presentation handout template

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to create effective presentation handouts

How to create effective presentation handouts

Whether you create presentations for school, work, or clubs, distributing handouts makes an impression and amplifies your message. The benefits are twofold: putting together a handout prepares you for your speech and allows your audience to retain the information better.

You can put together handouts easily. Learn what to include to ace your next presentation.

A person presenting in a conference room

Why are presentation handouts important?

Creating handouts help you prepare what you want to say . They also set expectations for your audience members and allow them to focus more on your speech because they don’t have to take such thorough notes.

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If you want to create an effective presentation handout, here’s what you should include.

1. List the key points of your presentation

To create a strong presentation handout, list the key facts from your speech. Keep it simple—you don’t need to rewrite your entire presentation. Remember, you’ll discuss a lot of the material in your slides as well. Listing out your presentation’s key points help your listeners reflect on the information later. By reading your presentation’s key points, your audience may also come up with or remember the questions they want to ask you at the end of your talk.

2. Include your sources

Effective presenters back up their information with sources, especially in science and history-related fields. Providing sources encourages your audience do more research on their own time. You can also provide further reading in your handout, like books or article links, if you aren’t able to cover everything in a single lecture.

3. Make your presentation handout professional

A professional-looking presentation handout establishes your credibility and authority with your audience. When presenting for work or an organization, include your logo on your handout.

You don’t have to be a graphic designer to create an attractive presentation handout—explore dozens of free Microsoft Word templates you can use to polish your handout.

4. Include white space

Not everyone comes prepared for a presentation. Leave white space in your handout so your audience can take notes on what you say. They can also use this space to write down questions they want to ask you, so they don’t forget them by the end of the presentation.

5. Include your contact information

Audience members may want to ask you questions about your presentation later. Include information like your name, job title, website, and email so your audience can contact you in the future.

6. Proofread your handout

Before you print out or email your presentation handouts, make sure to thoroughly proofread everything first. Are your sources spelled correctly? Are there any typos in your email address or links? Do the key points correspond with your presentation? Taking the time to review your handout before finalizing it will ensure it’s a quality handout.

Creating a presentation handout will make your presentation stronger and the information easier to digest. Are you feeling nervous about an upcoming presentation? Learn how to calm presentation anxiety .

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Presentation Handout Template

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AI generated Pitch Deck 🤖

presentation handout template

When you're looking to create the best presentation you need the best handout template to impact your audience. Customize the presentation handout so that you can create a material for both oral presentations or ppt to be handed out for whom is listening to you, enabling to take notes or write questions.

An Intuitive Presentation Handout Template

Creating the best presentation handout template is an ingenious way of being impactful to your audience. Your presentation handout material eliminates the need to write down questions and take notes regardless of whether it is a PPT or an oral presentation.

Essentially, our presentation handouts will relieve your teams the stress of writing everything about the company on the slides. In addition, we create embeddable presentations that can automatically fit on any device and site you’re loading them. We help you avoid the old presentation habits that may restrain your ideas and limit your capacity to be creative.

Why handouts are important

Handouts have the power to free your mind and improve your slides. With a handout, you can include the main points of your talk by summarizing them in one page, references to further reading material , and your contact details. Meaning, you won’t have to incorporate everything you want to say in your slides. And, should your audience have questions or want more information weeks after the presentation, they can contact you through your contact details.

When creating a handout, you are compelled to write down the main points because you may only need one or two pages for your handout. When you include a key image from your presentation slides or associated graphics, your readers will always remember the presentation whenever they see these images or graphics. Unfortunately, some people make a mistake of handing out slides as handouts to minimize resources.

Take time to write your core messages. You can splash in some important figures, market statistics or unique value propositions. Handouts are usually relevant when given out after a presentation. You can tell your audience to pay attention to the presentation, instead of writing down short notes, because you’ll provide a handout with contact details at the end of the presentation.

Why Our Presentation Handout Template is a Must-Have

Talking about one core message in a handout is important. Instead of showing a lot of facts and numbers, we stick to the amount of information that your audience can soak in at a given time. This is a viable approach to condensing your handout message to make it more memorable. While it may be hard to compress everything into one core message, it is well worth it.

Summarize your core message with an inspiring story. A story is a perfect way to wrap up your core message as it summarizes the main points in your storyline. Moreover, a story will make your presentation handout unforgettable.

Our Presentation Handout Elements

Presentation storyline We keep the presentation storyline consistent throughout the handout without adding new elements. This is very important to avoid confusing readers.

Images Although it is not 100% necessary, we advocate for the use of images to make your handout more appealing and memorable. Remember, the use of images depends on your business’s industry as it might be purely unnecessary to include images in certain specialties. Images boost the readability of the handout.

Further reading Incorporating a lot of information in one handout, makes the presentation look crowded and may put off some readers. Therefore, we encourage the use of a “further reading” section in your presentation handout for readers who want to learn more.

Contact details At the end of the handout, it is important to include contact details. Readers might not be able to associate your handout with a random business card after a presentation. Therefore, it is very crucial to include current, relevant contact details that people can use to contact your business, a few weeks or months later. Contact details such as name, email, webpage, and social media accounts can do.

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Home Blog Design How to Create the Perfect Handouts for a Presentation

How to Create the Perfect Handouts for a Presentation

Cover for handouts for a presentation guide by SlideModel

As we presenters know, aiming for a flawless presentation experience involves not only top-notch presentation skills but also graphics, a well-thought-out presentation structure, and articulating both how to start a presentation and how to conclude a presentation. Yet, very little is said about presentation handouts and their role in large-scale meetings, or their value when securing business deals.

Seasoned presenters acknowledge the impact of a presentation handout, and today we’ll guide you in the process of creating these printed-format assets to make your presentation more memorable.

Table of Contents

What is a Presentation Handout?

The role of presentation handouts, why create handouts for large scale presentations, examples of effective handouts for presentations, how to create presentation handouts in powerpoint, how to create presentation handouts in google slides, best practices for presentation handouts, final words.

A presentation handout is a supplementary document provided to the audience by the presenter or the event’s organization during or before a presentation. The core purpose is to enhance the understanding and retention rate of the information shared or to provide contact points with the presenter via email, LinkedIn, website, or social media profiles.

Typical structure of a presentation handout

Handouts in presentations allow attendees to follow along more easily, take notes on specific parts, and have a further reference – ideal in large corporation events. The talk may not fully cover information, like detailed metrics, supplementary graphs, etc.; thus, they can be featured inside the handout to provide additional background on the presentation topic. In short, think of handouts as deliverable presentation aids .

The utility of handouts for presentations

Picture yourself attending a series of presentations at a large-scale event, like a medical conference. How many research presentations can you retain in your head? 3-4 top, whereas perhaps you attended over 12 in the past 8 hours. Handouts for presentations simplify attendees’ efforts, as they have a palpable reference about the presentations they attended, who delivered the talk, the conference presentation slides , etc. 

Another interesting point of view for handouts is when we position ourselves in the shoes of an attendee with a physical impairment, like lessened hearing capacity. In this situation, we can picture a handout example, as the presenter integrates the audience, even those who cannot fully participate, by delivering information in a physical format.

When covering examples of handouts for presentations, we can position ourselves in generalistic situations as follows.

Helping people with physical impairments

Handouts don’t necessarily have to be printed in text format. Braille handouts can be used to assist people with low visual acuity to understand the missing gaps between the speech and the visuals shown in the slides. Electronic devices with screen readers can assist, as well as an audible format of the handout.

For people with hearing impairments, printed handouts summarizing the presentation’s key points are valid, but another creative method is to insert a QR code in PowerPoint and link to a PDF document with the transcript of the presentation, plus the slides. 

Illustrations and Diagrams

Think about hard-to-understand topics involving a series of charts or graphs to comprehend the disclosed information. Those same graphics can be given to the audience in the format of handouts, with callouts or visual aids that remind the attendees of the importance of those concepts.

Summarize Key Information

Suppose you attended a chef conference, where new technologies, methodologies, or recipes are shared in presentations. You can refer to the handouts for detailed instructions and focus on the training presentation in real time rather than taking notes.

Contact Data

Finally, we can consider a handout format for people who want to get in touch for business partnerships, academic collaborations, etc. Rather than delivering a business card, provide additional information about your work and deliver a handout.

Follow these steps to create handouts in PowerPoint.

Open your presentation in PowerPoint. Go to the View tab and find Handout Master .

Locating Handout Master in PowerPoint

You can customize the appearance of your handout by adding a header, date, logo, contact details, etc. This works exactly the same as Slide Master in PowerPoint , so all changes will be reflected on all pages in your handout.

Handout Master to edit handouts

Now, go to File > Export and select Create Handouts .

Export to Handout in PowerPoint

Click on the Create Handouts button, and you will be prompted with a context menu with the following options:

  • Notes next to slides
  • Blank lines next to slides
  • Notes below slides
  • Blank lines below slides
  • Outline only

Select the option you prefer. We highly recommend selecting Paste to add a tiny version of the slides to your new handouts document.

How to create Handouts in PowerPoint

Once that’s done, a new Microsoft Word document will open with your presentation handouts, which can also be customized from Word.

Handouts in Microsoft Word

For Google Slides, the instructions are much simpler. Select your desired presentation in Google Slides and go to File > Print Preview . All options for how to print slides in Google Slides are now available.

Accessing the Print Preview options in Google Slides

The option we’re interested in is the menu below the top bar that says 1 slide without notes .

Print preferences for handouts in presentations

Open that and select Handout , with the number of slides per page you prefer.

Printing handouts in Google Slides

Then click on Print, and a new PDF document will be generated. Unlike PowerPoint, you have to edit everything beforehand or opt for a PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat.

Handouts should be concise. The idea is to summarize information, not to confuse the audience with an overwhelming amount of data. Although these recommendations are valid for all handouts created with PowerPoint templates and Google Slides, the same rules apply to handouts created in Graphic Design Software (Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, etc.), as it’s tempting to keep adding unnecessary data or complex illustration effects.

Sharing your handout before the presentation starts is advisable, as it’s the moment most attendees will gather and where the expectation about what the talk will be about is at its highest. In our experience, the audience tends to grow restless toward the last 5 minutes of your presentation, with some attendees leaving if they have to attend another conference with a very limited timeframe between both. Distributing a handout during the presentation is distracting and will negatively impact your presentation’s performance.

Finally, as you would do with poster presentations , focus on readability. Avoid using heavily contrasting colors or text that looks too small to read for the sake of adding more data. The handout is a tool to complement your presentation, not to summarize countless words.

Handouts for presentations are not an optional add-in. They are a vital element of effective academic and business presentations. By providing a clear structure to your handout or using digital mediums to help people with impairments, you are taking into account accessibility, one of the best practices you can engage early on in your path to becoming a professional presenter.

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Effective Presentation Handouts: A Step-by-Step Guide

Discover how to create handouts that captivate and educate your audience. From layout to content, learn easy-to-follow techniques to make your presentation handouts stand out. Start now and make a lasting impression

presentation handout template

What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

  • Nostrum non voluptas alias sit ut corporis perspiciatis nihil molestiae. Vitae quidem aut aut quia quia porro explicabo. Similique occaecati sit quo. Enim enim dolor ut. Et error alias nam fuga voluptas inventore placeat et. Eligendi similique officia provident magni aut quasi soluta qui.
  • Deleniti totam eius similique repellendus. 
  • Deleniti totam eius similique repellendus. Doloremque sunt nihil et. Tenetur delectus velit ut. Pariatur velit ipsa.

3 Static and dynamic content editing

4 static and dynamic content editing.

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

5 Static and dynamic content editing

6 static and dynamic content editing.

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any pa ge and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

"Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system."

presentation handout template

Presentation handouts can play a significant role in the process of effective presentation delivery if you know how to use them to your benefit. These supplementary means can back up your main message and make sure that your presentation creates a lasting impression.

