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How to Make a Presentation: A Guide for Memorable Presentations

A presentation goes beyond the idea of crafting a catchy document to present in front of an audience. It is an art in which a person relies on communication skills to introduce a topic relevant to a group of people, regardless of its size. Different elements participate in this communication process, such as body language, presentation skills, visual tools, etc. and are key in delivering an effective presentation.

In this article, we shall present a detailed guide on how to make a presentation, intended both for newcomers in this subject but also for professional presenters who seek to improve the performance of their presentations. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

What is a presentation?

What is a powerpoint presentation.

• The Importance of a good PowerPoint presentation
• Choosing a topic

Consider the audience & presentation goals

Gather data, references, and source.

• Define the storyline
• Define the outline  

Using one idea per slide

Choose the presentation format, colors & styles, determine the use of metaphors and visual slides, proofreading and polishing process, prepare your speech, rehearse, rehearse and rehearse.

• How to give a memorable presentation

Start strong

Hook your audience, close your presentation.

• Selecting a PowerPoint template
• Add or delete slides in PowerPoint
• Adding images to slide templates
• Adding notes to your slides
• Adding animations to your slides
• Adding transitions to your slides
• Adding audio narration to your slides
• Ideal typeface and size

Color scheme

Printing your powerpoint presentation, powerpoint presentations tips, closing thoughts.

What is a presentation, and what is a PowerPoint presentation?

It is essential to highlight the difference between Presentation and PowerPoint Presentation, often interchangeable terms. One thing is a presentation, an audiovisual form of communication to present information. A PowerPoint presentation is a subset of a presentation. Since PowerPoint remains the leading tool in the market for creating presentations, the term was coined by both spectators and presenters. Let’s begin by checking the main differences between the two terms.

A presentation is any situation in which a person or group has to transmit a message in front of an audience. The format by which the audience attends can answer the following categories:

• Live crowd: A presentation in which the average number of spectators exceeds 100 people. 
• Massive event: Similar to the format above, but we speak about thousands of spectators. This format has specific requirements regarding scenario setup and logistics, and the usual presenters are influencers in worldwide conferences or corporate events (like All-Hands meetings).
• Private event : A selected number of attendants can listen to the presenter. Coaching sessions are the leading kind of private event for presenters, but multiple other categories can fit into this format.
• Online event: Following the trends of remote working and what the pandemic has left us in terms of digital immersion, multiple events shifted their large attendance numbers in favor of online settings. This has the advantage of a narrowed setting, as the area in which the presenter has to stand is considerably reduced – with simpler A/V inputs. Attendees are given a link to the event and watch from their computers or mobile devices.
• Offline event: This medium is what we consume via YouTube videos. Behind each and every YouTube video is countless hours of content development, editing, rehearsing a presentation, and so forth. We call it offline because attendees can browse the content at any time, replaying as desired, unlike Online Events in which the attendees must be logged in to a specific platform. No interaction with the presenter.
• Hybrid event: This is a format coined by large tech companies, the automobile industry, and even fashion brands. The idea is to create an event where a selected number of attendees are allowed to participate (using the Private Event model). Still, at the same time, the event is streamed for users worldwide (Online Event) and/or available on the official social media networks of the brand (Offline Event).

Each one of these formats exposed above has specific requirements in terms of interaction with the audience. For example, in-company presentations will differ from common presentations that seek to capture the interest of new consumers. It is vital to establish the presentation’s intent from the very first moment and then narrow it down according to the topic to present, as well as the knowledge level of your target audience.

A presentation does not necessarily requires to create a slide deck . It is a tool presenters use to make the content more interesting for the audience and also memorable. However, it is well-known that influencer speakers such as Tony Robbins or Warren Buffet ignore PPT documents altogether, preferring to articulate their narrative on the go.

A PowerPoint presentation is a specific type of presentation, which involves the usage of a slide deck crafted with Microsoft PowerPoint. This kind of tool allows presenters to communicate a message through a vast range of mediums, such as images, graphs & charts, audio, and video for a better impact.

Creating a PowerPoint presentation is an easy process, and there are two routes for it: working from a blank slide or using PowerPoint templates .

Some of the advantages of building a PowerPoint presentation:

• Better information retention by the audience, thanks to visual cues.
• Improves the audience’s focus.
• Easy to create powerful graphics.
• Templates are editable, meaning you can repurpose the original designs to meet your standards.
• Saves time to create presentations thanks to its user-friendly UI.
• Encourages teaching and learning processes.

The Importance of a Good PowerPoint presentation

There are some elements that presenters must take into account when making a PowerPoint presentation . It’s not just drag-and-drop, then magic happens. Creating a PowerPoint presentation involves a process of generating the graphic content to display and the narrative around it. The purpose of PowerPoint is to serve as a tool to enhance communication, not to make it overly complex.

We emphasize the relevance of working the speech and graphic content together since the speech itself gives the timeframes for each slide, what elements it contains, or whether it is relevant to use a slide or not to speak about a topic. 

Some points to highlight when preparing a presentation:

• Presenters often use the element of surprise. This means a presentation can start without a slide, use a video, or involve a discussion between two parties, then jump to the slide deck presentation. More on this topic later on.
• A good PowerPoint presentation can be your introduction card in multiple professional settings. The effort you put in terms of design and content shall pay back over time in contacts or business deals.
• Having a spare copy of your presentation, preferably in Google Slides presentation format, is a safe-proof technique in case the PPT file gets corrupted. The aesthetic remains the same and can be browsed by any computer with internet access.

How to Make a Presentation (5 Essential Points)

1. planning your presentation.

The first step in making a presentation is to plan the content according to our personal/business goals and the audience’s interest. Let’s break down each part in more detail.

Choosing the topic of your presentation

There are two situations for this. The first one is that you are open to presenting any topic of your preference. This usually happens in business presentations, inspirational presentations, product releases, etc. The second scenario is restricted, by which you have to pick a topic among a selected number of references. That’s the typical situation in which presenters see themselves when taking part in significant events – as not all topics are suitable for the main content of the event, and this is where creativity comes to play.

How to choose a topic, you may ask. Brainstorming is a good technique as long as you remain within the boundaries of this formula:

What you know and feel confident about + What is relevant to the current moment + What can resonate with your audience = Quality Content.

Again, if you experience restrictions due to the nature of an event, but your objective is to share specific information about your business, here are some tactics that can come to play:

• Do keyword research about the topics your business is involved. See the common patterns in your activity compared with the keywords. Then research the 15 articles on the 5 biggest volume keywords. Narrowing the possibilities in your business is a different take.
• Research whether there’s room for sponsored advertisement. That’s an alternative when directly speaking about your business is a no-no in a presentation.
• Turn your presentation into an inspirational story. That works in most events and brings the audience’s interest.

Another vital point to consider is how passionate you can be about the topic of your choice. Nothing speaks more about professionalism than a presenter being deeply involved with the topic in discussion. It sparks curiosity and gives validation as a reliable authority on the content. On the other hand, when a presenter delivers a talk about a topic they don’t connect with, body language usually betrays the presenter. Spectators feel that the speaker wished to be elsewhere, hence dooming the presentation’s performance (and badly impacting the presenter’s reputation).

Consider the purpose of the content to present. Is it going to be informative? Educational? Inspirational? That shall set the tone of your speech later on.

Like with any project, you can estimate the ROI of your presentation with two verifiable metrics: the behavior of the audience and how many contacts did you build after delivering an effective presentation .

Making a presentation has the implicit purpose of helping you construct your network of professional contacts. Even when the presentation has no explicit financial purpose – as in the case of non-profitable organizations, there is still the acknowledgment component. People want to feel validated for the work they do. People want to build long-lasting contacts that can later on turn to be part of a new project.

Considering the audience is imperative, and often one of the pitfalls many presenters fall prey to. You must be aware of the following:

• The knowledgeability of your audience about the topic to discuss. This filters the option of using technical jargon during a presentation.
• The age range and demographics of your audience. It is not the same to discuss a methodology to reduce financial risk to a group of corporate workers in their 40s than to a group of students in their early 20s. The language is different, the intention behind the message is different, and so is the information retention span.

On regards to presentation goals, they can be classified as professional goals (those who seek conversions or valuable business contacts), influential (to establish a brand in the market), educational (to inform a group of people about a topic you researched), etc. Depending on the presentation goals, you can then structure the content to list and the tone in which you speak to your audience.

2. Preparing content for your presentation

No presentation can be made without reference material. Even when you believe you are the most prominent authority about a topic – you have to prove it with valuable, referenceable material. For some niches, this is critical, such as scientific poster presentations, educational presentations, and other areas in which copyright might be an issue.

References for the material you used can be listed in different formats:

• If you are citing a book/article, you can do a bibliography slide, or screenshot the excerpt you want to cite, then include a proper source format below the image.
• You have to credit the author for images/videos that are subject to intellectual property rights. Depending on the context where the image is presented, you may even have to inquire the author about using the image. If the photo in question is yours, no citation is required. Learn more about how to cite pictures in PowerPoint .
• Graphs and charts should include a reference to what they mean, explaining in a short sentence their context. Cite the source if the graph is extracted from a book or article.

As a tip, prepare a document in which you jot down the references used to create the presentation. They can serve whenever a question is asked about your presentation and you must research extra material. 

Define the presentation storyline

We interpret the storyline as what is the connecting thread of your presentation. What do you wish to discuss? What motivated you to present this topic in this particular setting and in front of an audience? What can your message deliver in terms of new information and quality to your spectators?

All those questions are worth asking since they shape the narrative you build around your presentation. The storyline is the step before building an actual outline of your presentation.

Define the presentation outline

Now that you have a clear idea of your reference material and the story to tell behind your presentation , it is time to list down your presentation structure in a Table of Contents format. Keep in mind this is for internal reference, as the outline is a tool for writing the speech and creating the slides. You don’t have to list the outline in a presentation; if you desire, you can do a simplistic version with an agenda slide.

Be specific. Don’t let any topic be broad enough to lead to confusion. Sometimes, it is best to list many elements in a presentation outline, then trim them down in a second iteration.

This is perhaps the biggest mistake presenters make in the professional context when creating a new presentation. Slides are free; you don’t have to jam everything in, wishing people get an instant idea about EVERYTHING you will discuss in one slide. Not only does it become overwhelming for the audience, but it is also a faux pas in terms of design: when you use too many elements, the hierarchy does not seem clear enough.

Opt for the “one-idea-per-slide” technique, which, as the term refers, implies using one slide per concept to introduce. Work with as many slides as required, but just one main idea by slide. Your presentation becomes clearer, easy to digest for a non-knowledgeable audience, and also serves as reference material on how to pace your presentation.

3. Designing your presentation

The following section contains guidelines about the different aspects that shape a presentation structure . If you are looking for an all-in-one solution that implements these teachings into presentation design, try SlideModel’s AI Presentation Maker . A time-saver AI-generation tool for presenters powered by Artificial Intelligence.

Event organizers have a saying in the presentation format, which can be online or a live event. Depending on which, users have to structure the elements of their presentation to match the final output. An example of this: it’s not the same to create a PPT slide deck for an event in which you stand on a stage, in front of a live audience, than when you present via Zoom call, using your computer screen to cast the presentation. 

The format is different because text usage and images are perceived differently. For starters, an online presentation is most likely to draw users to read the entire content of your slides than a live presentation. The audience may not get your body language in an online presentation, merely watching slide after slide with the presenter’s voiceover. In some conditions, it can be incredibly dull and hard to follow. 

Do your research with the event organizers about which format shall be used. When it comes to in-company presentations or educational presentations, the format is usually live, as the audience is selected and part of the same organization (that being a company or a school/university). If a webinar is required for an in-company format, ask the organizers about the length of the presentation, if it is possible to interact with the audience, deliverable requirements, etc.

The aspect ratio for a presentation format usually follows the 16:9 format or 4:3 format. Presentations built in 16:9 aspect ratio are the standard , rectangular format PPT templates, which also serve to be printed without many distortions in regular A4 files. As we work with a rectangular format, there are two axes – horizontal and vertical, in which presenters can arrange the content according to its importance (building a hierarchy). Working with a 4:3 format is more challenging as it resembles a square. Remember, in a square there are no visible tensions, so all areas have the same importance. 

As a recommendation, the 4:3 aspect ratio is a safe bet for all projectors & beamers. When working with a 16:9 slide and the projector is 4:3, the content gets squeezed to fit the required ratio, and for that very reason, it is advised to increase the font size if you use a 16:9 slide on a 4:3 projector. Be mindful about logos or photographs getting distorted when this conversion happens.

The 16:9 ratio looks more visually appealing these days as we get used to TVs and mobile devices for browsing content. New projectors are usually intended for 16:9 format, so you won’t experience any inconvenience in this regard.

No, not every color works harmonically with other colors. Colors have a psychology behind their usage and impact, and to not make this guide extensive, we highly recommend you visit our article on color theory for presentations . You can find suggestions about which colors you should use for different kinds of messages to deliver and what each color represents in terms of color psychology.

The color you use in your presentations must be in accordance with your branding. For example: you should definitely not build a presentation with a bright, bold magenta neon tone when your logo contains green neon-like hues. If you work with a PPT presentation template that doesn’t match the color of your branding, we recommend you check our guide on how to change color themes in PowerPoint .

Regarding typefaces, do never use more than 3 different typefaces per design. It is best to stick to 1 or 2 typefaces, using the variations each font offers in terms of weight.

An example of this:

You create the heading title (H1 size) with Open Sans bold. Subtitles should be done in H2 size using Open Sans regular. Body text in paragraph size, using either Open Sans Regular or Light. Words to emphasize shall be bolded for important terms and italics for foreign terms to be explained.

Use a cohesive color scheme that fits the background, graphics (such as charts and bar graphs), text, and even images. It helps the audience to understand concepts more naturally and gives a pleasant experience to the sight.

