how to make a powerpoint presentation smaller file size

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How to Reduce Powerpoint File Size

Last Updated: March 29, 2022

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd . Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 978,010 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to lower a PowerPoint presentation file's size by compressing its images on a Windows or Mac computer, or by clearing the editing data on a Windows computer. There is currently no option to delete the editing data of PowerPoint presentations on a Mac.

Compressing Images on Windows

• If your PowerPoint file isn't yet open, first open it by double-clicking it.
• It doesn't matter which picture you double-click, since all of them will open the appropriate tab.

Compressing Images on Mac

Removing Edit Data on Windows

Expert Q&A

• Using JPEG files rather than other file formats will cut down on your presentation's overall size. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• When formulating a presentation, using the default plain backgrounds in your slides will make your file smaller than if you upload detailed backgrounds. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you can't get your PowerPoint file to shrink down enough to send it via email, you can upload it to a cloud service (e.g., Google Drive) and send an email with a link to the file instead. Your recipient will be able to download the file from Google Drive. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Reducing your images' quality will make a noticeable difference in your PowerPoint's overall quality. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Reduce-your-file-size-631d1d48-a56b-4fd4-ad66-091dd201db10?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US&fromAR=1#bmpp
• ↑ http://www.isumsoft.com/it/reduce-powerpoint-file-size-in-office-2016/

About This Article

1. Double-click an image. 2. Click Compress Pictures . 3. Remove the check mark from “Apply only to this picture.” 4. Select a lower DPI. 5. Click OK . 6. Click File . 7. Click Options . 8. Click Advanced . 9. Click Discard editing data . 10. Click OK and save the file. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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10 Ways to Compress PowerPoint Presentations to Reduce File Size

10 Strategies to Compress or Reduce the Size of Large PowerPoint Presentations

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated September 21, 2023

Applies to: Microsoft ®  PowerPoint ® 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

You can compress or reduce the size of large PowerPoint presentations in several ways. The most common strategy to reduce the size of a PowerPoint file is to compress pictures, video and audio. However, you can also use other methods to make files smaller including saving media and PowerPoint files in other formats and converting or removing embedded objects.

In this article, we'll look at 10 ways to compress or reduce the size of a PowerPoint presentation:

• Compress pictures
• Insert pictures instead of copying and pasting
• Use smaller image files
• Convert images to a different file type
• Save a copy of images with artistic effects
• Compress audio and video
• Link to audio or video files
• Convert Excel charts and other embedded objects
• Save a copy of large PowerPoint files
• Save a copy in PDF format

Note: Buttons and Ribbon tabs may display in a different way (with or without text) depending on your version of PowerPoint, the size of your screen and your Control Panel settings. For PowerPoint 365 users, Ribbon tabs may appear with different names. For example, the Picture Tools Format tab may appear as Picture Format.

To view file size in PowerPoint:

• Click the File tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Info. In the Properties area, file size is listed beside Size.

Once you've completed the following strategies, close and save the PowerPoint file, reopen it and check the file size again. You can also view file size in Windows 10 File Explorer or Windows Explorer in older versions of Windows.

Recommended article : How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

Do you want to learn more about PowerPoint?  Check out our virtual classroom or live classroom  PowerPoint courses >

1. Compress pictures

One of the most common ways to reduce file size is to compress one or all of the pictures in your PowerPoint file. You may want to try this with one picture at a time to be sure you are satisfied with the result after compression.

To compress a picture:

• In Normal View, select a picture on image on a slide.
• Click the Picture Tools Format or Format Picture tab in the Ribbon.
• In the Adjust group, click Compress Pictures. A dialog box appears.
• Select the check box to Apply only to this picture if you want to compress only the current picture or uncheck this option if you wish to compress all pictures in the presentation.
• Select the check box to Delete cropped areas of pictures if you have cropped images and want to permanently delete the areas you have removed by cropping.
• Choose the desired document resolution.

Don't forget to check pictures in Slide Master View (click the View tab in the Ribbon and then click Slide Master) as you may want to compress or delete those images as well.

Also, be sure to check image(s) after you compress them to be sure to are satisfied with the quality of the image(s). If you create a copy of the presentation before compressing the image(s), you can revert to the original if necessary.

2. Insert pictures instead of copying and pasting

It's best to insert pictures, rather than copying and pasting (or dragging and dropping) into the PowerPoint file. When you copy and paste (or drag and drop) an image into a presentation, it can lose compression, change file type and also bring in other data that can increase file size.

To insert a picture onto a PowerPoint slide:

• In Normal View, display the slide where you want to insert a picture.
• Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon and click Pictures (2013 and later versions) or Picture (2010). You can also click the Pictures or Picture icon in a placeholder on a slide. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the location of the picture.
• Select the picture and click Insert or double-click the picture.

You also have the option of linking to a picture file by clicking the arrow beside Insert in the Insert Picture dialog box and then choosing Link to File. However, the picture is not actually "in" the file (which reduces file size) and if you email the document, the pictures will not be included. If you use this strategy, it's best to copy the picture to the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation and be sure to bring the entire folder with you when you deliver the presentation.

3. Use smaller image files

It's best to insert pictures in smaller sizes to reduce the size of your PowerPoint files. For example, if you are inserting pictures from a phone taken at a high resolution, this will result in larger PowerPoint decks. Create, save or send images at a lower resolution and insert the lower resolution images into your PowerPoint files.

If you're using stock images, select images at the lowest resolution (at the quality level you require). You can also open an image in an image editing program (such as Microsoft Picture Manager or Adobe Photoshop) and then save it at a lower resolution.

In PowerPoint 365, one of the biggest culprits causing inflated file size is 3D models. Although 3D models are not inserted as pictures but rather as 3D models, they are images. One 3D model we inserted took up 17 MB of space. You can't compress 3D models like other types of images so you may need to delete 3D models or use a picture instead of a 3D model if file size is an issue.

4. Convert images to a different file type

Prior to inserting an image in PowerPoint, you can open it in an image editing program (such as Microsoft Picture Manager or Adobe Photoshop) and then use Save As to save the image in another format.

The format that will result in the smallest size is usually JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group format) or JPG. The JPEG compression algorithm significantly reduces the file size of images.

You can also save images in PowerPoint in different formats:

• Right-click the picture. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Save As Picture. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the folder where you want to save the image.
• Enter a name for the file and select a format such as JPG or PNG.
• Click Save.
• In the PowerPoint presentation, delete the original image.
• Click Insert and then click Picture(s).
• Navigate to the location with the image you saved.
• Double-click the image.

5. Save a copy of images with artistic effects

When you apply an artistic effect to an image, PowerPoint retains two copies of the image (the original and a copy with the artistic effects). This allows the user to reset the image but can significantly increase file size. Compressing pictures also doesn't normally have any effect on images where you have applied artistic effects.

If you have applied an artistic effect (such as blur) to an image, you can reduce file size using the following method:

• Right-click the image with the artistic effect. A drop-down menu appears.
• Enter a name and select a file type (usually JPG or PNG).
• In the PowerPoint presentation, delete the image with the artistic effect.
• Navigate to the location with the image you saved with the artistic effect.

6. Compress audio and video

In 2010 and later versions of PowerPoint, audio and video files are copied into presentations rather than linked to the original files. You can improve playback performance and reduce PowerPoint file size by compressing audio and video files in your presentation.

Files can be compressed at different quality levels.

In PowerPoint 2013 and 2016, you can compress to the following quality levels:

• Presentation Quality – select this option to save space but maintain overall audio and video quality.
• Internet Quality – select this option and quality will be comparable to media which is streamed over the web.
• Low Quality – select this option if space is limited, such as when you are sending presentations via e-mail.

In PowerPoint 2019 and 365, you can compress to the following quality levels:

• Full HD (1080p) – select this option to save space while maintaining overall audio and video quality.
• HD (720p) – select this option to save space and the quality will be comparable to media which is streamed over the Internet.
• Standard (480p) – select this option when space is limited, such as when you are sending presentations via e-mail.

The following compression options appear in PowerPoint 2019 or 365:

Note: Some older video file formats may not compress or export properly. Embedded subtitles and alternate audio tracks will be lost in the compression process.

To compress media in PowerPoint:

• Open the presentation that contains the audio or video files you want to compress.
• Save a copy of the presentation so you can retain a copy of the file with the original media.
• In the copy, click the File tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Info.
• In the Media Size and Performance area, click Compress Media. A dialog box appears.
• Select the desired compression option. A dialog box appears indicating that media compression is in progress. PowerPoint will indicate how much space is saved.
• When compression is complete, click Close.

7. Link to audio or video files

You also have the option of linking to audio or video files. When you insert an audio or video file, click the arrow beside Insert in the Insert dialog box and then choose Link to File. Linked audio or video is not actually "in" the presentation (which reduces file size) and if you email the presentation, the media files will not be included if you have linked to audio or video files. Linking was the default behavior in PowerPoint 2007 and earlier versions for video and larger audio files.

If you choose to link to audio or video files, t's best to copy the media files to the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation and be sure to bring the entire folder with you when you deliver the presentation.

Note: You cannot apply certain types of formatting to linked video files.

8. Convert Excel charts and other embedded objects

Embedded objects such as Excel charts or worksheets can also increase file size. If you convert embedded objects to images, it can impact the size or your presentation. You can also reduce file size by breaking links to Excel files.

If you want to convert embedded objects into pictures, you can ungroup them or cut and paste them back into PowerPoint.

To ungroup an object:

• Select the chart or embedded object.
• Click the Format tab in the Ribbon. This tab may appear as Drawing Tools Format, Drawing Format or Shape Format.
• Select Group and then Ungroup. A dialog box appears asking if you want to convert the object to a PowerPoint object.

To cut an object and paste it back into a presentation as a picture:

• Select the embedded chart or object.
• Press Ctrl + X to cut it.
• Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
• Click the arrow below Paste to display the drop-down menu and then choose Paste Special.
• Select an image type (such as JPEG) and click OK.

If you have links to Excel files, you can reduce file size using Edit Links to Files. Check out How to Break, Update or Change Links to Excel Charts or Worksheets in PowerPoint for more information on how to break links.

9. Save a copy of large PowerPoint files

It's a good idea to save a copy of a large PowerPoint files periodically using Save As and give the file a different name (i.e. Sales Presentation and the date). If you save a copy using Save As, version history and some editing data is removed during the process and this will reduce file size. This can also help avoid corrupted files.

To save a copy of a PowerPoint presentation:

• Choose Save As. If necessary, click Options or More Options. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the desired location.
• Enter a new name for the presentation.

10. Save a copy in PDF format

It's also common to save a copy of a presentation as a PDF (portable document format) file to reduce the size and then share it with others. You can compress images during the process.

To save a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF (and compress images):

• Choose Save As and then click Options or More Options if necessary. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the desired location and enter a name for the file. You can use the same name since the extension will be different (PDF).
• Under File Type, select PDF.
• Click Tools on the bottom right of the dialog box. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Compress Pictures. A dialog box appears.
• Click the desired compression option.

Large file size is a common problem in PowerPoint and you can use these strategies to reduce the size of your PowerPoint presentations. Compressing the size of your decks should also help to improve speed and avoid crashes.

This article was originally published on November 6, 2016 and has been updated for clarity and content.

