I know the feature isn't new (or limited) to 2016 because of the answers to this question from 3 years ago: superuser.com/questions/681019/… –  music2myear Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 17:04
  • I'm trying to find documentation on the Mac versions. –  music2myear Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 17:04

For Mac using PowerPoint 16:

Open the presentation you want to show. On the Mac menu bar go to window and click New Window.

enter image description here

This will pop out a duplicate PowerPoint presentation. Drag one of them to the second monitor and run it under setup option: "Browsed by an individual (window)"

enter image description here

You can now edit and add slides on the fly in the window that remains on your main desktop without interrupting the presentation. You can even edit the slide that you are currently showing on the screen and it will update automatically as you change it.

  • TIL. Sweet. I'm glad you were able to figure it out. Feel free to mark this as the answer, but I'd also recommend modifying your original question to indicate you're talking about Mac OS, which would help clarify why my answer was not the best. –  music2myear Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 23:11
  • I want to give credit it where it's deserved. I wasn't trying to steal it. Just wanted to make sure that it was out there for people to find. –  Max Phillips Commented Jan 12, 2017 at 4:43
  • No worries. We're about the best answers, and sometimes details such as the OS you're limited to help make sure answers that sound like they may have multiple possible answers can be narrowed down to the right one. –  music2myear Commented Jan 15, 2017 at 19:23

Windows 7 x64 using PowerPoint 2016

When using two screens make sure to uncheck "Use Presenter View" and start your slideshow

enter image description here

On Screen 1 you will be able to edit text on the fly and even add slides.

On Screen 2 you will see updates in real-time. If a slide is added in Screen 1 then you will need to activate Screen 2 and press the left or right arrows respectively.

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how to save ppt in presentation mode

Art of Presentations

How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation? [PPT & Other Formats!]

By: Author Shrot Katewa

How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation? [PPT & Other Formats!]

Saving a PowerPoint presentation is one of the most important things that you need to do when you are creating a presentation using PowerPoint. Unlike some of the modern web-based presentation applications, you need to make sure that you save a PowerPoint presentation when you are using an offline version!

To save a PowerPoint presentation, click on the “File” tab. Then, from the backstage view, click on the “Save” option from the left panel. Choose the location or the folder where you want to save the presentation on your computer, and click on “Save”.

In this article, we shall not only understand how to save a standard PPT or PPTx file, but we shall also take a look at how to save a PowerPoint presentation in different file formats such as a PDF, video or an image!

So, let’s get started!

1. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation?

Once you have saved a PowerPoint presentation, you can easily save it again with just one click. Furthermore, you can also save a PowerPoint presentation in other formats. However, the process of saving a PowerPoint presentation is slightly different on Windows and on Mac.

Let’s understand the process in further detail.

1a. Saving a PowerPoint Presentation on Windows

To save a PowerPoint Presentation on Windows PC, you can follow either of the 2 simple methods.

Method-1: Using the “Save” button on Quick Access Toolbar

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the Quick Access Toolbar located at the very top of the screen, click on the “Save” icon.

The “Save” icon is located on the left side in the Quick Access Toolbar and looks like a floppy disk. Clicking on the “Save” button will immediately save the PowerPoint presentation in its current location as a “.pptx” file.

If you have opened a new presentation and you are saving it for the first time, clicking on the “Save” button will open a new explorer window. Simply navigate to the folder where you wish to save the new presentation on your computer, and click on “ Save “.

Method-2: Using the “File” tab

Another, more common method is to use the “File” tab in PowerPoint to save your PowerPoint presentation.

Here’s what you need to do –

Step 1 – Click on the “File” Tab

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Another way to save a PowerPoint presentation is to use the “File” menu. You have to first click on the “File” tab located at the left corner of the menu ribbon at the top of the screen.

Step 2 – Click on the “Save” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

This will open the backstage view in PowerPoint. Now, click on the “Save” option from the sidebar on the left side of the screen. This will save the Microsoft PowerPoint as a “.pptx” file in the current location.

1b. Saving a PowerPoint Presentation on Mac

On a Mac computer, you can use the “File” menu as well to save the PowerPoint presentation.

The first step is to click on the “File” menu in the menu bar located at the top of the screen (above the PowerPoint window). This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “Save” option from the dropdown menu to save the presentation as a “.pptx” file which is the standard format for presentations.

1c. Shortcut Keys to Save a PowerPoint Presentation

Microsoft PowerPoint also allows you to save a presentation with keyboard shortcuts. All you have to do is press the “Ctrl+S” keys on your keyboard in an open PowerPoint file. This will save the PowerPoint presentation.

1d. Best Format to Save a PowerPoint Presentation?

PowerPoint allows you to save a presentation in various different file formats! For instance, you can use the .ppt format if you wish to open the presentation file using PowerPoint 2007 or earlier. You can use .ppsx to open presentation directly as a PowerPoint Show file that opens it in the presentation mode.

In fact, there are several other formats you can save a presentation in. We shall explore how to save a PowerPoint presentation in several different formats later in the article.

However, the best format to save a PowerPoint Presentation is a “.pptx” file. This type can support all the latest as well as the older features of the PowerPoint presentation.

If you will be opening the presentation using a different software other than Microsoft PowerPoint, “.odp” is the best format. For printing, make sure to save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF. That said, .pptx file format can help serve these purposes too.

2. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as PDF

Saving a PowerPoint presentation in PDF format is the suitable method for printing out your presentation. To save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file, follow the 4 easy steps.

Step-1: Click on the “File” Tab

First, click on the “ File ” tab in PowerPoint to open the back stage view of PowerPoint.

Step 2 – Click on the “Save As” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the “File” tab. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option from the sidebar on the left side of the screen.

Step-3: Click on the “PDF (*.pdf)” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Save As” screen, click on the box that shows “PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)” . This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “PDF (*.pdf)” option from the dropdown menu.

Step-4: Click on the “Save” button

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button beside the box to save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file (as shown in the image in step 2).

3. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as a Video?

In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can also save a presentation as a video. This allows you to play the presentation slides as a video rather than a slide show.

3a. On Windows

To save a PowerPoint presentation as a video on a Windows PC, follow the 3 easy steps.

Step-1: Click on the “File” tab

The first step is to open the “Save As” screen. To do so, click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option.

Step-2: Choose the “.mp4” file format from the “Save As” tab

how to save ppt in presentation mode

The next step is to click on the “Save As Options” box. It is the second box on the right side of the “Save As” screen. In the dropdown menu, click on either the “MPEG-4 Video (*.mp4)” option or the “Windows Media Video (*.wmv)” option.

Step-3: Click on the “Save” button

The final step is to click on the “Save” button (as indicated in step 2 above). It is located on the right side of the “Save As Options” box. This will save your PowerPoint presentation as a video.

To save a PowerPoint presentation as a video on a Mac device, follow the 3 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “Export” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on the “File” option. In the “File” dropdown menu, click on the “Export” option. This will open a dialog box.

Step-2: Click on the “File Format” box

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the dialog box, click on the “File Format” box. This will open a dropdown menu. You can click on either the “MP4” option or the “MOV” option as you prefer.

Step-3: Click on the “Export” button

In the dialog box, you can also click on the “Quality” option to select the quality of the video. Once you are satisfied with the selections in the dialog box, click on the “Export” button at the bottom (as shown in the image in the previous step). This will save the presentation as a video.

4. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation to Open in Slideshow Mode?

Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to save the PowerPoint presentation as a “PowerPoint Show” file. This opens directly as a slideshow. To save a PowerPoint presentation to open in slideshow mode, follow the 2 easy steps.

In the open PowerPoint file, click on the “File” tab from the menu ribbon which is located at the top of the screen. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option.

Step-2: Click on the “PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx)” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Save As” screen, click on the “Save As Options” box which shows “PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)” . This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx)” option.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button to save the PowerPoint presentation to open as a slideshow.

5. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as an Image?

In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can save the presentation as an image in five different formats: “Animated GIF Format (*.gif)” , “JPEG File Interchange Format (*.jpeg)” , “PNG Portable Network Graphics Format (*.png)” , “TIFF Tag Image File Format (*.tif)”, and “Scalable Vector Graphics Format (*.svg)” .

To save your presentation as an image, follow the 3 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “Save As” option from the “File” tab

The first step is to click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. Then click on the “Save As” option from the “File” menu.

Step-2: Select your preferred image format

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Save As” screen, click on the “Save As Type” box which is the second box in the right column. From the dropdown menu, click on your preferred image format from the five available formats.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button (as shown in the image in step 2) beside the “Save As Type” box. This will save your presentation in a folder containing each slide as a separate image file.

6. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as a Template?

A PowerPoint template is a predesigned presentation that you can edit to add your own content. To save a presentation as a template, follow the 3 easy steps.

The first step is to click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. Then click on the “Export” option from the sidebar in the “File” menu.

Step-2: Click on “Change File Type”

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Now you have to click on the “Change File Type” option. Under the “Presentation File Types” group in the right column, click on the “Templates” option. Then click on the “Save As” button at the bottom of the screen.

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Save As” dialog box, you will see that the “Save as type” box shows the “PowerPoint Template” format. Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button.

