This article explains how to create a presentation using the Microsoft PowerPoint program. It is one of the tools included in the Microsoft Office suite available for both Windows and Mac platforms.
Steps
Part 1 of 6: Create a New PowerPoint Document
Step 1. Launch PowerPoint
Double-click the program icon with the white "P" on an orange background. The PowerPoint default presentation templates screen will appear.
Step 2. Review the available templates
Scroll through the list of templates displayed in the program window until you find the one that meets your needs.
Presentation templates include customization of the color scheme adopted, the theme, the fonts and the general appearance of the slides
Step 3. Select the template to use
Click on the icon of the template you want to use to bring your presentation to life. A new window will appear.
If you don't want to use a default template, just click on the button Blank presentation located at the top left of the page, then skip the next two steps in this section of the article.
Step 4. Select a theme to use if possible
Many document templates offer the possibility to choose between different color schemes or themes which are indicated with colored boxes displayed in the lower right part of the window that appears. By clicking on one of these boxes it is possible to change the color scheme adopted by the presentation and possibly also the theme.
If your chosen template doesn't offer the ability to customize colors or theme, skip this step
Step 5. Click the Create button
It is located in the lower right corner of the window. This will create a new PowerPoint presentation based on the selected template.
Part 2 of 6: Creating the Title Slide
Step 1. Understand when the presentation title slide should appear
Unlike the rest of the other slides that make up the presentation, the first one that is displayed should only contain the title and possibly a subtitle. This step is critical if you want your presentation to look professional.
If you are creating a PowerPoint presentation that needs a first slide with an elaborate and complex structure, skip this step
Step 2. Add the title
Click inside the large text box displayed in the center of the first slide of the presentation, then type the title you have chosen to use.
You can customize the text by changing the font and size using the tools on the tab Home of the program ribbon characterized by an orange color. It is displayed at the top of the window.
Step 3. Add a subtitle
Click inside the smaller text box that appears below the one where you entered your presentation title, then type the text you want to use as a subtitle.
If you prefer to use the title only, you can leave this text box blank
Step 4. Place the title and subtitle boxes wherever you like
Place the mouse pointer on either side of the title text field, then hold down the left button on the pointing device to drag the box to where you want the presentation title to appear on the slide.
You can also resize the indicated text boxes by clicking on one of the corners with the mouse pointer and dragging it outwards or inwards to make them larger or smaller
Step 5. Click on the Transitions tab
It is displayed at the top of the PowerPoint window. A list of all transition effects available for switching between slides in the presentation will be displayed.
Step 6. Select the transition you want to use for the title slide
Click on the effect you want to apply to the slide. This way, the work on the first slide of the presentation is complete. At this point you can start inserting the slides that include the actual contents of the document.
By placing the mouse pointer on the transition icon you have chosen, a preview of the visual effect you will get when you run the slide show will be displayed
Part 3 of 6: Adding New Slides
Step 1. Click on the Insert tab
It is located at the top of the PowerPoint window. The corresponding toolbar will be displayed.
If you are using a Mac, you will need to click on the tab Home.
Step 2. Click the New Slide ▼ link
It is displayed in the far left section of the toolbar. A drop-down menu will be shown.
-
If you are using a Mac, click on the icon
Android7dropdown to the right of the item New slide of the toolbar.
- By clicking on the white square icon above the link indicated, a new slide suitable for containing textual content will be added to the presentation.
Step 3. Select the type of slide you want to insert
Within the pop-up menu that appeared, the slide templates you can add are listed. Choose the one you want from the following options:
- Title slide;
- Title and content;
- Section header;
- Two contents;
- Comparison;
- Title only;
- Empty;
- Content with caption;
- Image with caption.
Step 4. Add as many slides as you think you need to complete the presentation
Of course, you have the option to add new slides at any time, but doing it at the beginning will give you a general idea of the structure and final look of your presentation.
Step 5. Change the order of the slides according to your needs
When the presentation will consist of more than one slide, you can change the order in which they will be displayed simply by dragging them with the mouse to the position you want. To perform this step, use the left sidebar of the PowerPoint window which displays the thumbnails of all the slides that make up the presentation.
Of course, the slide in which you entered the title of the presentation should always be and remain the first one that will be displayed once the presentation has been performed, that is, it should be the one positioned at the first place of the list of slides visible within the left sidebar of the presentation. PowerPoint window
Part 4 of 6: Adding Content to Slides
Step 1. Select a slide
Click on the thumbnail of the slide you want to edit listed in the left sidebar of the program window. The selected slide will be displayed enlarged in the main window pane.