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How to compress a PowerPoint file so that it loads faster and doesn't take up as much space

• You can easily compress a PowerPoint file's size, which makes it easier to share and save.
• When you compress your PowerPoint, you'll have to reduce the quality of any music, videos, or pictures you have in your slideshow.
• Once you've compressed your PowerPoint, it will load faster, but the media in it may not look as good.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

At some point in your slideshow-creating life, you've probably saved a PowerPoint presentation and realized that the file size is entirely too large. 

Larger file sizes make PowerPoints more difficult to send and save, and they also make each slide take longer to load.

One of the easiest ways to quickly reduce a PowerPoint presentation's file size is to compress it. When you compress a PowerPoint, you'll reduce the quality and size of every media file in the presentation. This includes videos, audio clips, animations, and photos.

If you compress them down to an appropriate size, your file size will be much smaller. However, your photos, videos, and other media probably won't look or sound as sharp.

Here's how to compress your media files in PowerPoint on a Mac or PC.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to compress a powerpoint file on a pc.

1. In the ribbon or menu bar at the top of the screen, click "File." Make sure that "Info" is selected in the left sidebar.

2. Click "Compress Media." Depending on whether your version of PowerPoint was made before or after 2016, this button will either be next to the label "Multimedia" or "Media Size and Performance."

3. Choose one of the three options for media quality from the dropdown menu. These will differ based on which version you have as well, but they boil down to: 

• Select the highest quality option if you want to maintain high quality media for in-person presentations. 
• Select the middle option for quality akin to media found on the internet. 
• Select the lowest quality option if your file needs to be as compressed as much as possible — for example, if you need to send it via email.

How to compress a PowerPoint file on a Mac

In the Mac version of PowerPoint, you can only reduce the file size of images, not videos or music.

To do this:

1. Open your PowerPoint slideshow and click "File" in the menu bar at the top of the screen. If you only want to compress specific images, select them before clicking "File."

2. In the dropdown menu, click "Compress Pictures..."

3. You'll be shown a "Compression Table," which lists all the different ways you can compress the file. You'll have three main options:

• "Printing" will keep your pictures at the highest quality possible.
• "Viewing on screen" will reduce the quality of your pictures by about 30 percent.
• "Sending in an e-mail message" will compress them by another 30 percent or so.

You can also pick the fourth and last option, which will keep each picture's current resolution, but try to reduce the file size in other areas.

4. Select whether you'd like to delete parts of your pictures that have been cropped out — doing so will help reduce the file size.

5. Choose whether you'd like to compress every picture in the slideshow, or just the ones that you selected beforehand. Once you've decided, click "OK."

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How to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to embed a youtube video into your microsoft powerpoint presentations using a mac or pc, how to convert google slides to a powerpoint presentation in 4 easy steps, how to convert a powerpoint to google slides in 2 different ways, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow.

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Blog > Compress PowerPoint to reduce the file size

Compress PowerPoint to reduce the file size

02.12.20   •  #powerpointtips.

Sometimes, the file size of your PowerPoint presentation can get very big. In some cases, that can be annoying, e.g. when trying to send the slides via email, but not being able to do so because the file is too large. Usually, pictures and videos are the reason why presentations become too big. The good news are that you can easily compress pictures and embedded media files by following the steps listed below.

Compress images

Compress videos and audios.

• Convert PPT into a PDF file
• Get rid of 3D-models

Compress PPT as ZIP- file

PowerPoint offers the option to compress all images at once or choose single pictures to reduce their file size. Keep in mind, that compressing an image will automatically reduce its quality as well. If you don't need to reduce the file size, better use the highest quality resolution as possible.

There are two ways to compress images within your PPT file which nearly work the same way:

Compress selected pictures

• Select the image you want to compress or any picture if you wish to reduce the size of all graphics
• Navigate to the Picture Tools Format tab and select Compress Pictures

• A new menu pops up. Choose your compression options and make sure to check "Delete cropped areas of pictures" and uncheck "Apply only to this picture" (if you want to compress all images)
• High fidelity: preserves quality of the original picture
• HD (330 ppi): good quality for high-definition (HD) displays
• Print (220 ppi): excellent quality on most printers and screens
• Web (150 ppi): good for web pages and projectors
• E-mail (96 ppi): minimize document size for sharing
• Use default resolution

Compress all images while saving the PPT file

• Open your presentation. Go to File in the PowerPoint menu
• Click Save as and then Browse
• In the window that opens, click on Tools (right beside Save )
• Select Compress Pictures and choose the resolution you need To save even more space, you can additionally choose Delete cropped areas of pictures to remove the parts of pictures which you cropped in PowerPoint.
• Click OK and then Save

Video and audio files can increase your PPT size a lot. It's a good idea to compress those if you want to make some space. Some PowerPoint versions make it possible to decrease the media size in PPT but if this option is missing in your program, online video compressors are the solution.

Compress videos and audios in PPT

• Go to File in the PowerPoint menu
• Open the Compress media drop down
• Choose a compression file size. Don't reduce the quality too much and check if the appearance of your media doesn't look too grainy on the actual projector you will be presenting on

Online video compressor

There are plenty of online video compressors which you can use to reduce the video size in advance. For example, the website FreeConvert makes it easy to decrease the file size without having to download anything. This way you can integrate a smaller media file into PPT.

Links instead of videos

Instead of importing a video to your PPT slides, including a link to your PowerPoint presentation can save a lot of space. If your video is somewhere on YouTube or other online video-sharing platforms, include a link and use it when you're presenting. But notice: a link can only be used, if you're connected with wifi. Watching videos online, can take time and a bad connection might give you some unwanted breaks during your presentation. In this case, saving the video on your disk and opening it separately can save time and still reduce the size of the PPT.

Convert PPT to PDF

By converting a PowerPoint file into a PDF, the size will reduce automatically. During the process, images get compressed and some media (audio, videos, 3D models..) get removed. If you want to change the PowerPoint slides at all time, this method might not be the right one for you, as PDF files can't get edited the way a PowerPoint can. Hence, converting PPT into PDF only makes sense if your presentation will work as a handout and if the PDF files options are enough for you.

• Click Export
• Hit the Create PDF/XPS button
• Choose a location in which you want to save your PDF file
• Click Publish

Get rid of 3D models

The Office 365 subscription makes it possible to add 3D models to your PowerPoint slides. Nevertheless, those media require much space since they transport a lot of information. In order to minimize the PPT file, exchanging the 3D model with a normal image will easily reduce the size of your PowerPoint file.

If you need to share your PPT with someone, a ZIP- file format might help you to reduce the size of the PowerPoint. Even though, this method can save some place temporally, it might not be enough to send it via email. Uploading it to file-sharing platforms, such as GoogleDrive, DropBox, OneDrive or other websites and sharing its link to download the PPT, can be the better option. (Using an USB for sharing the presentation without the need to decompress anything would be the best solution)

Here's how to convert a PPT into a ZIP- file format:

• Select the file you want to minimize in the File Explorer
• Right-Click the file and hit Send to
• Choose the Compressed (zipped) folder option

If you want to decompress a ZIP- file into its original PowerPoint format:

• Right-Click on your ZIP- folder
• Select Extract All... or the similar operation of your program
• Choose a File Location to extract your file to, or extract it at the place you are currently at

How can I reduce the size of a PowerPoint file?

There are several ways to reduce the file size of a PowerPoint. You can compress images, videos and audios, convert your presentation into a PDF file, get rid of 3D models or compress the PowerPoint as a ZIP-file. We explained for you how all of this works in our blog.

How do I compress a video in PowerPoint?

To compress videos in PowerPoint, go to "File" in the PowerPoint menu and then click on "Info". Then open the drop-down menu "Compress media" and select the size of the compression file. Be careful not to reduce the quality too much and check that the quality of your video on the projector you will be presenting on is not too bad.

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How to Compress a PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint is an amazing audiovisual tool for presentations. It allows you to add images, graphs, videos, and pretty much everything you might need in order to craft the perfect complement. But precisely because of this, sometimes PowerPoint documents can end up taking a lot of space. So, how do you share your presentation when it’s just too big? Here you’ll learn how to easily compress a PowerPoint presentation to share it with whomever you want.

How to compress a PowerPoint presentation directly

Thankfully, PowerPoint has some compress options built into it, so learning how to compress a PowerPoint presentation is a very straightforward business. You have 2 main options.

1- How to compress images in a PowerPoint presentation

a. Select the image you want to compress. Once you do this, the Picture Format tab will appear at the end of your tools ribbon.

b. Select Compress Pictures

c. A new window will pop up. Now you just need to choose how much you want to compress your PowerPoint images accordingly to your needs:

Take into consideration that if you untick the Apply only for this picture option, all of the PowerPoint presentations images will be compressed. If you’re looking for how to compress a presentation will a lot of images, then this one is a great option for you.

2- How to compress a PowerPoint with a video

If your presentation has a video in it, chances are it’s a pretty big file! To compress your PowerPoint document just follow these steps:

a. Go to File > Info

b. Choose the Compress Media option. Just like with images, it will give you quality options, and pick the one that fits better your needs.

c. A new window will pop up to show you the compressing progress. Once it’s completed, it will also tell you how much space are you saving by compressing your PowerPoint media. Just click Close when the process is completed, and you can go back to work on your presentation.

Other options for sharing your presentations

However, if you compress a PowerPoint presentation you’ll probably lose some quality. The more you compress an image, the more quality it will lose. This is especially important to take into consideration if you’re planning to use a big projector, as it will make bad quality images pretty noticeable.

If compressing your PowerPoint presentation it’s just not doing it for you, of you don’t want to sacrifice some of its quality, here are some alternative options for sharing your files:

1- ZIP Files

A pretty straightforward way on how to compress a PowerPoint presentation is simply to use a ZIP File. ZIP files allow you to compress many documents into one directory. Windows 10 has built-in an option for file compressing. You just need to go to your File Explorer and right-click the PowerPoint presentation to compress. Select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder . And that’s all!

If you’re not working with Windows 10, you can download a file archiver and compressor software, like WinZip or WinRAR (for earlier Windows versions). These will allow you to easily compress PowerPoint presentations, and pretty much everything else. There are many free compressors available, so it’s just a matter of finding the one that suits you the best.

Take into consideration that, when sending a compressed PowerPoint presentation in this way, the receiver must also have a compressor software, like the ones mentioned above. This will allow them to decompress the document and get access to it. It’s also important to know that ZIP Files might not compress a PowerPoint presentation enough for it to be sent by e-mail. It depends mainly on the size of the original file. Thankfully, there are other options for sharing your presentations!

2- Cloud Sharing

Cloud sharing is an excellent way to share files that are otherwise too big to send by e-mail. You don’t even need to know how to compress a PowerPoint to use this method. You just need to register in a cloud storage service, like Google Drive or Dropbox , and upload your presentation. Once it’s uploaded, you can send the link to whoever you want, and they will instantly gain access to it.

If it’s a particularly big document, you can even mix this option with the previous one. You can compress your PowerPoint presentation in a ZIP file, and upload the compressed version. This will make it easier and quicker for you to upload it, and for your receivers to download it.

3- PDF format

Converting your presentation to a PDF document is one of the easiest ways to compress your PowerPoint presentation in order to share it. It will immediately lower your file size and allow you to share it through all kinds of means, including e-mails.