Just as badly a slide deck filled with text is felt by the audience, the exact impact can be attributed to a slide deck that only contains images. The audience may feel disconnected, not understanding the purpose of the presentation. A second side-effect is when the spectators wish to browse the slides to study, as in the context of an educational presentation. If the presenter does not include any text guidance, the slide deck is a mere collection of images without any reference that helps remember the presentation.

Work in balance, like a 3:1 ratio between graphic elements and text. For every 3 graphic elements, a text box must be included.

Using metaphors in presentations is a great idea to introduce complex topics or to tell a story. Say, you want to make the audience aware of your company’s challenges to reach its current standing in the industry. Using a roadmap template that depicts a mountain is an excellent idea as it reinforces the ideas of “challenge” and “teamwork.” 

4. Final touches and polishing your presentation

Before giving any presentation, you should dedicate at least one day to this polishing process. Let’s break down the process for easier understanding.

• Do a first iteration of your slides. The objective here is to grasp how everything looks in terms of design. Check the alignment of images and text, any color inconsistencies, typos, etc.
• Rehearse your presentation one time, tracking how much time it takes to perform the presentation.
• If any information is missing that’s worth adding to the slides, proceed to add it. If there are elements that can be reduced, trim them.
• For time-restricted presentations, get a clear idea about how much time it takes to complete your presentation, plus 5 extra minutes for a Q&A session.
• The second iteration should check the tone of your writing, and double-proof any spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. 

After two complete iterations, your presentation is ready to go to the next stage.

Even though we believe the speech is partially built as you prepare your presentation slides, you should dedicate an extra section of time to prepare your speech correctly. This process involves the following steps:

• Identifying the purpose of your presentation. The core element of why you are speaking to this audience.
• Get to know your audience, their interests, their challenges, and what can they possibly wish to overcome.
• Adding value. This is vital – your presentation has to leave a lasting message to your audience on what they are interested.
• A strong start and a strong finish. Don’t neglect any of these elements.

Writing down your speech in notes is a must. It is the tool you can use to rehearse your presentation, and -in case you feel anxious- you can include some speaker notes in your presentation (which won’t be visible to your audience) to help you structure the speech.

Practice makes perfect. Rehearsing does not imply memorizing the entire presentation, as that would make your speech robotic, and prone to errors. How? Imagine a person asking you a question in the middle of your presentation, a question you didn’t expect. A prepared presenter can easily manage the situation because of the background built around the topic. A presenter that memorized a speech and robotically repeated its content can feel unease, losing focus for the remainder of the presentation.

Some valuable tips on the rehearsing process:

• Record your rehearsing sessions. You can use tools like Presenter View in PowerPoint to track your time. 
• Make it a memorable event. Creating an engaging presentation requires creativity, so consider brainstorming for new takes on adding exciting elements to your presentation for attention retention.
• An exercise recommended by Tim Ferris is to mimic the conditions as closely as possible. This helps to reduce presentation anxiety, and also to get used to cameras and spotlights or evaluate your body language.
• If possible, ask a friend for feedback on your presentation performance. This is particularly helpful for new presenters to get used to interacting with the audience.

5. Presenting (your presentation)

Now it’s time to talk about the presentation and your performance when delivering it in front of an audience. Giving a presentation has many aspects to discuss, from start to end, the techniques to keep your audience interested in the topic, and also recommendations to make a memorable event. Let’s get started.

How to give a Memorable Presentation – Delivering an Impactful Presentation

There are multiple methods to approach a presentation and deliver an impactful presentation. Let’s be honest, not everyone feels comfortable when standing in front of an audience. For that reason, we want to lay out some fresh ideas to help you bring your best to your spectators.

The first element you ought to be aware of is body language . It has to feel natural, not overly acted but also not stiff. Think of a presentation as a similar scenario in which you have a deep conversation with a group of people about a topic you are passionate about. That mindset helps to ease anxiety out of the equation. Avoid crossing arms or constantly pacing across the stage – that only shows impatience and lack of interest.

Keep the concepts simple. Don’t overload your presentation with unnecessary jargon; if you feel something cannot be easily explained, go break down concept by concept until the whole idea is understandable. Graphics are a fantastic asset to help you in this process and boost your performance as a presenter. 

Be mindful of not doing any of these common pitfalls:

• Including large chunks of text on a single slide.
• Using intense background colors that make it difficult to understand the contents of the slide.
• Don’t read every single element in your slides – this is perceived as boring by your audience.

One particularly interesting approach is by Guy Kawasaki, author of the book “The Art of the Start.” He considers the best presentations to be handled using 10 slides, lasting no longer than 20 minutes, and using a 30pt font size. That’s known as the 10-20-30 rule in presentations . It helps you to condense the content for the sake of information clarity.

In case you don’t use a PowerPoint presentation, there are multiple ways to make a presentation memorable:

• Tell a story, but connect with your audience in terms of body language. Play with the elements on the stage (much like TED presenters do), and let the audience feel the experience of your story by being as detailed as possible within the time frame.
• Using a video is an incredibly engaging tool, as it lets you introduce a topic you will discuss in more detail later.
• Use a visual impact in the form of an image with a dramatic element (i.e., climate change consequences, technological advancements, children engaging with technology or studying, etc.). This allows to hook the audience into what’s due to come next.

Knowing how to start a presentation is a critical skill all presenters ought to master. There are several approaches for this behalf, but for the sake of this guide, let’s stick to the following ones.

Using the Link-Back formula

This consists of throwing a story in front of your audience that explains who you are, what your background is, and why your speech should make a difference in the life of the spectators.

The Link-Back formula is beneficial for creating an emotional connection with the audience.

Using a Hook

Asking a rhetorical question, using a powerful fact, or other well-known hook techniques is a plus when starting a presentation. We shall talk about hook techniques for presenters in the next section.

Using a captivating visual

Much like the power of storytelling , visuals impact the audience’s psyche, especially if the presentation is about a trendy topic. Create a quality graphic with any of our designs at SlideModel, a graphic designer’s help, an AI Image Generator, or work with a video.

A hook is a tactic used by presenters as an opening statement but can be used in different areas of the presentation if it has an ample length. Much like the metaphor suggests, they serve to attract the audience to what you are communicating.

Research on attention span during lectures suggests a gradual decline in the audience’s interest in the presentation. That’s exponentially increased if you miss the chance to give a powerful first impression. Check this list of hook techniques to enhance the performance of your presentation skills:

• Asking rhetorical questions – better if a series of them on the topic to discuss.
• Using catchy phrases.
• Using a contrarian position, explain why such thinking harms the topic you wish to introduce.
• Historical event referencing.
• Making a powerful statement, best if data related. (i.e., “Every year, 8 million tons of plastic gets into the ocean, which equals to a truckload being dumped every minute” )
• Using the word “imagine”. It’s one of the powerful words in you can use in presentations .
• Add the comedy element – NB: be careful not to overdo it.
• Apply a “what if” scenario – this hook is similar to the “imagine” but with more data added.
• Tell a story.
• Spark curiosity.
• Smartly use quotations. Do not stick to text-book quotations but give your insight on why the quote is relevant for your speech.

Photo 9: Slide using a hook

Most people assume that ending a presentation equals doing a recap. It is a bad idea since your audience feels as if you haven’t planned a conclusion for your presentation. 

Another bad practice is to end with a Q&A format. Although questions and answers are often a required part of any presentation, they shouldn’t be the end of your presentation. You can include questions during your presentation or opt for a proper closure of the presentation past the Q&A session.

There are some powerful strategies to give a memorable ending to a presentation:

• Include a CTA on the lines like “Join our journey!” or similar that make the audience part of a bigger story.
• Close using a relevant quote. The idea is to deliver something that can linger, so the audience remembers your content.
• Use a story to close your presentation, as long as you avoid using a case study. The idea is to close with a meaningful thought, not with boredom.

We recommend you check our article on how to end a presentation for more ideas before reaching this stage of your presentation.

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation (Quick Steps)

In this section, we will see how to use PowerPoint to make a presentation . Starting from creating a blank presentation or choosing a pre-defined PowerPoint template to preparing the presentation structure by adding PowerPoint slides and then working on the design of the presentation, we will explain how to make a visually-appealing and eye-catching PowerPoint presentation and how to create a slideshow in PowerPoint.

1. Selecting a PowerPoint template

When making a PowerPoint presentation, Professional PowerPoint Templates bring the advantage of not needing to think about complex graphic design decisions. However, there are certain aspects worth considering prior to picking the perfect PowerPoint template.

• Color aesthetic : If your presentation has to be done quickly, stick to PowerPoint templates that resemble your company’s branding palette. Although color can be changed, it is best not to lose time with extra adjustments.
• Opt for minimalistic designs : It is one of the most suitable ways to remain elegant in the professional world. You won’t be signaled for using a template that speaks seriousness on its design – and take for granted everyone shall badly remember the presentation that overdid color or graphics (or even worse, typeface effects).
• Avoid using heavy transition effects : Not all computers are as powerful as the ones you own. The simpler you make your presentation, the best it shall play on any PC.

As in life, there are advantages and disadvantages of using Premium or Free PowerPoint Templates vs. starting from a blank slate.

Advantages of PowerPoint templates when making a presentation

• Speed up the presentation design process.
• Reusable designs, ready for any situation.
• Helps to present data in an understandable format.
• Complex design decisions are made for users.
• Color pairing and font pairing are done for users.
• Helps to reduce the usage of text in slides.

Disadvantages of PowerPoint templates

• We are not learning to use advanced PowerPoint tools, as designs come pre-made for users.
• It can hinder creativity.
• Not every presentation template for PowerPoint is suitable for any topic.
• A professional team of PowerPoint template designers must be behind those templates to ensure quality.

2. Add or delete slides in PowerPoint

When we create PowerPoint Design ideas , not every slide makes the cut for the final presentation. Users then feel overwhelmed about those slides: will they be visible in the final presentation? Should you make a new PPT file without those extra templates? How to clone the “good” slides into a new file?

Instead of worrying about that process, we have here a guide on how to add, delete and rearrange slides in PowerPoint that explains, step by step, how to get rid of the unwanted slides or add more content to your presentation.

3. Adding images to slide templates

Some presentation templates and slide decks include entirely editable placeholder areas, and those boxes do not imply text only – they can include images, graphs, videos, etc. Say you want to add more images to your slides – it is as easy as replicating one of those placeholder areas with CTRL+C / CTRL+V (CMD for Mac users) or going to Insert on the Ribbon’s menu, then Picture . 

If you plan to move elements in your slide design, we recommend you get familiarized with how to lock an image in PowerPoint , so the images that shouldn’t be altered remain in position. This technique is ideal when your images are surrounded by plenty of editable graphics.

4. Adding notes to your slides

Presenters often struggle to remember key pieces of information due to performance anxiety or because they were moved from focus by an unexpected question. Using speaker notes in PowerPoint is the answer to prevent becoming stuck, since those notes won’t be available to the viewers – they remain visible only on the computer where the presentation is being streamed.

Keep in mind this technique works when the presenter is sitting next to the computer. If you have to stand in front of a crowd, opt to use different memory-recalling techniques when you feel out of focus.

5. Adding animations to your slides

Another technique presenters use adding animated objects or effects. This is as easy as following these steps:

• Select the object/text you desire to animate.
• Go to Animations in the Ribbon and select Add Animation .
• You can stack animations on a simple object to make unique effects.

Using animated presentation templates is an alternative when you don’t feel confident about adding animations. 

6. Adding transitions to your slides

Transitions are animated effects that happen when you change between slides during a presentation. Some people love them, while others prefer to stay away from them. 

If you want to add transitions to your slides, follow these steps:

• Select the slide you want to add the transition effect.
• Go to Transitions in the Ribbon, and choose a transition.
• If the transition allows the Effect Options menu, you can alter that transition’s direction and behavior.
• Click on Preview to visualize the effect.
• To remove a transition, select Transitions > None .

7. Adding audio narration to your slides

Sometimes, presenters opt to add audio narrations to the slides. The advantage of using this medium is to increase accessibility for visually impaired users. We created a guide on how to add audio narrations in PowerPoint that explains the procedure in detail.

Considerations for your PowerPoint presentation

Ideal typeface and font size.

There are multiple opinions on which typeface is ideal for presentations. Experience tells us the ideal typeface to work with is one that is system-available, meaning you don’t have to install a new font in the computer used to present. Why? You may ask. Simple: If the font used is not available on a computer, PowerPoint will automatically render a different font (sometimes even a different typeface) to replace and display the text appropriately. That action, which is replicated by other software such as Google Slides, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Apple Keynote, etc., can drastically change your design. 

Font size for titles should be between 36-44 pt. Paragraph font size between 24-28 pt. Use bold to emphasize concepts, and italics to insert foreign terms or quotations. Alternatively, you can make quotations to be displayed on a single slide, using 36 pt size, in italics.

Remember, these recommendations about size are intended for presentations in a live format. If the presentation is streamed through Zoom, using screen sharing, reduce the font size by 10-15% to avoid incredibly large texts. Test your presentation beforehand to be on the safe side.

The color scheme used is a primary part of your presentation design. When defining the presentation color palette , we recommend working within the colors that make part of your branding scheme. 

If we speak about a personal presentation or a presentation with no logo, then opt for pastel tones that don’t create harsh contrast between text and background.

Above all things, avoid these conflictive color combinations:

• Yellow and green
• Brown and orange
• Red and green
• Neon colors combined
• Purple and yellow
• Red and purple
• Black and navy
• Navy and red (unless you use a muted red tone or control the amount of red used)

Sometimes, printables are a requirement by event organizers, which represents a challenge to many presenters. We want to give a helping hand on this behalf, offering tips that can improve your printing experience:

• Always work within margins when adding content. It helps not to downsize the presentation, which often renders the text illegible. 
• If you have to print a presentation that uses intense background colors, opt for laser printing instead of inkjet. Laser printing won’t make the paper look odd when it is full-color print. The extra price is worth it when presenting a quality product.
• On the same lines about color-heavy presentations, ask for thicker printer paper than the average. This option is often advised when opting for laser printing.
• Run a print proof before ordering a large printing order. Colors can significantly change due to the RGB to CMYK conversion.