7. How to Save PowerPoint Presentation as Google Slides?

Microsoft PowerPoint does not offer any feature to upload a presentation to Google Slides directly. However, Google Slides does offer you an option to upload your PowerPoint presentation and save it in Google Slides!

Step-1: Save Your PowerPoint Presentation

The first step is to save your PowerPoint presentation using any method described in the section 1 of this article.

Make sure that you note down the location of the folder in which you have save the PowerPoint file.

Step-2: Click on the “Open file picker” option in Google Slides

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Now, the next thing you need to do is open your Google Slides account by visiting slides.google.com . If you aren’t logged in, make sure you sign in with your account credentials.

Next, you will be presented with Google Slides home screen (as shown in the image above). In Google Slides, click on the “Open file picker” icon which looks like a folder. This will open the “Open a file” dialog box.

Step-2: Click on “Upload”

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Open a file” dialog box, click on the “Upload” tab.

From your “File Explorer” window, drag and drop the PowerPoint presentation in the dialog box. Now the presentation will automatically open in Google Slides.

Also Read – How to “ Make a Copy of a Google Slides Presentation ” and how to “ Share a Google Slides Presentation Correctly ” with others!

You can also click on the “ Select a file from your device ” button (blue button in the center of the screen). This will open the file explorer window. Navigate to the folder in which you have saved your PowerPoint presentation, and click on “OK”. This will open and save the presentation file in Google Slides.

8. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation to a Flash Drive?

To save a PowerPoint presentation on a flash drive or any external device, follow the 3 simple steps.

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the “File” tab. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option.

Step-2: Click on “Browse”

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Save As” screen, click on the “Browse” option which is the last option in the left column. This will open the “Save As” dialog box. In the sidebar on the left of the dialog box, click on the external disc.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button at the bottom of the dialog box to save the PowerPoint presentation on the flash drive (as shown in the image in step 2).

9. How to Save a Copy of a PowerPoint Presentation?

The “Save A Copy” feature of Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to save changes in your presentation in a copied file without changing the original file.

Check out my article to learn detailed steps on how to save a copy of a PowerPoint presentation .

10. How to Save a Read-Only PowerPoint Presentation?

The “Read-Only” feature of Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to protect your PowerPoint presentation .

Using this feature, you can share your presentation with others without giving them the access to change your presentation. To save a read-only PowerPoint presentation, follow the steps mentioned below –

The first step is to click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. From the sidebar in the “File” menu, click on the “Info” option.

Step-2: Click on the “Protect Presentation” button

how to save ppt in presentation mode

The next step is to click on the “Protect Presentation” option in the “Info” screen. This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “Always Open Read-Only” option from the dropdown menu.

Step-3: Click on the “Save” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Now all you have to do is save the presentation. To do so, click on the “Save” option in the sidebar right under the “Info” option. Alternatively, you can press the “Ctrl+S” keys on your keyboard.

If you have received a presentation that opens only in the read-only mode, but you don’t know how to work with it, check out my other article on “ How to Edit a Presentation in Read-Only Mode “.

11. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation Without Notes?

When saving a PowerPoint presentation, you might want to remove the speaker notes. To do so, all you have to do is follow the 5 quick steps.

In the menu ribbon, click on the “File” tab. Then click on the “Info” option from the “File” menu.

Step-2: Click on “Check for Issues” on the “Info” tab

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Info” option, click on the “Check for Issues” button. Then click on the “Inspect Document” option from the dropdown menu. This will prompt a dialog box.

Step-3: Click on the “Inspect” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “Document Inspector” dialog box, scroll all the way to the bottom and make sure the “Presentation Notes” option is selected. Then click on the “Inspect” button at the bottom of the dialog box.

Step-4: Click on the “Remove All” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Once the inspection results are shown in the “Document Inspector” dialog, scroll to the bottom again to find the “Presentation Notes” option. Then click on the “Remove All” button at the right side of the “Presentation Notes” option.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Close” button at the bottom of the dialog box to finish the process.

Step-5: Click on the “Save” option

how to save ppt in presentation mode

The final step is to click on the “ Save ” option in the sidebar of the “File” menu to save the presentation without notes. You can alternatively press the “Ctrl+S” keys on your keyboard.

12. How to Save PowerPoint Presentation Directly in Microsoft Teams?

If you are delivering a PowerPoint presentation to an audience using Microsoft teams, you can easily share a PowerPoint deck with your audience in the following steps –

  • First, open the Microsoft Teams application and login to the meeting.

how to save ppt in presentation mode

  • On the “ Meeting Controls ” menu available in the top part of your meeting screen, locate the “ Share Content ” option.
  • Click on the share content button. This will show the most recent PowerPoint files that you opened. You can either choose to click on one of the files visible. Alternatively, scroll down on the right panel and click on the “ Browse my computer ” option.

how to save ppt in presentation mode

  • This will open a new file browser window. Navigate to the respective location where your PowerPoint presentation is saved, click on it to select it. Then, click on “Open” to open the presentation in Microsoft Teams.
  • The presentation will open by default in the presenter mode and shared with the audience of the meeting.

13. How to Enable Autosave in PowerPoint Presentation?

The autosave option is only available if you are using the Microsoft Office 365 version of PowerPoint . Other than that, you will have to manually save the PowerPoint file in all other versions.

You can autosave the PowerPoint presentation to the OneDrive cloud, and also autosave recovery files. To enable autosave in PowerPoint presentation, follow the 4 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “AutoSave” button

how to save ppt in presentation mode

To simply turn on autosave in the OneDrive cloud for the PowerPoint presentation, all you have to do is click on the slider beside the “Autosave” option.

It is located in the left corner of the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of the screen.

Step-2: Click on “Options”

how to save ppt in presentation mode

To access more autosave options, click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. Then click on the “Options” option which is the last option in the sidebar in the “File” menu. It will open a dialog box.

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In the “PowerPoint Options” dialog, click on the “Save” option from the sidebar located on the left side. Now you can enable your preferred autosave options in the “Save presentations” section.

Click on the “Autosave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default on PowerPoint” for auto-saving on the cloud. You can also select how often the auto-recovery copy is saved by clicking on the box at the right side of the “Save Autorecover information” option.

Step-4: Click on the “OK” button

Now all you have to do is click on the “OK” button at the bottom of the “PowerPoint Options” dialog box to enable your autosave preference (as shown in the image in step 2).

Credit to Cookie_studio (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited).

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SharePoint Online: How to Open PowerPoint in Presentation Mode?

Requirement: Open PowerPoint files in slideshow mode in SharePoint Online.

How to Open PowerPoint in Presentation mode from SharePoint Online?

Any link to PowerPoint presentations (PPT, PPTX, or PPSX files) takes users to the Edit mode of the file. Even if the users don’t have permission to edit, SharePoint opens it in edit mode with a banner saying you can’t edit the file. So, How to force slide show mode for PPT’s?

Well, here is the trick to open PowerPoint files in presentation mode: use the below URL format to have PowerPoint open in presentation mode:

https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing /_layouts/16/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc= https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/Marketing/Branding/SharePoint-Training-Presentation.pptx &action=embedview

sharepoint online open powerpoint in presentation mode

This link directly launches the PowerPoint presentation in the slideshow mode in full browser screen!

How about SharePoint On-Premises?

Similarly, in SharePoint On-premises, use the below format to open PowerPoint in presentation mode:

https://Your-Site-URL /_layouts/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc= <path-to-your-ppsx> &action=embedview

Related Posts

  • ← Microsoft 365: How to Set the Password to Never Expire?
  • SharePoint Online: How to Enable Missing Apps (Picture Library, Announcements, Survey, Etc.) in Communication Sites? →

Salaudeen Rajack

Salaudeen Rajack - Information Technology Expert with Two-decades of hands-on experience, specializing in SharePoint, PowerShell, Microsoft 365, and related products. He has held various positions including SharePoint Architect, Administrator, Developer and consultant, has helped many organizations to implement and optimize SharePoint solutions. Known for his deep technical expertise, He's passionate about sharing the knowledge and insights to help others, through the real-world articles!

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5 thoughts on “ SharePoint Online: How to Open PowerPoint in Presentation Mode? ”

' src=

It also appears if you have any GIFs the are displayed as static images – any advice?

' src=

Thanks for this great article. You are the best. I would like to know if there is a trick to start the presentation in full screen presentation mode so that slides run automatically?

Hey, thanks for that! Very helpful! Spend half a day to get that work and you provided finally the solution!

' src=

Too sad, if you have links in your PPT you can’t click these…

' src=

Hi Salaudeen,

Thanks for your post. We are experiencing the same problem with PowerPoint presentation links not opening up in slideshow mode – even if “view only”. I have used your URL format and this works to open the PowerPoint in presentation mode but ONLY for those that are logged into SharePoint Online.

We want to share the URL for anyone to view (outside of the organisation too) with the only necessary requirement being a web browser to open it. When the URL is clicked the presentation should open straight into slideshow mode without a need for any log in.

Do you think this is something that is possible? Any advice?

Thanks, Emily

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How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation

Last Updated: May 26, 2022

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 52,332 times. Learn more...

A PowerPoint presentation is an excellent way of presenting information or ideas to an audience. The software is easy to use and offers a lot of cool effects for your slideshows, too. But, what's all the use of this if you don't even know how to save your finished PowerPoint? This wikiHow will teach you how to save your file.