However, one very important thing to take into account when using this method to compress a PowerPoint presentation is that you’re changing the file’s format. And this had both its ups and downs. For starters, this means that whoever receives it will not be able to access it as a PowerPoint presentation. Your slides will be converted to PDF pages, and while images and graphs will likely remain, any videos or voice notes in your presentation will not be added in the converted document.

But this also has an ad additional advantage. This means the receiver will not be able to edit it. If you’re sending a PowerPoint presentation and you don’t want it altered or copied in any way, sending it as a PDF file is a good option. It all depends on what you’re looking for!

Hopefully, you have now learned how to compress your PowerPoint presentations. Now you can share them with whomever you like, whether it is team members, coworkers, or your audience. Good luck!

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Compress PowerPoint Presentations

How to Compress PowerPoint Presentations

Many users, when sharing PowerPoint files via email, can end up realizing that the file is too big to be sent via their email service provider because of its excessive file size. While there are many third-party apps that enable sending large files via sharing links, not only can they be less secure to use for confidential documents, but the files might take a while to download by the recipient due to the heavy file size. therefore, Compressing a PowerPoint presentation can help you avoid such issues.

Compress a PowerPoint Presentation File

There are different methods by which you can compress a PowerPoint file and elements within the file to reduce the file size and make your slide deck more manageable.

1.  Compress Images in PowerPoint

The most common method to reduce the file size of a PowerPoint presentation is to compress slide images. This method is also quite useful if you’re wondering how to compress a ppt file for email since it provides the option to reduce the images down to a very low resolution of 96 PPI, which is usually sufficient to make the presentation small enough for an email attachment.

To compress one or more images in PowerPoint, select an image from the presentation, go to the Picture Format tab, and select Compress Picture from the Adjust menu.

From the dialog box that appears, you can choose various compression options. If you want only to compress the selected image, check Apply only to this picture checkbox. The compression options available from the given dialog box can be used to reduce the size of the current or all images in the presentation file for print (220 PPI), web (150 PPI), and email (96 PPI), or you can choose the default resolution.

2. Compress Video and Audio in PowerPoint

Video and audio files can take up a lot of space and make PowerPoint presentations difficult to manage due to their large file size. If you have media files added to PowerPoint that are heavy, your presentation might also lag in SlideShow mode. To compress video and audio files in PowerPoint, go to File > Info > Compress Media . Select a lower resolution of the media files from the drop-down menu to reduce their file size.

This will reduce the file size for video and audio files, with information regarding how much the files were compressed.

You can play to preview the media files to ensure the quality of the converted media files is satisfactory. Suppose you aren’t satisfied with the compression quality and reduced file size. In that case, you can also compress the media files using third-party tools, including online converters like CloudConvert and ZamZar or media file conversion apps like HandBrake, Xilisoft audio/video converter, Freemake audio/video converter, etc.

3. Remove Heavy Graphics and Slide Elements

Another easy method to compress PowerPoint is to remove unwanted elements to reduce the file size. You can either do this directly from slides or edit the layouts of the deck via View > Slide Master .

4. Replace Media Files with Links and Embedded Content

You can also replace certain files that might be making your slides heavy. Embedding the media files directly via online sources like YouTube or by adding links to media instead of embedding files in your presentation will significantly reduce file size.

5. Convert PowerPoint File to Compress File Size

If you don’t need to present your slides as a PowerPoint file, Converting PowerPoint presentations to a different format, such as PDF, can compress the file size. This will also remove media files such as audio and video files that you can instead add as a clickable link for the recipient prior to conversion.

6. Compress a PowerPoint File using a File Compression Format

To share a PowerPoint file online in a compressed format, you can convert it to a ZIP file or use a number of formats supported by your operating system or third-party apps such as RAR, 7z, GZIP, TAR, XZ, WIM, etc. The compression feature is often integrated via the right-click context menu or long tap for mobile operating systems.

Some of the most famous tools known to provide a high file compression ratio and various security features for file compression include 7-Zip, WinRAR, WinZIP, PeaZip, etc.

Compressing your PowerPoint presentation can help reduce the file size, making it easier to share via email, improve loading times, and reduce storage space. It also ensures that the recipient can quickly download and access the presentation.

The most common method is to compress the images in your presentation: – Select an image in your presentation. – Go to the Picture Format tab. – Click on Compress Pictures in the Adjust group. – Choose the desired compression options (e.g., for print, web, or email).

If the media quality is unsatisfactory, you can compress the media files separately before adding them back to your presentation using third-party tools. Tools like HandBrake, Xilisoft, and Freemake can help you achieve better compression results.

To reduce the file size by removing unnecessary elements: – Review each slide and identify heavy graphics, images, and other elements that can be removed or simplified. – Use the Slide Master view to make global changes to the slide layouts, reducing the number of heavy elements across all slides.

Yes, you can replace media files with links to online sources or embed content directly from websites like YouTube. This reduces the file size significantly by not storing large media files within the presentation.

You can convert your PowerPoint presentation to a PDF: – Go to File > Save As. – Choose PDF from the file format options. – Save the file. This will remove media files and significantly reduce the file size.

Yes, you can use file compression tools like 7-Zip, WinRAR, or WinZIP: – Right-click on the PowerPoint file. – Select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. – Alternatively, use third-party tools to compress the file into ZIP, RAR, or 7z formats.

The potential downsides include: – Loss of media quality due to compression. – Incompatibility issues if the recipient does not have the required software to decompress the file. – Reduced functionality if converting to a different format like PDF, as interactive elements may be lost.

To work with full compatibility: – Use common compression formats like ZIP. – Provide instructions or links to software if using less common formats like RAR or 7z. – Consider sharing a link to an online version of the presentation if possible.

Compressing PowerPoint files can have pros and cons, including loss of media quality or inability of the recipient to open the file if it’s in a compression format that requires a specific app that he/she might not have. Therefore, you should pick a mode of compression that is convenient enough for you and the recipient of the file.

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Optimize PowerPoint File Size: 5 Tips for Reducing the Size of Your Files!

It is still a common issue in offices today: employees from your company’s overseas branches send you the “latest presentation” via email. However, what arrives in your inbox is a 30-megabyte attachment that not only clogs your email but also slows down your computer when opened.

Furthermore, many companies still impose fixed maximum sizes for email attachments. As a result, there are instances where you may not receive the presentation at all. However, this scenario can be prevented with a few simple measures. Today, we’ll share 5 tips on how to optimize file sizes.

File Size Optimization: Here’s How!

Aim for a target size of approximately 5 megabytes or less for your presentations. This ensures that your PowerPoint file will reach the recipient as an email attachment. Follow these simple tips to reduce the file size of your PowerPoint files:

1. Remove Unused Slides, Pictures, and Videos

This is especially relevant for presentations that are edited by multiple people over an extended period. Often, there are numerous hidden old slides that may still contain images and videos, which can significantly impact the file size.

In such cases, delete all irrelevant slides and content from the presentation and save a new version. This can noticeably reduce the file size.

2. Compress Inserted Images

PowerPoint provides an integrated function to compress images in a presentation. To do this, open the presentation and go to “File,” then select “Save As.” Click on “Browse” in the newly opened window, then click on “Tools” at the bottom and choose “Compress Pictures.”

Select the option “Delete cropped areas of pictures” and set the target output to 150 or 96 ppi. If your recipient plans to print the presentation, leave the target output at 220 ppi. For more information on compressing images in PowerPoint, check our article on the subject.

You can find more information in our articel “ Compress Images “.

3. Discard Editing Data for Images

This option can further reduce the size of presentations. Go to the “File” tab, then select “Options. ” Under “Advanced,” check the box next to “Discard editing data” under “Image Size and Quality.” Keep in mind that after enabling this option, changes made to images cannot be undone.

4. Avoid Creating Image Effects with PowerPoint

Avoid using PowerPoint’s image tools to edit your graphics and photos. For example, the image tools offer the option to apply “Artistic Effects” to your images. However, PowerPoint creates two image files – one for the original and one for the edited image with the artistic effect.

As a result, the overall file size increases with more images attached to the presentation. Instead, use a separate image editing program for effects and other adjustments. Insert the finished edited images into your presentation.

5. Check the Master Slide

When copying a slide from one presentation to another, it’s possible to unintentionally include the master slide from the source presentation in the target presentation, thus increasing its file size. To avoid this unnecessary increase in file size, always paste copied slides into the target presentation using the right-click option “Use Destination Theme.”

After completing your presentation, it’s always a good idea to check the master slide view. There, you can verify if any unnecessary master slides have been inadvertently included through copying and delete them if necessary.

Extra Tip: Use File Size Optimization Tools

There are various tools available that allow you to reduce the size of PowerPoint and other Office files. A popular tool is for example PowerShrink . Both software options allow you to shrink file sizes without any loss of quality. If you want to try out these tools, you can download and test their free trial versions.

Conclusion: Easily and Quickly Optimize Your File Size with Our Tips!

In presentations, file sizes can quickly become too large. To ensure that you and your colleagues can edit and send the presentation without any issues, it’s important to keep the file size below 5 MB. With our tips, you can easily and quickly optimize your file size! Give it a try!

If you have any questions about optimizing file sizes or general questions about PowerPoint, feel free to contact us at [email protected] . We’re here to help!

Are you looking for professionally designed slide templates to support your key message ? Visit our shop for a wide range of slides on various (business) topics available for download. Explore our shop today! ► Go to Shop

You may also be interested in other articles:

• Compressing PowerPoint Images
• Standardizing Image Sizes

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A PowerPoint Presentation is a great way to get an idea across. Whether you're pitching a product or teaching kids, you'll find slideshows helpful.

However, if your presentation is long, or you have many visuals, you might find that your PowerPoint file has become too large. That makes it difficult to attach it as an attachment. And it could even take too long to download for your clients.

To solve this problem, here are seven tips to reduce your presentation file size.

1. Use Insert Picture—Don't Drag and Drop

When you want to add a photograph from your hard drive to your presentation, the easiest and most common way is to copy it off File Explorer and paste it onto PowerPoint. Alternatively, you can also drag and drop it from your folder to your slideshow.

However, doing this potentially increases your presentation's file size. That's because when you copy-paste or drag-and-drop a file directly into PowerPoint, it converts your image to either a BMP or PNG file type.

Although these file types allow you to retain transparent backgrounds, like the ones you find in icons, they also increase your photo's file size. But if you use the Insert Picture function, PowerPoint will add your image without changing its file type, thus avoiding larger file sizes.

2. Crop Photos With an Image Editor

There are times when you don't have to use the entire image you just added. You may want to remove a section to make it more impactful. But if you do that, don't crop it using PowerPoint's built-in cropping tool.

When you crop an image inside PowerPoint, the app will simply hide the part of the image you cut out. Although this is helpful if you want to undo the crop you made in the future, if you're final with the cut you made, this just adds to your presentation's file size.

Instead of cropping images in PowerPoint, you can use dedicated image editors. You can use Microsoft's built-in Paint app for simple crops, or you can use free online tools, like Canva. Once you've cropped your photo to your liking, you can then use the Insert Picture tool to add it to your presentation.

Related: How to Use the Canva App: A Beginner's Guide

Remember to save your file as JPG or JPEG, not PNG or BMP. JPG files provide the most compression on your images while retaining reasonable quality. This way, you get to save a few more kilobytes per photo. This adds up to a lot of space when you have many pictures.