Step 2. Locate a text box
If you've selected a slide that has a text field, you can use it to add textual content.
Skip this and the next two steps if you've selected a slide that uses a template with no text fields
Step 3. Add text to the slide
Click inside the text field and add the content according to your needs.
PowerPoint text boxes format the content automatically, based on the structure of the entered text (for example by adding a bulleted list where applicable)
Step 4. Format the slide text
If necessary, select the text you want to change, then click the tab Home and change the formatting of the content using the options in the "Font" group of the toolbar.
- You can change the font of the selected text portion by clicking on the name of the font currently in use and choosing the one to use from the menu that appears.
- If you want to change the font size, click on the number displayed in the field to the right of the name of the font in use, then choose a value larger or smaller than the one currently displayed to make the text larger or smaller.
- If you want, you can also change the color and style of the text (bold, italic, underline, etc.).
Step 5. Add an image within a slide
If you need to insert a photo on a slide, click on the tab insert, then click on the item Images and select the photo you want to use.
Step 6. Reorder the content within a slide
Just like for the slide that contains the title of the presentation, you can change the position of all the elements present within a slide by simply dragging them with the mouse to the point you want.
The photos can also be resized (enlarged or reduced) by dragging one of the corners of the corresponding box with the mouse
Step 7. Repeat the previous steps for all the slides that make up the presentation
After you have created all the slides you need, you can go to the next part of the article.
Remember that to achieve an effective and professional presentation, your slides must be clean, tidy and essential, so avoid adding elements that could distract the attention of your audience. As a general rule, the portion of text visible on a single slide should be less than 33 words
Part 5 of 6: Adding the Transitions
Step 1. Select a slide
Click on the thumbnail of one of the slides displayed inside the left sidebar of the PowerPoint window to which you want to apply a transition effect.
Step 2. Click on the Transitions tab
It is displayed at the top of the PowerPoint window. The tab toolbar will appear Transitions.
Step 3. Review all available transitions
This is how the individual slides will appear on the screen (and how they will disappear) while the presentation is running. The list of all available transitions is displayed in the upper part of the program window.
Step 4. Preview a transition effect
Click a transition icon displayed at the top of the window to see the effect it generates when applied to the slide under consideration.
Step 5. Select the transition to use
When you have chosen the transition you want to use, click on the corresponding icon with the mouse to make sure it is selected. The selected slide will use the chosen transition effect.
Step 6. Add transitions to the slide content
You can also apply transition effects to all the individual graphic and textual elements that make up each individual slide of the presentation (for example images or bullet points), simply by selecting the desired element and choosing the type of transition to apply.
The contents of the slide will be shown on the screen in the predetermined order and with the chosen transition effect. For example, if you assigned a transition to an image and then a slide title, the photo will appear before the title
Part 6 of 6: Test and Save the Presentation
Step 1. Review the presentation
Once you've finished creating your presentation, review each slide one at a time to make sure you haven't forgotten anything.
Step 2. Click on the Presentation tab
It is displayed at the top of the window. The toolbar of the selected tab will be displayed.
Step 3. Click the From the Beginning icon
It is the first item in the toolbar starting from the left. The presentation will be played and the slides will be shown on the screen in the predetermined order.
Step 4. View the presentation
Use the left and right directional arrows on your computer keyboard to scroll back and forth between slides in your presentation.
If you want to stop the presentation from running, press the Esc key
Step 5. Make any changes you want before continuing
After the presentation is complete, you can change any element by adding or deleting any details that you omitted or do not need.
Step 6. Save the document
This way the presentation will be saved to a file on your computer and can be opened on any Windows or Mac computer on which PowerPoint is installed:
- Windows - click on the menu File, click on the option Save, double-click the entry This PC, select the destination folder, assign a name to the file and click on the button Save.
- Mac - click on the menu File, click on the item Save with name…, assign a name to the file by typing it in the "Save as" field, select the destination folder using the "Located in" drop-down menu, then click on the button Save.
Advice
- If you don't have Microsoft Office, you can use Apple's Keynote program or Google's Slides web app to create a PowerPoint-style presentation.
- Save your work regularly so you don't lose your progress if your computer or program crashes suddenly.
- If you save the PowerPoint presentation in PPS format, instead of the default PPT format, when you select the file with a double click of the mouse it will start directly.
Warnings
- If you want your presentation to be effective and engaging, avoid filling the slides with too much textual content.
- Your presentation may not be playable on computers using an older version of PowerPoint (or some of the built-in features may not be supported).