Many people think that handouts for a presentation are something they used to work on while in college. However, these additional materials, if they are well-thought-out and relevant, can assist business professionals, educators, and students equally well.

Today, we'd like to discuss the main purpose of presentation handouts. We'll show you how to plan and design effective handout material. Moreover, we will also share a few handy tips and useful tools to amplify the effect of your supplementary means.  

Does that sound like a plan?

Understanding Presentation Handouts

Jerry Weissman , the author of 'Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story," compares the notion of a presentation handout to a bridge between your presentation and the long-term memory of your audience. We want to simplify the definition a little. Presentation handouts are additional materials that you share with the audience to support the central message of your presentation and improve the level of comprehension.

If you put a handout and a presentation face to face, the first one will remain the static source of additional information that the viewer can refer to at any time. At the same time, presentations are a dynamic source of information, and a viewer does not have any control over its pace.

Usually, a presentation contains multiple vital aspects for the audience to focus on and digest. The main aim of handouts for presentations is to enhance viewer engagement and ensure a lasting impact even when the presentation is over. You can refer to the handouts at any time during the presentation or after it, so the materials improve retention and help to recall specific essential details.

The handouts mustn't replicate the presentation. They should complement it.

Planning Your Handouts

presentation handout template

A great example of a handout for a presentation is a well-planned one. It means that you shouldn't treat your handouts as a last-minute task.

Key information

As you brood upon the data to include, you can start with additional statistics, relevant details, and facts that support and strengthen the core message of your presentation. Choose information that helps the audience understand some field-specific or overly complex notions.

Highlight the main aspects that you want the audience to remember in your handouts.

Audience needs

Another critical part of the handout planning is the audience you will interact with. You should consider the level of expertise, needs, and preferences when working on supplementary materials. There will be little use of handouts that are irrelevant, overly simplified, or too complicated.

Format and structure

Even the best handouts will lose their impact if they are unappealing, illogical, and unorganized. A neat structure topped with relevant visuals will enhance user perception and trigger their productivity. That is why you may want to play around with different headings, supporting images, graphs, bullet points, colors, and fonts.

Designing Effective Handouts

A quality presentation handout template relies on effective design as much as it depends on the informative component. There are a few principles to stick to when you design your handouts.

Basic design

Whitepage pitch deck design agency outlines three principles that may assist you in creating a successful handout for presentation.

Use these practical tips to move in the right direction:

  • Present different types of content in complementary but distinguishable fonts
  • Section information with the help of headings and subheadings
  • Outline the main aspects through bullet points
  • Ensure that all the data is easy to read, avoid unclear and small fonts
  • Use the same color palette and theme throughout the presentation and the supplementary materials 
  • Add brand logos to stress consistency

presentation handout template

The right visuals make any information twice as easy to remember and digest. Whitepage professionals share the following advice:

  • Use charts, tables, graphs, and other visuals to deliver complex notions concisely and more comprehensively.
  • Intertwine text content with images that complement the core narrative
  • Symbols and icons aid in better understanding

presentation handout template

Appeal and informativeness

It is not enough to design visually appealing presentation handout templates. They should carry out an informative purpose as well. You can do the following to achieve the desired effect through your presentation handouts:

  • Use different colors to highlight vital points and trigger the reader's interest
  • Use whitespaces to define the structure of your handouts
  • Use contrast to attract user attention to critical aspects of the presentation

presentation handout template

Content Creation for Handouts

We may be stating the obvious, but your handouts should contain clear and concise content. You don't want to distract the audience from the presentation as they are trying to make out some complex notions written in the supplementary materials.

A professional handout sample for presentation should:

  • Deliver the main message without unnecessary details mentioned
  • Steer clear of tech-savvy language and slang and preserve an accessible tone
  • Present essential data through lists and bullet points

presentation handout template

On top of that, you can complement your handouts with relevant and appealing, not to mention appropriate visuals. Different charts and images can improve information perception and enhance retention.

Lastly, handout ideas for presentations prove to generate better results when spiced up with well-thought and strategic CTAs(Call-to-Action elements):

  • Give the audience clear instructions if any action is requested
  • Use questions and activities to promote engagement
  • Provide contact information in case someone decides to contact you later

Utilizing Technology in Handout Creation

presentation handout template

After you come up with a desired design and content, you will naturally start to wonder how to make a handout for a presentation. Luckily, many tools and software solutions come of use.

Platforms like Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe InDesign, Canva, Venngage, and Inkscape present multiple features to create and enhance handouts. Some of them are free. Others include paid options. You can work on text, visuals, and charts using these tools.

However, if you want to make your presentation handout example a little more interactive, you should implement such interactive elements as QR codes and online resource links. You can find free QR code generators online to succeed with the task effectively.

QR codes can serve as a linking piece between physical and digital supplements. As the audience exploits their devices during the presentation, they will find additional facts and details that intensify the primary message. The same applies to online resource links if you use digital handouts only.

We would like to stress the fact that a balance of printed information and digital addition will add more dynamics to the learning process. Such an approach ensures that you cater to every user's needs and provide a better and more memorable experience.

Printing and Distribution

You can present your handout examples for presentation in two formats – either physical or digital. Each comes with a set of perks and downsides.

Physical handouts

The physical template for the presentation handout is a good old sheet of paper that contains all the information you want to share with the audience. It is material, you can touch it, and you don't require additional devices to interact with it. On a slightly less bright side, print paper has a negative environmental impact, which is a concern for many. You can try to decrease that impact by using recycled paper, vegetable ink, and double-sided printing.

Digital handouts

Digital examples of handouts for presentations that do not pose an environmental threat can be shared within seconds through email and other online platforms. They can be enhanced with all sorts of multimedia and interactive elements. However, digital handouts can't be accessed without electronic devices that support the format. While that isn't much of a challenge in today's world, the use of various devices can distract the audience from the presentation.

Distribution timing

presentation handout template

There's an ongoing debate as to when you should plan to distribute a presentation handout: before, during, or after the presentation. Different timing can have a diverse effect on the audience.

Before . Some of the viewers may get curious and leaf through the material before you start. This means they will know what to expect from the presentation. It isn't entirely a bad thing, but it may have a distractive effect.

During . You can share your handouts to support the presented message and help the audience understand some points or learn more about the subject.

After . If you want to ensure that the message sets in, you can share the handouts after the presentation is over. In this case, you should include your contact information in the handout to make sure that the audience can reach out to you in case of any questions.

Examples and Templates

If you still feel a bit uncertain about how to make a handout that is well-structured and appealing, you can make use of downloadable templates.

Education handouts

A good teaching plan will have a positive effect on the students. You can enhance their interest and involvement with an elegant and straightforward handout template.

Business handouts

Any business plan presentation highlights a fair share of statistics and analytical information. With a template like this, you can coat complex notions into simple visuals and improve user experience, which leads to better understanding and positive actions.

All-purpose handouts

Some templates can be suited for any purpose. While they are subtle and non-specific, they remain well-structured and appealing.

If you need more presentation handout ideas to inspire from, our experts suggest you check these sources out:

  • Template.net
  • WPSTemplate

Common Mistakes to Avoid

presentation handout template

As you try to keep away from making presentation design mistakes , you should try to minimize handout errors as well. There are a few common pitfalls to stay clear of:

  • Information overload – use white spaces to avoid clutter and hand-pick information you want to add to the template.
  • Poor readability – choose clear and legible fonts, and don't try to overdecorate the handout.
  • Color distraction – try to use complementing and subtle colors so that the color palette doesn't hurt the eye and make the viewer's mind wander.
  • Absent interactivity – while static content is necessary, you should combine it with such interactive elements as QR codes and links to relative resources.
  • Low content quality – you must proofread your handouts before sharing them with the audience to avoid any typos and errors that can put your professionalism under question.

Advanced Tips for Professionals

Is there any professional advice on how to make handouts that promote successful presentations? Professional presentation design services point out a few advanced tips you can benefit from:

  • You can use more than a single QR code and place them strategically so that one complements the other and boosts user engagement.
  • Make your infographics interactive if you are using digital handouts. Implement additional details that the audience can find by hovering over certain icons. Make sure you highlight those interactive parts.
  • Leave blank spaces for the users to write down critical points and make notes.
  • Modern design is all about minimalism. Consider the trend when designing your template.
  • Consider investing in responsive design when using digital handouts.
  • Make sure that your digital handouts work across multiple devices.
  • Create collaborative templates that allow different members to interact and discuss some crucial points.

What is a handout for a presentation? It is a practical link between your presentation and the audience. A quality presentation handout can enhance subject perception, improve understanding, and promote desired impact.  

If you consider your audience's needs, keep up with modern presentation trends, and create concise and well-structured supplementary materials, you can count on projecting a lasting impression and succeeding with your project goals.

Wonder how to hire a presentation design agency to help you achieve the desired result and get ahead of the competition? Whitepage team is only a phone call away!

Download "What Should Be in a Pitch Deck Presentation" for free!

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Blog > How to export & print handouts in PowerPoint

How to export & print handouts in PowerPoint

08.09.21   •  #powerpoint #tips.

PowerPoint allows you to easily create handouts to share with the audience after the presentation. You can also export your presentation with slides and notes to Word for further editing and formatting. You can find out how this all works and how you can print out the handouts at the end in this blog post.

Format & print handouts without notes

open handout master

Format & print handouts with notes

edit the notes

If you want to make them available to the audience, you can easily print them out. All you have to do is select "Notes page" instead of "Full page slide" in the print settings.

print the notes out

Exporting and editing handouts in Word

export the handout in word

When exporting a PowerPoint presentation to Word, a lot of memory is used. Therefore, this process can also take for a while. If you get the error message "PowerPoint could not write to Microsoft Word", try restarting your computer.

presentation handout template

Share slides digitally with the audience

presentation handout template

Printing handouts for every attendee is cumbersome and also not quite environmental friendly. A much better solution is using SlideLizard (a cool software for live audience interaction in PowerPoint) for your presentations. Attendees can join your talk with their smartphone (or Laptop) and see your slide live during the presentation . They can also browse previous slides and as well download the slides directly as a PDF (if you allow it). In addition, participants can take private notes on their own smartphones directly within SlideLizard. These notes remain linked to the slides and at the end of the presentation all participants receive their own notes via email. Moreover, attendees can mark the most important slides with a star to find them more easily later. Live polls & quizzes are also possible with SlideLizard. You can try SlideLizard for free today !

presentation handout template

How do I create handouts in PowerPoint?

To create handouts in PowerPoint go to "Handout Master" in the "View" tab. You can format your handouts for all pages there.

How do I print handouts from PowerPoint?

To print your handouts you have to go to "Print" in the "File" tab. You can then choose how many slides you want per page under "Full page slides" in the "Handouts" group.

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Miriam Rapberger

Miriam supports SlideLizard in the area of marketing and design. There she uses her creativity for blog posts, among other things.

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Flipped Classroom means that students work out the subject matter themselves at home through tasks such as reading, videos, etc. Interactive learning activities and exercises then take place in class.

.ppsm file extension

A .ppsm file includes one or more macro-enabled slides. They are used to show presentations with embedded macros, but not for editing them.

Open Educational Resources (OER)

Open Educational Resources are free learning and teaching materials provided on the web. They have an open license (e.g., Creative Commons), which allows anyone to use and benefit from these resources.

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presentation handout template

Create or change a presentation’s handout

You can use the Handout Master tab to edit the appearance of presentation handouts, including the layout, headers and footers, and background. Changes made to the handout master appear on all pages of the printed handout.

To see the handout options, click the View tab, and then click Handout Master in the Master Views group.

Shows View Handout master in PowerPoint

This opens the Handout Master view.