Design your PowerPoint presentation.

Create and edit...

  • You don't have to wait until you're totally finished to save your work. It can help to save along the way, too, to ensure you don't lose any progress.

Open the File menu when you're ready to save.

Click the File tab at the top-left corner of the screen.

Choose the Save or Save As option.

Click Save to save to the current file, or Save as to create a new file.

Decide where to save the presentation.

Click Browse and choose a folder.

Name and save your presentation.

Type a name for your presentation and click Save.

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How to change a powerpoint show (ppsx) to a work file (pptx).

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4 reasons you should wait until 2025 to buy a gaming laptop, after trying countless ipad mini keyboard cover cases, here’s my favorite, quick links, changing the file extension, saving the file as a pptx.

PowerPoint files come in two formats: PPTX files are editable PowerPoint presentations and PPSX files are a view-only format intended for presentations. You can edit a PPSX file, but you must first convert it back to a PPTX format.

Before trying anything else, it’s always worth seeing if you can just change the file extension. This works sometimes, although it depends on the version of Office you and your colleagues are using.

To change the file extension, right-click the file and choose “Rename.”

rename file

Change the file extension (if it exists in the file name) from .ppsx to .pptx.

pptx presentation

Double-click the file to open as normal in PowerPoint.

open presentation

In our case, that didn’t work. The file still opens as a PPSX presentation. So, we’ll move on and try another way.

PowerPoint can convert a PPSX file to a PPTX one. Here's how.

First, open "PowerPoint" and choose File > Open to find the file you want to edit.

open presentation

Go to File > Save As to save the file.

save as

From the drop-down menu at the top right, choose "PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)" to save the file as an editable file you can share with colleagues. Be sure to hit the "Save" button when you're done.

Now, when colleagues click to open the file, they’ll be taken to the PowerPoint editor to make quick edits and revisions.

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The best PowerPoint presentations shouldn’t be remembered. Instead, they should fall into the background to support you and the message you’re trying to get across.

Unlike good PowerPoint presentations , bad PowerPoint presentations are a distraction. You may remember them, but not in a good way.

You’ve seen them before. They might have millions of lines of text. Or a disjointed flow to the slides. Even worse, some slides feature ugly photos and poor design that detract from the message you’re trying to get across. That can even hurt your credibility as a professional or speaker.

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This article will take you from finding your initial topic to learning how to make a great PowerPoint presentation. Our guide covers everything in between so that you learn how to present a PowerPoint like a pro.

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines are organized into sections. So cut straight to the advice you need and come back when you’re ready for the next steps.

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This eBook covers the complete presentation process. It takes the PowerPoint tips and tricks you learn in this article further. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. It’s another great source for presentation design tips.

Master PowerPoint (Free Course): 15 Essential Tips

This article is full of helpful tips so you can build a powerful presentation. You can also find more PowerPoint tips in this video lesson:

To learn even more about how to make a PowerPoint look good, review the huge list of tips below.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Effective?

Knowing how to use PowerPoint and work within it quickly is helpful. But more important is making a good presentation that hits all your goals. A great PowerPoint presentation is:

  • Prepared to Win . Research, plan, and prepare your presentation professionally. It helps you deliver an effective message to your target audience.
  • Designed Correctly . Your visual points should stand out without overwhelming your audience. A good PowerPoint visual shouldn’t complicate your message.
  • Practiced to Perfection . Rehearse your timing and delivery so that your points land as practiced with a live audience.
  • Delivered With Poise . Present with a relaxed inner calm and confident outward projection. Give your audience warmth, excitement, and energy.
  • Free From Mistakes . Avoid typos, cheesy clip art, and mistakes like reading directly from your slides.

Consider this your all-inclusive guide to how to make a good presentation. We’ll look at preparing your presentation and explore how to design it in PowerPoint. Plus, we’ll cover how to practice and nail your delivery successfully come presentation time.

We’ll also address what not to do in these tips for PowerPoint presentations—so you can sidestep any big mistakes. Now let’s dig into these tips for effective PowerPoint presentations.

Killer Presentation Preparation Tips to Get Started Right

Before even opening PowerPoint, start by addressing these things. These Microsoft PowerPoint tips and tricks will ensure that you’re prepared for your presentation:

1. Know Your Stuff

Your presentation isn’t about your slides alone. It’s about the message you want to get across. Before filling in stats, facts and figures, think about the narrative that’ll be discussed, why, and in what order.

2. Write It Out

Start in a Word or Google doc, and storyboard or script the entire presentation. This will give you an idea of how the information presented will flow and how viewers will see it in sequence. Learn the complete writing process .

3. Highlight What’s Most Important

A presentation covers the most crucial pieces only. Whatever you’ve been working on that led to this—a paper, a work project, a new product design—doesn’t need to be shared in its entirety. Pick key points and put the rest in an “Appendix” to refer to during the Q&A session at the end.

4. Know Your Audience

How you talk to a room full of medical professionals should be different from the way you address a room full of young entrepreneurs. Everything, in fact, is different: your topic selection, the language you use, the examples you give to illustrate points. The little bits of humor you include should be tailored specifically with your target audience in mind.

Understand your audience’s needs to create a successful PowerPoint presentation. Customize your content to meet their specific requirements.

5. Rehearse! (Yes, Already)

It’s never too early to get used to the rhythm of your presentation and take note of points you want to emphasize. While saying it out loud, you’ll start to develop a “feel” for the material. You’ll notice that some things work well, while others don’t and might need to be worked around.

6. Rewrite After You Rehearse

As you’re rehearsing your presentation, you’re bound to stumble over sections that don’t quite flow naturally. Instead of reworking your delivery, it might be time to consider the content and rewrite the areas that served as stumbling blocks.

“Editing is hard. ‘It’s good enough,’ is a phrase wannabes use. Leaders take editing seriously.” – Anthony Trendl

The most important part of creating a great presentation is the writing stage. The second most important stage is rewriting.

7. Share With a Friend

If the stakes are high for your presentation, it’s never too early to get feedback from those that you trust. Here’s an article that helps you collaborate as a team on a PowerPoint presentation. Get PowerPoint design tips from those that you trust when you collaborate.

Simple Tips to Design Your PowerPoint Presentation Better

Second only to you (the information you bring and how you present it) is your PowerPoint slides. If not designed well, a PowerPoint can be disengaging or distracting (regardless of the content quality). Here are some presentation design tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:

8. Keep Your Slides Simple

This is one of the most important PowerPoint presentation tips to follow when designing your slides. Keep in mind that less is more (effective.) A cluttered slide is distracting. It causes confusion for an audience: Which part of the slide should I focus on? Should I read the slide or pay attention to the presenter?

A simple, visually appealing slide will engage your audience, keeping them on track with your main points. Here’s an example of a simple slide that serves its purpose perfectly:

Nook - Minimal Powerpoint Template

Minimalist slide templates like Nook can help you resist the urge to clutter your slides.

9. Limit Words on Your Slides

Piggybacking on the last point, less is more effective. If possible, avoid bullets altogether. Otherwise cut them to just a few simple words. The audience should be listening, not reading.

10. Use High-Quality Photos and Graphics

One of the most important tips for quality PowerPoint presentations is to use high-quality photos and graphics.

Earlier in this tutorial, you saw Envato Elements, an all-you-can-download service with PPT tips inside of templates. Those pre-built designs are a beginner’s best friend. They’re even better when paired with Elements’ unlimited library of stock photos .

People are more likely to take you seriously if your presentation is visually appealing. Users view attractive design as more usable. Similarly, they’ll view a more attractive PowerPoint as more effective.

11. Use Accurate and Relevant Charts and Graphs

Charts and graphs can also be distracting if they’re not used right. Make sure your information design is simple and clean so that the audience doesn’t spend the entire time trying to decipher what your X axis says. Learn more about PPT data presentation .

12. Use High-Quality, Fresh Templates

Have you seen the old PowerPoint template that looks like worn paper and uses ink splashes? Yeah, so has your audience. Templates can be distracting if they’re too basic or if the design feels dated. You need one with great design options.

Costs are always a concern. But when you use Envato Elements, you’ve got everything you need to create a great PowerPoint presentation . That’s thanks to the incredible all-you-can-download subscription package.

The best PowerPoint tips and tricks can hardly compare to the value of using a template while building your presentation.

On Envato Elements, there are thousands of PowerPoint design templates that are ready to use. Instead of designing a presentation from scratch, start with a template! Just add your specifics to the placeholders.

Galaxi Powerpoint Template

Templates like Galaxi are impressively designed and waiting for your slide specifics.

The best PowerPoint design tips save you time. And there’s no tip more powerful than this one: use a pre-built template . It helps you master how to present a PowerPoint without spending all your time in the app.

13. Choose Appropriate Fonts

Fonts are an important part of engaging your audience. Fonts and typography choices have a subconscious effect on viewers. They can characterize your company’s presentation and brand either positively or negatively. Make sure that you’re choosing fonts that are professional and modern.

14. Choose Color Well

Like font choice, colors cause specific subconscious reactions from viewers. Choosing an outdated color combination for your presentation will render it ineffective.

Below is an example of the Popsicle PowerPoint template , which has a modern presentation color choice:

Popsicle - Colorful Powerpoint Template

The Popsicle PowerPoint template highlights how harmonized color palettes can create beautiful slides.