In this section, we want to list valuable tips to power up your presentations for their best performance. Some of these tips are tailored to presentation skills, others to design ideas, but ultimately, you can take in mind these tips the next time you need to make a powerful presentation in PowerPoint.

Tip #1. Using Video Presentations

An alternative to conventional presentations is to work with video presentations . These are particularly useful in academic and educational environments since they can convey large chunks of information in a memorable, easy-to-digest format. 

If we consider that social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok are transitioning into professional content for creatives, you should consider using video presentations when the situation arises. As a plus, you can repurpose that presentation on your website or other official social media channels for your company.

Tip #2. Drop Shadows and Text Shadows

When we intend to create interesting contrasts between elements, color isn’t the only option to try. Learn how to work with drop shadows in PowerPoint to make images and objects stand out from the presentation. It is an effect that boosts a tri-dimensional feeling in the presentation.

Using text shadows in PowerPoint – with extreme caution – is an excellent method to highlight titles instead of using fancy colors or other 3D effects. Do not overdo the text shadow, as it makes the text illegible. 

Tip #3. Working on your Presentation Skills

Giving presentations in front of an audience is, as we have seen, a process that involves many factors. One of those is the human element and the speaker’s ability to resonate with the audience. Therefore, we advise presenters to work on their presentation skills early, especially for mastering different kinds of presentation approaches, such as persuasive presentations (used in sales).

Tip #4. Editing Background Graphics in PowerPoint

Sometimes, PPT presentation templates include quality backgrounds that make the design pop from the screen. Yet, some of those backgrounds may not be suitable for all brands in terms of color, textures, etc.

Learn today how to edit background graphics in PowerPoint and create outstanding presentations in just minutes.

Tip #5. Google Slides compatibility

Finally, we want to remind users that almost every PowerPoint template has compatibility with Google Slides – if you intend to upload the presentation into the Cloud. Google Slides is an online tool for creating slideshow presentations, and one of its features is that we can convert PowerPoint presentations into Google Slides format. The converted slides are entirely editable, allowing presenters to count with a backup plan in case the PPT file doesn’t work or the computer to use doesn’t count with PowerPoint.

This is not an exhaustive list of presentation tips, but they offer a starting point for those who want to create attractive and effective PowerPoint presentations. You can also create presentations in other ways, and leveraging AI, for example. Check out the article how to create a PowerPoint presentation with ChatGPT to learn how to use Large Language Models to prepare presentations.

As we have seen, making a presentation is a complex process involving different skills, from knowing how to deliver a speech to having essential graphic design criteria. 

While it is true that PowerPoint presentation templates make the process far more manageable, we shouldn’t entirely rely on them. A PowerPoint presentation isn’t a presentation on its own. It is a medium by which presenters showcase their ideas and structure the speech, but one cannot live without the other.

We hope this guide can give you a better understanding of how to create a successful presentation. See you next time!

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Business Presentations, Presentation, Presentation Approaches Filed under Business , Presentation Ideas

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Simple Steps to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

Last Updated: April 28, 2024 Fact Checked

Creating a New PowerPoint

Creating the title slide, adding a new slide, adding content to slides, adding transitions, testing and saving your presentation.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 4,330,163 times. Learn more...

Do you want to have your data in a slide show? If you have Microsoft 365, you can use PowerPoint! PowerPoint is a program that's part of the Microsoft Office suite (which you have to pay for) and is available for both Windows and Mac computers. This wikiHow teaches you how to create your own Microsoft PowerPoint presentation on a computer.

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

• Open the PowerPoint app, select a template and theme, then like “Create.”
• Click the text box to add your title and subtitle to create your title slide.
• Click the “Insert” tab, then “New Slide” to add another slide.
• Choose the type of slide you want to add, then add text and pictures.
• Rearrange slides by dragging them up or down in the preview box.

Things You Should Know

• Templates make it easy to create vibrant presentations no matter your skill level.
• When adding photos, you can adjust their sizes by clicking and dragging in or out from their corners.
• You can add animated transitions between slides or to individual elements like bullet points and blocks of text.

• If you don't have a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, you can use the website instead of the desktop app. Go to https://powerpoint.office.com/ to use the website version.
• You can also use the mobile app to make presentations, though it's easier to do this on a computer, which has a larger screen, a mouse, and a keyboard.

• If you don't want to use a template, just click the Blank option in the upper-left side of the page and skip to the next part.

• Skip this step if your selected template has no themes available.

• If you're creating a PowerPoint presentation for which an elaborate title slide has been requested, ignore this step.

• You can change the font and size of text used from the Home tab that's in the orange ribbon at the top of the window.

• You can also just leave this box blank if you like.

• You can also click and drag in or out one of a text box's corners to shrink or enlarge the text box.

• On a Mac, you'll click the Home tab instead. [1] X Research source

• Clicking the white slide-shaped box above this option will result in a new text slide being inserted.

• Title Slide
• Title and Content
• Section Header
• Two Content
• Content with Caption
• Picture with Caption

• Naturally, the title slide should be the first slide in your presentation, meaning that it should be the top slide in the left-hand column.

• Skip this step and the next two steps if your selected slide uses a template that doesn't have text boxes in it.

• Text boxes in PowerPoint will automatically format the bulk of your text for you (e.g., adding bullet points) based on the context of the content itself.
• You can add notes that the Presentation will not include (but you'll still be able to see them on your screen) by clicking Notes at the bottom of the slide.

• You can change the font of the selected text by clicking the current font's name and then clicking your preferred font.
• If you want to change the size of the text, click the numbered drop-down box and then click a larger or smaller number based on whether you want to enlarge or shrink the text.
• You can also change the color, bolding, italicization, underlining, and so on from here.

• Photos in particular can be enlarged or shrunk by clicking and dragging out or in one of their corners.

• Remember to keep slides uncluttered and relatively free of distractions. It's best to keep the amount of text per slide to around 33 words or less. [2] X Research source

• Slide content will animate in the order in which you assign transitions. For example, if you animate a photo on the slide and then animate the title, the photo will appear before the title.
• Make your slideshow progress automatically by setting the speed of every transition to align with your speech as well as setting each slide to Advance . [3] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

• If you need to exit the presentation, press Esc .

• Windows - Click File , click Save , double-click This PC , select a save location, enter a name for your presentation, and click Save .
• Mac - Click File , click Save As... , enter the presentation's name in the "Save As" field, select a save location by clicking the "Where" box and clicking a folder, and click Save .

Community Q&A

• If you save your PowerPoint presentation in .pps format instead of the default .ppt format, double-clicking your PowerPoint presentation file will prompt the presentation to open directly into the slideshow view. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
• If you don't have Microsoft Office, you can still use Apple's Keynote program or Google Slides to create a PowerPoint presentation. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Your PowerPoint presentation (or some features in it) may not open in significantly older versions of PowerPoint. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 2
• Great PowerPoint presentations avoid placing too much text on one slide. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=DBDCE00C929AA5D8!252&ithint=file%2cpptx&app=PowerPoint&authkey=!AH4O9NxcbehqzIg
• ↑ https://www.virtualsalt.com/powerpoint.htm
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/set-the-timing-and-speed-of-a-transition-c3c3c66f-4cca-4821-b8b9-7de0f3f6ead1#:~:text=To%20make%20the%20slide%20advance,effect%20on%20the%20slide%20finishes .

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How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation (Step-by-Step)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Presentation Design
• January 22, 2024

In this beginner’s guide, you will learn step-by-step how to make a PowerPoint presentation from scratch.

While PowerPoint is designed to be intuitive and accessible, it can be overwhelming if you’ve never gotten any training on it before. As you progress through this guide, you’ll will learn how to move from blank slides to PowerPoint slides that look like these.

Table of Contents

Additionally, as you create your presentation, you’ll also learn tricks for working more efficiently in PowerPoint, including how to:

• Change the slide order
• Reset your layout
• Change the slide dimensions
• Use PowerPoint Designer
• Format text
• Format objects
• Play a presentation (slide show)

With this knowledge under your belt, you’ll be ready to start creating PowerPoint presentations. Moreover, you’ll have taken your skills from beginner to proficient in no time at all. I will also include links to more advanced PowerPoint topics.

Ready to start learning how to make a PowerPoint presentation?

Take your PPT skills to the next level

Start with a blank presentation.

Note: Before you open PowerPoint and start creating your presentation, make sure you’ve collected your thoughts. If you’re going to make your slides compelling, you need to spend some time brainstorming.

For help with this, see our article with tips for nailing your business presentation  here .

The first thing you’ll need to do is to open PowerPoint. When you do, you are shown the Start Menu , with the Home tab open.

This is where you can choose either a blank theme (1) or a pre-built theme (2). You can also choose to open an existing presentation (3).

For now, go ahead and click on the  Blank Presentation (1)  thumbnail.

Doing so launches a brand new and blank presentation for you to work with. Before you start adding content to your presentation, let’s first familiarize ourselves with the PowerPoint interface.

The PowerPoint interface

Here is how the program is laid out:

• The Application Header
• The Ribbon (including the Ribbon tabs)
• The Quick Access Toolbar (either above or below the Ribbon)
• The Slides Pane (slide thumbnails)

The Slide Area

The notes pane.

• The Status Bar (including the View Buttons)

Each one of these areas has options for viewing certain parts of the PowerPoint environment and formatting your presentation.

Below are the important things to know about certain elements of the PowerPoint interface.

The PowerPoint Ribbon

The Ribbon is contextual. That means that it will adapt to what you’re doing in the program.

For example, the Font, Paragraph and Drawing options are greyed out until you select something that has text in it, as in the example below (A).

Furthermore, if you start manipulating certain objects, the Ribbon will display additional tabs, as seen above (B), with more commands and features to help you work with those objects. The following objects have their own additional tabs in the Ribbon which are hidden until you select them:

• Online Pictures
• Screenshots
• Screen Recording

The Slides Pane

This is where you can preview and rearrange all the slides in your presentation.

Right-clicking on a slide  in the pane gives you additional options on the slide level that you won’t find on the Ribbon, such as  Duplicate Slide ,  Delete Slide , and  Hide Slide .

In addition, you can add sections to your presentation by  right-clicking anywhere in this Pane  and selecting  Add Section . Sections are extremely helpful in large presentations, as they allow you to organize your slides into chunks that you can then rearrange, print or display differently from other slides.

The Slide Area (A) is where you will build out your slides. Anything within the bounds of this area will be visible when you present or print your presentation.

Anything outside of this area (B) will be hidden from view. This means that you can place things here, such as instructions for each slide, without worrying about them being shown to your audience.

The  Notes Pane  is the space beneath the Slide Area where you can type in the speaker notes for each slide. It’s designed as a fast way to add and edit your slides’ talking points.

To expand your knowledge and learn more about adding, printing, and exporting your PowerPoint speaker notes, read our guide here .

Your speaker notes are visible when you print your slides using the Notes Pages option and when you use the Presenter View . To expand your knowledge and learn the ins and outs of using the Presenter View , read our guide here .

You can resize the  Notes Pane  by clicking on its edge and dragging it up or down (A). You can also minimize or reopen it by clicking on the Notes button in the Status Bar (B).

Note:  Not all text formatting displays in the Notes Pane, even though it will show up when printing your speaker notes. To learn more about printing PowerPoint with notes, read our guide here .

Now that you have a basic grasp of the PowerPoint interface at your disposal, it’s time to make your presentation.

Adding Content to Your PowerPoint Presentation

Notice that in the Slide Area , there are two rectangles with dotted outlines. These are called  Placeholders  and they’re set on the template in the Slide Master View .

To expand your knowledge and learn how to create a PowerPoint template of your own (which is no small task), read our guide here .

As the prompt text suggests, you can click into each placeholder and start typing text. These types of placeholder prompts are customizable too. That means that if you are using a company template, it might say something different, but the functionality is the same.

Note:  For the purposes of this example, I will create a presentation based on the content in the Starbucks 2018 Global Social Impact Report, which is available to the public on their website.

If you type in more text than there is room for, PowerPoint will automatically reduce its font size. You can stop this behavior by clicking on the  Autofit Options  icon to the left of the placeholder and selecting  Stop Fitting Text to this Placeholder .

Next, you can make formatting adjustments to your text by selecting the commands in the Font area and the  Paragraph area  of the  Home  tab of the Ribbon.

The Reset Command:  If you make any changes to your title and decide you want to go back to how it was originally, you can use the Reset button up in the Home tab .

Insert More Slides into Your Presentation

Now that you have your title slide filled in, it’s time to add more slides. To do that, simply go up to the  Home tab  and click on  New Slide . This inserts a new slide in your presentation right after the one you were on.

You can alternatively hit Ctrl+M on your keyboard to insert a new blank slide in PowerPoint. To learn more about this shortcut, see my guide on using Ctrl+M in PowerPoint .

Instead of clicking the New Slide command, you can also open the New Slide dropdown to see all the slide layouts in your PowerPoint template. Depending on who created your template, your layouts in this dropdown can be radically different.

If you insert a layout and later want to change it to a different layout, you can use the Layout dropdown instead of the New Slide dropdown.

After inserting a few different slide layouts, your presentation might look like the following picture. Don’t worry that it looks blank, next we will start adding content to your presentation.

If you want to follow along exactly with me, your five slides should be as follows:

• Title Slide
• Title and Content
• Section Header
• Two Content
• Picture with Caption

Adding Content to Your Slides

Now let’s go into each slide and start adding our content. You’ll notice some new types of placeholders.

On slide 2 we have a  Content Placeholder , which allows you to add any kind of content. That includes:

• A SmartArt graphic,
• A 3D object,
• A picture from the web,
• Or an icon.