Shows the handout master ribbon in PowerPoint

Change the layout

In the Page Setup group, you can specify the number and layout of slides to print on each page, change the orientation of handouts, and set the slide size. You can use settings on all three menus— Handout Orientation , Slide Size , and Slides Per Page —to customize your layout exactly how you want it.

Page Setup group

Set the slides per page

Click Slides Per Page .

Slides Per Page options

Choose a layout option from the thumbnail images.

Tip:  The 3 Slides option includes lines that your audience can use to take notes.

Set the orientation

Click Handout Orientation , and then choose Portrait or Landscape .

Handout Orientation menu

Set the slide size

Click Slide Size , and then choose one of the options.

presentation handout template

When PowerPoint is unable to automatically scale your content, it will prompt you with a message. Select Maximize to increase the size of your slide content when you are scaling to a larger slide size. (Choosing this option could result in your content not fitting on the slide. ) Select Ensure Fit to decrease the size of your content. (This could make your content appear smaller, but you’ll be able to see all content on your slide.)

Slide size scaling message

To set a custom size, including width, height, slide numbering, and orientation of slides and notes, click Custom Slide Size on the Slide Size menu.

To make sure your slides will print the way you want, preview your handouts before printing.

Change headers and footers

You can adjust headers and footers in the Placeholders group. By default, the placeholders appear in the top and bottom corners of the Handout Master page.

Shows the PowerPoint Handout Master

Click in a text placeholder (Header, Footer, Date, or Page Number) to make changes to it. You can do things like:

Edit or add content in the text placeholders : In addition to text changes, you can use commands on the Insert tab to add graphics or other content types.

Format text shape and appearance : Select the text and use the options on the Format tab to make changes.

Change text placeholders : Drag a text placeholder to move it, and use the text box sizing handles to change its size.

Turn placeholders on or off : Clear the check box of the placeholder (Header, Date, Footer, or Page Number) that you want to turn off.

Change the background

You can change the background of your handouts (but not the background of your slides) in the Background group. You can also quickly change the font for all for your handout text at once, and you can apply special borders and visual effects.

Background options

Colors : Choose a color theme for your handout background. You may have to click Background Styles and choose an option to see it applied.

Background Styles : Choose a style option from the list. The colors displayed depend on your choice in the Colors list.

Tip:  Click Format Background at the bottom of the Background Styles list to open the Format pane and choose from more background options, such as advanced fill settings, artistic effects, and color and image settings.

Fonts : Choose a font from the list to quickly apply it to all headers and footers.

Effects : Choose an effect from the list to apply a theme effects, with features including shadows, reflections, lines, fills, and more.

Preview your handouts

To preview the way your handout will look when printed:

Click File > Print .

Go to Settings > Full Page Slides , and then under Handouts , select the layout you want and look at the preview pane. Click the File tab again to return to your previous view.

For more information about working with PowerPoint handouts, see:

Work with handout masters

Print your handouts, notes, or slides

Create your own theme in PowerPoint

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Handout Essentials: A Guide To Creating Memorable Presentation Handouts

Hrideep barot.

  • Presentation

presentation handouts

Creating effective presentation handouts is a crucial aspect of enhancing audience engagement and understanding during and after a presentation. The choice of tools plays a vital role in shaping the quality and visual appeal of these handouts. Various tools, from traditional word processors like Microsoft Word to design-focused platforms like Canva and Adobe InDesign, offer unique features and functionalities. Each tool caters to different user preferences, design needs, and collaboration requirements. In this context, exploring the pros and cons of popular tools becomes

  • What Are Presentation Handouts?
  • What Is The Importance Of Presentation Handouts?
  • Ways To Create Memorable Presentation Handouts.

Tools One Could Use For Creating A Presentation Handout.

  • Conclusion.

What Are Presentation Handouts? 

Presentation handouts serve as valuable tools to complement and reinforce information shared during a presentation. These materials are typically distributed to the audience before, during, or after the presentation , offering a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

In printed form, handouts may include outlines, summaries, charts, or key visuals, providing tangible references that attendees can follow along with during the presentation and keep for future reference . By offering this supplementary material, presenters aim to enhance the learning experience and ensure that the audience retains essential information.

Whether in print or digital form, presentation handouts play a crucial role in knowledge transfer and retention. They serve as valuable reference materials, offering the audience a roadmap to navigate complex information. Additionally, well-crafted handouts can facilitate post-event reflection and encourage further exploration of the presented topic, transforming a one-time presentation into an ongoing learning experience for the audience.

presentation handout template

What Is The Importance Of Presentation Handouts? 

The importance of presentation handouts lies in their ability to enhance the overall effectiveness of a presentation and contribute to the audience’s learning experience. Here are several key reasons why presentation handouts are valuable:

1. Comprehensive Reference:

Presentation handouts provide the audience with a tangible and comprehensive reference to the information presented . Attendees can follow along with the speaker, refer back to key points, and have a structured outline of the content, aiding in better understanding and retention.

2. Reinforcement of Key Concepts:

Handouts reinforce the key concepts and messages of the presentation. By combining visual and written elements, handouts can emphasize important information , making it more likely that the audience will grasp and remember key takeaways.

3. Post-Presentation Review:

Handouts serve as a post-presentation review tool. Attendees can revisit the material after the event, reinforcing their understanding and allowing for a deeper exploration of the topic . This supports long-term retention of the information.

4. Customization and Personalization:

Presenters can customize handouts to suit the specific needs of their audience. This might include additional resources, references, or supplemental material that can further engage participants and cater to diverse learning styles.

5. Audience Engagement:

Handouts encourage audience engagement during the presentation. Attendees can annotate, take notes, and actively participate in discussions. Interactive elements in digital handouts can further enhance engagement.

6. Accessibility:

Digital handouts, especially in formats like PDFs or PowerPoint presentations , are easily accessible. Attendees can access them on various devices, fostering convenience and ensuring that the information remains available long after the presentation concludes.

7. Sustainability:

In the context of environmental sustainability, digital handouts offer an eco-friendly alternative to printed materials . This aligns with modern trends toward reducing paper usage and promoting greener practices.

8. Continued Learning:

Well-crafted handouts can serve as a starting point for continued learning. They can include additional resources, recommended readings, or links to relevant websites , encouraging the audience to explore the topic further.

Check this out to also know how to ace group presentations:

In summary, presentation handouts play a crucial role in supporting the presenter’s message, engaging the audience, and facilitating a more thorough understanding and retention of the presented material. Whether in print or digital form, these materials extend the impact of a presentation beyond the event itself.

Ways To Create Memorable Presentation Handouts

presentation handout template

Creating memorable presentation handouts involves thoughtful planning, visual appeal, and alignment with the presentation’s goals. Here are strategies to make handouts more memorable:

1. Visual Design:

Consistent Theme: A cohesive theme reinforces the brand and aids in recognition. Ensure that fonts, colors, and imagery align with the overall aesthetic of the presentation, creating a seamless visual experience for the audience.

Graphics and Images : Thoughtfully chosen visuals enhance understanding. Infographics, charts, and relevant images break down complex information, making it more digestible for the audience.

2. Clear Structure:

Logical Flow: Arrange information in a sequence that mirrors the presentation. A logical flow allows the audience to follow along effortlessly, enhancing comprehension.

White Space: Purposeful use of white space prevents visual overload. It provides a visual break between elements, making the content more digestible.

3. Engaging Content:

Concise Text: Brevity is key. Each point should be succinct, conveying essential information without overwhelming the audience. This facilitates better retention.

Use of Examples: Real-world examples bring concepts to life. They provide context and relevance, making the content more memorable for participants.

4. Interactivity:

Spaces for Notes: Dedicated areas for notes encourage active engagement. Participants can jot down thoughts, questions, or personal reflections, fostering a sense of involvement.

QR Codes or Links: Incorporate QR codes or links to additional resources. This not only enhances interactivity but also allows participants to delve deeper into topics of interest.

5. Incorporate Branding:

Logo and Brand Elements : Prominently display the logo and relevant branding elements. Consistent branding across materials reinforces the presenter’s identity and message.

Quality Printing (for Physical Handouts):

High-Quality Paper: Opt for a paper that feels substantial and professional. The tactile experience of quality paper can contribute to a positive perception of the handouts.

Readable Fonts: Choose fonts that are easy to read, even from a distance. The goal is to make the content accessible to all participants.

6. Digital Enhancements:

Hyperlinks and Multimedia: Hyperlink relevant sections for easy navigation in digital formats. Including multimedia elements, such as videos or interactive content, adds dynamism to the handouts.

Responsive Design: Ensure that digital handouts are responsive to various devices. A user-friendly design accommodates different screen sizes and devices.

7. Highlight Key Points:

Emphasis Techniques: Utilize formatting tools to emphasize crucial information. Whether through bolding, italics, or color, draw attention to key points for better focus.

Post-Presentation Resources:

Additional Reading: Provide a curated list of readings or resources for further exploration. This demonstrates a commitment to ongoing learning and offers participants avenues for continued engagement.

Contact Information: Include clear contact details for presenters or subject matter experts. This facilitates post-presentation communication, encouraging participants to reach out with questions or feedback.

8. Feedback Section:

Survey or Feedback Form: Design a concise survey or feedback form. Collecting participant feedback is invaluable for refining future presentations and tailoring content to the audience’s needs.

9. Call-to-Action (CTA):

Pro: End with a clear call to action for the audience to take the next steps. A well-crafted CTA guides the audience on what actions to consider after reviewing the handout.

Con: Unclear or demanding CTAs may lead to inaction . If the call-to-action is ambiguous or if it requires too much effort from the audience, it may result in a lack of follow-through. Ensure that your CTA is straightforward, feasible, and aligns with the goals of your presentation.

Check this out to know how to research for a presentation:

By meticulously implementing these strategies , presenters can create handouts that not only serve as supportive materials but also elevate the overall presentation experience for participants.

Creating a presentation handout involves selecting tools that offer flexibility, design capabilities, and ease of use. Here are some tools you can consider for crafting effective presentation handouts:

Microsoft Word:

Pros: Familiar interface for most users, extensive font and formatting options, compatibility with various file formats, ability to track changes and collaborate through Microsoft 365.

Cons: Limited design features compared to dedicated design tools, potential formatting challenges when collaborating with users of other word processors.

Google Docs:

Pros: Excellent real-time collaboration features, cloud-based accessibility from any device, auto-save functionality, and integration with other Google Workspace apps.

Cons: Basic design options, may lack advanced formatting features needed for complex layouts.

Pros: User-friendly with a drag-and-drop interface, extensive template library for quick design, and a diverse range of visual elements and icons, suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Cons: While many features are free, some advanced elements and templates are paid, and may not be suitable for intricate designs.

Adobe InDesign:

Pros: Industry-standard design tools, precise control over layout, advanced typography options, and support for complex document structures.

Cons: Steeper learning curve, may be overwhelming for beginners, subscription cost for full access.

Microsoft PowerPoint:

Pros: Familiar interface for creating presentations, easy integration of multimedia elements, ability to convert presentations to printable handouts.

Cons: Primarily designed for presentations, not as feature-rich as design-specific tools for complex layouts.

Google Slides:

Pros: Seamless collaboration features, integration with other Google Workspace apps, cloud-based accessibility.

Cons: Limited design options compared to PowerPoint, may not support intricate formatting needs.

Lucidpress:

Pros: Online collaboration, templates available for various document types, professional-grade design tools.

Cons: Some features may require a subscription, and may not be as widely known or used as other tools.

Piktochart:

Pros: User-friendly interface, suitable for beginners, focuses on infographics and visual storytelling.

Cons: Free version limitations, may not be as versatile for general document creation.

Conclusion .

