how to make a powerpoint presentation move on its own

How to Play PowerPoint Slides Automatically

The PowerPoint autoplay feature is an amazing tool for creating slideshows that advance automatically . Self-running PowerPoint presentations are great for leaving in kiosks or publicity booths. You can even show them with recordings or voiceovers to make sure your audience gets the most out of it. 

Forget worrying about clicking from slide to slide, today we will teach you how to play PowerPoint slides automatically!

We’ll cover the following topics:

Why should you use the automatic slideshow PowerPoint feature?

• How to Play PowerPoint Slides Automatically without Clicking - Option 1
• How to play slideshow in PowerPoint automatically - Option 2

How to make PowerPoint slides advance automatically with audio 

• How to loop slides in PowerPoint
• Check out some experts’ best practices for Automatic slideshows in PowerPoint

How to automatically play PowerPoint presentations across devices

How to play powerpoint slides automatically without clicking on mac, elevate your presentation with professional designs: try 24slides today.

Using the automatic slideshow feature has many benefits . The main one is its practicality; it is a tool you can set up in advance so that you eliminate the need for ongoing attention and your presentation flow is better. 

And that’s not all, you can even add voiceovers, recordings, and even laser pointer gestures to make sure your audience gets the most out of your presentation.

It becomes particularly beneficial in the following scenarios:

• Business presentations: An automatically progressing presentation can help you focus on your content without worrying about going slide by slide, which can often be distracting and disrupt your rhythm.
• Publicity: Self-running presentations can be great if you use them for publicity. For example, if you have a kiosk or booth, a self-running PowerPoint slideshow can help you reach more people without them having to speak one-on-one with a salesperson. 
• E-Learning: In e-learning modules or training presentations, autoplay can help learners progress through the material while listening to your lecture. However, they can also pause and rewind to go to the specific section they wish to revisit.
• Photo or Video Slideshows: Autoplay is commonly used in photo or video slideshows for events such as weddings or birthdays. It can serve as a background loop, or you can present it at a special moment along with music or narration to enhance the experience.

How to Play PowerPoint Slides Automatically without Clicking: Option 1

There are a couple of different ways to make your slides run automatically, and we'll go over both options. This first option is for when you need a really customized presentation: personalized timing for each slide, voiceovers, or laser pointer gestures . 

If this is your case, go ahead with this section, but if you’d like something a bit simpler, proceed to Option 2.

• The first step is to go to the Slide Show Tab. On the Set Up group, you’ll find the Set Up Slide Show option to start customizing your self-running presentation.

• Once the Set Up Show Window opens, deselect the Presented by a speaker option, as it refers to manually advancing your slides, either by clicking or using keys. Next, consider several options for the automatic slideshow:

• Browsed by an individual is one choice for creating a self-running PowerPoint presentation. This option permits you to deliver your slides within a window, as opposed to the typical full-screen mode. Ensure that the Use timings, if present option is enabled for this feature to function correctly.
• Another option is the Browsed at a kiosk , which allows you to run a full-screen, continuous slideshow automatically. This option locks in both the looping and timing settings, ensuring that your slideshow will continue until you press the ESC key.

If you’re not sure what option is the best for you, remember you can always select manually the loop and timings option . Try different options with these and try out how your presentation will look like with the different settings.

• The next step is to set your timings. This means defining how much time you want your PowerPoint slideshow to spend on each slide before automatically advancing to the next one.

To set your timings, click on Rehearse Timings , which will allow you to go through your presentation slide by slide, and it’ll record how much time you spend on each one. 

After you finish going through all your slides, a message will pop up to save your timings. Click yes so you can save the time spent on each slide.

How to play slideshow in PowerPoint automatically: Option 2

Let’s take a look at a different way of using the PowerPoint autoplay feature. This option is great if you’re looking for something simple and just want your slides to advance automatically at regular intervals. 

• First, open the Transitions Tab and locate the Timing Group.

• Go to the After option and manually add how much time you want to spend on each of your slides.

Select the Apply To All option so all your slides have the same timing.

You can also deselect the On Mouse Click option, depending on whether you want to be able to advance your slides by clicking or not.

Adding audio to your automatic PowerPoint is a fantastic feature to enhance your professional image and communicate your content without needing to be present. Let’s take a look at how to do it:

• Go to the Slide Show Tab and select Record Slide Show . Choose Record From Beginning to start with the first slide.

When the fullscreen opens, you will be able to see your first slide along with several options:

• Start in Settings (1) and select the tools you will be using. You have the option to use a microphone, or you can record yourself talking on camera. Choose your microphone and/or camera for recording.
• Next (2) , decide whether you want to have the microphone or camera you selected turned on. You can also choose to have a video preview.
• When you're ready to start recording, go to the top left corner (3) and click Record to start, Stop to pause, and Replay to review how it went.
• Once you finish with a slide, click on the right arrow (4) to move to the next slide.
• If you have Speaker notes in your slides, you can view them in (5) while you record.
• In the Pens and Markers section (6) , you can draw on the screen and make any annotations you want.
• Finally, the Clear option (7) allows you to clear existing recordings on the current slide or on all slides if you are unsatisfied and want to redo your recording.