3. Edit Images Outside PowerPoint

Building upon the previous point, you should edit your photos using an image editor instead of PowerPoint. While the app does provide relatively advanced photo editing tools, it's still not as powerful as dedicated photo editing software.

You can use Microsoft's built-in basic photo editing function to edit your image. Alternatively, there are several easy-to-use photo editing software to give you advanced edits while remaining simple to use.

You should do this because PowerPoint retains all your photo's information. For example, if you convert an image from colored to black and white, the app will still keep all the color information of your file, thus making it larger. But if you convert it using an image editor, all color information is lost once you save the file, thus making it smaller.

4. Compress Your Pictures

Even if you've done all the above, there is still a way to reduce your presentation's file size further. You can do that by optimizing all your slideshow images for the screen size you expect to show your presentation.

This is because PowerPoint tends to keep your images at the maximum allowable quality. After all, the app is preparing your slideshow for all types of display sizes. It's even considering that you're going to print it. That's why it keeps your photos at the best possible quality.

And while this is a good thing, it does add a lot of size to your presentation. That's why you need to optimize your file for your intended audience.

To do that, click on any image in your slideshow. Then, in the menu ribbon, select Picture Format . Press the Compress Pictures button, and a Compress Pictures window will pop up. Under Compression options: remove the tick mark for Apply only to this picture to compress all images.

Under Resolution: , pick the appropriate points per inch (PPI) for your application. If your presentation is for personal consumption—i.e., for viewing on smartphones, tablets, and computer monitors only—then a 96 PPI resolution is enough.

But if you plan to display it on a medium-sized projector or a screen larger than 50 inches, then you should choose 150 PPI. If you're planning to print your presentation as a handout, then go for 220 PPI. Finally, if you're going to use a large-format projector or LED screen board, go for 330 PPI.

5. Link Videos

Videos are the most significant items in your presentation that will bloat its file size. A typical 1-minute full HD video has an approximate 124MB file size. So instead of embedding your videos into your PowerPoint file, you can link them instead.

Upload your videos on a video hosting website like YouTube, then just link it into your slideshow. Once you've uploaded the video, don't forget to copy its web address to add it to your presentation.

To add it to your slideshow, go to Insert on the menu ribbon, click on Video , and in the dropdown menu, choose Online Videos… . A new window will pop up and in the Enter the address for the online video bar, paste your video link.

Once your selected video has loaded, you'll see a preview of it on the main screen. If you're satisfied that it's the correct video, click on Insert . You will now find your video embedded into your slideshow.

You have to note, though, that your viewer or audience must have an active internet connection for them to see your embedded video. Otherwise, they won't be able to see it.

6. Use the Latest Formats

If you're using the latest version of Microsoft Office, it's best to use the latest file formats. The old file format called PPT, designed for Microsoft Office 2003 and older, uses up more space than the newer PPTX file format.

While older versions of PowerPoint may not be able to open your file, the smaller file size means your presentation would fit in your email as an attachment. Furthermore, those who don't have the latest version of PowerPoint can instead use Microsoft Office Online, or even Google Slides, to view your presentation.

As a last resort, you can compress your presentation's file to reduce its size. You can use several free tools to do just that . They're also widely popular, so your recipient won't have much trouble decompressing your file.

Save on Space

If your PowerPoint presentation is too large to attach to your email, you can reduce its size by following the above steps. They're simple, quick, and easy to do. And if in case you find your presentation's file size bigger than your allocated limits, you still have a couple more solutions.

The first one is to upload it onto the cloud and just share the file's link with your recipient. The second is to cut your presentation into two and then send them in two separate emails. Be sure to add a slide to your first file indicating there's a part two!

But no matter what you choose, reducing your file's size should be the last thing on your mind. Focus on your content and make it your best presentation ever first. All the other things you need to do will soon fall into place once you've finalized your output.

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How to Reduce the File Size of a PowerPoint Presentation

The larger the PowerPoint presentation, the bigger the file size. Here’s how to reduce it.

The best PowerPoint presentations are those that are dynamic and interesting for their intended audiences. Typically, that means that you’re using images, videos , and other visual elements to get your points across.

Unfortunately, the larger the presentation and the more elements you use, the bigger the file. If your PowerPoint presentation file is too big, here are some steps you can take to reduce the overall file size.

Compressing PowerPoint Images

The biggest problem with any PowerPoint presentation isn’t the text—it’s the images. More images mean a bigger file, but you can take some steps to reduce the problem.

Reducing image sizes in Office documents will reduce the overall file size, and the best way to do this is by compressing your images. The downside to this is a reduction in image quality. However, PowerPoint does offer several compression options, so you can decide to use better quality images, although the image compression will be reduced as a result.

To start, open your PowerPoint presentation. Select an image, then press Format > Compress Pictures in the ribbon bar.

This will bring up the  Compress Pictures options box. There are five different image resolution options, including an additional Use default resolution option to leave your images intact.

Each resolution is measured in pixels per inch , where the larger the number, the better the quality (and the larger the file size). For maximum compression, select  E-mail (96 ppi).

If you’d prefer to compress only a single image, leave the  Apply only to this picture checkbox checked. If you want to compress all of the images in your PowerPoint presentation at once, make sure to uncheck this option.

Press  OK to compress your image (or images) once you’re ready.

Once you’ve saved your PowerPoint presentation ( File > Save ), the file size should be reduced. The impact of image compression on file size will depend on the number of images in your presentation, as well as their original quality.

Compressing Video in PowerPoint

Compressing other media types, like video files, is the next step in reducing your PowerPoint file size. Video files, in particular, can massively increase your PowerPoint files if they’re embedded in your presentation.

Thankfully, PowerPoint offers a built-in method for compressing and converting video files. To do this, open your presentation in PowerPoint, then press File > Info > Compress Media . In the drop-down menu, select the quality you wish to use for your embedded video files.

You can choose between Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), and Standard (480p) video quality.

If the video files are supported, PowerPoint will automatically compress the media files, reducing their overall quality in the process. Click  File > Info > Compress Media > Undo to undo the process if the quality is reduced too far.

If you’re happy with the process, save your document ( File > Save ).

Saving in the PPTX File Format

Most PowerPoint users are familiar with PPT, the PowerPoint file format. Many older PowerPoint presentations are still saved and distributed in this older format.

Unfortunately, the PPT file format is obsolete. The replacement, PPTX, uses compression to reduce the file size of PowerPoint presentations vastly. Saving your documents in the PPTX format, as well as converting existing PPT files to PPTX, can have a big impact on overall file size.

To convert your PPT file to PPTX, open the PPT file in PowerPoint. From there, click  File > Info > Convert .

This will open the  Save As dialog box, automatically selecting the PPTX file format. Confirm the file name for your new PPTX presentation, then press   Save  to confirm.

The additional benefits of compression that a PPTX file offers over the original PPT format should help to reduce the file size. However, the impact of saving your PowerPoint presentation as a PPTX file will depend on your original presentation file.

Disabling Embedded Fonts

Most PowerPoint users will use default system fonts for their presentation, but if you’re creating a themed presentation, you may decide to embed third-party fonts into your PowerPoint file. These embedded fonts might look great, but they can increase your PowerPoint file size significantly.

Unless you’re certain about including them, you should disable the embedded fonts option in PowerPoint. To do this, click  File > Options to open the PowerPoint options menu.

In the  PowerPoint Options menu, press the Save tab.

Under the  Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation section, click to disable the  Embed fonts in the file checkbox.

Once the option is unchecked, click OK to save the setting, then press File > Save to save the document. Once saved, any embedded font files should be removed.

However, this is a setting that should only impact a small number of PowerPoint users and may only reduce your PowerPoint file size if you’re using a significant number of custom fonts.

Removing Hidden PowerPoint Data

Every PowerPoint document you create has additional information attached, including who authored it and other hidden metadata. If you’re trying to optimize your PowerPoint file size, removing this information should help to reduce the file size, although the impact should be relatively minor.

To do this, open your PowerPoint presentation, then click  File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document .

In the  Document Inspector window, ensure that the Document Properties and Personal Information checkbox is selected, then press  Inspect .

After the Document Inspector has scanned your PowerPoint presentation, click the  Remove All button for the  Document Properties and Personal Information option.

This will remove all personal metadata from your PowerPoint presentation, reducing the file size by a small amount.

Creating Better PowerPoint Presentations

You don’t need to compromise on quality to create high-quality PowerPoint presentations. If PowerPoint file sizes concern you, compress your media files and use the PPTX file format.

If you want to ditch PowerPoint completely, you could think about using Microsoft Sway instead.

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How to reduce PowerPoint file size

Introducing the zip trick to reduce powerpoint file sizes.

PowerPoint files can be huge, and this can be a problem – for example if you are hoping to email the file some servers have size limits for attachments. There is a simple trick (thanks to Echo Swinford for the knowledge) using Zip to investigate what might be causing the problem. Let’s look at the process:

1. First, make a copy of the file

In File Explorer, select the PPT and Control-C, Control-V in the same folder.

2. Right-click on the copy and select Rename 

3. add the extenstion “.zip” to the very end of the file name.

Make sure to put the .zip after the existing file extension (.pptx) – do not replace it. The file now becomes a zipped folder. It’should read “filename.pptx.zip”

A zipped PowerPoint presentation

4. Now Unzip the folder to access the contents

5. click the folder “ppt” > “media”.

In the media folder you will see a list of all the image files in your presentation – jpegs, gifs, MP4s etc. Sort by Size or Compressed size , so you can see the largest easily.

Images in the Zip folder

6. Change view to large icons, or double click on the images, to identify them

Once you’ve identified which images are pushing up the MB count, go into your original presentation and reduce the file size for each image in PowerPoint. Select the image and in the Picture Format tab click on Compress Pictures.

Compress images within PowerPoint

Choose “Apply only to this picture” to keep a better control of image quality throughout. Of course you can choose to compress all the pictures but sometimes the PowerPoint compression tool can give a low quality result.

You can also delete the cropped areas of the pictures. The tool here gives a guide on recommended resolutions – we go for 150 ppi if a small file size is crucial.

Obviously you can also use PhotoShop to really keep control on image quality and size.

7. Resave your presentation and check the reduced file size

Spot the difference.

Hey presto my file is no longer massive

So that’s how you use Zip to reduce the file size in PowerPoint!

Now you can delete the Zip folder and you’re done!

For more advice on how to reduce file size in PowerPoint, there are plenty of How To videos on YouTube, like this one .

The Zip-less route

And if all that seems a bit too fidlly and faffy… you could try using an Add-in for PowerPoint to identify those large media files instead.

Slidewise is one Add-In that lets you find large images without leaving PowerPoint. The image identity feature is free. Or there’s BrightSlide too from Bright Carbon, and i-Slide as well.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why should I reduce the size of my PowerPoint files?

Answer: Large PowerPoint files can pose problems when sharing via email or uploading to servers with size restrictions for attachments. Reducing file size helps in smoother sharing and distribution.

2. What is the “Zip trick” mentioned in the text?

Answer: The “Zip trick” involves making a copy of the PowerPoint file, renaming the copy with a “.zip” extension, and then unzipping the folder to access its contents. This allows users to identify large media files, such as images, within the presentation and take steps to reduce their size, ultimately reducing the overall file size.

3. Are there alternative methods to reduce PowerPoint file size besides the Zip trick?

Answer: Yes, besides the Zip trick, users can utilize PowerPoint’s built-in compression tools to reduce the size of images within the presentation. Additionally, there are add-ins available, such as Slidewise, BrightSlide, and i-Slide, which can help identify and manage large media files within PowerPoint presentations.