To insert text, simply type it in or hit  Ctrl+C to Copy  and Ctrl+V to Paste  from elsewhere. To insert any of the other objects, click on the appropriate icon and follow the steps to insert it.

For my example, I’ll simply type in some text as you can see in the picture below.

Slides 3 and 4 only have text placeholders, so I’ll go ahead and add in my text into each one.

On slide 5 we have a Picture Placeholder . That means that the only elements that can go into it are:

• A picture from the web

To insert a picture into the picture placeholder, simply:

• Click on the  Picture  icon
• Find  a picture on your computer and select it
• Click on  Insert

Alternatively, if you already have a picture open somewhere else, you can select the placeholder and paste in (shortcut: Ctrl+V ) the picture. You can also drag the picture in from a file explorer window.

If you do not like the background of the picture you inserted onto your slide, you can remove the background here in PowerPoint. To see how to do this, read my guide here .

Placeholders aren’t the only way to add content to your slides. At any point, you can use the Insert tab to add elements to your slides.

You can use either the Title Only  or the  Blank  slide layout to create slides for content that’s different. For example, a three-layout content slide, or a single picture divider slide, as shown below.

In the first example above, I’ve inserted 6 text boxes, 3 icons, and 3 circles to create this layout. In the second example, I’ve inserted a full-sized picture and then 2 shapes and 2 text boxes.

The Reset Command:  Because these slides are built with shapes and text boxes (and not placeholders), hitting the  Reset button up in the  Home tab  won’t do anything.

That is a good thing if you don’t want your layouts to adjust. However, it does mean that it falls on you to make sure everything is aligned and positioned correctly.

For more on how to add and manipulate the different objects in PowerPoint, check out our step-by-step articles here:

• Using graphics in PowerPoint
• Inserting icons onto slides
• Adding pictures to your PowerPoint
• How to embed a video in PowerPoint
• How to add music to your presentation

Using Designer to generate more layouts ideas

If you have Office 365, your version of PowerPoint comes with a new feature called Designer (or Design Ideas). This is a feature that generates slide layout ideas for you. The coolest thing about this feature is that it uses the content you already have.

To use Designer , simply navigate to the  Design tab  in your Ribbon, and click on  Design Ideas .

NOTE: If the PowerPoint Designer is not working for you (it is grey out), see my troubleshooting guide for Designer .

Change the Overall Design (optional)

When you make a PowerPoint presentation, you’ll want to think about the overall design. Now that you have some content in your presentation, you can use the Design tab to change the look and feel of your slides.

For additional help thinking through the design of your presentation,  read my guide here .

A. Picking your PowerPoint slide size

If you have PowerPoint 2013 or later, when you create a blank document in PowerPoint, you automatically start with a widescreen layout with a 16:9 ratio. These dimensions are suitable for most presentations as they match the screens of most computers and projectors.

However, you do have the option to change the dimensions.

For example, your presentation might not be presented, but instead converted into a PDF or printed and distributed. In that case, you can easily switch to the standard dimensions with a 4:3 ratio by selecting from the dropdown (A).

You can also choose a custom slide size or change the slide orientation from landscape to portrait in the Custom Slide Size dialog box (B).

To learn all about the different PowerPoint slide sizes, and some of the issues you will face when changing the slide size of a non-blank presentation,  read my guide here .

 B. Selecting a PowerPoint theme

The next thing you can do is change the theme of your presentation to a pre-built one. For a detailed explanation of what a PowerPoint theme is, and how to best use it,  read my article here .

In the beginning of this tutorial, we started with a blank presentation, which uses the default Office theme as you can see in the picture below.

That gives you the most flexibility because it has a blank background and quite simple layouts that work for most presentations. However, it also means that it’s your responsibility to enhance the design.

If you’re comfortable with this, you can stay with the default theme or create your own custom theme ( read my guide here ). But if you would rather not have to think about design, then you can choose a pre-designed theme.

Microsoft provides 46 other pre-built themes, which include slide layouts, color variants and palettes, and fonts. Each one varies quite significantly, so make sure you look through them carefully.

To select a different theme, go to the  Design tab  in the Ribbon, and click on the  dropdown arrow  in the  Themes section .

For this tutorial, let’s select the  Frame  theme and then choose the third Variant in the theme. Doing so changes the layout, colors, and fonts of your presentation.

Note: The theme dropdown area is also where you can import or save custom themes. To see my favorite places to find professional PowerPoint templates and themes (and recommendations for why I like them), read my guide here .

C. How to change a slide background in PowerPoint

The next thing to decide is how you want your background to look for the entire presentation. In the  Variants area, you can see four background options.

For this example, we want our presentation to have a dark background, so let’s select Style 3. When you do so, you’ll notice that:

• The background color automatically changes across all slides
• The color of the text on most of the slides automatically changes to white so that it’s visible on the dark background
• The colors of the objects on slides #6 and #7 also adjust, in a way we may not want (we’ll likely have to make some manual adjustments to these slides)

Note: If you want to change the slide background for just that one slide, don’t left-click the style. Instead, right-click it and select Apply to Selected Slides .

After you change the background for your entire presentation, you can easily adjust the background for an individual slide.

Inside the Format Background pane, you can see you have the following options:

• Gradient fill
• Picture or texture fill
• Pattern fill
• Hide background

You can explore these options to find the PowerPoint background that best fits your presentation.

D. How to change your color palette in PowerPoint

Another thing you may want to adjust in your presentation, is the color scheme. In the picture below you can see the Theme Colors we are currently using for this presentation.

Each PowerPoint theme comes with its own color palette. By default, the Office theme includes the Office color palette. This affects the colors you are presented with when you format any element within your presentation (text, shapes, SmartArt, etc.).

The good news is that the colors here are easy to change. To switch color palettes, simply:

• Go to the  Design tab in the Ribbon
• In the Variants area, click on the  dropdown arrow  and select  Colors
• Select  the color palette (or theme colors) you want

You can choose among the pre-built color palettes from Office, or you can customize them to create your own.

As you build your presentation, make sure you use the colors from your theme to format objects. That way, changing the color palette adjusts all the colors in your presentation automatically.

E. How to change your fonts in PowerPoint

Just as we changed the color palette, you can do the same for the fonts.

Each PowerPoint theme comes with its own font combination. By default, the Office theme includes the Office font pairing. This affects the fonts that are automatically assigned to all text in your presentation.

The good news is that the font pairings are easy to change. To switch your Theme Fonts, simply:

• Go to the  Design tab  in the Ribbon
• Click on the  dropdown arrow  in the  Variants  area
• Select  Fonts
• Select  the font pairing you want

You can choose among the pre-built fonts from Office, or you can customize them to create your own.

If you are working with PowerPoint presentations on both Mac and PC computers, make sure you choose a safe PowerPoint font. To see a list of the safest PowerPoint fonts, read our guide here .

If you receive a PowerPoint presentation and the wrong fonts were used, you can use the Replace Fonts dialog box to change the fonts across your entire presentation. For details, read our guide here .

Adding Animations & Transitions (optional)

The final step to make a PowerPoint presentation compelling, is to consider using animations and transitions. These are by no means necessary to a good presentation, but they may be helpful in your situation.

A. Adding PowerPoint animations

PowerPoint has an incredibly robust animations engine designed to power your creativity. That being said, it’s also easy to get started with basic animations.

Animations are movements that you can apply to individual objects on your slide.

To add a PowerPoint animation to an element of your slide, simply:

• Select the  element
• Go to the  Animations tab in the Ribbon
• Click on the  dropdown arrow  to view your options
• Select the  animation  you want

You can add animations to multiple objects at one time by selecting them all first and then applying the animation.

B. How to preview a PowerPoint animation

There are three ways to preview a PowerPoint animation:

• Click on the Preview button in the Animations tab
• Click on the little star  next to the slide
• Play the slide in Slide Show Mode

To learn other ways to run your slide show, see our guide on presenting a PowerPoint slide show with shortcuts .

To adjust the settings of your animations, explore the options in the  Effect Options ,  Advanced Animation  and the  Timing  areas of the  Animation tab .

Note:  To see how to make objects appear and disappear in your slides by clicking a button,  read our guide here .

C. How to manage your animations in PowerPoint

The best way to manage lots of animations on your slide is with the Animation Pane . To open it, simply:

• Navigate to the  Animations tab
• Select the  Animation Pane

Inside the Animation Pane, you’ll see all of the different animations that have been applied to objects on your slide, with their numbers marked as pictured above.

Note: To see examples of PowerPoint animations that can use in PowerPoint, see our list of PowerPoint animation tutorials here .

D. How to add transitions to your PowerPoint presentation

PowerPoint has an incredibly robust transition engine so that you can dictate how your slides change from one to the other. It is also extremely easy to add transitions to your slides.

In PowerPoint, transitions are the movements (or effects) you see as you move between two slides.

To add a transition to a PowerPoint slide, simply:

• Select the  slide
• Go to the  Transitions tab in the Ribbon
• In the Transitions to This Slide area, click on the  dropdown arrow  to view your options
• Select the  transition  you want

To adjust the settings of the transition, explore the options in the  Timing  area of the Transitions tab.

You can also add the same transition to multiple slides. To do that, select them in the  Slides Pane  and apply the transition.

E. How to preview a transition in PowerPoint

There are three ways to preview your PowerPoint transitions (just like your animations):

• Click on the Preview  button in the Transitions tab
• Click on the little star  beneath the slide number in the thumbnail view

Note:  In 2016, PowerPoint added a cool new transition, called Morph. It operates a bit differently from other transitions. For a detailed tutorial on how to use the cool Morph transition,  see our step-by-step article here .

Save Your PowerPoint Presentation

After you’ve built your presentation and made all the adjustments to your slides, you’ll want to save your presentation. YOu can do this several different ways.

To save a PowerPoint presentation using your Ribbon, simply:

• Navigate to the  File tab
•  Select  Save As  on the left
• Choose  where you want to save your presentation
• Name  your presentation and/or adjust your file type settings
• Click  Save

You can alternatively use the  Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut to save your presentation. I recommend using this shortcut frequently as you build your presentation to make sure you don’t lose any of your work.

This is the standard way to save a presentation. However, there may be a situation where you want to save your presentation as a different file type.

To learn how to save your presentation as a PDF, see our guide on converting PowerPoint to a PDF .

How to save your PowerPoint presentation as a template

Once you’ve created a presentation that you like, you may want to turn it into a template. The easiest – but not technically correct – way, is to simply create a copy of your current presentation and then change the content.

But be careful! A PowerPoint template is a special type of document and it has its own parameters and behaviors.

If you’re interested in learning about how to create your own PowerPoint template from scratch, see our guide on how to create a PowerPoint template .

Printing Your PowerPoint Presentation

After finishing your PowerPoint presentation, you may want to print it out on paper. Printing your slides is relatively easy.

To open the Print dialog box, you can either:

• Hit Ctrl+P on your keyboard
• Or go to the Ribbon and click on File and then Print

Inside the Print dialog box, you can choose from the various printing settings:

• Printer: Select a printer to use (or print to PDF or OneNote)
• Slides: Choose which slides you want to print
• Layout: Determine how many slides you want per page (this is where you can print the notes, outline, and handouts)
• Collated or uncollated (learn what collated printing means here )
• Color: Choose to print in color, grayscale or black & white

There are many more options for printing your PowerPoint presentations. Here are links to more in-depth articles:

• How to print multiple slides per page
• How to print your speaker notes in PowerPoint
• How to save PowerPoint as a picture presentation

So that’s how to create a PowerPoint presentation if you are brand new to it. We’ve also included a ton of links to helpful resources to boost your PowerPoint skills further.

When you are creating your presentation, it is critical to first focus on the content (what you are trying to say) before getting lost inserting and playing with elements. The clearer you are on what you want to present, the easier it will be to build it out in PowerPoint.

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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PowerPoint 2013  - Creating and Opening Presentations

Powerpoint 2013  -, creating and opening presentations, powerpoint 2013 creating and opening presentations.

PowerPoint 2013: Creating and Opening Presentations

Lesson 5: creating and opening presentations.

/en/powerpoint2013/getting-to-know-powerpoint/content/

Introduction

PowerPoint files are called presentations. Whenever you start a new project in PowerPoint, you'll need to create a new presentation, which can either be blank or from a template . You'll also need to know how to open an existing presentation .

To create a new presentation:

• A new presentation will appear.

To open an existing presentation:

• Select the File tab to go to Backstage view .

If you've opened the desired presentation recently, you can browse your Recent Presentations instead of searching for the file.

To pin a presentation:

If you frequently work with the same presentation , you can pin it to Backstage view for easy access.

• Select the File tab to go to Backstage view . Click Open . Your Recent Presentations will appear.

You can also pin folders to Backstage view for easy access. From Backstage view, click Open, locate the folder you want to pin, then click the pushpin icon .

Using templates

A template is a predesigned presentation you can use to create a new slide show quickly. Templates often include custom formatting and designs , so they can save you a lot of time and effort when starting a new project.

To create a new presentation from a template:

• Click the File tab to access Backstage view .

• A preview of the template will appear, along with additional information on how the template can be used.

• A new presentation will appear with the selected template .

It's important to note that not all templates are created by Microsoft. Many are created by third-party providers and even individual users, so some templates may work better than others.

Compatibility mode

Sometimes you may need to work with presentations that were created in earlier versions of PowerPoint, such as PowerPoint 2003 or PowerPoint 2000. When you open these types of presentations, they will appear in Compatibility mode .

Compatibility mode disables certain features, so you'll only be able to access commands found in the program that was used to create the presentation. For example, if you open a presentation created in PowerPoint 2003, you can only use tabs and commands found in PowerPoint 2003.

In the image below, you can see that the presentation is in Compatibility mode. This will disable some PowerPoint 2013 features, such as newer types of slide transitions.

To exit Compatibility mode, you'll need to convert the presentation to the current version type. However, if you're collaborating with others who only have access to an earlier version of PowerPoint, it's best to leave the presentation in Compatibility mode so the format will not change.