15. Clean + Simple Formatting Makes All the Difference!

We’ve got a full tutorial on how to make a good presentation slide . Give it a read through and review the accompanying video. Just remember, less is more. The focus is you and your message , not your slides.

16. Make Sure All Objects Are Aligned

A simple way to create a well-designed presentation is to make sure all items on a slide are intentionally aligned. To do this, hold down Shift and select all the objects you want to include. Then choose Arrange in the options bar and apply Alignment Type .

17. Limit Punctuation

This isn’t the place for exclamation points. Emphasize your points (while speaking). Don’t enlist punctuation to do this for you. (Leave these at home!!!)

18. Avoid Over-Formatting Your Points

This PowerPoint presentation tip is simple. There’s no need to have every word of every bullet point capitalized, or to have all your bullet points in title case. If possible, drop bullets altogether. Again, the simpler, the better!

Limit your text formatting, including reducing the use of bullets, underline, and other effects. Compare the before example on the left to the revised version on the right.

over-formatted vs simple text

19. Combine Information With Graphics in PowerPoint

One of the most powerful presentation skills for PPT is using infographics. With the right type of visuals, slides come to life and reduce the text in favor of graphics.

Infographics help combine information with graphics. It’s easier to explain complex ideas when you use visual formats that are intuitive.

Practice Presentation Tips: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!

Delivery is probably more important than the actual content. Here’s how to become more aware of your own unique ticks, and how to present like a polished pro:

20. I’ll Say It Again, Rehearse!

Just do it. Again and again. Experiment with pauses, gestures, and body language. Practice around one hour for every minute of your speech.

21. Practice With a Timer

Consistency is key to an effective PowerPoint presentation. The timing should be similar (ideally the same) each time you rehearse. This one will especially pay off when it’s time to present in front of your audience.

22. Slow It Down

Many of the best speakers today intentionally speak slowly. You’ll have the chance to emphasize, appear more thoughtful, and make your information easier to digest.

23. Pause More Often

Like the prior tip, pausing more often allows your main points to be emphasized and gives time for information to sink in. You need to let key points breathe a little before rushing into the next section.

24. Record Yourself

Use your phone’s voice recorder. Assess and critique yourself. Consider:

  • Are your pauses too short or too long?
  • Are you speaking slowly enough? Too slow?
  • When you’re nervous, does your voice get high like the mice in Cinderella?

record yourself presenting

It’s always weird to hear your own voice recorded; don’t stress it. Use this as a time to adjust.

25. Choose Three Focal Points in the Room

If you stare at the same spot (or even creepier, the same person) the entire time, your presentation will be ineffective (and awkward.) People will be distracted by you, wondering what you’re staring at.

Try this: pick three points in the room (typically: left, center, right). Take time to direct your delivery toward each physical focal point in the room. Also, focus on the center when making your primary points.

26. Vary Your Sentence Length

This makes you sound more interesting, and it’s easier for your audience to follow. Think short and punchy. Or go long and complex for dramatic effect.

27. Modulate!

Don’t speak in monotone for your whole presentation. Be conscious of raising and lowering your voice tone. Otherwise, people will tune you out, and you’ll come across like the teacher in Charlie Brown.

28. Practice in Front of a Mirror

What you look like is as important as how you sound. Pretend you’re having a normal conversation, and allow your hands to move with your speech to emphasize your points. Just don’t get carried away! (I’m thinking Brene Brown or President Obama , not your Aunt Jamie after a few gin and tonics.)

29. Use “Present Mode” When Rehearsing

When you finally are ready to hit the Present button in PowerPoint, make sure you use the Present Mode option. This allows you (and only you) to view extra notes about each slide—just in case you forget something!

30. Practice With New Audiences

If possible, try doing a few real live test runs as a webinar or even at a local Toastmasters organization to get some feedback from a live audience.

31. Engage the Audience by Asking Questions

There’s no reason that a presentation should be one-sided. Why not invert the format and ask your audience a question?

To learn how to create a slide that kicks off a Q&A, use this article . These PowerPoint design tips help you create an engaging and exciting discussion.

Helpful Tips to Step Up and Deliver Come Presentation Time

When the actual day arrives, there are only a few last PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to keep in mind:

32. Take a Deep Breath

Deep breathing is proven to relieve stress. It’s simple, and it’ll help you remain calm and in the moment, even up to the last minute before starting.

33. Lighten Up Your Mood

Tell yourself a joke or watch a funny video clip. Do this before the presentation, of course. Research concludes that happy people are more productive. More productive is more focused and able to perform better.

34. Remind Yourself to Take It Slow

When we’re stressed or nervous (or both), we tend to speak faster. Consciously, take yet another deep breath and remind yourself to take it slow!

35. Read the Room

Every presentation room has a temperature. It’s your job as a speaker to gauge it and tailor your presentation to it.

Here’s a great example. Layoffs are coming at a company, and you’re asked to speak to an audience. Even if the audience isn’t personally affected by the actions, you’ve got to consider the morale of the workforce.

read the room

Skilled speakers have a knack for reading the energy of the room and adjusting their presentation on the fly.

The last thing that group will want to hear is how strong the economy is and why the company is the best place to work. That doesn’t mean that you’ve got to align to their uncertainty, but don’t go too far against the grain while presenting.

Robert Kennedy III is a master of bringing energy and aligning a speech to the audience. Here’s his advice for adjusting:

“It can be hard to wake up a “dead” crowd but go for it. Most of all, don’t take their energy personally. Focus on serving them with every bit of your fiber then leave empty.”

36. Fake It ‘Til You Make It!

Go forward with confidence. If you act confident, you’ll start to feel more confident. Move slowly with grace, speak clearly, smile, wear something nice. You’ll appear confident to all attendees (no matter how you feel internally).

PowerPoint Presentation Tips and Tricks to Help Avoid Mistakes (What Not to Do)

Most importantly, focus on what you can do to make your presentation better. There are a few important things not to do that we’ve got to address. Here are a handful of PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks to help you avoid missteps.

37. Stop With the Sound Effects

Sound effects are distracting and outdated. In most cases, avoid them. Add audio or music to your presentation to inject interest or highlight an important point, but it’s something to take extra care with. If you insert audio, then make sure your use really connects with your audience and has a fresh approach. Otherwise, it’s best to leave it out.

38. Don’t Use Flashy Slide Transitions

Again, this is distracting and outdated. Use transitions and subtle animations in your PowerPoint presentation. But you need to take care and do it right .

39. Beware of Clip Art

This PowerPoint presentation tip shouldn’t even have to be said. But please, please don’t use clip art. Use professional graphics instead.

40. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid

The fear of public speaking is a real one. Many beginners think that if they’re feeling nervous that a presentation won’t go well or succeed. That might lead them to cancel the presentation.

Here’s a tip from expert Sandra Zimmer, who leads The Self-Expression Center on conquering your fears before you take the stage:

“Get out of your head and into your body. I do this through a grounding exercise that really works to calm nerves and bring you present in the moment.”

If you think that public speaking fears aren’t normal, you might never give your award-winning presentation. So don’t be afraid to be afraid, and acknowledge it’s part of the process!

41. Don’t Read Directly During Your PowerPoint Presentation

If you spend your entire presentation looking at the screen or your note cards, you’re sure to lose your audience’s attention. They’ll disengage from what you’re saying, and your presentation will fall flat.

Reading from your paper or screen also makes it look like you’re not prepared. Many people do it, but no one should. As a general rule, only present something you know well and have, at least mostly, memorized the main points of.

42. Don’t Miss Out on PowerPoint Customizations

Many new PowerPoint users often make significant mistakes when using Envato Elements designs.

The best way to see how to make a good presentation PPT is to start with designs from others. That means using a template, but that doesn’t mean you can’t customize them!

Haluiva : Pitch Deck Keynote Template

Don’t forget that PowerPoint templates are infinitely customizable. Think of them as guides with built-in presentation design tips.

To see more presentation tips that show you what not to do, make sure to check out our guide .

Work in PowerPoint More Effectively (Tips & Tricks to Level Up Your PPT Skills)

These PowerPoint tips will help you get the most out of the application to level up your next presentation. Let’s dive in.

43. Use the Visual Guides

When you’re designing your next PowerPoint presentation, it helps to create a sense of visual rhythm. Slides that have objects aligned and centered are more likely to resonate with an audience.

44. Use a Few Animations (Tastefully)

Animations in effective PowerPoint presentations are a slippery slope. We’ve all sat through presentations where there were so many objects in motion that it was easy to lose focus on the key ideas in the presentation.

But that’s why animations get an unfairly bad reputation. Use animations to create motion and hold an audience’s attention. Use them sparingly and on key elements on your slide, and you’ll capture that attention properly.

45. Stage Key Content With Animations

You just learned that animations should avoid being distracting. But there’s an important principle to using animations properly. It’s called staging content.

Staging content means that the content appears step by step. There’s nothing worse than overwhelming an audience with all your content at once. But when you stage content, bring it on step by step.

Take it from presentation pro Suzannah Baum :

“If you’re sharing a slide with lots of different points on it, using the animation to reveal those points one at a time is a way to keep the presenter’s content flowing smoothly.”