Selecting the right tool for crafting presentation handouts depends on factors such as design complexity, collaboration needs, and personal familiarity. Microsoft Word and Google Docs provide straightforward solutions with collaborative features, while design-specific tools like Canva, Adobe InDesign, and Visme offer advanced creative options. The choice between PowerPoint, Google Slides, Lucidpress, Piktochart, Venngage, and design software like Adobe Illustrator depends on the balance between user proficiency, required features, and budget considerations. By weighing the pros and cons, presenters can make a strategic choice that aligns with their presentation objectives and enhances the overall impact on their audience.

Click here to embark on an enlightening adventure. 

Hrideep Barot

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Presentation Handout Template

presentation handout template

Creating a compelling presentation handout is crucial to making an impact on your audience. Not only do handouts serve as a helpful tool for audience members to take notes or ask questions during a presentation, but they can also provide a useful reference for attendees to refer back to after the presentation is over.

When creating a handout, it's important to keep a few key things in mind. First and foremost, focus on including only the most essential information from your presentation. A cluttered handout can be overwhelming and difficult for readers to digest, so it's important to condense your message into a clear and concise form.

Incorporating images and graphics can also be a great way to make your handout more visually appealing and memorable. However, be sure to use images wisely and only include those that are relevant to your message and industry.

It's also a good idea to include a "further reading" section in your handout for those who want to learn more about the topic you've presented on. This can include links to relevant articles or other resources that provide additional information.

Finally, be sure to include your contact details at the end of the handout. This will allow audience members to easily get in touch with you or your business in the future if they have any follow-up questions or are interested in learning more.

Overall, a well-designed presentation handout can serve as a powerful tool to enhance your presentation and leave a lasting impression on your audience. By following best practices and customizing your handout to meet the needs of your audience, you can create a material that truly makes an impact.

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Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Create Handouts in PowerPoint (Printable & Editable)

By Erin Wright

Empty seats in lecture hall with text overlay "How to Create Handouts in PowerPoint"

Quick Links:

How to Create Printable PowerPoint Handouts

How to create editable powerpoint handouts with microsoft word.

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 100 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel .

The images below are from PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 and Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, and PowerPoint 2013.

  • Select the File tab in the ribbon.

File tab in PowerPoint 365

  • Select Print in the Backstage view.

Print option in the Backstage view in PowerPoint 365

  • (Optional) If you don’t want include all your slides, enter specific slide numbers separated by commas or a number range (e.g., 3,5,7,9-14) into the Slides text box.

Slides text box in the Print screen in the Backstage view of PowerPoint 365

  • Select the Full Page Slides menu.

Full Page Slides menu in the Print screen in the Backstage view of PowerPoint 365

  • Select an option from the Handout section in the menu. (You may need to use the scrollbar on the right side of the menu to see all the options shown here.)
  • One slide per page
  • Two slides per page
  • Three slides per page with lines for notes
  • Four horizontal slides per page
  • Six horizontal slides per page
  • Nine horizontal slides per page
  • Four vertical slides per page
  • Six vertical slides per page
  • Nine vertical slides per page

Handouts options in the Print screen in the Backstage view in PowerPoint 365

  • (Optional in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 only) Uncheck Print slide numbers on handouts if you don’t want to include slide numbers.

"Print slide numbers on handouts" option in the Backstage view of PowerPoint 365

  • (Optional) Enter the number of copies into the Copies text box.

Copies text box in the Print screen in the Backstage view of PowerPoint 365

  • Select the Print button.

Print button in the Backstage view in PowerPoint 365

PowerPoint doesn’t provide a way to save the handout options you just chose. So, repeat these steps if you need to print additional handouts in the future.

Important Note: Some users may have difficulty exporting large PowerPoint files into Microsoft Word. If you encounter problems, please see the Microsoft Support website for two possible solutions .

  • Select the File tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
  • Select Export in the Backstage view.

Export option in the Backstage view in PowerPoint 365

  • Select Create Handouts in the Export screen.

Create Handout option in the Export screen in the Backstage view in PowerPoint 365

  • Select the Create Handouts button.

Create Handout button in the Export screen in the Backstage view in PowerPoint 365

  • Select a page layout option from the Send to Microsoft Word dialog box. (The dialog box label may be abbreviated to “Send to Microsoft…”)
  • Note next to slides
  • Blank lines next to slides
  • Notes below slides
  • Blank lines below slides
  • Outline only (This option only pastes the text from your slides, not the slides themselves.)

Send to Microsoft Word dialog box in PowerPoint 365

  • Select the Paste or Paste link option. (These options won’t be available if you selected “Outline only” in step 5.)
  • Paste duplicates your slides and notes (if applicable) into a Word document.
  • Paste link duplicates your slides and notes (if applicable) into a Word document and creates a link between the files. Therefore, if you update your PowerPoint slides, the Word file will update also. (Unfortunately, the links don’t apply to PowerPoint notes.)

Paste and Paste link options in the Send to Microsoft Word dialog box in PowerPoint 365

  • Select the OK button.

OK button in the Send to Microsoft Word dialog box in PowerPoint 365

Your PowerPoint file will be pasted into a Word document. This process may take several moments if your PowerPoint file is large.

  • If Microsoft Word doesn’t open automatically, select the Word icon in the Windows taskbar.
  • Within Word, your slides and notes (if applicable) are placed in a table. Select the table selector to see the table rows and columns, which you can adjust or delete.

Table selector in Word 365

For more information about working with tables in Word, please see “ Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word .”

How to Update the Link between Your PowerPoint Slides and Your Word Handouts

If you selected Paste Link in step 6 but don’t see updates in your Word handouts after updating the PowerPoint slides, right-click the slide in the Word file and then select Update Link from the shortcut menu.

Update Link in the shortcut Menu in Word 365

Continue to add content to your new Word file, and then save and print it as you normally would.

Related Resources

How to Save Shapes and Objects as Images in PowerPoint

How to Convert PDFs to PowerPoint Slides in Adobe Acrobat

How to Insert a Linked PowerPoint Slide in Microsoft Word

Updated November 02, 2021

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How to make presentation handouts

  • Written by: Kieran Chadha
  • Categories: Presentation skills , Visual communication
  • Comments: 1

presentation handout template

Presentation handouts and leave-behinds are a great resource, giving your audience a tangible reminder of you and the company you represent. The problem is that they’re oft-neglected and oft-ignored. So how can you create presentation handouts that not only accurately represent your content, but look great and don’t take a fortnight to make?

How to make presentation handouts in PowerPoint: Basic method

If all you want to know is how to print your slides and speaker notes together, you came to the right place!

  • Save a new copy of your presentation.
  • Delete any overlapping visuals or anything that won’t print well.
  • Go to File then Export and select PDF .
  • In the window that opens there is an Options button – click it.

presentation handout template

  • Click OK then Save .

Your PDF will feature an image of each slide with the accompanying speaker notes underneath. Needless to say, make sure your presenter notes are ‘audience safe’ first. You can send the PDF file as an email or print it. The finished result is cheap ‘n’ cheerful – a great option if you’re in a rush.

presentation handout template

The problem with simply using your slides and notes is that presenter notes often aren’t written with the audience in mind – they’re there to jog the presenter’s memory, not inform the audience. Any materials you leave with your audience should be just as thought-through and polished as your presentation. So, let’s go back to square one and think about what should be in a presentation handout.

What should a presentation handout include?

Begin by pinning down what you want your presentation handout to achieve. Do you want your audience to remember the benefits of choosing you as a supplier? Do you want them to understand a specific process? Do you want to remind them of your pricing options? Or do you want to provide a place for them to make notes whilst you present?

Only the last aim actually calls for a presentation handout. Anything you give to your audience during or before your presentation will inevitably be a distraction; they will read the information, rustle the paper and generally pay less attention to you. Any presentation handout – that is, any material you give out before or during your presentation – should include a simplified version of your slides and plenty of blank space for notes. And that’s it.

However, if you want to provide your audience with a tool to refer back to, to remind them of what makes you unique or how they should carry out a certain process, what you need is a leave-behind.

What is a presentation leave-behind?

A presentation leave-behind can pack a punch, covering less material than the presentation, or more. It’s a piece of content you can either leave behind you when you’ve finished your presentation, or send to your audience a couple of days later to jog their memories. A good way to get started is to think about how you want the piece to be used. Here are a few less traditional leave-behind options to get you thinking:

  • A 1- or 2-page summary of the most critical points

presentation handout template

  • A one-slide-per-page recap of the content you covered
  • A process diagram

presentation handout template

  • An in-depth exploration of all the content plus much more
  • A reference guide covering technical specifications, pricing etc.

Once you free yourself from the idea that a presentation handout or leave-behind has to be an exact replica of your slides and notes, the sky is the limit. When you’ve decided on the format for your leave-behind you can start to create it. A cut-and-paste job might not be the best solution; you may well have to rework some of your material to make it accessible for an audience revisiting it a week or two down the line.

How to create effective presentation leave-behinds

If you don’t want to create something from scratch, then a good approach is to use what you can from your slides, and write new notes to accompany them. We all have a dire recall rate when it comes to new information (see Ebbinghaus’ 1885 research for just how bad), and audiences are no different. Don’t overestimate how much they’ll remember; make your hand-out self-explanatory, accessible and informative. Cut out all the extraneous data (e.g. the history of your company) and focus on your key points.

There are two main formats to choose from when you’re ready to share your leave-behind.

Method one: PDF

  • Save a copy of your presentation and create a simplified version of your slides

Be brutal and delete all the slides that don’t contain need-to-know information. Good content to include is your value proposition and main benefit points as these remind your audience of what differentiates you from the competition. You may also want to include any useful technical information or processes.

  • Copy your slides into a word document and add text

In your PowerPoint file, right click on the slide you want to copy and select Copy . Then, in your Word document go to Home , Paste , Paste as Picture .

To create appropriate text pull from your presentation notes but also make use of any other collateral you have, like brochures, your website, promotional videos etc. To avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information add hyperlinks to relevant sections of your website or other resources. If you publish the document as a PDF, your audience will be able to click these hyperlinks and access the information they need.

And finally, it’s a good idea to add a call to action to encourage on-going communication.

  • Save the document as a PDF

To save a Word document as a PDF go to File , click Export , then Create PDF . A benefit of doing this in word rather than exporting directly from PowerPoint, is that you have more control over the formatting so can keep it on-brand and looking good. If you want to add more design elements, you could also build the leave-behind in PowerPoint. Change the slide size by going to Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size .

presentation handout template

Of course, you could print the document but, putting aside poor print quality and environmental concerns, with paper handouts you have no way to track how many people have looked at the document or whether it has been ignored. However, with a PDF you can…

  • Distribute using an email marketing service

Instead of printing and handing out your material, save the trees and save it as a PDF, then use an Email Marketing System like MailChimp to distribute it. You might not be able to see super detailed analytics, but you’ll still get useful data on who opened your message, and who showed interest in the material – all helpful stuff.

Method two: Video

There’s a sort of unwritten assumption that handouts have to be a document, particularly a document with slides. That’s not the case, and it’s often not the best method of delivery for follow-up content. Paper or a PDF has its advantages – it’s simple, easy to distribute and reasonably effective. However, it is limiting. It is less personal and might be ignored if it’s too dense. A powerful alternative to the conventional paper hand-out is to use PowerPoint to record narration and to output as narrated video. It’s a much more engaging, effective way of refreshing your audience’s memories.

  • Make a simplified version of your PowerPoint deck

Again, you don’t want to send your audience your full twenty-five-minute presentation. Go through your content and trim it down to the essentials. Keep the key visuals and key benefit points.

  • Write a script

A video with you um-ing and ah-ing over your slides isn’t particularly engaging or professional. You need to write a script so you can say precisely what you want to with no irrelevant detail or mistakes.

You audience won’t want to take much time out of their day, so aim for 3 – 5 minutes of content. We have some useful resources for script writing on our blog – start here .