You can review this support page from Microsoft to learn more about which features are disabled in Compatibility mode.

To convert a presentation:

If you want access to all PowerPoint 2013 features, you can convert the presentation to the 2013 file format.

Note that converting a file may cause some changes to the original layout of the presentation.

• The presentation will be converted to the newest file type.
• Create a new blank presentation .
• Open an existing presentation from your computer or OneDrive.
• Pin a folder to Backstage view.
• Create a new presentation using a template .

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Create your first presentation in slides.

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Create or import a presentation, add slides to your presentation.

• Update your presentation

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Create your presentation

• Open the Slides home screen at Google Slides .

You can also create new presentations from the URL https://slides.google.com/create .

Import and convert an existing presentation

Converting your file from another program creates a copy of your original file in a Docs, Sheets, or Slides format. You can then edit the file in your browser.

If you have existing files, you can import and convert them to Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

• Go to Drive .

• Choose the file you want to import from your computer to add it to Drive.

Have a Microsoft file?

If you've already stored Microsoft files in Drive, you can also update them without converting them .

Add a slide with the same layout as the current slide

• On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides .

Add a slide with a different layout

• Choose a slide.

Add a slide with your organization's branding

• At right, click the template you want to use.

Note: The Templates option appears only if your administrator makes organization-branded slides available.

Update your presentation

Choose a theme and layout.

When you first create a presentation, you can choose a theme for your slides. A theme is a preset group of colors, fonts, background, and layouts. Your presentation's layout is the way your text and images are arranged on a slide.

Change your presentation's theme

• On the right, click the theme you want.

Change the layout of your presentation

• Select a slide.
• At the top, click Layout .
• Choose the layout you want to use.

Arrange slides

Move slide —Drag the slide to a different position in the presentation. To move several slides at once, Ctrl+click  multiple slides before dragging them.

Delete slide —Right-click the slide and select Delete .

Duplicate slide —Right-click the slide in the sidebar and select Duplicate slide .

Add pictures, text, speaker notes, and more

Rename your presentation —Click Untitled presentation and enter a new name.

Add videos, shapes, charts, and more —Click Insert to add videos, shapes, charts, slide numbers, and other features to your presentation. You can also move, delete, or re-size these inserted features.

Add speaker notes —Use speaker notes to keep track of your talking points for each slide. In the presentation editor, speaker notes appear beneath the current slide. When you present your slides, your speaker notes show in a separate window.

Google, Google Workspace, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. All other company and product names are trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.

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• Presentations

How to Create a PowerPoint Presentation From a PPT Template

• Bahasa Indonesia

Creating a presentation from scratch can be time-consuming and complicated. Even when you try your best, the presentation design may not turn out how you want. This is why using a premium template is beneficial. 

This article covers how to create a PowerPoint presentation from a quality PPT template. In addition, we’ll also look at some top premium PowerPoint presentation templates.

Download Our Free PDF eBook on Making Great Presentations

We also have the perfect complement to use alongside a professional presentation template.  Download our Free eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations , which will help you write, design, and deliver the perfect presentation.

What Is a PowerPoint Template?

PowerPoint is a popular presentation software by Microsoft. You can use PowerPoint for business and personal purposes. Presentations are a great way to use words to create an impact. For example, if you show the benefits of a product or service or present data, a presentation can make it more memorable.

A PowerPoint template is like a blueprint for your presentation. Templates typically contain slide layouts, colors, fonts, effects, and background styles. In addition, some templates come with illustrations and infographics. These tools make your presentation more visually interesting and can help you explain an important topic.

Your Preparation

Most of the work while creating a business presentation occurs before you fire up PowerPoint. 

When creating a presentation, you want to achieve an objective. For example, you might need to present the results of your department for the last quarter in the form of a presentation to your colleagues. Or, you could be seeking funding and looking to impress potential investors with your  business pitch presentation . Know what your presentation is aiming to communicate and accomplish.

Getting the Content Right

Everything begins with the content you'll put in the presentation to achieve your objective. Ideally, it's brief and crystal-clear. Typically, the less content (by sticking to key facts and figures), the more digestible your presentation is.

To save time, revising content while you're still preparing it (such as in Word or any other text processor) is much smarter than making content changes while designing.

Once you feel confident about your content preparation, it's time to design your presentation in PowerPoint.

Designing Your Presentation

For our tutorial, we'll be using the  Business PPT template . Then, we'll show you how to use the template to customize slides for your business presentation. 

Before starting any template you download, look at the initial requirements in an accompanying text file or their online description. For example, not having the correct font installed might mess up the layout of the template slides.

Getting Started

First, let's duplicate the theme. You can achieve this by right-clicking on the .pptx file and clicking  Copy in the menu. You can copy and paste the file and rename the new document.

Instead of directly editing the template, we'll be copying slides that we'll use in our new document from the original theme file. This way, we're not editing the template source in which you would need to delete or hide slides you don't use.

Now let's review how to edit this PowerPoint template for your presentation:

How to Create a PowerPoint Presentation from a PPT Template

Are you ready to start creating your presentation?

 Let's get started:

1. Choose a Template

The first step in how to create a PowerPoint presentation is to choose a template. The template featured in this section is the  Business PowerPoint Presentation . This template comes with 50 unique PowerPoint slides. Easily add an image to the template by dragging and dropping an image of your choice into the picture placeholder.

2. Create an Outline

Creating an outline before working on your presentation is a great way to organize your thoughts. When creating a presentation, you want the audience to be clear, consistent, and organized.

Also, when you create an outline, it can help you make sure that you've got the best message. You can also use an outline to choose where you want your images or other multimedia. Also, they can help you see if you missed a topic or point.

3. The Basics

To learn the basics, let's start with slide seven. As you can see, there are a few components on the slide that we can change according to our needs. At first sight, we notice the following components available to us:

• footer text

I'd advise you to always look at the available components in a slide design as you're glancing over the different slides within a theme. This has a few benefits:

• You can identify how your content can fit the deck's structure.
• You can decide on the components you like (or dislike).
• You'll notice a pattern in the slide designs.

Now that we understand the components we can change to suit our needs, let's move ahead and start designing.

4.   Removing Slide Components

For this example, I'll be making a simple slide to introduce the topic of this presentation. I've decided I don't need a footer or paragraph text underneath the title.

To remove the text, simply click on each  Text Box  and use the  Delete key to remove the components from the slide.

To delete multiple words, highlight the words and then press Delete on your keyboard. If you want to add them again, you can use the top toolbar to insert text boxes, images, and other assets such as shapes and graphs.

5. Use the Slide Master

But wait! You might notice that you can't click on certain components within the slide. For example, you can't change the footer. This is because it's set in a Master Slide . 

The easiest way to explain a Master Slide is to think of a boilerplate which forms the foundation for your slide designs.

The slide master tool lets you edit the layout from a single slide. This makes it easy to edit the layout of multiple slides at once. To access the slide master tool, click on the  View  tab.

Next, click on the  Slide Master  icon. This opens up the tool. The large slide is the slide that you make edits to. The small slides under the large slide is the group that'll be edited when you edit the large slide.

This is normal, as a master slide can have a  Master Layout . Master slides use a master layout used in a group of master slides.

Let's access the master layout by looking at our master slide overview in the left panel and scrolling all the way up until we see the slide on top of the group. This is the slide that contains the master layout. 

In this slide, you can change the footer. You'll also notice the child master slides updating as you change this. Click the Close Master  button in the top toolbar to save your changes.

You'll notice that the elements you couldn't edit have been updated and changed in the deck design.

For more information about the Slide Master tool, read this in-depth article:

6. How to Add Animation

If you want to add something fun to your presentation, you can add animation. First, however, you need to know how to edit PowerPoint templates to add animation. For this illustration, we'll switch to slide two.

First, click on the  Animations  tab above the toolbar. When you click on this tab, you’ll see the different effects, such as:

• the green Entrance Effects
• the yellow Emphasis Effects
• the red Exit Effects

Next, click on the object that you want to animate. Then, choose the animations from the effects options that you want to use.

For more information about PowerPoint animation, read these articles:

7. Add an Image

You can use two methods to add an image to a presentation template.

The first method is using picture placeholders. A good premium template has picture placeholders in the template.

For example, slide one of the Business PowerPoint Presentation templates has a picture placeholder in the middle of the slide.

For example, you can find unlimited stock photos on Envato Elements. Download them to your device quickly and easily.

Download  a photo you'd like to use and  drag the image into the slide. Of course, essential to notice is that the picture is high enough in resolution (as a general rule, never aim for an image that's got less than 1600 pixels in width, or the quality might be poor).

You may need to adjust the image size and position.

The second method is to click on the  Insert tab  above the toolbar.

Next, click on the  Pictures  button in the toolbar. When you click on this button, a menu appears. Choose the correct option depending on where your image file is located. Your image appears on your slide. Adjust the image as needed.

8. Image Transparency

First, click on the image. Next, click on the  Picture Format  tab above the toolbar. You'll see a Transparency button in the toolbar. When you click on this button, a Transparency menu appears. Choose the option that you want.

You can easily change the transparency of an image to increase the legibility of the text on top of the picture.

Let's add some finishing touches. Click on the title to change its text, remove the placeholder logo using backspace, and drag in your company's logo. Should you have any issues with the formatting, double-click on the image.

9. Fitting Images

In the top toolbar under the  Picture Format  tab, there's a  Crop  button with a dropdown next to it. When you click on the dropdown menu, there's a  Fit option and a Fill option. The fit option helps you fit an image within a constrained box. The Fill  option is useful to cover a constrained box (for example, when using a background image).

10.  Images Within Shapes

The final tricky part is updating images within a shape. Let's look at slide 23.

When you click on the graphic on the right, you'll notice it's a shape that's got multiple areas. You can double-click  on the  image placeholders  within the shape to open a menu to select the image you'd like to add to the shape.

With that, we're all set to complete this slide!

11.  Final Tips

As you notice, navigating through a theme design is very easy. 

It would be best if you remembered that there's a distinction between your  slide design,  which uses placeholders, and  recurring components , which you can't edit directly in the slide but can change in the corresponding  Master Slide . If you can't access an item in the original master slide, a parent Master Slide  uses a  Master Layout . Multiple slides use the master layout. This allows for a consistent design across multiple presentation files. 

As a quick overview, the ideal process to edit a template is the following:

• Copy and the original template into a new working document you'll save separately.
• Make edits to each slide you work with. Start with placeholders, then change the corresponding Master Slide if needed. Of course, you can add and remove text, images, and charts.
• You might notice that your changes to the Master Slide affects your other slides, which is good as you only need to update the placeholders, saving time.
• Do a final check if everything looks solid, and you're all set!

The Top Source for Premium PowerPoint Templates (With Unlimited Use)

Envato Elements is a great place to find the top premium PowerPoint templates. To gain access to premium templates, you must pay a low monthly fee to become a subscriber. Once you become a subscriber, you’ll gain access to more than just  premium PowerPoint templates . You’ll have access to images, fonts, audio, and more.

Explore Premium Presentation Templates

Using a  premium PowerPoint template  saves you time because you aren’t creating a presentation from scratch when you use a premium template. In addition, if you use a premium template, you start with a great base. This means that all you need to do is add images and text.

Every template is made by a professional to look impressive and stylish. As a result, you’ll stand out among your peers who created their own or used a free template.

If you’re creative and like to customize your presentation with a premium template, you can still make as many customizations as much as you want. A good premium template is entirely editable.

Best Five PowerPoint Presentation Templates from Envato Elements

Here are some of the top PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements:

1. Creature PowerPoint

Creature is a multipurpose presentation with a versatile design. There are over fifty unique slides that you can use to create a PowerPoint for any topic you have.

This template also comes with charts, graphs, and icons. These elements add visual interest to your presentation.

2. Everlux PowerPoint Presentation

This presentation template is a professional presentation with a portfolio to showcase your work if you’re a creator. For example, you’ll have over 40 unique total slides when you create a PowerPoint with this template.

Easily add an image to this template by dragging and dropping an image of your choice by dragging and dropping it into the picture placeholder.

3. Kanal PowerPoint Template

This template has a minimal design that can work for any presentation topic. With this template, you’ll have 68 custom slides to use when creating a PowerPoint presentation. Plus, it's got animation and transitions, adding some interest to your presentation.

4. VERA PowerPoint Template

When creating a PowerPoint, you must consider what kind of presentation you want. This template is excellent for Creatives. This template comes with 55 creatives slides. It also comes with 50 premade color schemes.

5. Style Multipurpose PowerPoint Template

Style Multipurpose PowerPoint Template is a multipurpose presentation template. It comes with 4000 total slides making it easy to create a PowerPoint presentation. Easily add an image of your choice to this template by dragging and dropping the image into a picture placeholder.

Grab This eBook on Making Great Presentations (Free Download)

We've got just the right complement to a professional PowerPoint template that'll help you learn the complete process of how to write, design, and deliver great presentations.

Download  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations  now for FREE with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. Get your ideas formed into a powerful presentation that'll move your audience. 

More Top PowerPoint Templates

Haven’t found a template that suits your needs? Check these articles out for more templates.

Download a Premium PowerPoint Template Today!

You've just learned how to edit a PowerPoint template and how to create a PowerPoint presentation using a template.

Once you start with a premium template , it isn’t hard to create a presentation. Next time you need to create a presentation, try using a premium template. Gain access to thousands of premium PowerPoint templates and digital assets by signing up for Envato Elements today!

Editor's Note: This tutorial was originally published in 2016 by Sven Lenaerts . It's been completely redone to make it accurate and up to date.

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Online Presentation Maker for Engaging Presentations

Create Your Presentation It’s free and easy to use.

• Online presentation maker with 900+ slide layouts.
• Millions of images, icons and graphics to choose from.
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Chosen by brands large and small

Our presentation maker is used by over 27,500,000 marketers, communicators, executives and educators from over 133 countries that include:

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Presentation Templates

Avoid the trouble of having to search for just the right template or create your own slide design from scratch by tapping into our library of more than 900 slide design layouts for practically every content need, from diagrams, charts and maps to image collages and quote slides.