For more animation presentation tips and tricks, follow our guide .

46. Add a Video to Your PowerPoint

When you’re sharing a big idea in your presentation, it helps to share your perspective from a few different angles. Adding a video to supplement your content can do just that. Luckily, it’s easy to add and embed a YouTube video in your next PowerPoint presentation.

47. Add Charts & Graphs

Charts and graphs can help you tell stories with data. It’s easy for an audience to zone out when you throw a big data table or set of statistics at them.

instead, convert those to charts and graphs. Try out our tutorial to learn how to edit those graphs.

48. Build Your Own Infographics With SmartArt

Earlier in this tutorial, we gave you one of my favorite PowerPoint design tips: use infographic templates.

Here’s another. One of my favorite PowerPoint features is SmartArt, which allows you to build infographics right inside the app.

You don’t have to use another graphic design app like Photoshop or Illustrator to add visuals. Instead, try out SmartArt to help you build graphics that are easy to update.

49. Use Presenter View

Remember that when you use the PowerPoint, you’ re the presentation. The slides are just there to reinforce what you’ve got to say and support your speaking points.

That’s why I always recommend using Presenter view. More often than not, you’re going to have several displays. Presenter view shows your content on your screen, while your presentation is displayed on another screen.

50. Track Your PowerPoint Changes

One of my favorite PowerPoint design tips is to collaborate. Those who know you best will suggest compelling changes that are sure to help you succeed.

As you start collaborating on your presentation, it helps to keep track of proposed and included PowerPoint changes. Use this article to track changes made by others.

10 More Advanced PowerPoint Tips & Tricks

Really need to wow an audience with a good PowerPoint presentation? Give these tips a try to make an unforgettable impression:

51. Engage With an Interactive Quiz

A good PowerPoint presentation gets your audience involved. One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to do that with a quiz. By engaging audiences, a quiz makes your slides memorable.

MIDTEST - Education Quiz Powerpoint Presentation

By adding trivia, you’ll see how to present a PowerPoint in a way that people will love. Channel your inner game-show host today. MIDTEST is a  good PowerPoint presentation  with quiz slides.

52. Illustrate With Custom Image Masks

One of the top PowerPoint tips is to illustrate your slides. But you can go beyond simple, rectangular images on each slide.

BURTE - Powerpoint Template

The Burte template is full of  PowerPoint tricks , including custom image masks. Image masks shape photos into unique works of art. And thanks to premium templates, you can style photos just like this. Masks overlay your photos onto geometric shapes, instantly elevating your style.

53. Print Handouts With Extra Notes

Wonder how to give a good presentation PPT that audiences will remember? Give them a piece of it to take home.

PowerPoint makes it easy to print handouts with room for notes on the page. This way, audiences can keep copies of your slides, along with their own notes. This is the perfect way to ensure everyone engages with and retains your content.

54. Make Bulk Edits With Master Slides

When you think about how to present a PowerPoint, consider your branding. That means keeping your logo front and center in the eyes of an audience. But if you’re working with a lengthy slide deck, this could seem daunting.

That’s where master slides come in. They’re common in premium layouts, and they’re a leading example of presentation skills for PPT. Master slides let you make bulk edits fast.

55. Shrink File Sizes for Sharing

Many of the top presentation tips involve making your slides more accessible. Often, that involves sharing them with audiences online.

You’ll often find that email clients and cloud services limit the size of files that you share. This can be a problem with large PPT slide decks. But there are a few quick steps you can take to reduce PPT file size. Cut graphics, scale down photos, and more.

56. Map Processes With Flowcharts

As you consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation, think of ease of understanding. After all, you’re trying to explain something to your audience.

Infographics Multipurpose Powerpoint

The  Flowcharts in Infographics  template seamlessly illustrates ideas and processes. A flowchart maps out a process in a visual way. Instead of resorting to endless narration, try a quick illustration like this. It saves you time and effort, and your audience is sure to thank you.

57. Use Brand-Specific Colors

Using presentation skills for PPT helps form an association between your message and branding. There’s no better way to do that than with your brand colors.

PowerPoint makes it easy to change color themes, adding your brand colors and logo to each slide. This is one of the top PowerPoint tricks for marketing presentations.

58. Build Social Media Posts in PPT

A good PowerPoint presentation doesn’t have to be shared through a projector. Use the app and templates to build amazing illustrations to use anywhere.

Soffee - Social Media CoffeeShop Presentations

A template like Soffee helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint easily with a pre-built design.

Try using PowerPoint to create social media posts. It helps you engage with your audience, with no need to design custom layouts from scratch.

59. Be Industry-Specific

One of the top presentation tips in 2024 is to be industry-specific. That means avoiding generic layouts and choosing something more customized.

This offers two key advantages. First, you save time by having layouts built for you. Second, you gain design inspiration for your specific topic. Themed templates are truly the best of both worlds.

Medical and Health Powerpoint Template

The Medical and Health template is a good PowerPoint presentation with a set theme.

60. Design for Online (Virtual) Sharing

Last but not least in our list of PowerPoint tips comes virtual presenting. More and more often, slides will be shared with online audiences around the globe.

Why not design your slides for that very purpose? And then learn how to share flawlessly with a global team? It’s one of the top presentation tips for 2024. Embrace it today.

More Great PowerPoint Tutorial Resources

We’ve built a resource for Microsoft PowerPoint that you’re sure to want to try. It includes countless PowerPoint tips and tricks. It’s called How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide) and has all the PowerPoint design tips you need.

Discover More Top PowerPoint Template Designs From Envato Elements for 2024

You’ve just seen our favorite powerful PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to help you improve your speaking. We’ve also mentioned Envato Elements, an incredible all-you-can-download source for top PowerPoint designs .

Here are five of the best PowerPoint templates that you can use to create your best presentation yet:

1. Galaxi PowerPoint Template

Blast off to success with the help of this PowerPoint template! Think of the pre-built slide designs as pro PowerPoint design tips. They’re built by professional graphic designers. All the popular and modern slide styles that are perfect for your next presentation. Use Galaxi’s five styles and 30 designs to create a great presentation.

2. Masmax PowerPoint Template

Masmax Powerpoint Template

We selected templates for this article that match the PowerPoint tips and tricks provided. Masmax fits the bill perfectly across its 234 unique slide designs. These slide designs are sure to align with the latest in design expectations.

3. STYLE Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

STYLE - Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

Style is subjective, but we can all agree that this template is stunning! The light and airy slide designs are built with fashion-focused designs in mind. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not perfect for most presentations. When learning to present a PowerPoint, remember that templates can be customized to suit your purpose.

4. Peachme Creative PowerPoint Template

Peachme Creative Powerpoint Template

Peachme has image-focused slides with splashy designs. The slides are colorful and perfect for a modern presentation. Don’t worry about remembering all the PowerPoint design tips because they’re included in the pre-built slides. Use Peachme’s designs for your presentation today.

5. Buizi Office Building Rent PowerPoint Template

Buizi - Office Building Rent Powerpoint Template

Buizi markets itself as a real estate focused template. It’s ideal for that purpose because of the minimal, image-focused slide designs. But that also makes it a perfect choice for presentations in many fields.

We’ve just scratched the surface of PowerPoint design tips with these five options. Here are many more, bundled inside of the best roundups on Envato Tuts+:

How to Build a Good PowerPoint Presentation Quickly (In 2024)

You’ve already seen effective presentation skills PPT techniques. But you may be wondering exactly how to do a good PowerPoint presentation. It only takes a few clicks. Let’s learn how in just five steps.

For this mini-tutorial, we’ll use the Enjoy PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. You’ll see that it’s a beautiful template that helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint by giving you every object and layout you need.

how to save ppt in presentation mode

Let’s get started:

1. Choose Your Slides

As you can see, a template like Enjoy has dozens of unique slides inside. The key to how to give a good presentation PPT is to choose only the slides that you need.

select slides

One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to start by selecting slides you wish to use from your template.

In PowerPoint, scroll through the sidebar on the left to view different slide layouts. Right-click and choose Delete to remove unwanted designs. Plus, you can click and drag slide thumbnails to reorder them in the deck.

2. Add Text

Consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation without investing a ton of time. That’s where premium templates come in.

add text

One of our top presentation tips when working with a PPT is to lean on the pre-built text boxes for your content.

To add custom text, simply click and select the contents of any text box on your slide. Then, type in your own words. Repeat as needed throughout your slide deck.

3. Customize Fonts

With text selected, it’s easy to customize fonts on each slide. Find the Font section on PowerPoint’s Home tab. From there, you’ve got a variety of dropdown options.

customize fonts

Another of our top tips for presentation tricks is to use a custom font setting in your template.

Click to change the font, font size, and more. You can also use the buttons on the left to add bolds, italics, and more.

Need more custom font styles? As an Envato Elements subscriber, you’ve got instant access to thousands of custom fonts . Use them in your presentation with ease.

4. Insert Images

Slides like this one contain an image placeholder. That’s another advantage found only with premium templates. These make adding images a breeze.

insert images

Add images to your PPTX template for more visually interesting slides.

To get started, find an image file stored on your computer. Then, drag and drop it over the placeholder. PowerPoint will import it, sized and scaled for a perfect fit.