  • Record yourself presenting the new version

Once you’re happy with your script, you need to record yourself presenting the deck. Again, we’ve got a few stellar recourses to help:

  • How to record narration in PowerPoint
  • Recording voiceover for a narrated presentation
  • Preparing for a presentation voiceover
  • Export the video

To save your video go to File > Export > Create a Video . Make sure Use timings and narrations is selected on the drop-down menu.

presentation handout template

  • Host the video online

Finally, make your video accessible to your audience. The beauty of using a platform like Vimeo is that it sits in the cloud so can easily be updated with new material. Viewing figures can be tracked, there are integration possibilities with other platforms, and reminders can be sent out for those that haven’t yet watched it. Vimeo is one option – but any trackable multimedia platform is a good method for delivering your content.

To see some example of short, narrated videos, visit our YouTube page .

Conclusions

Digital, custom-made leave-behinds are a change. And you’ll want to address this change when your audience sits down, eager to take home a couple of sheets of A4. However, the benefits are great: they get a more engaging, helpful resource, and you can track its reach, easily refresh the content and measure its success.

If you decide to use the good old-fashioned paper method – there’s one thing I’d encourage you to avoid: don’t distribute your presentation hand-out before you start speaking. It’s one of the most common mistakes we see, and it can really negatively impact the audience’s attention level. If you give your audience something to read, they will naturally start to read it. And from that point on, it’s a struggle for even the best presenter to command the room’s full attention.

Hold off until the end of the session but let everyone know that a handout will be available, so they don’t spend the entire session making their own notes. You want them attentive and engaged throughout and a little reassurance at the start goes a long way to help ensure that.

However, choosing a less traditional route can help you stand out from the crowd, so consider ditching the standard presentation handout for something a bit more creative.

Ready to transform your sales presentation too? Read our ultimate guide !

presentation handout template

Kieran Chadha

Principal consultant; head of brightcarbon academy, related articles, review: glisser online interactive presentations.

  • Presentation skills / Sales presentations / Presentation technology

Glisser is an online platform that allows you to create interactive presentations that can be used for marketing, training or any other type of events. The site has different functions available for presenters, attendees at events and event planners which all focus on allowing for increased presenter-audience interaction. Since creating engaging visual presentations is what we do, I decided to take a closer look at Glisser and see what it’s all about and how the various functionalities work.

presentation handout template

The ULTIMATE guide to presentation skills

  • Presentation skills
  • Comments: 39

Presentation skills is a daunting area for many, but being a good presenter isn't something you're just born with. Even the most nervous, or clueless of presenters can learn how to present like professionals just by following some key advice.

presentation handout template

5 ways to make your presentation more visual and effective

  • PowerPoint design / Visual communication

Looking for some quick tips on how to create a more effective presentation? Know you want to make your PowerPoint slides more visual but not sure how?

presentation handout template

Kieran, surprise surprise, someone’s commenting on a three year old article! I agree with all of your comments in relation to a live presentation but do you think they apply equally to an eLearning presentation (not a webinar)? For instance, I have sometimes used an on-line workbook/journal to encourage audience reflection/journaling/note-taking which some individuals don’t like. It seems that an ‘off-line’ paper version would benefit those who prefer not to leave the current screen or who distrust digital privacy. Do you think this would be distracting or does the fact that the individual could pause (be advised) to pause on-line content whilst writing make the difference?

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Make Your Handouts Look Great Without a Graphic Designer

Make your presentation handouts look professional without a graphic designer.

Design and Style Great Handouts

Step #1: Use a Canva Template to Create a Great Presentation Handout.

Canva ( https://www.canva.com ) is one of those online resources where the more that you use it, the more that you can’t do without it. It is graphic design software, similar to Photoshop, but made for the amateur designer. The software is so easy to use, that you can be designing and editing professional graphics in minutes. The major difference between Canva and Photoshop though, (other than being really easy to operate) is that it is loaded with thousands of templates for just about anything that you want to create.

I was first introduced to Canva when I was looking for a way to create eye-catching social media images. I knew that if I wanted to post images that would get the attention of the casual Facebook or Twitter reader, that I had to create my own. (Stock photos just wouldn’t do.) I had invested in Photoshop, but since I didn’t have a lot of experience with it, the software was very frustrating. Then I was listening to a podcast by Michael Stelzner and Social Media Marketing, and they mentioned Canva. I tried it out for about 15 minutes, and I was hooked. In fact, most of the images that you see on my websites and social media accounts are created using Canva, now.

Create Your Background from Scratch or Start with a Template.

Because I’ve been using Canva for a while, I now publish most of my backgrounds from scratch. But when I first started using the website, I often used the pre-installed templates. If you decide to use a template, for a handout background, you might want to start with the “Letterhead” templates. Most of these letterhead templates have white backgrounds and really nice and colored borders, so they are ideal if you will be adding a lot of text. The great thing about the software is that if you find a design that you like, but you need to customize the colors, just click on the template, and it will load onto your design. Next just select the border or shape item that you want to alter, and a colored square will pop up in the top-left corner of the toolbar. Click the square, and you can change the color to any that you like.

If you decide to create the background from scratch, just click the “Use Custom Dimensions” button in the top-right corner of the Canva homepage, and enter 8.5 in X 11 in. You’ll start with a blank white page, but you can quickly add shapes, colors, images, and icons at will. You are only limited by your creativity. When I create a custom template or background, I usually use either a custom border or a half-page image.

3-Point-Talk Evidence Handout Example

For a small monthly fee, Canva will allow you to use royalty-free images that are fantastic. If however, you want to kick your images up a notch…

Download Professional Stock Photos on a Budget.

There are a lot of stock photo companies out there, and many are really good, but my favorite is ShutterStock . The reason I like this service so much is that the images are very economical, and they have just about any type of image that you’d ever want. In the past, I was using stock images so much for social media and my blogs that I had a monthly plan where I could download up to 50 different images per month for just $100. Now, though, I purchase five images for $49, and I have an entire year to choose which five images that I want to download. So, the images are only $9.80 each. Once you purchase the license for the picture, you can use it (and re-download it if needed) forever. This is a fantastic deal compared to companies like Getty that charge $500 per image, and you have to buy different licenses for each type of use.

ShutterStock actually has a built-in editor that you can use before you download the image. However, I have never been able to use it effectively. However, once you find the perfect image that you want to use, download it, and then upload it to Canva. You can then insert it into your half-page photo background, or you can edit it and alter it as needed. For examples of what you can do when you combine Canva and Shutterstock, go to my Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/leadersinstitute/ .

Once you have the background just like you like it, you can either download it as a PNG from Canva, or you can save your Canva background, copy it, and create your handout right in Canva itself.

If You Are Not Technical, Here is a Tip After Downloading Your Background.

To download your background from Canva, just click the Download button and select PNG. An image will be saved on your computer in your download folder. Open up Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or any other word processor. Insert the PNG that you created. Click the image and drag the corners to the edge of the page, so that the image takes up the whole page. In the top toolbar, you will see a new option called Format. Click that button, and select Wrap Text. Now, select the option to Send Behind Text. One last thing. Right-click the image, and select Size and Position. Select Position. De-select Move Object with Text and Select Lock Anchor Position. These little technical tricks will push the image to the background of the page so that you can type whatever you want on top of the photo without moving it. If you don’t do this, when you start typing your content for your handout, the image will move around and look strange. If you need a second page for your handout, just click anywhere on the image and Copy. Then on the new page, hit Paste. Viola, a professional handout without any technical or graphic design skills needed!

presentation handout template

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How to Create and Print PowerPoint Presentation Handout Notes

Brenda Barron

So, you’ve designed a stunning presentation and you’ve perfected your delivery. The only thing that’s left to do on your list is to create PowerPoint presentation handout notes for your audience. 

Tired office worker image from Envato Elements

But you might be wondering what’s the purpose of PowerPoint handout notes and why you should bother creating them.

If that’s the case, you’re in the right place. In this tutorial, we’ll explain why you should create PowerPoint handout notes for your presentation and how to create them. 

What Are PowerPoint Presentation Handout Notes?

PowerPoint presentation handout notes are nothing more than a printed version of your presentation slides. They give your audience something tangible from your presentation that they can easily refer to later on. They can also include space for notes so your audience can jot down any information they want to remember from your presentation. 

Why Create PowerPoint Handout Notes For Your Presentation

There are three reasons why you should create PowerPoint handout notes to go with your presentation: 

1. There’s Too Much Information

If you've got a presentation packed with information, it can be tricky to keep your audience’s attention. During a typical presentation, you've got a limited amount of time if you want to make sure you’re covering all the points on your slide. So, it’s crucial to deliver the important information before your audience loses their attention. 

Image of an overwhelmed woman sitting at a desk from Envato Elements

A presentation handout allows you to reduce the amount of text on each slide and add that extra information to the handout. Your audience can then refer to it and read through it at a later date.

2. To Further Explain or Summarize Data 

Like the point above, if you've got a lot of charts and graphs it can be difficult to remember all that information. Your audience is more likely to remember that your company made a bigger profit in a particular country than the exact figure.

You can give your audience a PowerPoint presentation handout that summarizes key findings and data to make it easy to reference later on. This way, they can reuse that data whenever they need as well as use it to make strategic decisions. 

3. As Extra Educational or Reference Materials

If your presentation is more educational in nature, creating PowerPoint presentation handout notes is even more important. They allow your audience to take away notes that go along with your presentation. This helps them retain important information.

Luckily, PowerPoint makes it easy to create handout notes that have ample space for note taking. 

Find Your Own Great PowerPoint Template on Elements

If you’re looking for the best PowerPoint templates to create presentation handout notes, Envato Elements is the best place to start. Envato Elements is a subscription-based marketplace with a compelling offer. 

PowerPoint Templates On Envato Elements

For a low monthly price, you get access to thousands of PowerPoint templates as well as other creative assets. It includes:

  • stock photos
  • web templates

Download as many items as you need for your creative project. Then, customize them to your needs. 

Envato Elements’ offer is hard to beat. But if you don’t need creative assets regularly, stop by GraphicRiver. It's a part of Envato Market, a suite of marketplaces that cater to various creative needs . This is the best marketplaces to buy individual PowerPoint templates and other design assets.

How to Create a PowerPoint Presentation Handout Notes

As mentioned earlier, creating PowerPoint presentation handout notes isn't as difficult as it seems. For this tutorial, we'll be working with the Enjoy PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. Download it now to follow along with the tutorial, or use your own template choice.

Enjoy PowerPoint Template

Once you’re familiar with PowerPoint’s printing and layout options, creating PowerPoint handout notes is easy. Let’s take a look at how you can access those settings:

1. Open Print Dialog

First, open your presentation in PowerPoint and click on File > Print . This is the first step in creating your presentation handout. 

2. Select Show Details

Additional settings in the print dialog

Once the Print dialog opens up, you’ll need to click on the Show Details button. This lets you access all the extra printing and layout options we’ve mentioned above.

3. Choose Your Slide Layout

Choosing your slide layout

In this new window that opens up, in the PowerPoint section, click the drop-down menu next to Layout . Here, select which layout you want to use for your handout notes. You can also configure a slew of other printing options.

As you can see from the screenshot below, you can choose the number of copies you want to make and set your paper size. 

The most important setting here is under PowerPoint > Layout. Here, you can choose between several different layout options: 

You can also opt to include speaker notes, or choose an outline view to try to condense the PowerPoint slides. Other settings include:

  • orientation
  • whether you want to print the slides in color or black and white
  • printing scale
  • adding header and footer to slides
  • handout notes 

4. Save as PDF or Print

Saving as a PDF

When you’re done setting up your handout notes, you can print them out immediately. Or, you can save the file as PDF and let your audience print the handout notes before your presentation. 