• Now, to review what you've recorded, go to Set Up and make sure Play Narrations and Use Timings are checked. Then, click on From Beginning to start the presentation.

How to loop slides in PowerPoint 

If you want to learn how to loop your slides in PowerPoint, follow these steps:

• Go to the Slide Show tab and select Set Up Slide Show .

• When the Set Up Show window appears, go to the Show options group and tick the Loop continuously until ‘Esc’ option. Don’t forget to click OK to apply the new setup!

And all done! Now, your presentation will loop until you select ‘Esc’.

Check out some expert best practices for Automatic slideshows in PowerPoint

Now that you've learned how to make a PowerPoint slideshow run automatically, we'll give you the secrets to make your presentation stand out . Let's take a look at some insights from our expert designers .

Avoid too much text

Remember that your time per slide is limited , so it is important not to put too much text since your audience will not have time to read it. Try to express your message in the shortest possible text, and if necessary, revise and rewrite it as many times as necessary to synthesize it.

Limit interactive elements

Limit or avoid interactive elements such as hyperlinks that rely on user interaction since they may not function in PowerPoint autoplay mode.

However, if you want your audience or potential clients to take a specific action, consider using a QR code. Only make sure to leave the slide displayed for enough time for them to use it.

Practice, practice, practice

Keep in mind that your speech needs to fit perfectly with your timings for each slide. So, practicing your presentation multiple times is crucial to ensure a seamless and synchronized delivery. 

First, go to the Slide Show Tab and select Set Up Slide Show .

• When the Set Up Show Window opens, deselect the Presented by a speaker option and consider the following options to set up your automatic slideshow:

• Browsed by an individual : With this option, you can show your slides within a window instead of the typical full-screen mode. Make sure that the Use timings, if present option is selected.
• Another option is the Browsed at a kiosk : This option locks in both the looping and timing settings, ensuring that your slideshow will continue until you press the ESC key.
• Next, you need to set your timings. This involves determining the duration for each slide so that it advances automatically to the next one when you have finished presenting it.

To set your timings, go to the Slide Show Tab and click on Rehearse Timings.

A window will open, allowing you to go through your presentation slide by slide, and it will record how much time you spend on each one . As you progress through each slide, it will confirm the time spent, and you can either agree or choose to re-record.

After you finish going through all your slides, a message will pop up to save your timings . Click yes so you can save the time spent on each slide.

If you’re looking to create a presentation that truly wows your audience, you might want to consider professional design assistance for your PowerPoint. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. Check out the fantastic designs 24Slides can help you create today!

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• How to Add a Timer to Your Powerpoint Presentations
• 11 Time-Saving PowerPoint Hacks For Creating Quick Presentations
• How To Loop a PowerPoint Presentation
• Add a PowerPoint Real-Time Clock to Your Presentations

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How to Use Autoplay in a PowerPoint Presentation

So you can snooze off more easier

When you must give a presentation at work, Microsoft PowerPoint is the standard tool most people use. However, without some creativity, PowerPoint presentations can end up dull. Learning how to autoplay PowerPoint slides can add some spice to your presentations.

In this article, you’ll learn how to autoplay content in PowerPoint slides. You can automatically play an embedded video when a slide appears or autoplay animations. Finally, you can create a self-running presentation that moves through the next slide using specific timing that you’ve set up and even loop the presentation for continuous play.

Note : The following tips will work on PowerPoint, whether running on a Windows or a Mac computer.

How to Create a Self-Running PowerPoint Presentation

Why create a self-running PowerPoint presentation? You may not want to get distracted by clicking to move your presentation to the next slide. Or you’d like to set up your presentation on a kiosk at a convention. Some presentations that can run themselves may not even need a speaker.

Set Up the Slide Show

By default, PowerPoint presentations are configured to run as “Presented by a speaker”, where you have to click through each slide to trigger transitions throughout the presentation.

To set up Autoplay, first configure the presentation to autoplay how you would like.

• Select Slide Show tab from the menu, then select Set Up Slide Show from the ribbon.

• Use the options on the pop-up window to configure how your presentation will behave during autoplay.

Here’s how each option works:

• Presented by a speaker : The speaker must click through each slide using the mouse click. However, automatic slide timing is still an option if you select it on the right.
• Browsed by an individual : The viewer will need to press Play to start the presentation, but after that, it’ll play on its own.
• Browsed at a kiosk : This option will continue to loop through the presentation until you press the Esc key on the keyboard. This will automatically enable the Loop Continuously option at the bottom of the window.

Rehearse and Set Slide Times

The next step is to set up the slide timing and rehearse your presentation to ensure the time spent automatically on each slide is appropriate.

Using this rehearsal option is also a great way to practice your presentation and ensure that the overall runtime is within your limitations.

To do this:

• Select Slide Show from the menu and choose Rehearse Timings from the ribbon.

• This will start the “Recording” session. In this mode, you’ll need to speak normally using the script you will use during your presentation. When done speaking on a specific slide, select the “Next” arrow to continue to the next slide.

Note : Use the “Pause” button to pause the time for the current slide if you need to collect your thoughts or take a break for any reason. This small window will also show you the overall time for your entire presentation.