5. Change Colors

One of the top effective presentation skills is changing shape colors. This helps you control the look and feel of each slide.

change colors

With a shape selected, find the Shape Format tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon. Then, click on the Shape Fill dropdown. You’ll see a color chooser menu appear. Click on any thumbnail to apply it to the shape or browse through the Gradient and Texture options.

Start Putting These PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks Into Use Today!

Learning to write, design, and present a PowerPoint presentation is an invaluable skill, no matter where you use it. If you’re a good communicator of important messages, you’ll never go hungry.

Luckily, improving PowerPoint presentations isn’t as hard as it seems. Follow these tips for PowerPoint presentations to design and deliver with greater confidence.

Remember: Less is more (effective) . Use PowerPoint presentation templates for better design and more effective visual impact. And you can customize a PPT template quickly , with the right workflow.

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Automatically Open .ppt Attachment in Slideshow Mode

how to save ppt in presentation mode

In another in our question and answer series, we have a discussion from our readers on how to automatically open a PowerPoint presentation as a slideshow.

Question from Peder Rekop. 

I am a newbie to powerpoint and I have made a presentation (10 pages). I am going to distribute the presentation as an email attachment to my client. But when I open the file, it opens in edit mode, not in slideshow mode. I want my client to be able to open the attachment directly in slideshow mode, without having to manually change to slideshow mode. How do I do this?

Answer given from The Doctors Assistant. 

You need to save your presentation as a “Powerpoint Show”

  • Open the presentation you want to save as a slide show.
  • On the File menu, click Save As.
  • In the Save as type list, click PowerPoint Show. Your slide show file will be saved with a .pps file extension.
  • When you open this file from your desktop, it will automatically start your presentation in slide show view

Question from Richard Hesselton.

Doctors Assistant please can you help me I have a same problem. I am working with PowerPoint 2003 but when I try to do as you say, I have a problem. In my Save As Type list I don’t have an option for PowerPoint show (.pps). I have included the following options that are available when in Save As Type:

  • Presentation
  • Single file web page
  • PowerPoint95
  • PowerPoint 97-2003 & 95 Presentation
  • Design Template
  • PowerPoint Show (*.pps)

In response to Richard Hesselton by Rudy Styles.

Did you scroll down. The list you show us is what you see without scrolling down. You are looking for PowerPoint Show (*.pps) which is the option after Design Template (*.pot)

  • PowerPoint 95

Question from Amy Robinson.

When I put my powerpoint slideshow on my web site clients downloading it have two options, save and open. When they hit open it opens in edit mode instead of a slideshow. Is there a way to lock the presentation so it ONLY opens as a slideshow even if they open and do not save it to their desktop?

Answer from David Webb.

As mentioned above it is very easy to set your PowerPoint to only open in slideshow mode.

Here is how you do this:

  • Open your PowerPoint presentation.
  • Click the “File” menu in the upper left
  • Click the “Save As…” option
  • The “Save As…” dialog box opens up
  • At the very bottom of the box, click the drop down arrow on the “Save as type:”
  • Scroll down till you see “PowerPoint Show (*.pps)”
  • Enter your file name in the “File name:” box
  • Click the “Save” button

Now whenever you or your clients open this file it will start in the slideshow view automatically. Make sure that you select the file “.pps” not “.ppt” to give to others.

Question from Kendo Han.

I have saved my ppt presentation as a *.pps however when I open the new file, it does not automatically start as a slideshow. I have a scroll bar and a toolbar with File/Edit/Browse/Window/Help as my options and when I go to Browse and select full screen, I can view the slideshow as a presentation. I’m a bit confused as I think I’ve followed the steps correctly, but am having no luck.

Answer from John Wilson.

You might want to check in Slide show > Set Up Show that you DONT have “Show in a window” checked.

Publishing to Sharepoint

Question from Aldrin Thomas. 

Saving as .pps has the desired effect when I open the Slideshow from a drive or an email attachment. However, if I publish it to a Microsoft Sharepoint document library, it still opens direct in Edit mode. The file extension is correctly set to “pps”. I have googled it a little bit but it seems like a bug between how Sharepoint handles the file or how it is opened. Any idea what’s going on?

Answer thanks to Doctor.

I’m not sure if this will work on SharePoint, but I’ve had luck getting a PowerPoint slideshow to open correctly when accessed via a web browser from the local intranet by creating a shortcut to the file, and then linking to the shortcut in the HTML, instead of the actual file. Instead of linking to say, presentation.pps, I link to the shortcut, presentation.pps.Lnk. Shortcuts, of course, have the usually hidden .Lnk extension.

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thanks, this is very helpfull

I am attempting to start my powerpoints automatically from the first slide. I have followed the directions in this forum and the show still starts in edit mode. What could I be doing wrong? Please help if you can. These powerpoints will be attachments in emails sent to several people. Thanks for any suggestions.

So cool! I have some links in my agenda for quick reference and needed to open a ppt. in slide show…saving it in pps and creating a short cut did it!! thanks.

what about the music? it doesn’t want to play when i open it after i saved it in pps mode.

I would like to send a Slide Show to an e-mail as an attachment. I would like it to open automatically when my client clicks on the attachment icon….Is this possible with PPt 2007?

I have the same problem. .pps files linked in a SharePoint page are opened in edit mode and not slideshow mode. This only happens in IE. In Firefox everything works fine.

JUst change it manualy .pptx to .pps

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Is there a way to prevent the recipient of the email from saving the presentation?

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How to Recover Unsaved PPT in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

Recover Unsaved PPT in Windows 11

Accidentally closed your PowerPoint presentation without saving? Don’t worry! Windows 11 offers several ways to recover unsaved work. This guide will walk you through the steps to retrieve your unsaved PowerPoint (PPT) file. By following these instructions, you can quickly get back to work.

Step-by-Step Tutorial to Recover Unsaved PPT in Windows 11

This tutorial will explain how to find and recover an unsaved PowerPoint presentation in Windows 11 using built-in features like AutoRecover and temporary files.

Step 1: Open PowerPoint

First, open Microsoft PowerPoint.

When you launch PowerPoint, it might display a Document Recovery pane if it has detected unsaved files. This pane lists available unsaved files, making it easier to recover your work.

Step 2: Check Document Recovery Pane

Look for the Document Recovery pane on the left side of the PowerPoint window.

If your unsaved file is listed there, click on it to open and save it immediately. If not, don’t despair; there are other methods to try.

Step 3: Navigate to the File Tab

Click on the File tab in the top left corner of the PowerPoint window.

This will open the File menu, giving you access to various options and settings for managing your PowerPoint files.

Step 4: Select Open and Recent

In the File menu, select Open, then click on Recent.

Under Recent, you will find a list of files that you have recently worked on, including unsaved ones. Look for files labeled "Unsaved" or similar.

Step 5: Click on Recover Unsaved Presentations

Scroll down and click on the "Recover Unsaved Presentations" button at the bottom of the Recent list.

This action will take you to a special folder where PowerPoint stores unsaved files temporarily. From here, you can open and save the desired file.

Step 6: Save the Recovered File

Once you’ve found the unsaved file, open it and save it immediately.

Be sure to save the file to a location you’ll remember, using a name that will help you identify it later.

After completing these steps, your unsaved PowerPoint presentation should be recovered and saved. You can now continue working on your presentation without the panic of lost progress.

Tips for Recovering Unsaved PPT in Windows 11

  • Always enable AutoRecover in PowerPoint settings to automatically save your work periodically.
  • Regularly save your work manually by pressing Ctrl+S to ensure you don’t lose progress.
  • Check the Temporary Files folder if the Document Recovery pane doesn’t appear.
  • Use the File Explorer search function to look for temporary files if you can’t find the unsaved presentation.
  • Consider using cloud storage like OneDrive to save your work automatically and access it from anywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does autorecover save in powerpoint.

By default, AutoRecover saves your work every 10 minutes. You can adjust this interval in PowerPoint settings.

Can I recover a file if I turn off my computer?

Yes, you can often recover files after a shutdown. Follow the steps above to check for unsaved files when you restart PowerPoint.

What if I can’t find my unsaved file?

Try searching for temporary PowerPoint files in File Explorer or check the Recycle Bin for any accidentally deleted files.

Does AutoRecover work for all versions of PowerPoint?

AutoRecover is a feature in most modern versions of PowerPoint, including Office 365, 2019, 2016, and earlier editions.

Are there any third-party tools for recovering unsaved PPT files?

Yes, there are several third-party recovery tools available. However, it’s best to use built-in Windows and PowerPoint features first.

Summary of Steps

  • Open PowerPoint.
  • Check Document Recovery pane.
  • Navigate to the File tab.
  • Select Open and Recent.
  • Click on Recover Unsaved Presentations.
  • Save the recovered file.

Recovering an unsaved PowerPoint presentation in Windows 11 is straightforward if you know where to look. By following the steps outlined above, you can quickly retrieve your unsaved work and continue your tasks without significant setbacks. Remember to enable AutoRecover and save your work frequently to minimize the risk of data loss in the future.

If you found this guide helpful, consider sharing it with others who might benefit from these tips. And for more in-depth tutorials and tech tips, stay tuned to our articles on managing and recovering your digital work effectively.

Kermit Matthews Live2Tech

Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.

He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.