Decide Which Layout and Printing Options to Use for PowerPoint Handout Notes

Microsoft PowerPoint offers several layout options. So, you might wonder which option to choose. There isn’t a right or wrong answer here. It depends on your personal preferences as well as a couple of other factors: 

  • How much content you've got in your presentation . If it’s a long presentation with lots of content, three slides per page saves you paper in the long run while still leaving enough room for notes. 
  • If you've got a lot of images . Printing out handout notes in color might burn through your ink quickly, not to mention it might be more expensive. Using four slides per page might be a great choice here.

5 Awesome PowerPoint Templates From Envato Elements and Envato Market

Now that you know why and how to create PowerPoint presentation handout notes, let’s take a look at some of the best-selling PowerPoint templates. These awesome PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements and Envato Market will serve as a beautiful starting point for your presentation:

1. 44 Clean Presentation

44 Clean Presentation 

As the name implies, the 44 Clean Presentation offers 44 unique slides. The slides have a gorgeous and clean design. This ensures the content of your presentation stands out. This template is animated and can be used for any type of presentation. It was designed in both widescreen and standard resolutions for maximum compatibility. 

2. Novate PowerPoint Presentation Template

Novate PowerPoint Presentation Template 

If you’re looking for an elegant and stylish PowerPoint presentation template, the Novate template is a great fit. It comes with more than 50 unique slides in widescreen resolution. It also has image placeholders so you can quickly replace the images with your content. Besides that, the template contains editable world maps and custom icons to spice up your presentations. 

3. Minimal Maska

Minimal Maska 

Here’s a minimal, black and white PowerPoint presentation template. It would work well for any type of presentation thanks to its minimal design. The template includes 35+ unique slides based on master slides. This means the template and the slides are easy to customize and edit. You’ll also find drag and drop image placeholders, editable charts, and slides designed in widescreen resolution.

4. Bakun – Business PowerPoint Template

Bakun – Business PowerPoint Template

The Bakun PowerPoint presentation template is best suited for business presentations. It's got a modern and bold design. The template includes 39 professionally designed slides based on master slides. You’ll also get image placeholders and vector icons. The template was designed in widescreen resolution. 

5. Corporate Business PowerPoint Presentation

Corporate Business Powerpoint Presentation

This corporate business PowerPoint template has a modern, clean, and professional design. The template comes with 290 unique slides, including regular slides, infographic slides, numbers slides, and more. It was designed in widescreen resolution and includes drag and drop image placeholders as well as a dark and a light version.

5 Quick Tips for Creating and Printing PowerPoint Handout Notes

Now that you know how to create PowerPoint handout notes, here are five quick tips to keep in mind and use. These tips will help you create handout notes that are useful and look great: 

1. Prepare the Handouts in Advance

The most important advice is to prepare your PowerPoint presentation handout notes in advance.

Set aside some time for preparing the handout notes during your presentation planning process to ensure they're set up correctly. 

2. Make Sure They've Got a Professional Design

It goes without saying your presentation handout notes should have a professional design. The easiest way to ensure this is to use a professional PowerPoint template as your starting point. 

Mariachi offers a stylish design for your presentation

Luckily, there are thousands of professional PowerPoint templates on Envato Elements that you can use for any type of presentation. 

3. Include References

Consider including an extra sheet with your handout notes that includes links to reference materials. This is a great way to make sure your audience has access to more information. If your presentation includes links to research materials, your audience can easily look it up later on if they’re interested in learning more about a particular idea or topic. 

4. Distribute Your Handout Notes at the Beginning of Your Presentation

Don’t wait until the end of your presentation to distribute your presentation handout notes. Waiting until the end defeats the purpose of creating the handout notes for note taking.

So, make sure you pass out the notes at the beginning of your presentation. This makes it easy for your audience to follow along and ensures they won’t lose interest in your presentation. 

5. Consider Adding Your Contact Information

Finally, consider adding your contact information at the end of your handout notes. This makes it easy for people to reach out to you if they've got any questions about your presentation or any topics you’ve covered. 

Frearee - PowerPoint Template offers a good example of displaying contact information

Create and Print Amazing PowerPoint Presentation Handout Notes Today

PowerPoint presentation handout notes help both you as the presenter as well as your audience. Handout notes allow you to keep the content on your slides minimal and at the same time allow your audience to take notes about the presentation. 

As you can see, creating and printing amazing PowerPoint presentation handout notes isn't hard. Once you know where to start and how to adjust all the settings, it’s an easy process. 

If you’re still in the beginning stages of working on your presentation, you’ll need a solid PowerPoint template to use as a starting point first.

Visit Envato Elements and take a look at the top PowerPoint presentation templates . Or stop by Envato Market to find the perfect PowerPoint template for your presentation. 

Brenda Barron

Customizable pamphlet design templates

Make a lasting impression with an easy-to-read pamphlet. from professional presentation handouts and enumerating your products to start-to-finish event details and playbills, customizable pamphlet templates can flex to fit your next project. bifold or trifold, find the perfect pamphlet template to start customizing..

Fitness business pamphlet

Keep your info top of mind with customizable pamphlet templates

Pass along pamphlets that are as eye-catching as they are informative. Start with a designer-created, customizable pamphlet template and focus on how to connect with your audience rather than how to create a trifold layout. From small business marketing assets to hobby-related themes, there's a template for every type of pamphlet you might want to make.Pamphlets should be as easy to read as they are to hold. When you start with a customizable template, you can be confident that your message will come clearly.

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How to Create a Powerpoint Handout

Last Updated: March 19, 2023

This article was co-authored by Vikas Agrawal and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Vikas Agrawal is a Visual Content Marketing Expert & Entrepreneur, as well as the Founder of Full Service Creative Agency Infobrandz. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in designing visually engaging content, such as infographics, videos, and e-books. He’s an expert in Making content marketing strategies and has contributed to and been featured in many publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur.com, and INC.com. This article has been viewed 177,875 times.

If you're giving a PowerPoint presentation and want to provide your viewers with a printed version, you can create a handout page. A handout page is a printed version of your presentation that can help viewers follow along, take notes, and keep the information for their own record. Since you can place more than one slide on a single handout, printing handouts rather than the entire presentation can save you a lot of paper and printer ink. This wikiHow teaches you how to quickly print helpful PowerPoint handouts, as well as how to design a handout master that lets you save handout customizations for future printing.

Printing Handouts the Quick Way

Step 1 Open your presentation in PowerPoint.

  • Keep in mind that the more slides you print on one page, the smaller the text will be on each slide—if your slides are text-heavy, 6 slides per page should be your limit.
  • If you want to encourage viewers to take notes as they watch your presentation, try the "3 slide" option—this prints three slides per page with ruled areas for note-taking next to each slide.

Step 7 Click the Edit header and footer link to edit your header and footer (optional).

  • To add the date and time, check the box next to "Date and time" and choose whether to update the time automatically (based on time of printing) or leave it fixed (date of your choosing).
  • To add custom text to the top of each printed page, check the box next to "Header" and enter your text in the corresponding box.
  • To add text to the bottom of each page, check "Footer" and add text to the corresponding box.
  • If you make any changes in this window, click Apply to All to save your changes and return to the Print screen.

Step 8 Choose the rest of your printing options.

  • If you're printing multiple sets of handouts, make sure to select Collated from the menu if it isn't already selected. F

Step 9 Click Print to print your handouts.

Creating a Custom Handout Master

Step 1 Open your presentation in PowerPoint.

  • You should only use royalty free fonts if you don't have a license to use a font.

Step 8 Click the Colors menu to choose a color scheme.

  • It's not usually advised to print a background color on handouts—it uses a lot of ink. Try to keep the fancy colors to your actual presentation!

Step 9 Click Background Styles to choose a background color.

  • If you don't just want a basic background color, click the Background Styles menu again and select Format Background to expand the Format Background panel on the right. Here you can choose different background fills, such as images, textures, and gradients.

Step 10 Click Effects to choose an Effects theme.

  • For example, if you want to include an image on each printed handout page, click the Insert tab, select Pictures , choose your image and place it at the desired location.
  • If you want to include custom text at the top or bottom of your handouts, click Header & Footer on the Insert tab, check the box next to "Header" or "Footer" (or both!) and type your desired text. When you click Apply to All , the handout master's header and footer will update to your new preferences.

Step 12 View a preview of your handouts.

  • Now that you've customized your handout master, these settings will be in place when you're ready to print. To print, just go to File > Print , choose your printer and color options, and click Print .

Community Q&A

Community Answer

You Might Also Like

Add a Header in Powerpoint

  • ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/print-your-handouts-notes-or-slides-91c62c83-9032-497c-ab76-cae8f3e1a402
  • ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-or-change-a-presentation-s-handout-c86f1231-abfd-48de-8d76-807f668512d2

About This Article

Vikas Agrawal

1. Go to File > Print . 2. Select how many slides to print per page. 3. Click the Full Page Slides menu. 4. Select a layout from the "Handouts" section. 5. Click Edit header and footer to customize the header and footer. 6. Choose the reset of your printing preferences. 7. Click Print . Did this summary help you? Yes No

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PresentationLoad

Creating a Handout to Support and Enhance Your Presentation!

Got a  presentation coming up and need to create a useful handout to complement it? Great idea – but how do you go about it? Many people think handouts are just used in college, but in the business world they can be really useful to reinforce the content of your presentation.

Whether it’s a business meeting or a training course, a handout will underscore your points and support your presentation when done right.  It can be tricky, though, to decide on what to include, the format, how to structure a handout and at what point of the presentation to distribute it.

Before starting to create your handout, you need to think about such things as structure, content and timing . This blog covers everything you need to know!

What is a Handout?

As the name suggests, a handout is any type of document that a speaker hands out to participants during a lecture, presentation, conference or meeting. It allows your audience to get a clear overview of the main points, or to sum up what they have heard afterwards.

A handout isn’t just a summary of slide titles; it can be much more detailed, summing up each individual topic and serving as a reference for core concepts and central insights.

What is a Handout actually for?

Your handout must provide added value . It contains information either covered or referred to in your presentation, allowing you to expand upon what might have only been touched on, and free your slides from clutter.

It can not only summarise your arguments, but can relieve pressure on your slides:  dense facts and figures can be sidelined to the handout, allowing your PowerPoint presentation to be slick and professional.

Handouts offer three main advantages to your audience, depending on when they’re given out:

  • The audience can follow what is said during the presentation
  • The audience can make their own notes to supplement or clarify for themselves what you have presented
  • It consists of an overview of what you have presented, which can then be read by interested parties

Handout in PowerPoint

A handout not only means that you can create a clean and uncluttered presentation, but allows your audience to understand your points better and remember them afterwards .  It’s also very useful for conveying your arguments to anyone who may have missed the actual presentation.

Tip: So why not just Start with the Handout?

There are obvious advantages both to your audience and yourself to having of a clearly structured handout. Once you know what to do, they can be relatively straightforward to produce.  Of course, this still takes time, and you need to allow for this.

Cobbling together a handout at the last moment is not only stressful, it can be counterproductive, as it undermines your professionalism and never goes unnoticed.

TIP: For a change, why not start your presentation with a handout ? By getting the essentials out of the way first, you can then develop your presentation step by step using the handout as a basis.

The great advantage here is that you not only end up with a detailed handout, but you find a s trong common thread , allowing you to  create an equally “crisp” presentation and navigate your way through it.

Creating a Handout: How to Structure it

As with most things concerning design, the motto “ less is more ” applies very effectively to handouts. In concrete terms, this means: do without whole sentences and make use of key points, abbreviations, arrows and symbols. Ideally, your handout should not consist of more than two A4 pages.