Don’t want to waste hours fiddling with the technical aspects of PowerPoint?

Leave it to the experts!

We know the ins and outs of the ever-changing software, and can create interactive, engaging presentations using the most advanced options.

Let’s face it, we all have an extensive to-do list, without having to get to grips with ever-changing software!

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How to Compress PowerPoint to Reduce File Size

PowerPoint presentations can be quite large, and if you’re trying to email them or upload them to the web, you may need to compress them first. There are several ways to do this. In this article, we’ll show you different ways to compress PowerPoint files and reduce their file size.

1. Make Sure the Presentation is Saved in PPTX Format

2. compress the pictures in your powerpoint presentation, 3. compress the videos in your powerpoint presentation, 4. insert pictures instead of copy-pasting, 5. compress the multimedia files before inserting them into powerpoint, 6. link audio or videos instead of uploading.

If you want to make your PowerPoint Presentation files smaller, make sure that it’s saved in the PPTX format. The PPTX format is a more optimized version of the PPT format and uses better compression to make files smaller. As a result, your presentation will be smaller in size while still retaining all its features and formatting.

1. Go to File > Save As.

2. Then select the preferred location to save your presentation.

3. Change the “Save as” drop-down menu to PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx). Finally, click Save .

One of the biggest culprits of large PowerPoint files is the images that are used in them. If you have a lot of high-resolution photos or images, they can really bloat the file size. The good news is there’s an easy way to compress all the pictures in your presentation at once. Here’s how:

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation.

2. Double-click on one of the images to open the Picture Format pane.

3. In the pane, click on Compress Pictures .

4. In the Compress Pictures dialogue box, ensure that “Apply only to this picture” is unchecked. Also, pick lower PPI values to make the file size smaller.

5. Click OK , and all the pictures in your presentation will be compressed.

Another common cause of large PowerPoint files is the videos that are used in them. If you have video clips in your presentation, they can also take up a lot of space. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to compress all the videos in your presentation at once. Here’s how:

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation that includes videos.

2. Click File from the top ribbon and then click on Info .Then click on Compress Media .

3. In the Compress Media dialogue box, select a lower resolution. The lower the resolution, the smaller the file size.

4. Now, the videos will start compressing. Close the window once it’s done. Done!

When you copy and paste an image into PowerPoint, it actually embeds a copy of that image into your presentation file. As a result, it can lose compression and brings additional data that can make the file size larger.

Instead of copy-pasting, try inserting your images into PowerPoint. Here’s how:

1. Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon and click on Pictures.

2. Select the image you want to insert from your preferred source and click Insert.

That’s it; the image will now be inserted into your presentation.

If you’re planning on inserting multimedia files (like videos, audio, infographics, and any other variation) into your PowerPoint presentation, it’s best to compress them first. That way, you can avoid having a large file size when you insert them into your presentation.

To compress multimedia files, you can use a free online tool like Compress2go . The tool will enable you to compress your files without losing quality. Once you’ve compressed the multimedia files, you can then insert them into PowerPoint like normal.

If you want to include video files on the PowerPoint that are already on the web, you can avoid uploading or embedding them into your presentation by simply linking to them. This way, you won’t need to worry about file size restrictions.

1. To insert videos from a link, go to the Insert tab on the ribbon and click on Vi deo > Online Videos under the Media group at the top-right.

2. In the dialogue box, paste the link to the video you want to insert from one of the supported video providers and click Insert. That’s it!

Your video will now be inserted into your presentation without taking up any extra space.

Now you know how to compress PowerPoint files without losing quality. By following the tips in this article, you can easily reduce the file size of your presentations while still retaining all the features and formatting that you need. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

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How to Compress a PowerPoint

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Miscellaneous
• April 22, 2019

Before you go to the effort of compressing your PowerPoint presentation, ask yourself if you even need to bother?

If you are not having trouble sharing your presentation, or you don’t need to email it to anyone (maybe you can share it on a USB instead), don’t worry about how large your presentation is.

If you’ve added lots of images, videos, graphics, and 3D models, your PowerPoint presentation might be huge. But so what?

Only follow these steps if you find that your presentation is becoming unwieldy or too big to share. And then, only do the minimum required to get to a functional state.

Table of Contents

[watch] 6 ways to compress a powerpoint presentation.

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1. Compress Images in PowerPoint

If you have lots of images in your presentation, you can save a lot of space by compressing them. This is a fast and uncomplicated way to reduce your PowerPoint file size.

You can also save a lot of file space in PowerPoint by converting your PNG images into JPEG images. To learn how to do that before you compress your images, read our guide here .

Notice in the picture above how much space was saved using the different compression options.

The HD (96 ppi) compressed file is 17x smaller than the original presentation. Just make sure when you compress your images that you pay attention to their quality.  The more you compress an image in PowerPoint, the more quality you will lose.

Ideally you want to use the HIGHEST quality resolution as possible, especially if you are presenting on a large overhead projector.

To compress your images in PowerPoint, follow these steps.

1. Open the Picture Format tab

Select a picture in PowerPoint to open the Picture Format tab in your Ribbon and select it.

The Picture Format tab is where all the commands and features related to working with and editing images are located.

For example, to see how to turn an image into a black and white drawing using the Artistic Effect features in PowerPoint, read our guide here .

If you do not see the Picture Format tab in your PowerPoint Ribbon, it means you have not selected an image or photo to work with. The Picture Format tab is contextual and will open only once you have selected an image or picture to work with.

2. Select the Compress Pictures command

Inside the Picture Format tab, find and select the Compress Pictures command.

Depending on your screen resolution and the size of your computer monitor, this command might appear as just an icon.

Either way, the icon should be to the right of the Transparency command.

3. Choose your compression options

You have two main compression options to choose from:

Apply only to this picture : This determines if the resolution you pick is applied only to the picture you have selected or to all the pictures within your presentation.

Most often, your images will require different compression resolutions. That’s why I recommend keeping the Apply only to this picture option selected and working your way through the images in your presentation one by one.

If you know that you want all of the pictures in your presentation compressed to a specific resolution, you can choose to unselect this option.

Delete cropped areas of pictures: Selecting this option removes any cropped areas in your pictures as part of the compression process. This will dramatically decrease the size of any images you have cropped.

However, please note that once you do this, you lose all the parts of the images that you cropped out. This means that you won’t be able to return to the original image and adjust the cropping.

To expand your knowledge and learn how to crop your pictures in PowerPoint to save additional space before you compress them, read our guide here .

4. Choose your resolution

Next, choose the resolution you want your image(s) compressed to. The smaller the resolution, the smaller the size of the images and the smaller the size of your presentation.

The question is, what is the best resolution to pick? This depends on how you plan to give your presentation.

If you’re presenting on a large overhead projector, I recommend choosing a higher resolution like HD (330 ppi) so that all your images are sharp and clear. If you are printing or just showing someone your presentation on your laptop, then Print (220 ppi) is fine.

I don’t recommend going much smaller than these two resolutions as the overall quality of your images will decrease rapidly.

For more help choosing the right resolution when compressing images in PowerPoint, see our guide here .

5. Click OK

Once you have made your compression choices and picked a resolution, click OK and PowerPoint will compress your image(s) for you.

Once PowerPoint finishes compressing your images, I recommend reviewing the quality of the compression to make sure everything looks okay. If you find that your image looks grainy, hit Ctrl+Z to undo and choose a higher resolution.

2. Compress Videos in PowerPoint

Videos and media files (like audio files) can be huge!

So if you have a video or other media files in your presentation, compressing them is another fast way to reduce your PowerPoint file size.  Or better yet, if you realize you are not using a specific video (or rarely use it), remove it.

Using the default video compression options in PowerPoint, I saw the following results, reducing my file size by over 6x.

To compress your videos and other media in PowerPoint, simply follow the following steps.

1. Select the File tab

Click the File tab to open the backstage view of PowerPoint.

Videos and other media are all compressed in the backstage view of PowerPoint, not in the Video Format tab like you might think.

2. Select the Info tab

Find and click the Info tab to access the Compress Media tools.

3. Open the Compress Media dropdown

Inside the Info tab and u nderneath Media Size and Performance, PowerPoint tells you the total size of the media files (video and audio) in your presentation.

Find and select the Compress Media command, which should be at the top of the Info tab. 

If you do not see the Compress Media command, that means that you don’t have any media that PowerPoint can compress.

You can only compress videos and other media inside your current PowerPoint presentation. 

If you have narrated your presentation using PowerPoint’s built-in Record Slide Show command, your narration videos and audio do not require compression. To learn how to narrate a PowerPoint using PowerPoint’s built-in Record Slide Show command, read our guide here .

4. Choose a compression file size

In the Compress Media dropdown, choose one of the three compression options for your videos and other media:

• Full HD (1080p)
• Standard (480p)

If you are not sure which compression option to choose, I recommend at least compressing using the Full HD (1080p) option. In my compression tests, the Full HD (1080p) reduced the size of my original video by half.

Full HD (1080p) works great for any overhead projector or monitor you will be presenting on. If you need to save more space, you can test out one of the smaller formats. But be careful. Just like when compressing images and photos, the more you compress your videos (or other media) the lower the quality of your video.

As a best practice when building presentations, use the highest compression rate you can without sacrificing the quality of the videos (or other media).

5. Wait as PowerPoint compresses your videos

After choosing a compression size, PowerPoint will begin compressing all the videos in your presentation. When it’s done, a dialog box will show you how much space you saved with each compressed video.

For example, for a raw video I inserted and compressed in PowerPoint, I saved 872.5 MB. That is A LOT and it allows me to share my presentation more easily.

To expand your knowledge and learn how to embed a video in PowerPoint (and learn how it is different than embedding a YouTube video), read our guide here .

3. Clean out the Master Views in PowerPoint

Before you worry about compressing any of your images or videos, see if you can reduce your file size by removing hidden and unused elements in your presentation.

One of the culprits of a large PowerPoint file size (especially if you don’t feel like you have that many slides in your presentation), is hidden graphics on one or more of the following masters in PowerPoint:

• Slide Master (most common)
• Handout Master
• Notes Master

It’s common to find excessively large graphics or things you can eliminate to reduce file size in your different master views. That said, you do not want to just delete anything you find there. That is because someone might have set them up for a reason in the first place. Double-check before you start deleting things, but this is a common way to cut down the size of your deck

A. Slide Master - Hidden graphics

To navigate to the Slide Master view to spot check your child slide layouts, simply:

• Navigate to the  View tab
• Select  Slide Master
• Spot check your  Child Slide layouts

Here you want to look at your Child Slide layouts and see if there are any with extremely large pictures or media files that you are not using.

Then you can decide whether to compress them (as mentioned above) or delete them.

You might also find a lot of duplicate  Child Slide  layouts that you can simply remove. This happens when people copy and paste between presentations that don’t have a consistent or well-built PowerPoint template. To expand your knowledge and learn how to create your own custom PowerPoint template from scratch, read our guide here .

B. Handout Master - Hidden graphics

To navigate to the Handout Master view of your presentation, simply:

• Select  Handout Master  in your Ribbon
• Spot check your  Handout Master

Here you are looking for excessively large company logos or graphics that you can compress or remove.