• Continue to do this through all of the slides. Finally, press the “x” at the upper right corner to finish recording on the last slide. You’ll see a pop-up message asking if you’d like to save your new slide timings.

Once you’ve saved these changes, your PowerPoint presentation is ready to use. If you’ve kept the default Presented by a speaker setting and enabled the Using timings, if present select under “Advance Slides,” you can start your presentation manually and then let slides advance automatically as you speak.

Record Slide Show (Fully Automated)

If you want to create a fully self-running presentation for a kiosk or send people to run themselves, select the correct option in the “Set Up Show” window described above.

Then, record your presentation by selecting Slide Show from the menu and selecting Record in the ribbon. Next, select From Beginning in the drop-down menu to start recording your presentation in full screen from the first slide.

You can skip this step if you don’t want to record your voice narrating the slideshow. Just make sure you’ve enabled the Show without narration check box in the Set Up Show window.

How to Embed and Autoplay a Video

Another thing you can automate in your PowerPoint presentations is triggering an embedded video file when you click on the slide where you’ve placed it.

In the editing view, right click the video you want to automate and select the down arrow to the right of the Start button.

Select Automatically from the dropdown menu.

Save the PowerPoint presentation. Now, it’ll start playing automatically when you advance to the slide with your embedded video while in presenter view.

Should You Use a Self-Running PowerPoint Presentation?

The option to have your PowerPoint slide show advance automatically can be handy. However, it isn’t always the right approach. For example, a complete, recorded presentation is great if you’re emailing your presentation or offering a download. But a self-running presentation could backfire if you’re drawn into a side conversation or have other things you want to say on the fly. As a result, you may find yourself fumbling to pause your presentation.

If you want more control over your presentation flow, sticking with a manually run presentation might be best for your situation.

Ryan has been writing how-to and other technology-based articles online since 2007. He has a BSc degree in Electrical Engineering and he's worked 13 years in automation engineering, 5 years in IT, and now is an Apps Engineer. Read Ryan's Full Bio

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How to Auto-Advance PowerPoint 365

Want to automatically advance the slides during your presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint 365? You can using these steps.

• Open the presentation file you wish to automate, then select “ Home “
• Select anywhere in the left “ Slides ” pane.
• Select the individual slide you would like to advance automatically. If you want to advance all of the slides for the same amount of time, select one slide in the left pane, then press “ Ctrl ” + “ A ” to highlight all slides.
• Select the “ Transitions ” tab.
• In the “ Advance Slide ” area, check the “ After ” check box, then set the amount of time that should elapse before PowerPoint advances to the next slide. You can also select the transition effect, such as “ Cut “, “ Fade “, or “ Wipe “.

Now your slides should change to the next one automatically. You can test the functionality by going to “ View ” > “ Reading View “

Why don’t I have the Advance Slide option showing in my PowerPoint?

Be sure that the window is maximized so that you can see all of the options on the ribbon. If it is still missing, you can add the button back by selecting the “ Customize Quick Access ” arrow, then selecting “ More commands… ” at the upper-left portion of the window. From there select “ Quick Access Toolbar ” to modify the options available. You should be able to add the “Transition” command from the left side of the screen to the right.

If you want to take the easy way, just select the “ Reset ” button.

Author Mitch Bartlett

Through my career that spans over 20 years I have become an expert in Microsoft Systems Administration, Android, and macOS. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful knowledgebase for everyone.

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You are the best!

I am trying to advance to the next slide after a movie clip in Powerpoint. Presentation will not move past the black screen after the video has played. I have already changed the information under the Transitions tab to no avail. Regards Bev Seagg

I want to create a delay so a person can not rapidly click through a PowerPoint learning module. Basically – click and when you click for next slide, it won’t advance for a certain time. You still would advance by click only.

Hi, it’s working for me, Thanks for help….

I have done all you’ve suggested but the slide won’t transition and the audio keeps going.

It’s still not happening for me.

I want my slides with video clips to auto-advance at the end of the video clip. Instead, what I get is the black box with the video, ready to be played again.

How do I get that video slide to auto-advance to the next slide?

Thank you so much. I am putting together a slideshow for my friends wedding and working out how to auto progress them was doing my head in. You explained it so clearly !

Did this help? Yes it did! Thanks for your time, energy and expertise.

I have basically the same problem as Peter above, I have 14 slides and a song that is 3 minutes long. I’d like to have music in the background and the slides to change ever 13 seconds, but haven’t be able to make that happen. Help!

We are a church and use PowerPoint every week to project our order of worship, songs, etc. These slides are advance by a mouse click as we have someone stationed at the sound/media center. We now have created a number of slides related to upcoming events. We have these slides set up to automatically advance and are on a loop so it can run continuously until the service begins.

Our question is can we incorporate the auto-advance/looping slides into the prezo that advances by mouse click. In this way, the media operator could click escape and seamlessly move to the first slide of the worship service. Is this possible?

Sadly no. I have a small presentation of 7 slides.in PP 2016. Slide 1 is a video I highlighted slide 2 to 7and inserted audio from my computer. Slide 1 plays the short intro video then advances to slide 2 where the music starts but from there the slides don’t advance. Are you able to help….I don’t know if this site is a ‘help me’ site I’m in the UK

Thanks for your effort on this, Mitch–and for sharing it..