In addition to important information from your presentation, a handout needs to include the following :

  • Basic information, probably in the upper left corner of the handout, such as the location of the presentation and the speaker’s name and title
  • The date, probably in the upper right corner
  • A concise heading – preferably the title of your presentation – centered
  • Page numbers in the footer
  • A clear structure, based on the individual headings of the presentation
  • A consistent page layout using standard, unembellished fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman

How a handout can look like

The structure of your handout should follow the structure of your presentation, especially if you give out the handout during your presentation. It is best to limit your points to those which support your main argument. Keep the sub-items on the handout as simple as possible and don’t go into too much detail.

To make your handout visually appealing, it helps to think about the font. In addition to using clear, standard fonts , as mentioned above, try to keep the font size in the headers and footers uniform and smaller than in the main part.

TIP: Create an area for the audience to make their own notes on your handout. Either make the right margin wider or leave a few lines of space under your last point.

Handout Content – Short and to the Point

You’ve decided the layout of your handout, entered the key points and created a rough outline. Now it’s time to expand on individual points and create the main content of your handout.

Before doing so, focus on your target audience : how much background knowledge can you assume they have on the topic of your presentation?  Keeping your audience in mind means you tailor the handout to their level, avoiding technical terms where they would distract from your point, including them when you are faced with an audience knowledgeable in a particular discipline. 

It is very important to condense the core statements of your presentation into key points, rather than including a distracting stream of text. This way, you retain your audience’s full attention.

TIP: To arouse your audience’s curiosity right at the beginning of your presentation, you could include an upbeat quote, a proverb or a question. Choose a slightly provocative question to get your audience thinking from the start. You can repeat this verbatim on your presentation handout.

Although the main thing about handouts is that they should be short and concise , they should still be understandable when read outside the context of your presentation.  If this is forgotten, they can’t act as an aid to your audience’s memory afterwards.

Nice-to-have: Additional Information on Your Handout

The main elements of a handout, as covered above, can be supplemented by additional information as you choose. This can even include pictures or graphics. Depending on the topic, a visual element can really clarify and supplement your main argument and tie things together.

As a rule, however, it pays to keep pictures and graphics on your presentation slides because they take up too much space on the handout. The costs and benefits need to be weighed up in each individual case.

It is also a good idea to include contact information on the handout; an e-mail address is the minimum. Depending on the type and purpose of the presentation, you can also provide your business address and telephone number.

If your handout consists of several pages, it helps to put your contact details in the header so that they appear on every page. It can be useful to include a short bibliography in your handout if you’re using quotes or information from other sources. This way you can also link to relevant websites or further reading on your topic that may be interesting for your audience.

How a handout can look like

TIP : At the end of your handouts you can include questions or food for thought to stimulate discussion. This is particularly useful if you wish to conduct a question and answer session after your presentation.

Tutorial: Creating a Handout with PowerPoint

When time is of the essence, PowerPoint has a feature that allows you to create a handout in minutes. Using the “Create handout” function, you can transfer a PowerPoint presentation to Microsoft Word, adapt it there and optimize it for printing.

With just a few clicks you can choose which presentation slides should appear on the handout. The number of slides can also be easily adjusted and you can cut text or expand it as necessary. You can also decide whether the handout should include a note margin, a header and/or a footer.

Your PowerPoint presentation remains untouched during this whole process. In addition to the option of printing the handout, you can also save it directly in Word as a Word or PDF document – a simple way to make the handout digitally available to your audience.

  • Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
  • To find the handout master, open the View tab in the top taskbar.

Handout in PPT

3. In the Master Views submenu you will find, among other things, the Handout Master.

The practical thing about this is that with just a few clicks, you can choose slides from your presentation to form a basis for your handout. It’s also easy to customize headers and footers – to insert your contact details or page numbers, for example.

Handout in PPT

It’s really easy to choose the size, number and design of your pages here; and PowerPoint also offers the option of exporting the handout you have just created to Microsoft Word. This makes it simple to print out or offer to your audience as a file.

  • To do this, click on “File” in the upper task bar and then on “Export” .

Handout in PPT

2. Select Create handout .

3. In the context menu that opens, you can decide whether your handout should have a margin for adding notes, for example, or other useful options.

4klein

When is the Best Time to Distribute Your Handout?

There is no such thing as the perfect time. To help you decide the timing for your particular presentation, it helps to understand how timings influence your audience:

  • Handout before presentation : In this case, you have to expect at least some of your audience to have leafed through the handout and read ahead, meaning that at any point they know what’s next. This can sometimes mean that your audience’s concentration is divided, so you need to consider carefully whether this option is appropriate.
  • Handout during presentation : Distribute your handout at the point when it is useful as support, either in terms of visual illustration or as a means to emphasize your argument.

Content5 EN Handout

Our tip: Share your handout prior to the presentation . It is often the same arguments that are used when it comes to giving out the handout before the presentation: ‘Too restless, the audience rustles with the papers and does not concentrate on the lecture’ and many more. You probably know the arguments.

Nevertheless, our 25 years of experience with PowerPoint shows that these arguments should not be believed. Experience shows that it does not negatively affect the concentration of the audience, but even has positive effects for many to know that they do not have to take notes and that a protocol is available so that they can fully concentrate on the presentation.

In addition, listeners can add other relevant notes directly to the handout. If you withhold the handout until the end of the presentation, you also run the risk of having carried out a kind of unspoken “disciplinary action.”

Conclusion: Don’t go without a handout!

Whichever timing you decide upon, a well-prepared handout can be an effective tool to support your presentation , acting as a guide and memory aid for both you and your audience. Used properly, they can increase the interest and attention of your audience, and allow you to give a clear and professional presentation.

Need help with creating a presentation and a great handout to go with it? We have years of experience in the field of PowerPoint presentations. Just get in touch, and our team can help you create exactly what you need ► presentation agency

If you have any further questions about handouts, or anything to do with PowerPoint, feel free to get in touch at [email protected] . We’re always happy to help!

You might also be interested in the following articles:

  • PowerPoint Presenter View
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6 signs your organization needs a better presentation template

6 signs your organization needs a better presentation template header

Josh Storie

A good presentation template can work wonders. It can save your people time. It can boost your brand. It can help everyday presentations look clean and professional. It can also make it easy to convey an idea clearly and memorably.

But a bad template? It can do exactly the opposite. It can take up valuable employee time. It can dilute and harm your brand. It can make your presentations look, as the kids say, “cringe.” And it can harm the clarity of your message .

At Duarte, we’ve made thousands of presentations over our 35+ year history for some of the world’s biggest brands. From internal corporate decks, investor pitches , walking decks , sales enablement decks, conference keynote presentations … the list goes on.

Today we’re going to dive into the use cases of a presentation template, and when a company might need or want one.

"Never deliver a presentation you wouldn't want to sit through" Duarte's Golden Rule

What is a presentation template?

A presentation template is a set of pre-designed slides already made with a branded, professional look that can be lightly customized for a specific purpose. They typically are made for the purpose of scaling efforts, and in a corporate setting, are used for sales enablement , sales pitches, corporate internal decks, branding and marketing decks, and more.

These templates usually include on-brand design elements like backgrounds, effects, color palettes, layouts, fonts, icon libraries, asset libraries, chart libraries, boilerplate messaging and sample slides for different use cases. They save an organization an immense amount of time as individuals won’t need to design every presentation they make from scratch. They can just select from their pre-determined template the slides and options they want to use for their individual use case.

The best presentation templates are also audience-first . Meaning, they’re designed with the end user in mind so that they are engaging, relatable, and even accessible so all can feel included and welcome during any presentation.

6 signs to know if your organization needs a presentation template

1. people don’t use the template you already have..

If you hear people in your organization say that using your current template is “too hard” or that “it doesn’t have what I need,” you need a better template. Or maybe people use it, but only halfway. If you see people Frankenstein-ing presentations together by inserting their own icons and pictures, using all kinds of different fonts, or pulling slides from a variety of other decks because the current template doesn’t give them the slide layouts or assets they need, it’s time for a better deck.

Why this matters: This is a huge time waster. One example, if your sales team is constantly reinventing the wheel and making a new sales pitch deck for every other sales demo, this is costing you and them valuable time. It’s less time on the phone, and more time working on something that could’ve been handed to them already done, and in a clean, professional, and scalable way, like what we did with Veeam .

2. You need consistency that scales.

Think about if you were running a big conference or event with lots of breakouts, like Dreamforce . It would take an internal design team hundreds of hours to make all those presentations. But the flipside is if your speakers are in charge of making their own slides, it’s tough to ensure consistency across every breakout, as well.

Why this matters: If you had a great slide template that can scale, it would ensure every audience in every room is receiving the same level of quality and user experience with your brand and event.

3. It’s clear your sales team isn’t comfortable with graphic design.

Great salespeople adapt their sales pitch to the needs of the customers. But adapting the pitch oftentimes means adapting the slides. And since your sales team wasn’t hired for their graphic design skills, the new slides can detract from the pitch itself (and probably make their marketing counterparts cringe in disbelief.)

Why this matters: Meeting with potential clients is another touchpoint with your brand. Sales meetings (and the decks within them) should match the professional look of your website, the first-class feeling they’ll receive from your product and service, and the professional experience they’ll receive from your sales team by being a part of your sales funnel. A professional sales deck that doesn’t look like a default PowerPoint template is imperative to not just stand out, but get the point across that your companies cares about details.

Sales enablement blog cta

4. New technology is limiting technical abilities.

Let’s say you’re making the switch to or from a new slide software like PowerPoint, Google Slides, Apple Keynote , or Canva. There’s always a learning curve when a new technology is introduced. And if there’s not a template that helps users produce quality presentations regardless of their familiarity with the new software, it won’t take long to realize you’re in need of a better template.

Why this matters: Our world-class presentation designers make slide templates in whatever presentation software tool your company prefers. Trust us; we know a thing or two about converting fonts, colors, aspect ratios, and more when it comes to slide presentations built on different platforms. Let us save you the headache and time.

5. Your unique brand needs to stand out.

Whether you sell chocolate or medical devices , your presentation template systems need to be the perfect combination of consistent, business-specific design and ease of use. This means it needs to be on-brand, in your color palette, catered to your audience, and it should include simple rules to follow and easily adaptable templates. One way we help with this is by including icon and asset libraries.

Asset libraries

Great presentations use a variety of visual elements to support content. Our presentation designers will make, and stock your asset library with beautiful, clever, and effective illustrations and images. This way, everyone who will make presentations with your slide template can easily access approved visual elements.

Icon libraries

Our presentation designers are artists. And they often make custom icons for our clients, including custom icon libraries. We take the time to understand the needs of your presentation deck, your business, and your customers, and we tailor everything we do accordingly.

Why this matters: Never send your employees to hunt for a perfect icon or image again, especially when they don’t exist! Equip them with everything they need for all business use cases in advance.

6. Your employees need template training.

You can arm your company with a wonderful presentation template, but that is half the battle. Now, you need to make sure they are oriented on where to find everything they need and how to use it. This will ensure faster adoption.

We provide presentation guidelines, walkthroughs, and mini-tutorials when we hand over our presentation templates to our clients. Sometimes we’ll even do a quick sales enablement training live .

Why this matters: We ensure that our template systems are fool-proof. They can stand up to the worst of conditions, like bad lighting, meeting accessibility standards , projection system variations, and inexperienced users.

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How to make perfect presentations every time

Your unique industry requires a presentation ecosystem. This usually includes:

  • Audience needs
  • Calls to action

Presentation templates system example

We are the experts in presentation structure and have a highly-rated workshop designed to help you become a persuasive communicator . At the conclusion of the workshop, you’ll know how to check that all your presentations have the ingredients needed to be successful. If you want to train a marketing or graphic design team on our presentation expertise, we recommend a learning journey that includes:

  • Slide:ology ®

But what if you don’t have time to train yourself or your team to be presentation masters? Well, we have an Agency team for that. Whether you need a quick audit of your template , or a full presentation system complete with icon libraries, image libraries, chart examples, and built-in user instruction, Duarte can help.