PowerPoint shapes such as rectangles, lines and text boxes are fine. Removing them will not impact the size of your presentation.

Formatting your  Handout Master is a fantastic way to create customized slide handouts of your presentation, but if there are excessively large graphics here, compressing or removing them can help you decrease the size of your presentation.

C. Notes Master - Hidden graphics

To navigate to the Notes Master view of your presentation, simply:

• Navigate to the  View Tab
• Select  Notes Master  in your Ribbon
• Spot check your Notes Master

If you find any excessively large images, or multi-media elements here, removing them will reduce your overall file size. You don’t have to worry about any shapes, lines, or text boxes (these will never increase the size of your presentation). You are looking for unnecessarily large graphics, or graphics that are placed outside of the Notes Master area (as those will never appear on your handouts anyway).

Formatting the Notes Master is a terrific way to create branded handouts for your speaker notes. However, if there are large graphics here that you are not using, compressing, or removing them can help reduce the size of your presentation.

To learn more about your Notes Master and how it affects the formatting and layout of your speaker notes in PowerPoint, read our guide here .

To expand your knowledge and learn how to professionally print your speaker notes in PowerPoint, read our guide here .

4. Swap out 3D Models and Other Media

If you have the Office 365 subscription ( check it out here ), you can now add 3D models and graphics into your presentations from the Insert Tab, 3D Models dropdown.

• Click the Insert tab
• Open the 3D Models dropdown
• Select the location source for your 3D model

Below are examples of animated 3D models you can insert into PowerPoint. I’ve selected the rhinoceros.

These 3D models can be quite large and there is currently no way to compress them. Notice in the picture below how adding just one animated 3D model adds over 26 MB to the PowerPoint file.

So if you need to reduce the size of your presentation, try to replace any 3D models with a static image. For example, instead of using the 3D rhinoceros, use a picture of a rhinoceros instead.

Notice that the picture of the rhinoceros is 7x smaller than the 3D model on the left.

If you want to keep the 3D look of your model, you can also Copy ( Ctrl+C ) and Paste Special ( Ctrl+Alt+V ) your 3D model as a PNG image. That will retain the 3D look of the model in your presentation without its size. To expand your knowledge and learn more about the Paste Special shortcut (which is also the trick to pasting formatting in Excel), read our guide here .

5. Convert PowerPoint to PDF

If you don’t need to present using PowerPoint, instead of trying to compress your presentation, you can simply convert it to the PDF file format.

That’s because the PDF conversion process automatically compresses images and removes any videos, 3D models, etc.

To convert your presentation to the PDF file format, simply:

• Hit  F12  to open the  Save As dialog box
• Change the  File Type  to PDF
• Click  Save

Just be aware that not everything in your presentation will properly convert to the PDF file format. You will lose quite a few things, such as animations and transitions.  To learn all the ins and outs of converting a PowerPoint presentation into a PDF file format, read our guide here .

6. Compress PowerPoint as a ZIP File

As a last resort, you can also try to reduce the size of your presentation by compressing it into a ZIP file.

While this technique compresses everything in your presentation, it doesn’t always save you a ton of space.

For example, notice in the picture below how my file size has only been reduced by 4MB using this ZIP folder technique.

If you need to keep all of your videos, graphics, and 3D models as they are, this might be your best bet Just keep in mind that it might not save you a ton of space and you may be  better off using something like OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox.

How to create a compressed (zipped) folder

To compress your PowerPoint presentation into the ZIP file format, simply:

• In File Explorer,  Right-Click  your file
• Select  Send to
• Choose the  Compressed (zipped) folder  option

Selecting the Compressed (zipped) folder , PowerPoint compresses your presentation as much as possible. How much room it saves depends on what is in your presentation. If you have already compressed your images and other multi-media files, then you will not save much space.

Below you can see the dialog box showing you that your presentation is being compressed.

How to extract a compressed (zipped) folder

To decompress a zipped file, simply:

• Right-Click the zipped folder
• Select  Extract All…
• Choose a  File Location  to extract your folder to
• Click  Extract

Extracting your file turns your zip folder into a normal folder with your original PowerPoint file in it. Instead of just zipping your PowerPoint file, you can add additional files to a folder and ZIP the entire folder. In this way, you can reduce the overall file size of a number of files or documents you want to share with a client or colleague.

Compressing the different elements of your presentation is a great way to reduce your overall PowerPoint file size.

Just remember that compressing your PowerPoint presentations is an optional step. If you are not having any trouble sharing it with other people, don’t bother.

That’s because while reducing your file size can make it easier to share with others, it can also decrease the quality of the images and media.

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How to Reduce PowerPoint File Size

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What to Know

• Crop images or compress them to reduce file size. To compress photos, go to Picture Tools Format >  Compress Pictures .
• To compress media files, select File > Info > Compress Media .
• If some of your slides are content-heavy,  turn a slide into a single image . Then, insert that image onto a slide.

Sometimes PowerPoint presentation files become too large to handle. These large files are difficult to email because many email providers limit the size of email attachments. And, large presentation files may not play properly on older computers. To keep your PowerPoint files in hand, follow these tips and make your PowerPoint presentations as small as possible.

Crop Pictures

Cropping pictures in PowerPoint has two bonuses for your presentation. First, stuff in the picture that's not necessary to make your point is removed. Second, the overall file size of your presentation is reduced. 

• Right-click the image you want to crop and select Crop .
• Drag the cropping handles to select the area you want to crop.
• Select a blank area of the presentation slide to view the cropped photo.

Compress Photos

Compress the photos after they are inserted to reduce their file size.

• Select a photo in the slideshow.
• Go to Picture Tools Format .
• Select Compress Pictures in the Adjust group.
• Clear the Apply only to this picture check box to compress all photos in the presentation.
• Place a check next to Delete cropped areas of pictures .
• Select OK .

Compress Media Files

In PowerPoint for Windows, compress audio or video files in a presentation to make them smaller. When you make media files smaller, you may also lower the quality. When compressing media files, you have these options:

• Full HD (1080p) reduces the file size and maintains overall quality.
• HD (720p)  saves more space and provides quality comparable to media streamed over the internet.
• Standard (480p)  creates a small file that is perfect to attach to an email, but may diminish overall quality.

To compress media files:

• Go to File .
• Select Info .
• Select Compress Media .
• Choose the option you wish to use.

Create a Picture from a Slide

If some of your slides are content-heavy, turn a slide into a single image . Then, insert that image onto a slide.

If you turn an image into a slide and then use that image to make a new slide, you will no longer be able to animate separate objects.

Make Multiple Slideshows

Consider breaking your presentation into more than one file. Create a hyperlink from the last slide in Show 1 to the first slide in Show 2 and then close Show 1. This approach may be cumbersome when you're in the middle of the presentation, but it frees up system resources if you only have Show 2 open.

If the whole slideshow is in one file, your RAM is constantly in use retaining the images of previous slides, even though you are many slides forward. By closing off Show 1 you'll free up these resources.

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Useful Tips to Reduce a PowerPoint Presentation File Size

PowerPoint presentations generally contain a large number of images, videos, gifs, charts, and other visual content. This makes the files very large and difficult to work with.

Large files take up a considerable amount of disk space, and they push the limits of the data you are allowed to send via email. Even if you put your file in cloud storage, the file can be slow to respond when the recipient uses it.

To get the best performance from a PowerPoint file, you need to keep the document size under control. There are many different ways you can keep the extra, and mostly unnecessary, information from blowing up the size of your presentation.

Also read: 8 Alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint You Need to Try

Edit Images in an Image Editor

Although PowerPoint gives you the option of editing the images in your presentation within the program, it adds extra bites of information. For example, if you change the color of an image to black and white, the file still contains the color image. If you edit many images in PowerPoint, you can add quite a bit of extra data.

Instead, use an external image editor to make the changes to the image before inserting it into the presentation. There are image editors available online to make these edits. If you add all the pictures before you make any changes, you can tell PowerPoint to discard all the extra data created during the edits.

1. Click on File -> Info.

2. Click “Check for issues.”

3. Select “Inspect Document.”

4. In the Inspect Document window, check at the following boxes at the very minimum:

• Comments, Revisions, Versions, and Annotations
• Document Properties and Personal Information
• Invisible Content
• Hidden Text

5. Click Inspect.

6. After the inspection finishes, click “Remove all” to remove the extra information added through editing the images.

Also read: 14 Useful PowerPoint Templates to Set Up a Digital Planner

Compress Images

Because the images take up a large amount of space in a PowerPoint presentation, you want to make sure they are as small (in data) as possible. To do this, either compress all the images or only the largest ones.

1. Click on the File tab and select “Save As.”

2. Click on “More options” under the File type drop-down box.

3. In the Save as window that appears, click the word Tools next to the Save button.

4. Select “Compress Pictures.”

5. In the Compress Pictures box, choose the resolution you prefer. (150 ppi is best for presenting.) Make sure the box for “Delete cropped areas of pictures” is checked (unless there is a chance you may want to recover the cropped portions from your images..

6. Click OK.

To compress only specific images in the presentation:

1. Click on the image you want to compress.

2. On the menu ribbon click the “Picture Tools -> Format” tab. Click “Compress pictures.”

3. In the window that appears, select your preferred resolution from the low end of the options.

4. Make sure “Delete cropped areas of pictures” is checked.

5. Click OK.

Insert Images

If you copy and paste images into your slide show by using Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V or by dragging and dropping them, PowerPoint may change the format of those pictures to either a PNG or a BMP. These formats are larger than a JPG of the same image.

Tip: Learn more PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflows.

Insert your images using the Insert image option on the PowerPoint menu.

The image will remain in its original format, possibly saving you some extra data.

Don’t Embed Fonts

Embedding fonts includes special fonts in the presentation as part of the document. Unless the font is of particular importance to the theme of the presentation, consider using standard fonts and turn off the option to embed them.

1. Click on the File tab and click Options at the bottom.

2. In the options box click on the Save tab. Untick the box that says “Embed fonts in the file.”

3. Click OK.

Link to Videos

If you are not sending the presentation to someone else, you can save a large amount of data by linking to videos instead of embedding them. Click on the Insert tab and on the Video button to see your options.

Compress media

Lastly, to reduce the size of the presentation as much as possible, compress the media files using the file menu.

1. Click on “File -> Info.”

2. Click on Media Size and Performance.

3. Select the quality you want from the choices. Internet Quality is usually enough for most presentations.

4. Once you select the quality you want, the compression begins.

The next time you need to create a PowerPoint presentation to share with others, take some or all of these steps to ensure a smaller file size. It will run more smoothly and be easier to send electronically.

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Tracey Rosenberger spent 26 years teaching elementary students, using technology to enhance learning. Now she's excited to share helpful technology with teachers and everyone else who sees tech as intimidating.

Simple Methods for a Smaller PowerPoint File Size

August 27, 2014 / Blog, PowerPoint Tips, PowerPoint Tutorial compressing powerpoint file size, Powerpoint tips

You’ve created a PowerPoint with plenty of interesting visuals. You also made use of some animations and transitions. It looks great! But when you tried to share it online, you got stuck in the loading time. Or maybe when you were launching the file to start your presentation, your laptop started lagging. In all these scenarios, your problem is a PowerPoint file size that’s too large.