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Last Updated on February 28, 2023 by Mitch Bartlett

April 12, 2024

How to play PowerPoint slides automatically without clicking

Wondering how to make PowerPoint play automatically? We’ll guide you through the process and also show you how Plus AI can help you create the content for your slideshow

Are you setting up a slideshow at a convention or trade show, or maybe in a conference room or waiting area? You can easily set up a Microsoft PowerPoint slideshow to run automatically without a speaker at all. This lets you present your product, service, or company mission to a broad audience without manual intervention.

Here’s how to play PowerPoint slides automatically without clicking to advance through the show as well as how Plus AI can save you time on editing or creating the content.

Set up the slide timings or transitions

Before you set your presentation to play on its own, you’ll want to decide on the timings for your slides. 

This allows you to display each slide for a specific amount of time before advancing to the next and is especially important if you use effects for your slides.

For both of the settings below, go to the Slide Show tab and check the box for Use Timings in the Set Up section.

Slide timings

With slide timings, you rehearse and record the timings for all slides. Simply move through the slideshow at a normal pace, use the control to advance to each effect and slide, and save the recorded timings when you finish.

• Go to the Slide Show tab and select Rehearse Timings .

• When the slideshow show begins, stay on the first slide for the amount of time you want and click the Next arrow in the Rehearsal toolbar to advance.

• If necessary, you can use the Rehearsal toolbar to Pause , Play , or Repeat the recording as it progresses.

• At the end of the presentation, press Esc (Escape key) and you’ll see a message letting you know the total duration of the slideshow. To save the recorded timings, click Yes .

You can review the timing for each slide by going to the View tab and choosing Slide Sorter .

When you set up your presentation to play automatically as described below, your slides advance per the timings you recorded.

Slide transitions

Another way to automatically choose the slide advance timings is using the Transitions tab. If you apply slide transitions to enhance the appearance of your presentation , this is a good option. However, you can choose None if you want to advance the slides without an effect between them.

• Select your first slide and go to the Transitions tab.
• Optionally choose an effect in the Transition to This Slide box and set the Duration for the transition to the right. You can enter a number in seconds or use the arrows to move up or down in small increments.

• In the Advance Slide group, uncheck the box for On Mouse Click and check the box for After . Then, enter the seconds for advancing to the next slide to the right.

• Repeat these steps for each slide in the presentation or choose Apply to All .

When you set up your presentation to play automatically as described next, you’ll see your slides advance for the “After” time you entered.

Note : Recording the Slide Timings overrides the Slide Transition “After” settings. If you want to use both, record the timings first and then change the “After” timing for the selected slides.

Make PowerPoint play automatically

Once your slide timings are in place, you can easily set up your PowerPoint presentation to run automatically. Whether you’re revealing a new product or providing an instructional slideshow, you can benefit from this PowerPoint feature.

Tip : New product, new company? Look at these helpful productivity apps for startups .

Open your slideshow in PowerPoint on Windows or Mac and follow these steps to set up automatic play.

• Go to the Slide Show tab and select Set Up Slide Show .

• In the pop-up window, mark Browsed at a kiosk in the Show type section. This automatically loops the slideshow for continuous play and only stops when you press Esc .

• Show options : Check the boxes for those settings you want to use. Note that the Loop setting is marked by default for this Show Type.
• Show slides : Choose all slides, specific slides, or a custom slide show.
• Advance slides : Using Timings is selected by default when you check the box described earlier and works with those timings you set.
• Multiple monitors : Choose the Slide Show Monitor and Resolution (Windows).
• Click OK when you finish.

Edit slides with ease using Plus AI

When you create a self-running presentation, you have to be sure that your slides can speak for themselves. This might require you to adjust the text for clarity or shorten lengthy paragraphs or sentences. Luckily, Plus AI can help you make these types of changes almost effortlessly.

If you are looking at AI presentation makers to speed up your presentation workflow, check out Plus AI. Plus is an add-on that intelligently composes content, arranges slide elements, and more. Once you create or edit a presentation with Plus AI, you can download it as a PowerPoint slideshow and set up autoplay as described above.

Along with rewriting slide content, you can use Plus AI to remix slides for different layouts and create custom designs that you can reuse for future presentations. If you need help from the get-go, you can create slideshows from scratch with attractive templates, custom instructions, and even PDF uploads .

When you can’t be there to walk your audience through the show, you don’t have to postpone or reschedule it; just set it up to play automatically. If that’s not what you need, you can also create informative or entertaining PowerPoint slideshows for patients in a waiting room or meeting attendees who arrive early. 

Now that you know how to play a slideshow in PowerPoint automatically, look at how to convert PowerPoint to Google Slides and take advantage of Plus AI.

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How to Create an Auto-Playing PowerPoint Presentation

Self-running presentations work great at conferences and conventions. Here's how to set one up.

Table of Contents

Creating a self-running PowerPoint, as Microsoft calls it, can be a great addition to your company’s booth at conventions or industry-wide conferences. By featuring photos, infographics and key points in a continuous loop, PowerPoint becomes an effective communication tool to inform others about your company, its goals, and your products or services.