Talk to a Solution Architect today to discover what hundreds of clients have already: Our presentations are world-class, and we’ve tested them across every type of delivery channel you can think of. Try the Duarte white-glove experience for yourself.

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It has been proven that giving written information to people is the best way of making sure that they remember it. doctors, businesspeople and scientists use brochures for it, they are small a4 pieces of paper that fold like a small book. do you want to try this method try these designs for brochures and let the mix of your creativity and your content leave the reader speechless..

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The 5 Best Slideshow Template Resources I Trust for My Presentations

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Key Takeaways

  • Canva offers user-friendly templates, drag-and-drop functionality, and real-time collaboration.
  • SlidesCarnival has free templates, no need to sign in, and unlimited downloads.
  • Visme provides interactive elements and multiple download formats in one central location.

With so many slideshow templates available, finding the best of the best can be a challenge. I usually rely on Slidesgo, but I’ve found some great alternatives after plenty of exploration. I’ve trusted these resources to create many presentations that elevate my slides to the next level.

Canva Site Homepage

Canva is an online design tool that I use to create content . This includes presentations, social media graphics, and more. Canva offers different plans, including Canva Free, Canva Pro, Canva Teams, and Canva Enterprise. There are more options tailored for K-12 and higher education.

Key Features of Canva’s Presentation Templates

These four key features have simplified the slideshow template process for me.

  • Canva’s drag-and-drop feature simplifies the template customization process. This feature makes it easy to add and arrange elements (e.g. text and images) and streamline the creation process more efficiently.
  • The real-time collaboration feature has been invaluable for group projects. This allowed me to easily share templates as editable files or finished designs. You can use this too, to make the collaboration and content process much smoother.
  • The Resize and Magic Switch feature has been a great help. This feature helped me resize my creation for different social media platforms. This feature is available on Canva Pro, Canva Teams, Canva for Education, and Canva for Nonprofits.
  • The Canva Design School resource page has been helpful in the creation process. It offers guidance on the tools and features available. It also allowed me to maximize the tool’s potential during editing. This helped to create polished and impactful designs.

Slideegg Site Homepage

SlideEgg is another top template resource that I trust for my presentation needs. It offers a vast collection of customizable templates to boost productivity and creativity. SlideEgg offers a free version. More pricing plans include the Unlimited Quarter, Unlimited Year, Annual Pass, and Lifetime.

Key Features on SlideEgg

These four key features on SlideEgg explain why this is a great template resource.

  • SlideEgg offers regular updates. I love how it consistently keeps up with the latest trends and interests.
  • I also love how SlideEgg’s high-quality graphics make presentations look professional and polished. This attention to detail significantly enhances the impact and appeal of each presentation.
  • The Redesign Your Slides option takes four simple steps to quickly revamp presentations. With the help of SlideEgg experts, you can elevate your slides in a short time frame. If you prefer, you can also use the live chat in the bottom right corner for fast and reliable help.
  • I found the SlideEgg site very easy to navigate for the free and paid versions. Each template comes with detailed descriptions of its theme and features. This helps to select a template based on its format options and the platform it is compatible with.

3 SlidesCarnival

SlidesCarnival Template Resource Homepage

SlidesCarnival is a great tool for crafting projects. Most templates are compatible with PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Canva. SlidesCarnival aims to elevate presentations for business meetings, marketing efforts, and creative projects.

Key Features of SlidesCarnival

Here are the three top features of SlidesCarnival while creating projects:

  • SlidesCarnival is straightforward to use, with no paid plans or subscriptions. Just remember to keep the end credit slide for SlidesCarnival in your presentation.
  • I was able to explore the site and download templates without creating a new account. This made it incredibly convenient to access the template I needed.
  • I downloaded as many templates as I needed. There is no limit on the number of downloads for SlidesCarnival. This is particularly useful for the times you need to create several presentations.

Visme Template Resource Homepage

Visme’s robust template collection is designed to help create visually engaging presentations. It quickly became a go-to resource for me. This option is great for built-in multimedia content, as well as seamless integration of images, videos, and charts.

Key Features of Visme

  • Visme’s interactive features are worth exploring. You can try clickable pop-ups, embedded polls, and more. These elements boost engagement by adding interactive content that captures your audience's interest.
  • With Visme, I could download my projects in various formats . For example, HTML5 was useful for downloading presentations with embedded audio and animations.
  • Implementing interactive features was simple. Especially since I could create any infographics, surveys, and social media graphics, all in one central location.

5 SlidesMania

SlidesMania Template Resource Homepage

SlidesMania offers a wide selection of slideshow templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides. With their slides, you can add flair to your professional or personal presentations.

Key Features of SlidesMania

  • All the templates are completely free on this site and I didn't have to create an account or register, which makes it an accessible resource.
  • SlidesMania offers a variety of stylish templates. Their creative templates will help give your presentations a fresh and creative look.
  • SlidesMania offers a Tips and Tricks for Google Slides feature. This was especially helpful when I was working with Google Slides . There are many guides, including how to add image placeholders or lock content to prevent accidental changes.

Each of these five slideshow template resources can add value to your presentations. I usually rely on Slidesgo . But these alternatives offer distinct features that are worth exploring to take your projects to new heights.

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  1. How to create effective presentation handouts

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    An Intuitive Presentation Handout Template. Creating the best presentation handout template is an ingenious way of being impactful to your audience. Your presentation handout material eliminates the need to write down questions and take notes regardless of whether it is a PPT or an oral presentation. Essentially, our presentation handouts will ...

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    Follow these steps to create handouts in PowerPoint. Open your presentation in PowerPoint. Go to the View tab and find Handout Master. Accessing Handout Master in PowerPoint. You can customize the appearance of your handout by adding a header, date, logo, contact details, etc. This works exactly the same as Slide Master in PowerPoint, so all ...

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    If you would prefer to edit your handouts in Word, you must go to "File", select "Export" and then "Create Handouts". A dialogue box will appear where you can select the desired page layout, then click on "Ok". A new Word file opens automatically, which you can edit and format as you like. When exporting a PowerPoint presentation to Word, a lot ...

  7. Create or change a presentation's handout

    You can use the Handout Master tab to edit the appearance of presentation handouts, including the layout, headers and footers, and background. Changes made to the handout master appear on all pages of the printed handout. To see the handout options, click the View tab, and then click Handout Master in the Master Views group.. This opens the Handout Master view.

  8. Handout Essentials: A Guide To Creating Memorable Presentation Handouts

    Here are strategies to make handouts more memorable: 1. Visual Design: Consistent Theme: A cohesive theme reinforces the brand and aids in recognition. Ensure that fonts, colors, and imagery align with the overall aesthetic of the presentation, creating a seamless visual experience for the audience.

  9. Presentation Handout Template

    Presentation Handout Template. Use this Template. or. Preview Slides. Creating a compelling presentation handout is crucial to making an impact on your audience. Not only do handouts serve as a helpful tool for audience members to take notes or ask questions during a presentation, but they can also provide a useful reference for attendees to ...

  10. How to Create Handouts in PowerPoint (Printable & Editable)

    How to Create Printable PowerPoint Handouts. Select the File tab in the ribbon. Figure 1. File tab. Select Print in the Backstage view. Figure 2. Print option. (Optional) If you don't want include all your slides, enter specific slide numbers separated by commas or a number range (e.g., 3,5,7,9-14) into the Slides text box. Figure 3.

  11. How to make presentation handouts

    Recording voiceover for a narrated presentation. Preparing for a presentation voiceover. Export the video. To save your video go to File > Export > Create a Video. Make sure Use timings and narrations is selected on the drop-down menu. Host the video online. Finally, make your video accessible to your audience.

  12. How to create effective presentation handouts for class lectures

    In this post, presentation trainer, Dr. Echo Rivera shares how to create effective presentation handouts for class lectures, conferences, and training workshops! ... Why the default PowerPoint handout template is so terrible. Three alternatives to this presentation handout design.

  13. Make Your Presentation Handouts Look Professional w/o a Graphic Designer

    Step #1: Use a Canva Template to Create a Great Presentation Handout. Canva ( https://www.canva.com) is one of those online resources where the more that you use it, the more that you can't do without it. It is graphic design software, similar to Photoshop, but made for the amateur designer. The software is so easy to use, that you can be ...

  14. How to Create and Print PowerPoint Presentation Handout Notes

    Here, select which layout you want to use for your handout notes. You can also configure a slew of other printing options. As you can see from the screenshot below, you can choose the number of copies you want to make and set your paper size. The most important setting here is under PowerPoint > Layout.

  15. Free pamphlet templates

    Customizable pamphlet design templates. Make a lasting impression with an easy-to-read pamphlet. From professional presentation handouts and enumerating your products to start-to-finish event details and playbills, customizable pamphlet templates can flex to fit your next project. Bifold or trifold, find the perfect pamphlet template to start ...

  16. Quick & Easy PowerPoint Handouts

    Step 2 - Click Show Details. What makes creating a presentation handouts tricky for most people, is remembering to click the "Show Details" button. Click the Show Details button in. order to unlock a bunch of cool new options you can use, including creating handouts. When you don't click this button it can seem as though the handout ...

  17. How to Create a Powerpoint Handout (with Pictures)

    Choose how many slides to display on each handout. To do this, click the Slides Per Page menu in the upper-left area of the toolbar and select anywhere from 1 to 9 slides. The more slides you include on a page, the smaller the text will be on each slide. 5. Click Handout Orientation to choose an orientation.

  18. Free Handout Templates

    Choose a handout template for free on this page! We offer editable and printable options so you can build an effective promotional campaign for any business. Smoothly advertise your services online and offline with ready-made handout templates featuring professional designs. Format. Popularity. Date Added.

  19. Creating a Handout to Support and Enhance Your Presentation!

    This makes it simple to print out or offer to your audience as a file. To do this, click on "File" in the upper task bar and then on "Export". 2. Select Create handout. 3. In the context menu that opens, you can decide whether your handout should have a margin for adding notes, for example, or other useful options.

  20. Free Online Handout Templates

    Get Started for FREE. Open PosterMyWall on your desktop, mobile or tablet to get started for free. 2. Choose a design template. Choose your favorite template from thousands of free customizable handout templates . PosterMyWall has professionally designed templates for every occasion, business or event. 3. Personalize your template with easy tools.

  21. Free Google Slides themes and Powerpoint templates

    Download the Branded Content Minitheme presentation for PowerPoint or Google Slides and start impressing your audience with a creative and original design. Slidesgo templates like this one here offer the possibility to convey a concept, idea or topic in a clear, concise and visual way, by using different graphic resources.... Multi-purpose.

  22. 6 signs your organization needs a better presentation template

    What is a presentation template? A presentation template is a set of pre-designed slides already made with a branded, professional look that can be lightly customized for a specific purpose. They typically are made for the purpose of scaling efforts, and in a corporate setting, are used for sales enablement, sales pitches, corporate internal decks, branding and marketing decks, and more.

  23. Free brochure templates for Google Slides and PowerPoint

    Beige Brochure. Download the "Beige Brochure" presentation for PowerPoint or Google Slides and take your marketing projects to the next level. This template is the perfect ally for your advertising strategies, launch campaigns or report presentations. Customize your content with ease, highlight your ideas and captivate your audience with a ...

  24. The 5 Best Slideshow Template Resources I Trust for My Presentations

    Key Features of Canva's Presentation Templates These four key features have simplified the slideshow template process for me. Canva's drag-and-drop feature simplifies the template customization process. This feature makes it easy to add and arrange elements (e.g. text and images) and streamline the creation process more efficiently.