Here are four simple methods to fix your PowerPoint file size issue:

Compress pictures

Using high-quality images will bloat your PowerPoint file size. While you should use high-quality pictures for your slides, always be cautious that they’re not too large. A hefty resolution might be great to look at, but it can cause your PowerPoint file to lag. Don’t worry, because there’s an easy fix.

Select on any image in your PowerPoint deck and head to the  Pictures Tools Format  tab. Click on  Compress Pictures  in the  Adjust group. This will prompt a dialogue box where you can choose different options for shrinking all the pictures in your deck.

Convert to PDF

Another option you can consider is to convert the PowerPoint file to PDF. Simply launch your PowerPoint deck, go to the  File  tab and choose  Save As . When the dialogue box appears, choose  PDF under  Save as type .

But just a quick reminder: If you convert your PowerPoint file to a PDF, you will lose all animations and transitions. Do this only if you’re planning to print out your PowerPoint deck or share it through email.

Avoid embedding fonts

Unique fonts can make for great PowerPoint design. But they can be another factor as to why your PowerPoint file size is too large.

When building your PowerPoint deck, use unique fonts minimally so you don’t have to embed too much data in your file. Unique fonts are best for headers and section breaks. If you’re using typical font types such as Arial or Times New Roman, check if PowerPoint is embedding fonts and disable it.

Simply head to the  File  tab and click on  Options . When the dialogue box appears, go to  Save . Make sure there’s no check mark in the box for  Embed fonts in file .

Don’t save in Compatibility Mode

Lastly, if you’re going to use your own device to present your PowerPoint deck, you don’t have to save it as a  PowerPoint 97-2003 file. To make sure your file is saved in the latest version of PowerPoint, check that the file extension is  .PPTX . Simply go to the folder where your PowerPoint file is saved, right click on it and choose  Properties . You should see something like this:

Your presentation can suffer if your deck is not optimized to perform in the best way possible. Don’t forget to take some measures to ensure that your PowerPoint file size isn’t too large.

Read More:  4 Ways to Shrink Your PowerPoint File [All About Presentations]

Featured Image: Chris Isherwood via Flickr

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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 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.

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.

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Also, download our Free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It’s the deepest resource for learning effective presentation skills for a PPT.

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:

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.

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:

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.

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?

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Related Articles

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7 things i wish i’d known before i made my first powerpoint presentation.

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The slide master saves time and aids consistency, you can remove image backgrounds, cropping images is surprisingly easy, powerpoint has a presenter view, the designer feature instantly professionalizes your slides, the selection pane makes animating much easier, useful keyboard shortcuts.

As with many Microsoft 365 programs, PowerPoint can take some getting used to. Here are seven things I've learned over the years which, had I known about them earlier, would have saved me a lot of time and helped me hit the ground running with slick, professional slides.

In this article, I'll talk about the features available to Microsoft 365 subscribers in the PowerPoint desktop app. Some of these tools are accessible in the web-based version of the program, but—as with all Microsoft 365 programs—the app offers the best flexibility.

One of my main PowerPoint bugbears is seeing slides with different layouts and color schemes, so when I'm creating a slideshow, I like to make sure my viewers don't have the same experience. The best way to ensure your slides are consistent is by using the Slide Master —and doing so will also save you lots of time.

You can use the Slide Master on a blank PowerPoint presentation or a Microsoft template. However, if you have already amended some slides in the Normal view (such as font colors), some changes you make in the Slide Master will not apply to these slides.

In the View tab on the ribbon, click "Slide Master."

You will then see a new Slide Master tab on the ribbon, and your thumbnail pane on the left of your screen will change to a new view.

The top slide thumbnail is the master slide, and all related layouts are displayed underneath. Any formatting changes you make to the top slide—such as font colors, borders, or images—will be duplicated in the remaining slides. In this example, I've added a green border to the slide's text area and changed the title font to blue. I have also moved the slide title area to the right and added a small image to the left, and you can see all these changes applied to the other slide thumbnails below.

You can also make changes to specific slide types. For example, if I wanted the title layout slide to have a yellow background, I would move down to the second thumbnail in the screenshot above and change that slide layout only.

When you have made all the necessary changes, click "Close Master View" in the Slide Master tab, or "Normal" in the View tab.

Then, in the Normal view, to add a new slide, click the "New Slide" drop-down option in the Home tab and choose from the newly designed layouts.

If you have a busy slide with lots of objects, your image backgrounds can take up some valuable space. Instead, you can edit the images to keep the foreground only —as a result, your slide will appear less cluttered to your audience, and you're keeping only the focal point of your photos.

First, upload your image to PowerPoint. To do this, in the Insert tab on the ribbon, click "Pictures," and then choose the appropriate location.

Now, with your image selected, head to the Picture Format tab, and click "Remove Background."

PowerPoint will then attempt to identify which parts of your picture are the foreground and which parts are the background, keeping the former and removing the latter. The part it intends to remove will be highlighted in purple.

If you're happy with which parts of your picture are to be removed, click "Keep Changes" in the Background Removal tab. However, sometimes, PowerPoint's background recognition might not work perfectly well, as in my screenshot above. In this case, I would click "Mark Areas To Remove," and use the freehand pen to tell PowerPoint where the rest of the background is. Each time I click and then unclick, the image will update accordingly.

If you make any mistakes when drawing out your area, simply press Ctrl+Z (undo) to bring back the part you just removed. Luckily, you don't have to be perfectly accurate with where you draw your areas to remove—this process is satisfyingly intuitive.

When you're done, click "Keep Changes."

You will then see the new image with only the foreground retained. Simply select, copy (Ctrl+C), and paste (Ctrl+V) the image if you want to use it somewhere else in your presentation.

Is your image too big? Or do you just want to make the background smaller? PowerPoint lets you do this in just a few clicks.

Select your uploaded image and, in the Picture Format tab, click the "Crop" drop-down arrow. You will then see five options.

• Crop —Clicking this option will place black handles around the edge of your picture, which you can then drag to cut out the necessary parts of your photo (see the screenshot below).
• Crop To Shape —If you click this button, you'll see a choice of shapes that you can select to change your image shape without distorting its ratio. Some shapes will let you adjust their dimensions, but others (such as the oval) will be a set cropping shape.
• Aspect Ratio —If you need your image to be a certain aspect ratio (the image's height versus its width), click "Aspect Ratio," and choose one of the set parameters.
• Fill —This lets you resize the image so that the entire picture area is filled. This is only applicable if you have already changed the image cropping.
• Fit —Finally, this option lets you resize the image so that it displays in full within the picture area. Again, this will only work if you have already cropped the picture.

Whichever cropping option you choose , simply click anywhere away from the image once you're happy, and your amendments will apply to your pic. Press Ctrl+Z to undo this, or click the Crop icon again to revert the image to its original shape or amend the dimensions.

If you're presenting your PowerPoint on a projector or screen, when you press F5, you will automatically see the Presenter View on your primary screen and the slideshow on the other. In this screenshot, the Presenter View is on the left (my laptop screen), and the slideshow is on the right (my second screen).

The Presenter View is great for showing you what the next slide or animation will be, but the best use of this tool is the notes section. When preparing your presentation (before you press F5), click "Notes" under a given slide, and type some comments into the area that appears.

Then, when you press F5, you'll see these notes in the Presenter View.

While you can use Excel's many templates to help you choose your slide layouts, I prefer to use the Designer tool , mainly because it designs your slide based on what you type.

Open a blank PowerPoint presentation and head to your title slide. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Designer." You'll then see some nice designs appear in a sidebar on the right, which you might choose to click through to find a suitable layout.

But wait! Don't jump straight into a design. First, try typing a title into your first slide—in our example, we'll type Technology—and see how the design suggestions change to suit your theme.

Add a sub-heading to your title slide, and see the design suggestions update again. Once you see an appropriate design, simply click your choice. When you create new slides, the rest of the presentation will be designed to match your title slide.

If you have lots of objects—such as images and text boxes—on one slide, it can sometimes be confusing which object is which when adding and organizing your animations. In my screenshot below, you can see that the images are labeled with random numbers, so identifying the individual pictures and their animations can be difficult.

Instead, I find that naming the objects individually makes this process a lot clearer. In the Home tab on the ribbon, click the "Select" drop-down arrow, and choose "Selection Pane." You'll then see the Selection Pane appear on the right, listing all the objects on that particular slide.

From here, you can rename the objects by double-clicking the placeholder names and typing your preferred object name.

Now, when you reopen the Animation Pane via the Animation tab on the ribbon, you'll find it much easier to organize your animations.

Do you have only a few hours to create your PowerPoint presentation? There are many keyboard shortcuts you can use in PowerPoint , but speed up the process by learning and using these handy ones:

Whether you're a PowerPoint newbie or a power user, hopefully, some of these tips will make your life a little easier. As well as these hints, there are some other traps you might fall into when creating your presentation, so make sure you avoid making these common PowerPoint mistakes .

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How To Present a PDF Like a PowerPoint

May 2, 2024 by Hung Nguyen

Learn to present a PDF in full-screen mode like you would a PPT file or convert it to PPT for easy presenting.

You can present a PDF as if it were a PowerPoint presentation in two ways. You can either open a PDF and view the content in full screen or save the file as a PowerPoint. If you choose the latter, you can then open the file in Microsoft PowerPoint and present it as you usually would. Check out the full instructions for both methods below.

How To Present a PDF Like a PowerPoint Presentation

Open your pdf document with your pdf reader., click “view” and choose “enter full screen” or “slideshow.”, present as you usually would and navigate using the arrow keys., press the “esc” (escape) key to exit the slideshow when finished..

There are a few limitations to presenting PDF files like this: some media file types, such as animated GIF images, won’t work and will remain static in your presentation. You also can’t add speaker notes to PDF presentations. While we believe PDF is quite versatile, in this case, it might be better to convert the PDF to PPT format using our free converter.

How To Change a PDF to PPT To Present

• Go to the  PDF to PPT  converter.
• Drag and drop your PDF.
• Wait for the tool to convert it to PPT.
• Click “Download,” and you’re done.

Convert your PDF to PPT format in a heartbeat

Once you have the PPT file open, you can present the data as you would normally. If you have an older version of Microsoft Office, you’ll have to click the “Slide Show” tab and choose “Play from Start” to start a presentation.

While you have a PowerPoint file open, you can also edit the content as you’d like. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is available within the PDF to PPT tool, where we’ll pluck the content of each PDF into an editable PPT file for your convenience. And while you’re on our blog, check out how to insert a PDF into a PowerPoint — learning new PDF and PPT-related tricks is always good!

We offer the most popular online PDF to PPT converter. A big part of our popularity comes from our simple and intuitive drag-and-drop interface as well as our range of practical tools to convert, edit, sign, protect, and lock PDFs and other documents. Of course, we also offer a tool to reverse this whole process and turn PPT back into PDF.

Easy to Convert and Present

Regardless of the PDF reader, from Adobe Acrobat/Adobe Reader to Preview, or even on your web browser, you should be able to present PDF like a PowerPoint with ease. If you want the extra benefits of presenting using PowerPoint, our tool is free to use, without the need t download software.

We hope this guide could be of help, and good luck with all of your future presentations!

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How to Make All Text Boxes the Same Size in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide

Navigating through a PowerPoint presentation can sometimes feel like handling a juggling act, especially when those pesky text boxes refuse to align perfectly. We know the frustration all too well. Making all text boxes the same size in Microsoft PowerPoint can save you time and make your slides appear professional. It’s a detail that might seem small but can make a significant difference in the visual appeal of your presentation.