Create your presentation View more templates

Features of the Presentation Maker

Beautiful presentation themes.

Choose from one of our presentation themes with hundreds of available slide layouts for you to pick from and build a beautiful presentation. Find slide layouts to fit any type of information you need to communicate within your presentation and customize them to perfectly fit your brand or topic.

Create Your Presentation

Build your presentation

With fully customizable slides, text blocks, data visualization tools, photos and icons to help tell your story, you can easily build creative and cool presentations as quickly as you need. Build the perfect slides with Visme’s easy-to-use presentation editor.

Customize every aspect of your presentation with your own images and text

Choose from over a million images, thousands of icons, dozens of charts and data widgets to visualize information in an engaging way. Apply a color scheme to all your slides with one click. Add animation effects, transitions, interactivity, pop-ups, rollovers and third-party content such as live websites and social media feeds.

Record yourself presenting

Once you’ve created your presentation, do more than only share or download it. With Visme’s Presenter Studio, you can record your presentation and share it with your audience.

• Record your screen, audio, and video, or switch off your camera for an audio-only presentation.
• Present asynchronously on your own time, at your own pace. Let your colleagues watch it at their convenience.

More Great Features of the Presentation Maker

Share your presentation.

Visme makes it easy to create and share presentations online. Our presentation software allows you to present online by generating a link to access your presentation, share privately by sending a password protected link to friends and colleagues, or even turn your presentation into a lead generation tool by requiring email sign-in before viewing.

LEARN ABOUT PRESENTATIONS

What is a Presentation ?

A presentation is a sequence of slides that tell a story or teach an audience about a topic. These are often used in business as ways of demonstrating something and in the classroom as teaching aids. While PowerPoint long dominated the presentation industry, Visme’s free online presentation maker allows you to create even more beautiful and engaging content.

With Visme's engaging presentation maker, you can start with a template, dive into one of our themes with various slide ideas, or mix and match slides from different templates to create your own masterpiece.

Use the presentation maker to take the trouble out of presentation design.

Creating a slide deck for an important presentation can take several hours, if not days. Our free presentation maker provides a searchable slide library with 900+ layouts that you can fully customize. With so many options, you can easily find the exact slides that you need instead of searching for the right template or building a slide design from scratch.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED + MORE

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Visme’s online presentation tools allow you to create an interactive online presentation that will blow your audience away. Add interactive elements, animate your slides and create a presentation that will have your viewers talking for days to come.

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Mix and match template styles and slide ideas, customize with your own ideas, insert design elements from our asset library, present online with presenter notes and more.

• Sign up for free or log into your Visme account and create a new project.
• Choose one of our beautiful themes under the Presentations content category or select a pre-designed presentation template.
• Add new slides from our theme library to help guide your presentation design.
• Customize text boxes, fonts, colors, photos, icons, charts, data visualization tools and so much more within your slides.
• Quickly and easily share or present your slideshow by clicking Share in the top navigation bar and viewing our share options.

How to Use the Presentation Maker

Before creating your slide deck, make sure to create an outline with all the major points that you need to include within your presentation.

Start creating your slides. You can easily use our free presentation slides and templates to help you create a well-designed and informative presentation.

Easily replace any image with millions of free images within our editor, as well as diagrams, charts, icons, illustrations and maps.

Insert your own text by clicking on any text box and typing in your own information (or you can simply copy and paste it from your outline).

Our free presentation maker online also comes with built-in animation effects. Add transitions, audio, pop-ups, rollovers and interactive buttons to wow your audience.

Use the Presenter View to rehearse your delivery. Use the timer to make sure you don’t go over the allotted time. You can easily add presenter notes that only you will see while you present.

Generate a public or private URL to share with anyone or embed your slide deck on your website or blog by clicking the Share button in the Visme editor.

Download as an editable PowerPoint or in HTML5 to keep all of your animations and interactivity intact for offline presenting.

Questions About the Presentation Maker

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Master Slides 101: How to Create and Use Master Slides in PowerPoint

Get a complete overview of one of PowerPoint’s best tools: Slide Master!

The Slide Master in PowerPoint is, in short, an option that allows you to standardize specific visual aspects of your presentation .

It’s a feature that not many people are aware of. However, it can truly make a difference when you constantly work with presentation decks. If you like working with templates in PowerPoint , you’d love Slide Master!

In this article, we’ll explain what exactly the Slide Master feature is and how you can use it to create outstanding presentations.

We’ll go over the following topics:

• Master Slides 101: What is a Master Slide in PowerPoint?
• Why is Master Slide used? And most importantly: Why Slide Master is used for businesses
• Let’s go step-by-step: How to use slide master in PowerPoint

How to create master slides in PowerPoint

How to edit master slide in powerpoint.

• Ready to start? Get professional PowerPoint Master Slides!

What is a Master Slide in PowerPoint?

Slide Master is a PowerPoint feature you can find in the View tab . It allows you to create master templates (or master slides). It’s a way to automatically add elements that you want to be repeated throughout your slides, like a font or a theme.

Why is Master Slide used?

The Slide Master feature in PowerPoint is extremely useful for making your presentation design process more efficient . The main reason it’s used is because it helps you customize all of your PowerPoint elements at once.

That’s right, there is no reason to change slide by slide anymore . With master slides, you can change the typography, logo, and colors and even add your logo and watermark by changing these elements on one single slide. When you adjust one of the elements in the Master Slide, all of those elements will change in all the slides.

Why Slide Master is used for businesses

The slide master is not only a really efficient tool, it also can be great for your business. For example:

• It helps you standardize the design of your presentation : Instead of having a disparate array of different slide designs in your presentations, the Slide Master allows you to establish a consistent and professional look throughout. This consistency can enhance the professionalism of your brand and the clarity of your message.
• Or even better, it helps you brand your presentations : Something as simple as using your brand’s color scheme can make all the difference in creating truly unique slides. It can even help you convey values and ideas you want to be associated with your brand.

How to use slide master in PowerPoint

To create your own Master template, you just need to go to the View tab > Slide Master . This will allow you to access the Slide Master view.

Follow these steps to learn how to create a presentation using master slides in PowerPoint:

#1. Work on your main Slide Master

Once you are on the Master View, it’s time to get to work! Go to the very first slide on the Slides Overview Pane on the left. This is your Master Slide. You’ll recognize it because it’ll have a number 1 at the side, and it’ll be a little bigger than the rest:

Here is where you’ll work on the common elements all your slides will share. This is where you should customize your background, font style, and color . This is also the perfect opportunity to add an element you want to repeat throughout your slides, like a logo. Take into account that anything you do while in this mode will then be reflected in all the rest of your slides.

By clicking on the Master Layout option , you’ll also be able to customize which layout elements you want in your presentation slides.

For example, you can choose to include the date, the slide number, and more.

#2. Work on your Layout slides

Next, it’s time to move to the Layout slides . These are slides that appear below your Master Slide. In other words, these are your actual slides.

You’ll notice that PowerPoint offers 11 different default layout settings for you to start to work with . You can edit and alter these layouts as much as you want. Consider that these are meant to make your life easier when designing your presentation. That’s why it’s important to think through what kind of layouts your presentation will need.

If you don’t find a layout that fits your needs, you can also create a master layout from scratch . Select any of your layouts and click the option Insert Layout in the Edit Master group.

It’ll create a new type of slide you can edit and customize as you see fit. Use the option Insert Placeholder to add different kinds of elements to our new layout.

#3. Adding a new Slide Master if necessary

If you think just one “theme” is not enough for your presentation and want to use several different styles, or segments, in a single presentation, you can do it! You just need to add a second Slide Master. Select Insert Slide Master on the far left, and you’ll get a completely new Master slide in the same presentation.

You’ll be able to see your two different master slides, and the layout slides below each one:

Once you’re happy with how your master template looks, remember to click the option Close Master View so you can see your changes.

If you’ve worked with a presentation that’s already using a master template, you can edit your slides through Master View . Especially if there are common elements you want to eliminate, add, or edit on more than one slide!

#1. Access the Master Slide View

Just like for creating a master template, the first thing is to access the master view. Go to View tab > Slide Master to see exactly all the design guidelines your presentation has at the moment.

#2. Edit the Master Slide

If there’s a common element that you want to change, the Master Slide is the place to do it! It works great for adding and removing logos or changing the background or color scheme.

#3. Edit Specific Layout Slides

If there’s a design element you want to change from a specific layout style, you can do so, too. Pick the slide layout you want to edit and customize as you see fit.

Remember that all the slides below the master slide will have these changes . So, if you are looking for a specific change in one of the slides, it’s better to avoid the Master Slide view and edit your slides as you normally would.

Get professionally customized PowerPoint Master Slides

Master Slides are an outstanding tool to make your presentation creation process more efficient. They can save you precious time and enhance design consistency within your slides.

However, using master slides still requires a steep learning curve . Design skills are a must if you truly want to make the most of your master slides. If you’re going to use PowerPoint Master Slides but don’t feel you have enough experience or time to create your master template, don’t worry! 24Slides professional designers will be happy to help you make the perfect master slides . You can just sit back and relax, and we’ll do all the heavy lifting!

The best thing is that you’ll get a completely customized, professional design that you’ll be able to apply to all your future projects! You’ll no longer have to worry about your slide design or making it reflect your brand! Get an outstanding presentation design that you can apply to your own slides with just one click.

Want to learn more?

• How to Add Speaker Notes in PowerPoint (Tutorial)
• How to Convert An InDesign File to a PowerPoint Presentation
• How to Convert an Adobe Illustrator File to PowerPoint
• How to Make a Timeline in PowerPoint? Step by step
• How to Link or Embed an Excel File in PowerPoint? Quick Guide!

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Basic tasks for creating a PowerPoint presentation

PowerPoint presentations work like slide shows. To convey a message or a story, you break it down into slides. Think of each slide as a blank canvas for the pictures and words that help you tell your story.

Choose a theme

When you open PowerPoint, you’ll see some built-in themes and templates . A theme is a slide design that contains matching colors, fonts, and special effects like shadows, reflections, and more.

On the File tab of the Ribbon, select New , and then choose a theme.

PowerPoint shows you a preview of the theme, with four color variations to choose from on the right side.

Click Create , or pick a color variation and then click Create .

Read more: Use or create themes in PowerPoint

Insert a new slide

On the Home tab, click the bottom half of  New Slide , and pick a slide layout.

Read more: Add, rearrange, and delete slides .

Save your presentation

On the File tab, choose Save .

Pick or browse to a folder.

In the File name box, type a name for your presentation, and then choose Save .

Note:  If you frequently save files to a certain folder, you can ‘pin’ the path so that it is always available (as shown below).

Tip:  Save your work as you go. Press Ctrl+S often or save the file to OneDrive and let AutoSave take care of it for you. 

Read more: Save your presentation file

Select a text placeholder, and begin typing.

Format your text

Select the text.

Under Drawing Tools , choose Format .

Do one of the following:

To change the color of your text, choose Text Fill , and then choose a color.

To change the outline color of your text, choose Text Outline , and then choose a color.

To apply a shadow, reflection, glow, bevel, 3-D rotation, a transform, choose Text Effects , and then choose the effect you want.

Change the fonts

Change the color of text on a slide

Add bullets or numbers to text

Format text as superscript or subscript

Add pictures

On the Insert tab, select Pictures , then do one of the following:

To insert a picture that is saved on your local drive or an internal server, choose This Device , browse for the picture, and then choose Insert .

(For Microsoft 365 subscribers) To insert a picture from our library, choose Stock Images , browse for a picture, select it and choose Insert .

To insert a picture from the web, choose Online Pictures , and use the search box to find a picture. Choose a picture, and then click Insert .

You can add shapes to illustrate your slide. 

On the Insert tab, select Shapes , and then select a shape from the menu that appears.

In the slide area, click and drag to draw the shape.

Select the Format or Shape Format tab on the ribbon. Open the Shape Styles gallery to quickly add a color and style (including shading) to the selected shape.

Add speaker notes

Slides are best when you don’t cram in too much information. You can put helpful facts and notes in the speaker notes, and refer to them as you present.

Click inside the Notes pane below the slide, and begin typing your notes.

Add speaker notes to your slides

Print slides with or without speaker notes

Give your presentation

On the Slide Show tab, do one of the following:

To start the presentation at the first slide, in the Start Slide Show group, click From Beginning .

If you’re not at the first slide and want to start from where you are, click From Current Slide .

If you need to present to people who are not where you are, click Present Online to set up a presentation on the web, and then choose one of the following options:

Broadcast your PowerPoint presentation online to a remote audience

View your speaker notes as you deliver your slide show.

Get out of Slide Show view

To get out of Slide Show view at any time, on the keyboard, press Esc .

You can quickly apply a theme when you're starting a new presentation:

On the File tab, click New .

Select a theme.

Read more:  Apply a design theme to your presentation

In the slide thumbnail pane on the left, select the slide that you want your new slide to follow.

On the Home tab, select the lower half of  New Slide .

From the menu, select the layout that you want for your new slide.

Your new slide is inserted, and you can click inside a placeholder to begin adding content.

Learn more about slide layouts

Read more: Add, rearrange, and delete slides

PowerPoint for the web automatically saves your work to your OneDrive, in the cloud.

To change the name of the automatically saved file:

In the title bar, click the file name.

In the File Name box, enter the name you want to apply to the file.

If you want to change the cloud storage location, at the right end of the Location box, click the arrow symbol, then navigate to the folder you want, then select Move here .

On the Home tab, use the Font options:

Select from other formatting options such as Bold , Italic , Underline , Strikethrough , Subscript , and Superscript .

On the  Insert  tab, select  Pictures .

From the menu, select where you want to insert the picture from:

Browse to the image you want, select it, then select Insert . 