Auto-playing presentations are also great for employee training, meetings where the speaker is absent, and reaching remote clients or customers. Microsoft provides easy steps to turn your PowerPoint into an autoplay presentation.

Setting up the presentation

There are several options for creating a PowerPoint presentation automatically. All of these can be accessed under the Slide Show tab.

Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show

There are three options under this menu:

• Presented by a speaker : This first option requires the viewer to click through each slide. This is the default setting that most PowerPoint presentations are already in and is the mode with which you’re likely most familiar.
• Browsed by an individual : This option will create a slideshow where the viewer cannot control when slides advance. This is an autoplay feature, but the viewer will still have to hit Play to get it started.
• Browsed at a kiosk . Once selected, this option will loop the slide show until a viewer presses the escape button.

If you don’t want your viewers to have access to when the slideshow starts and stops, select the third option. The Loop Continuously option underneath will be automatically selected.

Recording slide timing

Before you begin recording your presentation, it’s important to set the slide time using the rehearsal toolbar. This will give you an idea of how long each slide will run before advancing to the next one. It will also allow you to practice your presentation and understand how long the runtime will be. Like setting up the slide show, this window can be accessed via the Slide Show tab.

Slide Show > Rehearse Timings

The recording window allows users to advance to the next slide, pause the presentation, view the current slide’s time, restart the recording for a slide and view the total runtime of the presentation.

After recording the last slide, PowerPoint will ask whether you want to keep the slide timings or not.

Recording your presentation

Once your slide timings are set, you can record your slide show.

Navigate to Slide Show > Record Slide Show to begin your recording. Click End Show and save your file once you are done recording. After saving, your presentation is ready to be sent to clients, customers or played at your convention or conference booth.

Here are some quick tips to check for before recording your presentation:

• Before beginning your recording, make sure you adjust the Play Narrations and the Use Timings checkboxes.
• If you want all narration and slide transitions included, both boxes should be checked.
• To create a silent sequence of slides, make sure the Play Narrations button is deselected.

What is PowerPoint autoplay?

Autoplay allows you to keep a PowerPoint presentation running. In typical PowerPoint presentations, presenters click from slide to slide manually using a clicker or spacebar on a keyboard.

Luckily, PowerPoint autoplay allows users to set up their slides, so they automatically change. That way, they can focus on their presentation without interruptions. There are options to have slides timed to music or voiceovers and make each slide the same length.

Why is PowerPoint autoplay beneficial?

Autoplay is great for several uses, from delivering announcements throughout a company’s office or a school, to giving speeches and presentations at conventions or work. Presenters can rehearse the timings of the slides and then present without worry. Here are some of the reasons why someone may use PowerPoint’s autoplay features:

• Rehearsal . Practicing your presentation involves timing, and autoplay can be a great tool for learning how to fill time or keeping it short. For example, many teachers and professors require presentations to fill a certain amount of time for class projects. While rehearsing timings, users can determine how much time to spend on each slide. This keeps presenters on track during their presentations, even when they want to speed up due to nerves or pressure.
• Convention booths and exhibits. Trade shows , conventions and networking events are great for companies and salespeople who want to showcase a variety of products and services. People who walk by can look at the presentation and not have to ask employees for information. In addition, a good PowerPoint presentation with eye-catching visuals and information can attract potential customers and clients, which could turn into sales.
• Music videos and tribute presentations. Whether it is a presentation of family vacation photos to the soundtrack of the summer or a lyric video to your favorite song, autoplay allows users to create appealing presentations and videos. These could even be downloaded into MP4 files to share with family and friends.
• Replay and loop at events or other occasions. This is great for offices that have a slideshow of information for their clients or patients. They can show a variety of pictures, information about services, and even the company’s latest news and contact information. Because of this, employees can set up the presentation, walk away and know that their announcements are being made public without even saying a word.

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How to Create Autoplay PowerPoint Slides Without Clicking

Having your PowerPoint presentation advance slides automatically can be useful in many situations, such as running unattended slideshows at events or trade shows. With PowerPoint’s autoplay feature, you can set up your slides to progress on their own without needing to manually click through each one.

Benefits of Autoplay Slideshows

How to set up autoplaying slides, 1. set slide transition timing, 2. disable manual advance.

This prevents manual interference so slides only play automatically.

3. Activate Looping

Once set up, the presentation will now autoplay through all slides on a continuous loop!

Tips for Better Autoplay Slideshows

Common uses for autoplaying slideshows, trade shows and conventions.

Autoplaying slideshows make great repeatable demos at booths and stands to capture attendee attention.

Digital Signage

Background visuals.

Use looping slideshows as dynamic backdrops for stages, worship services, etc.

Video Creation

So with just a few simple steps, you can set up your PowerPoint slides to advance automatically. This opens lots of useful applications for hands-free, unattended displaying in a variety of environments.

About The Author

Vegaslide staff, related posts, powerpoint 2007: proofing slides, how to make a shape transparent in powerpoint, how to edit or modify a powerpoint template, powerpoint is not responding, keeps crashing, freezing or hanging.

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation Play Automatically

PowerPoint remains one of the most versatile and widely used presentation software tools. Thanks to an increasingly diverse suite of tools and capabilities, PowerPoint serves as a sturdy anchor for individuals across a variety of industries during speeches, presentations and just about anything in between.