Imagine you’re preparing a critical business proposal or a classroom lecture. Having uniform text boxes not only enhances readability but also maintains a clean and consistent design throughout your slides. By entering specific dimensions into the Format Shape Task Pane, we can ensure every text box is identical in size—resulting in a polished and cohesive look.

For those who love efficiency, using the “AutoFit” feature allows us to dynamically adjust the text within the boxes, ensuring that nothing spills over or looks disproportionate. With just a few clicks, we can copy and paste this uniformity across all our slides, putting an end to the tedious adjustment of each text box individually. Let’s dive in and master this skill together, making our PowerPoint presentations the best they can be!

• 1.1 Inserting Textboxes
• 1.2 Resizing and Scaling Text
• 1.3 Advanced Text Formatting
• 2.1 Adding Shapes and Images
• 2.2 Formatting Shapes and Pictures
• 3.1 Utilizing Slide Master
• 3.2 Optimizing PowerPoint Templates
• 4.1 Selecting and Grouping
• 4.2 Alignment and Distribution

Creating and Formatting Textboxes

Achieving uniformity in text boxes in PowerPoint involves several key steps, including inserting, resizing, and applying advanced formatting to ensure consistency and professional appearance.

Inserting Textboxes

Let’s start by inserting text boxes. Click on the Insert tab in the ribbon, then select Text Box . Click and drag on your slide where you want the text box to appear.

Once inserted, type your desired text. Using multiple text boxes for sections of content ensures better control over formatting.

Remember, consistency is key. Use the same font style and size throughout your presentation. This helps maintain a cohesive look and feel.

Resizing and Scaling Text

Resizing and scaling text boxes is crucial for uniformity. Click on the text box you’ve inserted. Use the corner handles to resize, ensuring the box maintains its proportion. For precise dimensions, right-click the text box and select Size and Position .

In the dialog that appears, you can input specific height and width. Make sure the Lock Aspect Ratio option is checked if you want the scaling to be proportional. This ensures that your text and box enlarge or shrink together without distortion.

To make multiple text boxes the same size, select all the text boxes and right-click to open Size and Position . Enter the same height and width for each.

Advanced Text Formatting

Advanced formatting enhances the visual appeal of your text boxes. Align your text boxes by selecting them and using the Align options under the Format tab. Choose Align Left , Align Right , Align Center , or Align Top to ensure alignment is consistent.

For spacing, use the Distribute Vertically or Distribute Horizontally options. This ensures equal spacing between multiple text boxes.

You can also enhance the text itself. Bold, italicize, or underline specific parts for emphasis. Change the font color for better readability or branding. Experiment with shadows or glows under the Text Effects menu.

Always preview your slides to ensure that the text boxes look balanced and professional. Mastering these techniques will make your presentations stand out.

Manipulating Shapes and Images

In PowerPoint, we can enhance our slides by adding and formatting various shapes and images to suit our presentation’s needs.

Adding Shapes and Images

To insert a shape, click on the “Insert” tab and then select “Shapes” from the dropdown menu. We can choose different shapes like rectangles, circles, arrows, and more. Clicking on the desired shape allows us to draw it on the slide by clicking and dragging the pointer.

When adding images, we can use the “Insert” tab as well and then select “Pictures.” It’s possible to add images from our computer, online sources, or even placeholders. Holding the Ctrl key, we can select multiple images to add and manipulate them together.

Formatting Shapes and Pictures

Once the shapes and images are added, we can format them using the “Drawing Tools” and “Picture Tools” tabs. To change the shape fill or outline, select the shape and navigate to these tabs to choose new colors or line styles. Using the “Format” tab, we can also apply effects like shadows or reflections.

For images, resizing and aligning can be done using the “Picture Tools Format” tab. By entering precise height and width values or using handles around the image, we can ensure a consistent look. Grouping shapes and images allows us to move them together, ensuring they remain aligned.

Maintaining consistency in shape and image size ensures our slides look professional and clean.

Mastering Slide Layouts and Templates

Arranging your slides properly is crucial for a polished presentation. Effective use of the Slide Master and PowerPoint templates can drastically cut down formatting time and ensure consistency.

Utilizing Slide Master

The Slide Master is our secret weapon for uniformity. By adjusting the master slide, we control the layout and design for all slides.

First, we access Slide Master view by going to the View tab and selecting Slide Master in the Ribbon. Once in Slide Master , we can edit the main master slide and any layout masters below it.

For example, to set uniform text box sizes, we select the master slide and adjust the dimensions and format of the text boxes. These changes cascade to all layout masters, ensuring consistency across our presentation.

Don’t forget to save and close Slide Master view to apply changes. Utilizing Slide Master streamline our workflow and avoids the hassle of manually adjusting individual slides.

Optimizing PowerPoint Templates

PowerPoint templates are goldmines for uniformity and design efficiency. A well-structured template offers predefined layouts, color schemes, and fonts, cutting down on customization time.

When we select a template, it’s vital to ensure it fits our content and audience. Navigate to the File tab, click New , and browse the wide array of templates. Once chosen, we can further customize these templates in the Format tab, adjusting text box sizes and inserting company branding.

Templates often come with predefined layouts, saving us from the monotony of designing each slide. By using templates efficiently, we maintain visual coherence and professionalism throughout our presentation.

Combining Slide Master and PowerPoint templates , we create stunning, uniform slides with ease.

Working with Multiple Objects

When managing multiple objects in PowerPoint, especially text boxes, it’s crucial to both efficiently select and group them and then align and distribute them correctly for a polished and professional look.

Selecting and Grouping

Selecting multiple objects in PowerPoint can be done in various ways. You can Ctrl-click each object, or if they are close together, simply drag a selection box around them. For precise selection, the Selection Pane helps keep track of all elements.

Grouping objects once selected is straightforward. Right-click, then choose Group . Grouping not only simplifies moving and resizing but ensures uniform actions on combined elements. Remember to unlock the aspect ratio if resizing grouped objects proportionally.

When objects are grouped, actions such as formatting and moving become much simpler. This technique is especially useful for maintaining consistency across slides.

Alignment and Distribution

Aligning objects ensures a neat and orderly appearance. Use Align Left or Align Center to line up objects accurately. Incorporate the Guides feature and Gridlines for additional precision.

To distribute objects evenly, Distribute Horizontally or Distribute Vertically command comes to the rescue. Select your objects and use these distribution commands to ensure equal spacing between them, this is particularly useful for symmetrical designs.

You can align text boxes with different sizes by selecting the “Align to Object” feature. This aligns text boxes based on a specific object’s position, ensuring visual harmony across your slide.

Combining alignment and distribution helps maintain a balanced layout. The Alignment tools under the Format tab give you control over object arrangement, making complex designs manageable and aesthetically pleasing.

Related posts:

• How to Do Hanging Indent on PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Formatting Guide
• How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Add a Video to PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Tutorial
• How to Add Speaker Notes in PowerPoint for Effective Presentations
• How to Add Music to PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide for Seamless Presentations
• How to Curve Text in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Record a PowerPoint Presentation: Step-by-Step Guide for Professionals
• How to Crop a Picture into a Circle in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Copy a Slide from One PowerPoint to Another: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Save PowerPoint as Video: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
• How to Make a Picture a Circle in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Print Notes in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Share slides in Microsoft Teams meetings with PowerPoint Live

PowerPoint Live in Teams gives both the presenter and audience an inclusive and engaging experience, combining the best parts of presenting in PowerPoint with the connection and collaboration of a Microsoft Teams meeting.

When you’re the presenter, you have a unique view that lets you control your presentation while staying engaged with your audience, seeing people’s video, raised hands, reactions, and chat as needed.

And if you’re an audience member, you can interact with the presentation and personalize your viewing experience with captions, high contrast slides, and slides translated into your native language.

Here’s how it works:  

Tip:  Are you an audience member? Jump down to learn more about how you can interact during the presentation.

Presenter view

Present your slides

If you're in PowerPoint for the web, select Present > Present in Teams .

Your slides will appear in the Teams meeting, with your Notes next to them.

Navigate through the slides

Use the navigation arrows to go forward and backward.

Use the thumbnail strip to jump ahead or backwards.

Select Go to slide to see a grid view of all slides in the presentation. Select one to jump to it.

Stay connected to the audience

One of the benefits of using PowerPoint Live to present instead of sharing your screen is that you have quick access to all your meeting tools you need to engage with the audience and to read the room in one view. This is especially true if you’re presenting from a single screen.

Turn Chat on or off to view what your audience is saying.

See audience reactions and raised hands in real-time.

Change the Layout of your presentation and choose how your live camera feed appears in your presentation, like Standout or Cameo . It helps the audience read your non-verbal cues and keeps them engaged.

Use the Laser pointer , Pen , Highlighter , or Eraser to clearly reference items on your slides.

Audience view

As an audience member, you’re able to personalize your experience without affecting anyone else. Try these options to find what works best for you:

Note:  If presenters don't want people to be able to independently navigate through a PowerPoint file they are sharing, use the  Private view  toggle to turn it off.

Click any hyperlink on slides to get more context right away.

Interact with videos on slides to adjust the volume or jump to a timestamp and consume it at your own pace.

Use a screen reader to get full access to the slide content.

Switch to a high contrast view to make the slides easier to view if you have low vision. Select More options > View slides in high contrast .

Your viewing experience will be at a higher fidelity, letting you see crisp text and smooth animations. PowerPoint Live also requires significantly less network bandwidth than typical sharing, making it the best option when network connectivity is a problem.

Independent magnifying and panning

You can zoom in and pan on a presentation slide without affecting what others see. Use your mouse, trackpad, keyboard, touch, or the Magnify Slide option as applicable. 

To zoom in or out on a slide, do any one of the following: 

Hover over the slideshow and pinch or stretch on trackpad.

Pinch or use the stretch touch gesture (on a touch-enabled device).

Press the + or – keys.

Hover over slide, hold down Ctrl key and scroll with mouse wheel.

In the More Actions menu, click the + or – buttons.

To pan around your slide, do any one of the following:

Press the arrow keys.

Click and drag using a mouse.

Click and drag on a trackpad.

Use one finger to touch and drag (on touch-enabled device).

When done zooming and panning, press  Esc to reset your screen.   

Important: 

PowerPoint Live is not supported in Teams live events, CVI devices, and VTC devices.

If you're using Teams on the web, you’ll need Microsoft Edge 18 or later, or Google Chrome 65 or later, to see the presenter view.

Presenter view is hidden by default for small screen devices but can be turned on by selecting More options below the current slide and then Show presenter view (or by selecting the sharing window and then pressing Ctrl+Shift+x).

Meetings recordings won’t capture any videos, animations, or annotation marks in the PowerPoint Live session.

When you share from Teams, the PowerPoint Live section lists the most recent files you've opened or edited in your team SharePoint site or your OneDrive. If you select one of these files to present, all meeting participants will be able to view the slides during the meeting. Their access permissions to the file outside of the meeting won't change.

If you select Browse and choose to present a PowerPoint file that hasn't been uploaded to Teams before, it will get uploaded as part of the meeting. If you're presenting in a channel meeting, the file is uploaded to the Files tab in the channel, where all team members will have access to it. If you're presenting in a private meeting, the file is uploaded to your OneDrive, where only the meeting participants will be able to access it.

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