After the image is inserted on the slide, you can select it and drag to reposition it, and you can select and drag a corner handle to resize the image. 

On the slide canvas, click and drag to draw the shape.

Select the Shape tab on the ribbon. Open the Shape Styles gallery to quickly add a color and style (including shading) to the selected shape.

A horizontal Notes pane appears at the bottom of the window, below the slide.

Click in the pane, then enter text. 

On the  Slide Show  tab, select  Play From Beginning .

To navigate through the slides, simply click the mouse or press the spacebar.

Tip:  You can also use the forward and back arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the slide show.

Read more:  Present your slide show

Stop a slide show

To get out of Slide Show view at any time, on the keyboard, press Esc.

The full-screen slide show will close, and you will be returned to the editing view of the file.

Tips for creating an effective presentation

Consider the following tips to keep your audience interested.

Minimize the number of slides

To maintain a clear message and to keep your audience attentive and interested, keep the number of slides in your presentation to a minimum.

Choose an audience-friendly font size

The audience must be able to read your slides from a distance. Generally speaking, a font size smaller than 30 might be too difficult for the audience to see.

Keep your slide text simple

You want your audience to listen to you present your information, instead of reading the screen. Use bullets or short sentences, and try to keep each item to one line.

Some projectors crop slides at the edges, so that long sentences might be cropped.

Use visuals to help express your message

Pictures, charts, graphs, and SmartArt graphics provide visual cues for your audience to remember. Add meaningful art to complement the text and messaging on your slides.

As with text, however, avoid including too many visual aids on your slide.

Make labels for charts and graphs understandable

Use only enough text to make label elements in a chart or graph comprehensible.

Apply subtle, consistent slide backgrounds

Choose an appealing, consistent template or theme that is not too eye-catching. You don't want the background or design to detract from your message.

However, you also want to provide a contrast between the background color and text color. The built-in themes in PowerPoint set the contrast between a light background with dark colored text or dark background with light colored text.

For more information about how to use themes, see Apply a theme to add color and style to your presentation .

Check the spelling and grammar

To earn and maintain the respect of your audience, always check the spelling and grammar in your presentation .

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How-To Geek

How i use copilot to easily create powerpoint presentations in minutes.

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Quick Links

You first need to add copilot to powerpoint, generate an entire presentation with a single prompt, asking copilot to add a slide, add images to the presentation using copilot, organizing the presentation with copilot’s help, key takeaways.

• Ensure you have a Microsoft 365 and Copilot Pro subscription in order to use Copilot in PowerPoint.
• You can generate a full presentation, with text, images, and summaries, by providing a single prompt to Copilot.
• You can also request Copilot to add slides and images or organize the presentation.

When I have trouble creating a presentation in PowerPoint, I use something in my creative arsenal that can help me do it in minutes: Copilot. Here's how I use it to generate entire presentations, add slides, and more.

To use Copilot in PowerPoint, you need two subscriptions. Since PowerPoint is a Microsoft 365 app , you’ll need a Microsoft 365 subscription, which costs $6.99 a month. You will also need a Copilot Pro subscription, which costs $20 per month.

After purchasing those subscriptions, you should see the "Copilot" button on the ribbon of the Home tab in PowerPoint.

If you don't see Copilot, you'll need to add it by updating your Microsoft 365 license. To do that, head to File > Account and click “Update License” in the Product Information section.

Then, follow the instructions to sign in to your Microsoft account. Ensure it’s the one with the Microsoft 365 and Copilot Pro subscriptions. Then, close PowerPoint and relaunch it—you should be able to see Copilot now.

If you want to create an entire presentation, you have to tell Copilot the topic of the presentation, and it will generate it for you. To do that, use the following syntax: Create a presentation about [Topic] . In the prompt, replace Topic with what you want Copilot to write about.

If you want it to include additional slides based on the topic, you can expand your prompt further. You could, for instance, add the following to the prompt: Include slides about [Sub Topic 1], [Sub Topic 2], [Sub Topic 3] . Replace Sub Topic 1, Sub Topic 2, Sub Topic 3, and so on in the prompt with the topics of the slides.

For instance, I created a presentation about doomscrolling using this prompt: Create a presentation about doomscrolling. Include slides about what it is, its origin, why we do it, and how to stop it .

Once you press Enter on your keyboard, Copilot will generate an entire presentation, complete with text and images. Also, it will include notes at the bottom of each slide, giving you a quick summary. Take time to go through it and correct any errors—AI-generated content might consist of incorrect information.

One thing to remember is that Copilot might not have created the exact number of slides you stated. It might add more or miss some (it's not perfect).

After Copilot creates the presentation, you can ask it to add more slides. The syntax is: Add a slide about [Topic] . In a presentation about the steps to mindful meditation, I wanted to add a slide about remembering to notice thoughts. I typed the following in Copilot: Add a slide about noticing thoughts without passing judgment .

If I wanted to animate a slide, I would select it from the list of slides on the left panel, and type: Animate this slide . I can even add an agenda to the entire presentation by typing: Add an agenda slide .

You can add images to a slide by using the following syntax: Add an image of [Image Description] . Ensure it's short and sweet while being adequately descriptive so that Copilot understands what you mean.

I decided to include an image of a dog doing yoga in one of my presentations by typing: Add an image of a dog doing yoga .

If you feel the presentation could be better organized, Copilot can help. It can suggest the best structure based on what it knows about it. To do that, type the following in Copilot: Organize this presentation .

After you see Copilot's suggested slide order for the presentation, it's up to you to accept or reject the changes.

Remember, you can use Copilot in other Microsoft 365 apps as well. You can, for example, use it to write documents in Word or do calculations in Excel in minutes. Being able to use it in Microsoft 365 apps like this can significantly boost your productivity.

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft 365

Meet your AI presentation maker.

Get the power of generative AI right inside your Beautiful.ai workspace. DesignerBot is a powerful creative partner that designs slides quickly, helps brainstorm ideas and generates text and images in a snap. All you have to do is ask, and watch DesignerBot generate a unique deck for you in seconds.

Create AI presentations and slides automagically

Get a jumpstart to your story with the power of AI presentations. Let DesignerBot build your presentation for you - complete with professional slides, content, charts and images.

Get your first draft, fast

Never stare at a blank slide again. Just describe the presentation you are looking for, and let DesignerBot design slides for you.

Create slides from text in seconds

Once your AI presentation is generated, use Beautiful.ai’s Smart Slide templates to make edits quickly. Add flow charts, infographics, Venn diagrams, XY plots and more to adapt the presentation to your content.

Creative writing made easy

Unblock your writer’s block with DesignerBot. You can summarize, expand text or rewrite it in a different tone. You can even ask it to write your paragraph in a different language!

Generate images from text

Convert your ideas into art by asking DesignerBot to generate an Al image with a detailed search prompt. Describe the image style, tone, and even mood to get interesting results. Eg. synth wave style illustration of Los Angeles

Let context shape your presentation

AI without context isn’t very intelligent or effective. Adding context to your prompt will accurately guide DesignerBot to give relevant results specific to your ideas, and your data. Now you can add additional text-based documents, pdfs or webpage urls to your prompt design, and watch DesignerBot transform them into a stunning presentation, in seconds.

Transform your workflow

Summarize lengthy transcripts, visualize complex documents, generate stunning slides with ai, end writer’s block with fast content creation.

Brainstorm content ideas for your slides by using generative AI. Discover all the ways DesignerBot can help your creative workflow.

Summarize text

Extract key ideas from your paragraph and generate short form text. Change text 'to be shorter' and watch DesignerBot work its magic.

Expand your ideas

No need for copywriting skills. DesignerBot can help you write long form content on virtually any topic. Change text 'to be longer' and voila!

Change the tone

Need your text to have a more professional or more playful tone? We’ve got your back - select ‘Change Tone’ and choose the tone you’d like to try out.

Customize your text

Rewrite freely with a custom prompt. Try a new language or come up with inventive phrases. Just type ‘Write this in Spanish’ for example.

Get creative with AI-generated images

Transform your ideas into creative images. Simply type in a prompt and watch DesignerBot generate a unique image to compliment your slide (eg. an oil painting of a dog drinking coffee in an office).

Scale presentations with DesignerBot

Use DesignerBot for drafting out pitch decks, investor decks, company meetings, and marketing plans in minutes. It can help teams brainstorm ideas and iterate quickly - so your company can scale productivity easily.

Start creating AI presentations today

• INNOVATION FESTIVAL
• Capital One

06-10-2024 TECH

Gamma’s AI can make your presentations more interesting

The AI will learn from any document you import, or you can use a text prompt to create a strong deck or site instantly.

[Photo: gorodenkoff/Getty Images]

BY  Jeremy Caplan 4 minute read

This article is republished with permission from  Wonder Tools , a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps.  Subscribe here .

Gamma  has become one of my favorite new creativity tools. You can use it like Powerpoint or Google Slides, adding text and images to make impactful presentations. It lets you create vertical, square or horizontal slides. You can embed online content to make your deck stand out with videos, data or graphics. You can even use it to make quick websites.

Its best feature, though, is an easy-to-use application of AI. The AI will learn from any document you import, or you can use a text prompt to create a strong deck or site instantly. Read on for ideas for making the most of Gamma, along with a few limitations and alternatives.

Change the shape of your creation

• Set your canvas to landscape, portrait, square or fluid.
• Landscape  works well for traditional presentations.
• Switch into  vertical mode  to make something great for social sharing.
• Make  square  visuals for Instagram or LinkedIn.
• Use  fluid  mode to adapt the presentation dimensions to the content you’re sharing so that you can mix and match.
• Present your deck from Gamma’s site or  send a link . Or  export  a PDF or Powerpoint file.

Turn your deck into a site

Gamma makes it easy to build a site by creating a series of simple content cards. As easily as you’d create a short slide deck, you can craft a batch of individual cards that add up to a new site for a project, event, team or topic. You can then move the cards around to adjust the look. Here’s a  one-minute video  for a sense of the creation process.

Example For a personal site you can put a brief bio on a card, a headshot on another, a few portfolio elements on a third card, and contact info on a fourth. Add other elements as you see fit. You’ve soon got the core elements of a site. The process is much easier and quicker than building a site with Squarespace or Wix. (Here’s  why I like Tilda  for building more complicated sites).

Use AI to jump-start a new deck

Pick from three options to prompt Gamma’s AI

• Paste in text  from an outline or notes you’ve made. This is great if you’ve already written out your ideas.
• Write a detailed prompt  specifying the kind of deck draft you’re aiming for. Try this if you don’t have prior notes or documents but have a clear presentation idea you can summarize concisely.
• Import a file  if you are building on an existing Google or Word Doc or a presentation made with Powerpoint or Google Slides. Opt for this to give the AI model extensive guidance it will apply in making your new deck.

Gamma’s free plan lets you create an unlimited number of presentations but limits your AI credits and puts a Gamma watermark on your exports. The  $96 annual plan  gives you unlimited AI credits and removes the Gamma watermark. A $180 annual plan gives you access to a better image engine and lets you generate up to 30 cards with AI for a given deck, rather than 15 for the cheaper plan.

Limitations and caveats

• Gamma presentations can’t yet be edited on a mobile device, and there aren’t any iOS or Android apps yet, as there for  Pitch , for example.
• Gamma’s AI only pulls text from documents and presentations you upload, not images. So the AI-generated images may not match your prior style.
• The images the AI adds to draft decks are of mixed quality, in my experience. I generally update many if not most of the AI-selected or generated images in my Gamma decks, as in this AI-assisted deck Gamma helped me create about  the future of kites .
• Because Gamma is so flexible, it can be tricky to decide what shape or size to use for a particular slide. Having freedom and flexibility is great, but it also means you have more decisions to make if you’re a perfectionist.

Examples: persuasive presentations made with Gamma

• Pitch deck  for  Folk —cool use of multiple content types and slide sizes
• How to  monetize a freemium business—creative document design
• Meet the team  that makes Gamma—interesting use of the platform
• Case study : How Disney designs magical experiences—slide storytelling

Gamma’s gargantuan growth

For a recent  interview , I spoke with Gamma CEO Grant Lee about the goals the former Stanford mechanical engineer has for his team of 16.

• Gamma’s $12 million in new funding came from investors including Accel, which was an early backer of Facebook, Dropbox and Slack. With more than $22 million in total funding, Gamma is adopting Notion’s international growth approach, Lee told me, drawing users from around the world.
• 17 million people have now used Gamma to create 60 million decks. It recently ranked 16th among the most visited AI tool sites, according to SimilarWeb traffic data as of January, 2024, as noted in this  Andreessen Horowitz post .

Alternatives

• Beautiful.ai   remains an excellent option, with a terrific set of slide templates that are especially good for charts. The best feature, which Gamma lacks: anytime you change an element in a Beautiful.ai slide, the rest of the slide automatically redesigns itself to adapt to the adjustment you made.
• Pitch.com   stands out for its collaboration features and the breadth and quality of its professional templates.
• Typeset  has a great interface for focusing on the text you’re including on slides and gives you flexibility to design not just slides but ebooks, reports, social media posts—even elements of an online course.
• Canva  has neat special effects for delivering presentations online and a vast, valuable library of visual elements you can add to slides. It also has a growing array of useful AI features. Check out my  past posts about Canva .
• iA Presenter  is superb for turning your script into slides.  How it’s unique .

Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the extended deadline, June 14. Sign up for Brands That Matter notifications here .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeremy Caplan is the director of teaching and learning at CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and the creator of the Wonder Tools newsletter.   More

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• SI SWIMSUIT
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• Other Sports

Spencer Rattler Creating Buzz with New Orleans Saints

Jonathan williams | 3 hours ago.

• South Carolina Gamecocks

Former South Carolina Gamecock Spencer Rattler is making buzz with the New Orleans Saints.

The South Carolina Gamecocks had four players drafted into the NFL this year and one of the bigger talking points was quarterback Spencer Rattler. Some expected that he could have gone as early as the second round but instead, he fell to the fifth and was selected by the New Orleans . Now, it seems like the waiting may have paid off.