Read his full bio here .

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how to save ppt in presentation mode

Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver 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 creating your presentation, go to  Use keyboard shortcuts to create 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 and some other common shortcut keys that apply while you're delivering your presentation with PowerPoint for Windows.

To quickly find a shortcut in this article, you can use 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 record a macro. For step-by-step instructions to record a macro, refer to the section “Record a macro” in Automate tasks with the Macro Recorder to create one.

During the presentation, to open a list of shortcuts, press F1. Use the arrow keys to move between the tabs in the Slide Show Help dialog box.

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, control the slide show, control media in the slide show, pointer and annotations in the slide show, rehearse the presentation, maneuver in presenter view.

This table lists the most frequently used shortcuts in PowerPoint for Windows.

To do this

Press

Start a presentation from the beginning.

F5

Start a presentation from the current slide.

Shift+F5

Start the presentation in .

Alt+F5

Perform the next animation or advance to the next slide.

N

Enter

Page down

Right arrow key

Down arrow key

Spacebar

Perform the previous animation or return to the previous slide.

P

Page up

Left arrow key

Up arrow key

Backspace

Hide the pointer and navigation buttons.

Ctrl+H

Display a blank black slide, or return to the presentation from a blank black slide.

B

Period (.)

Display a blank white slide, or return to the presentation from a blank white slide.

W

Comma (,)

End the presentation.

Esc

Top of Page

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation in Slide Show (full-screen) mode, with or without  Presenter View .

To do this

Press

Go to a specific slide.

Type the slide number, then press Enter

Go to the next slide, if the next slide is hidden.

H (not available in )

View the dialog box.

Ctrl+S

Return to the first slide.

Home

Press and hold the Right and Left mouse buttons for two seconds

Go to the last slide.

End

View the computer taskbar.

Ctrl+T

Display the context menu.

Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key

Display the shortcuts menu.

F1

Go to the next hotspot on the current slide.

(Hotspots include hyperlinks, animation triggers, audio objects, and video objects.)

Tab key

Go to the previous hyperlink on the current slide.

Shift+Tab

Open the selected hyperlink.

Enter while a hyperlink is selected

Control media in the slide show 

These keyboard shortcuts work with video files imported from your computer or other device. They don't work with online video files.

To do this

Press

Change the camera source for cameo
(PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 only)

Alt+X

Play or pause media.

Alt+P

Ctrl+Spacebar

Stop media playback.

Alt+Q

Go to the next bookmark.

Alt+End

Go to the previous bookmark.

Alt+Home

Increase the sound volume.

Alt+Up

Decrease the sound volume.

Alt+Down

Mute the sound.

Alt+U

Move forward three seconds.

Alt+Shift+Page down

Move backward three seconds.

Alt+Shift+Page up

Move forward 0.25 seconds, then pause.

Alt+Shift+Right arrow key

Move backward 0.25 seconds, then pause.

Alt+Shift+Left arrow key

Show or hide the audio and subtitles menu.

(For videos that have multiple audio tracks and/or subtitle tracks in supported formats.)

Alt+J

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to control the pointer and to use it to create annotations during your presentation.

To do this

Press

Start the laser pointer.

Ctrl+L

Change the pointer to a pen.

Ctrl+P

Change the pointer to an arrow.

Ctrl+A

Change the pen pointer to an eraser.

Ctrl+E

Hide the arrow pointer.

Ctrl+H

Show or hide ink markup.

Ctrl+M

Erase on-screen annotations.

E

You can use these keyboard shortcuts when you are rehearsing your presentation.

To do this

Press

Set new timings while rehearsing.

T

Use original timings while rehearsing.

O

Use mouse click to advance while rehearsing.

M

Re-record slide narration and timing.

R

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation using Presenter View  in newer versions of PowerPoint.  Presenter View lets you look at your presentation with your speaker notes on one screen (your laptop, for example), while the audience views the notes-free presentation on a different screen.

When you are connected to a second display, Presenter View is shown automatically when you start the slide show. To start a presentation in Presenter View even if you have only a single display, press Alt+F5.

Tip:  If Presenter View does not start automatically with two displays, go the Slide Show tab, select the Use Presenter View checkbox, and select the preferred monitor.

To do this

Press

Cycle between regions.

(Buttons above the slide, buttons on the upper-right corner, and the pane)

F6

Cycle through tools within a region.

Tab key

Scroll down one line in the pane.

Ctrl+Down arrow key

Scroll up one line in the pane.

Ctrl+Up arrow key

Scroll down one screenful in the pane.

Ctrl+Page down

Scroll up one screenful in the pane.

Ctrl+Page up

Read the next line in the pane.

Alt+A

Read the previous line in the pane.

Alt+Z

Read the elapsed time.

(The timer starts running as soon as you start .)

Alt+W

Read the next step (for example, the next slide, next animation, or end of slide show).

Alt+Q

Close .

Esc

PowerPoint help & learning

Screen reader support for PowerPoint

Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations

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

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts and some other common shortcut keys that apply while you're delivering your presentation with PowerPoint for macOS.

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

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 for macOS. 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.

During the presentation, to open a list of shortcuts, press forward slash (/).

Pointer and annotations in the slide show

Navigate the presenter view on macos 10.15 (catalina) and later.

This table lists the most frequently used shortcuts in PowerPoint for macOS.

To do this

Press

Start a presentation from the beginning.

⌘+Shift+Return

Start a presentation from the current slide.

⌘+Return

Start the presentation in .

Option+Return

Perform the next animation or advance to the next slide.

N

Page down

Right arrow key

Down arrow key

Spacebar

Perform the previous animation or return to the previous slide.

P

Page up

Left arrow key

Up arrow key

Delete

Hide the pointer.

⌘+I

Display a blank black slide, or return to the presentation from a blank black slide.

B

Shift+B

Period (.)

Display a blank white slide, or return to the presentation from a blank white slide.

W

Shift+W

Comma (,)

End the presentation.

Esc

Hyphen (-)

⌘+Period (.)

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation in Slide Show (full-screen) mode, with or without the Presenter View .

To do this

Press

Go to a specific slide.

Type the slide number, then press Return

Go to the next slide, if the next slide is hidden.

H

Return to the first slide.

Function+Left arrow key

Go to the last slide.

Function+Right arrow key

Display the shortcut menu.

Control+Mouse click

Go to the next hotspot on the current slide.

(Hotspots include hyperlinks, animation triggers, audio objects, and video objects.)

Tab key

Go to the previous hyperlink on the current slide.

Shift+Tab

Open the selected hyperlink.

Return while a hyperlink is selected

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to control media during a presentation.

To do this

Press

Change the camera source for cameo
(PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac only)

Option+X

To do this

Press

Start the laser pointer.

⌘+L

Change the pointer to a pen.

⌘+P

Change the pointer to an arrow.

⌘+A

Hide the pointer.

⌘+I

Hide the pointer on mouse move.

Control+H

Show the pointer on mouse move.

⌘+U

Erase on-screen annotations.

Shift+E

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation using the Presenter View on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and later, and when the keyboard control navigation is turned on. For instructions, refer to Turn on the keyboard control navigation .

Use the shortcuts in the table below to move in the Presenter View in PowerPoint for macOS.

To do this

Press

Start the presentation in the .

Option+Return

Move the focus to the next control.

Tab key

Move the focus to the previous control.

Shift+Tab

Activate the control in focus.

Spacebar

In the , move the focus to the next control (pressing the Tab key inserts a tab character).

Control+Tab

Skip ahead in your presentation

You can use your keyboard to skip ahead several slides without the audience seeing the slides as you transition to the new slide.

Press the Tab key until you reach the Slide Navigator control (filmstrip).

Press and hold down the Option key and press the Left or Right arrow key repeatedly until you find the slide you want to skip to.

Release the Option key to move to the slide you want to skip to.

Turn on the keyboard control navigation

To use your keyboard to move between and activate controls on your Mac, turn on the keyboard control navigation.

If you're not using VoiceOver, on your computer, select System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts , and select the Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls checkbox.

If you're using VoiceOver, the control navigation should be on by default. To check the setting, do the following:

On your computer, press Control+Option+M to access the Apple menu bar item. To open the Apple menu, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Press Control+Option+Down arrow key until you hear "System preferences ellipses," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

The System Preferences window opens. The focus is in the Search text box.

Type Keyboard , and then press Return. The Keyboard dialog box opens.

Press Control+Option+Right arrow key until you hear "Shortcuts tab," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Press Control+Option+Right arrow key until you hear: "Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls." VoiceOver also announces if the option is selected or unselected. To toggle the option on or off, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

To close the Keyboard dialog box, press Command+W.

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts that apply while you're delivering your presentation with PowerPoint for the web.

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 .

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.

This table lists the keyboard shortcuts you can use to control the slide show.

To do this

Press

Start a presentation from the beginning.

Ctrl+F5

Start a presentation from the current slide.

Shift+Ctrl+F5

Perform the next animation or advance to the next slide.

N

Enter

Page down

Right arrow key

Down arrow key

Spacebar

Perform the previous animation or return to the previous slide.

P

Page up

Left arrow key

Up arrow key

Backspace

End the presentation.