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One of the most helpful tools found inside PowerPoint is the option to play a presentation automatically, which is particularly useful if you are creating a presentation that will run without your oversight or participation, such as at a freestanding kiosk or exhibition. A PowerPoint automatic slideshow can be configured quickly in only a few quick steps.

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Preparing Your PowerPoint Autoplay Functions

After you finish creating the slides for your PowerPoint presentation, you are ready to configure the autoplay functions. First, confirm that all your slides have the desired content and are in the appropriate order. Although you can make changes at a later point, it doesn't hurt to take a moment at this stage of the process to review your presentation as a whole. After you confirm the arrangement and content, open the "Slide Show" tab and press the "Set Up Slide Show" button. You have the option to configure your presentation for three automatic play modes: "Presented by a speaker (full screen)," "Browsed by an individual (window)" and "Browsed at a Kiosk (full screen)." Your selection determines how users can interact with the slides at any given time.

PowerPoint Slideshow Loop Options

If you select "Presented by a speaker," the slideshow runs automatically behind you as you speak to your audience. When you opt for "Browsed by an individual" as your automatic play mode, individuals can manually navigate through your presentation, which then loops and returns to the first slide upon completion of the deck. If "Browsed at a Kiosk" mode is selected, the slides progress automatically on a loop until an individual exits from the presentation entirely by pressing the "Escape" key. When "Browsed at a Kiosk" mode is selected, you configure the amount of time that elapses between slides. For example, if your presentation includes slides that contain a large amount of content, you may want to set a long delay between slide transitions to give the viewers time to review all the content on each slide.

Other Opportunities to Explore

PowerPoint autoplay has proven itself to be an integral component of the software and for good reason. In addition to the customization features mentioned here, you can also automate a variety of additional tasks, including PowerPoint animations during slide transitions and the length of time that these animations occur as one slide transitions to another. Whatever your specific needs may be, the chances are good that PowerPoint's unique set of resources can help you get the job done.

• Microsoft Office: Create a Self-Running Presentation
• Business News Daily: How to Create an Auto-Playing PowerPoint Presentation

How to Run a PowerPoint Slide Show Automatically (Set Up a Self-Running Presentation)

Easily Create a Self-Running PowerPoint Slide Show

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated November 12, 2021

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

You can set up self-running PowerPoint slide shows to run automatically at trade shows, conventions, events or as web-based presentations. Prior to setting up a self-running presentation, you'll need to apply your preferred animations to text and objects as well as any slide transitions to be be included in the show (unless specified otherwise in the Set Up Show dialog box). When you create automatic slide shows, you also have the option of including specific slide timings, narrations or voice over and ink annotations.

Recommended article: How to Draw on PowerPoint Slides on the Fly During a Presentation (Using Ink)

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

Setting up a self-running presentation

When you set up a self-running presentation, you can choose 3 options in the Set Up Show dialog box depending on your audience:

To set up a PowerPoint presentation to run automatically, but allow those watching the slide show to have control over when they advance slides:

• Click the Slide Show tab in the Ribbon and then click Set Up Slide Show. A dialog box appears.
• Under Show type, select Presented by a speaker (full screen). This is the default setting for slide shows.

To set up a presentation to run automatically, but those watching the slide show do NOT have control over when slides advance:

• Under Show type, select Browsed by an individual (window).

To set up a presentation to run automatically, but those watching the slide show do NOT have control over when slides advance and the presentation repeats until the people watching press Escape (ESC):

• Under Show type, select Browsed at kiosk (full screen).

Setting slide timings manually

You can choose to rehearse slide timings or you can manually set the slide timings for your PowerPoint slides using the Transitions tab in the Ribbon.

To set slide timings manually:

• Click the View tab in the Ribbon and then click Slide Sorter.
• Select the slide for which you want to set timing.
• Click the Transitions tab in the Ribbon.
• In the Timing group, under Advance Slide, select the After check box and then enter the number of seconds indicating how long the slide should appear on the screen. If you want the next slide to appear either when you click the mouse or automatically after the number of seconds that you enter (whichever comes first), select both the On Mouse Click and the After check boxes.
• Repeat the process for each slide for which you want to set timing.

Rehearsing and recording slide timings

If you choose Browsed by an individual (window) or Browsed at a kiosk (full screen) in the Set Up Show dialog box, you can rehearse and record timings for animations, transitions and advancing slides.

To rehearse timings, you'll use the Rehearsal toolbar shown below:

The toolbar includes the following buttons from left to right:

• Next (advance to next slide)
• Total presentation time

Click the buttons in the Rehearsal toolbar to perform the following actions:

• Click Next to advance to the next slide.
• To temporarily stop recording the time, click Pause.
• To restart recording the time after pausing, click Pause.
• To set an exact length of time for a slide to appear, type the length of time in the Slide Time box.
• To restart recording the time for the current slide, click Repeat.