Early reports out of the Saints are that Rattler is creating a lot of positive buzz around his name. Early indicators are that he not only looks the part of a professional quarterback but that he might get playing time this season. The Saints currently have NFL veteran Derek Carr as the organization's starter, but if Rattler continues to impress, he might create a quarterback competition at some point.

Spencer Rattler letting it FLY 😳 Rattler has reportedly been “lighting it up” at Saints minicamp. Some people around the league reportedly believe Rattler could see some playing time this season. The Saints may have landed a STEAL. pic.twitter.com/ut1mZ702Ya — NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) June 16, 2024

Dennis Allen, the head coach of the New Orleans Saints , appeared on the Rich Eisen Show. When asked about the plan for new quarterback Spencer Rattler, Dennis had this to say: "I think the plan is that he comes in and really basically competes, and we'll let the cards kind of play out as they do." Rattler will have the opportunity to compete for the starting job in year one, but they made it clear in the interview that they want him to be comfortable and learn what he needs to know to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.

You Might Also Like:

• South Carolina Baseball Has Two Players Receive Postseason Awards
• Mainieri Expects the Gamecocks Back "in Omaha and in the College World Series"
• Meet Jaquel Holman: The Versatile Star Athlete Joining the South Carolina Gamecocks

Join the community:

• Follow Alex Joyce on X:  @AlexJoyceSI

Y ou can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on X at  @GamecocksDigest  and  on Facebook!

JONATHAN WILLIAMS

Governor Shapiro and Secretary Siger Join Versatex to Announce $40 Million Expansion in Aliquippa, Creating 80 New Jobs in Beaver County

• June 18, 2024

Versatex is constructing a new $40 million, 96,500-square-foot facility at the Aliquippa Industrial Park, doubling its manufacturing footprint and creating 80 new jobs in Beaver County.

Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has secured nearly $2 billion in private sector investments – and his 2024-25 proposed budget prioritizes economic development to help businesses grow and thrive in Pennsylvania.

Aliquippa, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger joined Versatex leadership and local leaders to announce that the company – a leading designer and manufacturer of sustainable outdoor living products – is investing $40 million in a project that includes new production capacity and the construction of a new, 96,500-square-foot facility at the Aliquippa Industrial Park in Beaver County. The project is expected to create at least 80 new jobs, building upon the current workforce of approximately 180 employees based in Aliquippa and over 400 in Scranton.

Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has secured and announced nearly $2 billion in private sector investments through the Governor’s Action Team and PA SITES (Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites) investments – and the Governor’s proposed 2024-25 budget and Economic Development Strategy prioritize economic development to continue to help businesses grow in Pennsylvania.

“For nearly two decades, Versatex has called Aliquippa home – and with the support of the Commonwealth, Versatex is investing $40 million in Beaver County to double its manufacturing capacity, build out an entirely new production line, and create 80 new jobs,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “This is what is possible when we invest in economic development – and I want more companies to see that Pennsylvania is open for business and we are ready to work with you. That’s why my budget proposes $600 million in economic development initiatives to grow our economy, rebuild our communities, and help Pennsylvania compete to win. We can turn dirt into jobs and do big things again in Pennsylvania – but we need to invest to make it happen.”

In addition to the construction of the new facility, Versatex will also renovate its existing facility at 400 Steel Street in Aliquippa. The project will allow the company to expand its production capacity for existing product lines, begin production of its new composite siding product line, and add machinery that will increase its use of recycled material in the production process. Versatex’s parent company, the AZEK Company, currently employs more than 600 employees across its Aliquippa and Scranton manufacturing locations.

“The Commonwealth’s investment in Versatex is creating and keeping strong, family-sustaining manufacturing jobs right here in Western Pennsylvania,” said DCED Secretary Rick Siger. “We are open for business, and today’s announcement is another big win for the Commonwealth. We look forward to watching Versatex grow and thrive as a key manufacturer in the region.”

Through DCED, Versatex received a $2.65 million Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) loan, a $400,000 Pennsylvania First grant, and a $160,000 workforce development grant to train workers.

Versatex produces a number of PVC trims, moldings, soffit and custom mill work for the residential renovation and new construction industries. The company was originally formed in 2004 under the name Wolfpac Technologies. In 2018, the company was acquired by The AZEK Company , a leading designer and manufacturer of low-maintenance and environmentally sustainable wood alternative outdoor living and building products, including under its TimberTech and AZEK Exteriors brands.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Governor Shapiro and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in this significant expansion of Versatex’s operations in Beaver County,” said Versatex President Scott Van Winter. “This approximately $40 million investment underscores our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and economic growth. Combined with AZEK’s approximately $58 million investment at its Scranton locations in recent years, we are not only bolstering the local economy but also reinforcing Pennsylvania’s reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse. We are grateful for the support from the Governor’s Action Team and look forward to continuing our work together to build a brighter future for the Aliquippa community and beyond.”

“There is an economic resurgence happening along our riverfront in Aliquippa, Beaver County. The renaissance in these small communities must continue – and this investment from Versatex and the Shapiro Administration will give many Aliquippa residents economic opportunity,” said Aliquippa Mayor Dwan B. Walker. “Investments like this are putting people back to work with livable wages to take care of their families – and today’s announcement is the latest example of how we can work together as state and city leaders with our local businesses to create and retain jobs, support our workforce, and maintain our manufacturing history and footprint right here to drive economic growth.”

“Today is yet another chapter in the comeback of making products here in Pennsylvania. When we invest in companies like Versatex, we’re investing in people,” said Representative Robe Matzie. “Having a partner like Governor Shapiro and his team, who are equally committed to competing with other states and planting a flag to all who will listen, shows that Beaver County and all of Pennsylvania is open for business. And like the Governor likes to say, and something I personally and we collectively want, is to get stuff done.”

“We’d like to thank the Commonwealth, Governor Shapiro and our state delegation for all the assistance they have provided to make this happen,” said Lew Villotti, President, Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development. “Versatex is a valued member of our business community. This expansion builds upon Beaver County’s long heritage of manufacturing and through this investment Versatex continues to show their commitment to Beaver County and the Aliquippa area.”

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team , an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the Governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

The Governor’s 2024-25 budget proposal calls for $600 million in total new and expanded investments directly tied back to this ten-year strategy that will enhance DCED’s ability to implement the plan. The investments include:

• $500 million in PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites online and ensure companies have options for attractive business environments where they can move quickly and thrive in Pennsylvania.
• $25 million for the Main Street Matters program, to support small businesses and commercial corridors that are the backbone of communities across our Commonwealth. This new program will build upon and modernize the Keystone Communities program.
• $20 million to support large-scale innovation and leverage Pennsylvania’s best-in-class research and development assets. This funding will be used to incentivize additional private venture capital, positioning Pennsylvania as a national leader in innovation while proactively investing in entrepreneurs who have historically lacked access to venture capital funding.
• $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge, which will incentivize regional growth, build vibrant and resilient regions, and support communities by investing in the development of comprehensive strategies to propel entire regions forward.

You can read more about Pennsylvania’s first economic development strategy online .

For more information on how the Governor’s proposed budget will create opportunity for all Pennsylvanians, visit Shapiro’s budget website .

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WWDC24 Highlights

Apple Reveals Apple Intelligence

iOS 18 Makes iPhone More Personal and Intelligent Than Ever

iPadOS 18 Takes iPad to the Next Level

macOS Sequoia Brings New Ways of Working and Transformative Intelligence to Mac

watchOS 11 Offers Powerful Health and Fitness Insights, and More Personalization

visionOS 2 Brings New Spatial Computing Experiences to Apple Vision Pro

Home and Audio Updates Elevate Entertainment and Bring More Convenience

Text of this article

June 10, 2024

Relive the biggest moments from WWDC24

Today Apple kicked off its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, revealing groundbreaking new technologies and features during a keynote that was live-streamed from Apple Park to millions around the world. During the weeklong event, developers and students will have unique access to Apple experts, as well as insight into new tools, frameworks, and features to help elevate their apps and games.

This year’s keynote revealed Apple Intelligence , the personal intelligence system that combines the power of generative models with users’ personal context — at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac to deliver intelligence that’s incredibly useful and relevant. Major updates also come to iOS 18 , iPadOS 18 , macOS Sequoia , and watchOS 11 , including the biggest-ever redesign of the Photos app, game-changing productivity tools, and new ways for users to express themselves and customize their devices. visionOS 2 brings powerful new ways to interact with Apple Vision Pro and exciting updates to spatial photos and Mac Virtual Display, and tvOS 18 infuses useful information in Apple TV+ films and shows on users’ biggest screen in the home.

Beginning this month, Apple Vision Pro is also coming to more countries and regions, including China mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and next month will come to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the U.K.

Apple Intelligence harnesses the power of Apple silicon to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from users’ personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. A cornerstone of Apple Intelligence is on-device processing, which delivers personal intelligence without collecting users’ data. Private Cloud Compute sets a new standard for privacy in AI, with the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing, and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.

With iOS 18 , users will now be able to arrange apps and widgets in any open space on the Home Screen, customize the buttons at the bottom of the Lock Screen, and quickly access more controls in Control Center. With the biggest redesign ever of the Photos app, photo libraries are automatically organized in a new single view in Photos, and helpful new collections keep favorites easily accessible. All-new text effects come to iMessage, amplifying any letter, word, phrase, or emoji with dynamic, animated appearances to bring conversations to life. Users can also now communicate over satellite in the Messages app, even when a cellular or Wi-Fi connection isn’t available.

With iPadOS 18 , the iPad experience is more versatile and intelligent than ever with new features and apps designed for Apple Pencil. The Calculator app comes to iPad with Math Notes, which allows users to type or write out mathematical expressions and see them instantly solved in their own handwriting. New handwriting tools in Notes including Smart Script make handwritten notes more fluid, flexible, and easier to read.

With macOS Sequoia , Continuity between iPhone and Mac gets better than ever with iPhone Mirroring, enabling full access to and control of iPhone directly from Mac. Safari gets another big update with the new Highlights feature for effortless information discovery on webpages while browsing. Gaming is even more immersive with Personalized Spatial Audio that puts players in the middle of the action like never before. And Apple Intelligence unlocks new ways for Mac users to enhance their writing and communicate more effectively, create playful images in seconds, and more. Apple Intelligence takes full advantage of the power of Apple silicon and its Neural Engine, and will be supported by every Mac with an M-series chip.

watchOS 11 offers breakthrough insights into users’ health and fitness, and more personalization than ever. The new Vitals app surfaces key health metrics and context, the ability to measure training load offers a game-changing new experience when working out, and the popular Activity rings are even more customizable. The Smart Stack and Photos face use intelligence to feature more individualization, and Apple Watch and the Health app on iPhone and iPad offer additional support for users who are pregnant. Check In, the Translate app, and new capabilities for the double tap gesture come to Apple Watch for added connectivity and convenience.

Just months after its initial release, visionOS 2 brings powerful spatial computing experiences to Apple Vision Pro, including new ways for users to create spatial photos with the images already in their library, intuitive hand gestures to easily access important information at a glance, and new features for Mac Virtual Display, Travel Mode, and Guest User. visionOS 2 also introduces exciting new capabilities like Follow Your Breathing in the Mindfulness app, SharePlay for Photos, and multiview in the TV app.

With tvOS 18 , intelligent new features like InSight — and updates to Enhance Dialogue and subtitles — level up cinematic experiences, while new Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, and FaceTime capabilities get even better on users’ biggest screen. The Home app gains new features with iOS 18, like guest access and hands-free unlock with home keys, delivering effortless and secure access to the home. AirPods software updates will transform the way users respond to Siri with new gestures, take calls with friends and loved ones, and immerse themselves in their favorite games.

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China’s Lust for Durian Is Creating Fortunes in Southeast Asia

Demand for the fruit, known for its rich taste and intense smell, has reshaped parts of Southeast Asia, where it has long been a staple.

Durian is to fruit what truffles are to mushrooms: Pound for pound, the fruit has become one of the most expensive on the planet. Credit... Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York Times

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By Thomas Fuller

Photographs by Gabriela Bhaskar

Thomas Fuller and Gabriela Bhaskar reported from durian orchards in Malaysia and Thailand. Fuller has been writing about durian for more than two decades.

• Published June 16, 2024 Updated June 17, 2024

Before he started a company 15 years ago selling the world’s smelliest fruit, Eric Chan had a well-paying job writing code for satellites and robots. His family and friends were puzzled when he made the career change.

The fruit, durian, has long been a cherished part of local cultures in Southeast Asia, where it is grown in abundance. A single durian is typically the size of a rugby ball and can emit an odor so powerful that it is banned from most hotels. When Mr. Chan began his start-up in his native Malaysia, durians were cheap and often sold from the back of trucks.

Then, China acquired a taste for durian in a very big way.

Last year, the value of durian exports from Southeast Asia to China was $6.7 billion, a twelvefold increase from $550 million in 2017. China buys virtually all of the world’s exported durians, according to United Nations data. The biggest exporting country by far is Thailand; Malaysia and Vietnam are the other top sellers.

Demand for durians is transforming lives — and landscapes — in Southeast Asia.

Workers pick durian at a farm in Chanthaburi.

The fruit is often grown in plantations like this one, which is spread over 1,000 acres in the Malaysian state of Pahang.

Today, businesses are expanding rapidly — one Thai company is planning an initial public offering this year — and some durian farmers have become millionaires. Mr. Chan is one of them. Seven years ago, he sold a controlling share of his company, which specializes in producing durian paste for cookies, ice cream and even pizza, for the equivalent of $4.5 million, nearly 50 times his initial investment.

“Everybody has been making good money,” Mr. Chan said of the once-poor durian farmers in Raub, a small city 90 minutes from Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital. “They rebuilt their houses from wood to brick. And they can afford to send their children overseas for university.”

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