Esc

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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IMAGES

  1. How to Save a Slide in PowerPoint Individually? [Quick Tip!]

    how to save ppt in presentation mode

  2. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation? [PPT & Other Formats!]

    how to save ppt in presentation mode

  3. How to Save a Presentation Powerpoint

    how to save ppt in presentation mode

  4. How to save a PowerPoint presentation as a video

    how to save ppt in presentation mode

  5. Save in PowerPoint

    how to save ppt in presentation mode

  6. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation? [PPT & Other Formats!]

    how to save ppt in presentation mode

VIDEO

  1. You can Save PPT directly 😮in "Slideshow mode"

  2. How to save PowerPoint presentation as pdf

  3. How to save PowerPoint presentation with notes as pdf

  4. How to save powerpoint presentation in PDF #powerpoint #pc #technology #productivityhacks

  5. How to Convert PowerPoint Presentation to Video

  6. Microsoft PowerPoint: How to Save a File in a Previous PowerPoint Format

COMMENTS

  1. Start a presentation automatically with a PowerPoint Show

    Make a slide show that starts automatically when opened. Select File > Save as (or Save a Copy ). Click More options. Browse to the folder where you want to save your presentation. In the File name box, type a name for your presentation. Under Save as type, select PowerPoint Show. The file is saved as a .ppsx file.

  2. How can I share a PowerPoint so that it opens automatically in

    If so, we'd suggest you save presentation file as .ppsx type file, if you are using PowerPoint in Windows, we'd suggest you go to PowerPoint File > Save as > Click More Options > select PowerPoint Show under Save as type, the file is saved as a .ppsx file. When the file is double-clicked, it opens as a slide show.

  3. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as a Slideshow

    Learn how to make your PowerPoint presentations run automatically as a slideshow with this easy video tutorial from OneMinuteGeek.com.

  4. How to upload and save PowerPoint in Presentation mode (.ppsx) in MS

    0:00 Intro0:15 Difference in .pptx and .ppsx0:49 opening a .ppsx in Teams2:35 How to save as .ppsx3:06 Changing access in sharepoint3:53 Adding .ppsx in Chat...

  5. Sending PowerPoint in Presentation Mode

    Learn how to send Microsoft PowerPoint in Presentation ModeFollow our presenters/host on Twitter: https://twitter.com/educatoralexHIT THE RED SUBSCRIBE BUTTO...

  6. How To Get Into Presentation Mode In PowerPoint

    Step 1: Open your PowerPoint presentation. The first step to enter Presentation Mode in PowerPoint is to ensure that your presentation file is open and ready for display. To do so, open PowerPoint and locate the file containing your presentation. Click on the file to open it. Review that the slides are arranged in the correct order and that any ...

  7. Start the presentation and see your notes in Presenter view

    Start presenting. On the Slide Show tab, in the Start Slide Show group, select From Beginning. Now, if you are working with PowerPoint on a single monitor and you want to display Presenter view, in Slide Show view, on the control bar at the bottom left, select , and then Show Presenter View.

  8. How to Use the Presentation Modes and the Screen Recording ...

    First, create a new custom slide show and select the slides that you want to display. Then, click Add, enter the name of the presentation and click OK. This new custom presentation will appear on the list. Select it and click Show to begin the presentation. Defining a custom slide show.

  9. Use Presenter View in PowerPoint

    Select the Use Presenter View checkbox. Select which monitor to display Presenter View on. Select From Beginning or press F5. In Presenter View, you can: See your current slide, next slide, and speaker notes. Select the arrows next to the slide number to go between slides. Select the pause button or reset button to pause or reset the slide ...

  10. Automatically open Powerpoint in presenter mode, on correct screens

    It will open automatically in presentation mode. From Microsoft's site: PowerPoint Show .ppsx. A presentation that always opens in Slide Show view rather than in Normal view. Tip: To open this file format in Normal view so that you can edit the presentation, open PowerPoint. On the File menu, click Open, and then choose the file.

  11. Present a PowerPoint Slideshow With Presenter View (+ Video

    Keep reading to find out more about using Presenter View in PowerPoint and the best features to try out.. Turn On PowerPoint Presenter View. In PowerPoint for macOS, simply click on Presenter View on the Slide Show tab to kick off the presentation in Presenter view. Turn on Presenter View by clicking on Presenter View on the Slide Show tab.. You'll see the Presenter View interface on one screen.

  12. How to Save a Power Point Presentation So It Opens Automatically

    From the Save as type drop-down menu, select PowerPoint Presentation with .ppsx extension. Click on Save; Now your presentation will automatically open in presentation mode when you open it. How to save a PowerPoint presentation so that it plays when opened? Open your presentation in PowerPoint. Click File at the top left of the screen. Select ...

  13. How can I edit a presentation while in presentation mode?

    5. For Mac using PowerPoint 16: Open the presentation you want to show. On the Mac menu bar go to window and click New Window. This will pop out a duplicate PowerPoint presentation. Drag one of them to the second monitor and run it under setup option: "Browsed by an individual (window)"

  14. Share a link that opens a powerpoint slideshow

    Thank you for choosing Microsoft Community. To share a presentation online as a slide show, you need to create a view-only copy of it. To do that, Right click on the Presentation and click on Share. Click on Get Link. In the Choose an option drop down select View Only and then click on Create Link. Now copy the link and share it with your friends.

  15. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation? [PPT & Other Formats!]

    To save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file, follow the 4 easy steps. Step-1: Click on the "File" Tab. First, click on the " File " tab in PowerPoint to open the back stage view of PowerPoint. Step 2 - Click on the "Save As" option. In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the "File" tab.

  16. SharePoint Online: How to Open PowerPoint in Presentation Mode?

    How to Open PowerPoint in Presentation mode from SharePoint Online? Any link to PowerPoint presentations (PPT, PPTX, or PPSX files) takes users to the Edit mode of the file. Even if the users don't have permission to edit, SharePoint opens it in edit mode with a banner saying you can't edit the file. So, How to force slide show mode for PPT ...

  17. Save your presentation file

    Save your presentation in an earlier version of PowerPoint. In newer versions, you can save files to an earlier version of PowerPoint by selecting the version from the Save as type list in the Save As box. For example, you can save your PowerPoint presentation in the newest PowerPoint Presentation format (.pptx), or as a PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation (.ppt).

  18. 5 Ways to Save a PowerPoint Presentation

    Choose the Save or Save As option. Download Article. Click Save to save to the current file, or Save as to create a new file. If you've already saved the file at some point, you'll have the option to click Save, which simply saves your changes to that file. Otherwise, choose Save as to create a brand new file. 4.

  19. Video: Save a PowerPoint presentation

    Try-it! Transcript. Save your presentation, so you don't lose all your hard work. Then, print it to share it with others. Save your presentation. Click FILE > Save, pick or browse to a folder, type a name for your presentation in the File name box, and click Save. Save your work as you go. Hit Ctrl+S often.

  20. How to Change a PowerPoint Show (PPSX) to a Work File (PPTX)

    Here's how. First, open "PowerPoint" and choose File > Open to find the file you want to edit. Go to File > Save As to save the file. From the drop-down menu at the top right, choose "PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)" to save the file as an editable file you can share with colleagues. Be sure to hit the "Save" button when you're done.

  21. Share PowerPoint link in email that opens in Presentation Mode

    Getting a link and creates a link which opens the the presentation in normal mode by default. And it forces the user into edit mode even if it is PPSX. Here is my test screenshot for your reference: Share link of created PPSX file format: However, I created PPSX work in desktop client app (not a share link) Since I also got the same behaviour ...

  22. 60 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks (Giant List)

    Here's a PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks guide that takes you through how to make a good PowerPoint presentation. ... The best PowerPoint design tips save you time. And there's no tip more powerful than this one: ... make sure you use the Present Mode option. This allows you (and only you) to view extra notes about each slide—just ...

  23. Automatically Open .ppt Attachment in Slideshow Mode

    Here is how you do this: Open your PowerPoint presentation. Click the "File" menu in the upper left. Click the "Save As…" option. The "Save As…" dialog box opens up. At the very bottom of the box, click the drop down arrow on the "Save as type:". Scroll down till you see "PowerPoint Show (*.pps)".

  24. How to save a PPT file in 'Reading View', so that on a double click

    Report abuse. Do the following: Open your presentation in PowerPoint 2010. Select "Slide Show" tab. Click "Set Up Slide Show" button. Select "Browsed by an individual (window)" option. Click OK button. Now save your presentation in .ppsx or .pps format. When you double-click this presentation in Windows Explorer, it should open in Reading View.

  25. Become a PowerPoint pro: 7 must-know tips and tricks

    Select an action you want in Quick Access and click on Add.To change the order, highlight the action you want to move and use the the arrow buttons on the right side of the window.. 2. Use custom ...

  26. How to Recover Unsaved PPT in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Be sure to save the file to a location you'll remember, using a name that will help you identify it later. After completing these steps, your unsaved PowerPoint presentation should be recovered and saved. You can now continue working on your presentation without the panic of lost progress. Tips for Recovering Unsaved PPT in Windows 11

  27. Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

    To do this. Press. Start a presentation from the beginning. F5. Start a presentation from the current slide. Shift+F5. Start the presentation in Presenter View. Alt+F5. Perform the next animation or advance to the next slide.