To rehearse timings:

• Click the Slide Show tab in the Ribbon and then click Rehearse Timings. The Rehearsal toolbar appears and the timer begins immediately. The presentation appears in full screen recording mode.
• Click the desired buttons. Click Next to advance to the next slide or press the right arrow on your keyboard. To temporarily stop recording the time, click Pause. To restart recording the time after pausing, click Pause. To set an exact length of time for a slide to appear, type the length of time in the Slide Time box. To restart recording the time for the current slide, click Repeat.
• Continue clicking on the appropriate buttons until you are satisfied with the timings. The total presentation time appears on the top right of the Rehearsal toolbar.
• After you set the time for the last slide, a dialog box displays the total time for the presentation and another dialog box appears.
• To keep the recorded slide timings, click Yes. To discard the recorded slide timings, click No.

The presentation appears. If you view the presentation in Slide Sorter View, the slide timing is displayed below each slide.

Recording a slide show with timings

Instead of using the Rehearse Timings button, you can record timings (and narrations or voice over) as you record a show. The Record Slide Show button appears on the Slide Show tab in the Ribbon. When you record a slide show, you can start from the beginning or the current slide:

After you choose to record a slide show, you will have the option of including slide and animation timings as well as narrations, ink, and laser pointer (2010 users will not have the option of recording ink annotations):

If you select Slide and animation timings, PowerPoint automatically records the time you spend on each slide, including animations and triggers on each slide. If you have already rehearsed timings, they will be replaced.

If you use the pen, highlighter, eraser or laser pointer, those will also be recorded. Pen, highlighter, and eraser recording are available only if you have PowerPoint 2013 (and run updates) or a later version of PowerPoint. In earlier versions of PowerPoint, pen and highlighter strokes are saved as ink annotation shapes. To learn more about including ink, check out the article  How to Draw on PowerPoint Slides on the Fly During a Presentation (Using Ink) .

To record a slide show and include animations and timings:

• Click the Slide Show tab in the Ribbon and then click the arrow beside Record Slide Show. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Start Recording from Beginning or Start Recording from Current Slide. A dialog box appears.
• Select the option to include slide and animation timings.
• Click Start Recording. The Rehearsal toolbar appears and the timer begins immediately. The presentation appears in full screen recording mode.
• If you want to record timings, click the desired buttons. Click Next to advance to the next slide or press the right arrow on your keyboard. To temporarily stop recording the time, click Pause. To restart recording the time after pausing, click Pause. To set an exact length of time for a slide to appear, type the length of time in the Slide Time box. To restart recording the time for the current slide, click Repeat.
• To end your recording at any time, right-click on a slide and select End Show from the menu.

The presentation appears. In Slide Sorter view, the slide timing is displayed below each slide.

Recording narrations or voice over

In addition to timings, you may want to add narrations or voice over. You can record narrations before you run a presentation or you can record narrations during a presentation and include audience comments. When you add narrations, PowerPoint automatically records your slide timings. Alternatively, you can set the slide timings first. Be sure to test the microphone first. If you do not want narrations throughout your entire presentation, you can record separate sounds or comments on selected slides or objects.

To record narrations, your computer requires a sound card, microphone, speakers and a webcam (optionally). You will also need a microphone connector if the microphone is not part of your computer.

It's not a bad idea to create a script first in Microsoft Word to improve flow and avoid filler words such as "um". You may also want to practice before recording although you can always re-record narration.

To record a slide show with narrations:

• In the Record Slide Show dialog box, select the check box for Narrations and laser pointer and, if required, select or deselect the Slide and animation timings check box.
• Click Start Recording. A Rehearsal toolbar appears.
• Speak into the microphone to record a narration.
• To pause the narration, in the Rehearsal toolbar, click Pause. To resume the narration, click Resume Recording.
• To end your slide show recording at any rime, right-click on the slide and then select End Show.

The recorded slide show timings and narrations are saved. If you view the presentation in Slide Sorter view, timings appear beneath each slide. A sound icon also appears in the lower-right corner of each slide that has narration.

If you re-record your narration (including audio, ink, and laser pointer), PowerPoint erases your previously recorded narration (including audio, ink, and laser pointer) when you start recording again on the same slide.

To use ink, eraser, or the laser pointer during your recording, right-click on the slide, select Pointer options and choose the laser pointer, pen, highlighter or eraser. Ink is not available for 2010 users. If you want to display a laser pointer while you're recording, press Control and your pointer will appear as a small red circle on your screen.

Previewing narration

If you want to listen to the narration on a slide:

• In Normal View, click the sound icon in the lower-right corner of the slide.
• Click Play.

Running a recorded slide show

To run a recorded slide show in Normal View:

• If necessary, on the Slide Show tab in the Ribbon, click Set Up Slide Show. A dialog box appears.
• Under Show type, select the desired option.
• On the Slide Show tab, click From Beginning or From Current Slide. During playback, your animations, inking actions, laser pointer, audio and video play in sync.
• To end the show, press Escape.

Turning timings or narrations off

You can turn off timings and narrations and then turn them on again at any time.

To turn off recorded slide timings, on the Slide Show tab, deselect the Use Timings check box.

To turn off recorded narrations, ink, and the laser pointer, on the Slide Show tab, deselect the Play Narrations check box.

Deleting timings or narration

You can use the Clear command to permanently delete timings or narration from your slide show recording. You have 4 options:

• Delete timings on the current slide
• Delete timings on all slides
• Delete narration on the current slide
• Delete narration on all slides

To clear timings or narrations:

• On the Slide Show tab, click the arrow below Record Slide Show. A menu appears.
• Select Clear and then the appropriate clear option.

Once you have recorded a presentation, you can later save it as a video if you'd like.

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More resources

A Beginner's Guide to Video Formats in PowerPoint

How to Hide and Unhide Slides in PowerPoint (with Shortcuts)

How to Insert Video in PowerPoint (from a File on Your PC or a Shared Drive)

PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts to Play and Control Video During a Slide Show

How to Add Animation in PowerPoint (Animate Images, Text and Other Objects)

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60 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks (Giant List)

Here's a PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks guide that takes you through how to make a good PowerPoint presentation.

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

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

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

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

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

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

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

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

Master PowerPoint (Free Course): 15 Essential Tips

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

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

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Effective?

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

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

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

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

Killer Presentation Preparation Tips to Get Started Right

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

1. Know Your Stuff

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

2. Write It Out

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

3. Highlight What’s Most Important

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

4. Know Your Audience

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

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

5. Rehearse! (Yes, Already)

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

6. Rewrite After You Rehearse

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

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

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

7. Share With a Friend

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

Simple Tips to Design Your PowerPoint Presentation Better

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

8. Keep Your Slides Simple

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

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

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

9. Limit Words on Your Slides

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

10. Use High-Quality Photos and Graphics

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

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

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

11. Use Accurate and Relevant Charts and Graphs

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

12. Use High-Quality, Fresh Templates

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. Choose Appropriate Fonts

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

14. Choose Color Well

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

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

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

15. Clean + Simple Formatting Makes All the Difference!

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

16. Make Sure All Objects Are Aligned

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

17. Limit Punctuation

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

18. Avoid Over-Formatting Your Points

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

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

19. Combine Information With Graphics in PowerPoint

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

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

Practice Presentation Tips: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!

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

20. I’ll Say It Again, Rehearse!

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

21. Practice With a Timer

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

22. Slow It Down

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

23. Pause More Often

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

24. Record Yourself

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

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

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

25. Choose Three Focal Points in the Room

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

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

26. Vary Your Sentence Length

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

27. Modulate!

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

28. Practice in Front of a Mirror

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

29. Use “Present Mode” When Rehearsing

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

30. Practice With New Audiences

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

31. Engage the Audience by Asking Questions

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

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

Helpful Tips to Step Up and Deliver Come Presentation Time

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

32. Take a Deep Breath

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

33. Lighten Up Your Mood

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

34. Remind Yourself to Take It Slow

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

35. Read the Room

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

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

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

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

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

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

36. Fake It ‘Til You Make It!

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

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

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

37. Stop With the Sound Effects

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

38. Don’t Use Flashy Slide Transitions

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

39. Beware of Clip Art

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

40. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid

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

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

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

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

41. Don’t Read Directly During Your PowerPoint Presentation

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

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

42. Don’t Miss Out on PowerPoint Customizations

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

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

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

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

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

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

43. Use the Visual Guides

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

44. Use a Few Animations (Tastefully)

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

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

45. Stage Key Content With Animations

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

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

Take it from presentation pro Suzannah Baum :

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

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

46. Add a Video to Your PowerPoint

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

47. Add Charts & Graphs

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

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

48. Build Your Own Infographics With SmartArt

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

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

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

49. Use Presenter View

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

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

50. Track Your PowerPoint Changes

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

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

10 More Advanced PowerPoint Tips & Tricks

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

51. Engage With an Interactive Quiz

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

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

52. Illustrate With Custom Image Masks

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

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

53. Print Handouts With Extra Notes

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

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

54. Make Bulk Edits With Master Slides

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

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

55. Shrink File Sizes for Sharing

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

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

56. Map Processes With Flowcharts

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

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

57. Use Brand-Specific Colors

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

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

58. Build Social Media Posts in PPT

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

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

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

59. Be Industry-Specific

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

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

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

60. Design for Online (Virtual) Sharing

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

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

More Great PowerPoint Tutorial Resources

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

Discover More Top PowerPoint Template Designs From Envato Elements for 2024

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

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

1. Galaxi PowerPoint Template

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

2. Masmax PowerPoint Template

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

3. STYLE Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

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

4. Peachme Creative PowerPoint Template

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

5. Buizi Office Building Rent PowerPoint Template

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s get started:

1. Choose Your Slides

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

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

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

2. Add Text

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

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

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

3. Customize Fonts

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

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

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

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

4. Insert Images

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

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

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

5. Change Colors

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related Articles

How To Move A Slide In PowerPoint Without Dragging

Are you looking to enhance your presentation skills and make your PowerPoint slides more dynamic?

Regina Griffin, a PowerPoint expert and teacher in Oregon, US, will guide us through different methods such as using the Navigation Pane, Slide Sorter View, and Slide Thumbnails.

Key Takeaways:

What is powerpoint and why is it used.

PowerPoint is a presentation software developed by Microsoft that allows users to create slideshows or presentations.

One of the key functionalities of PowerPoint is its ability to create visually engaging slides with text, images, videos, and animations, making it an ideal tool for communication and information delivery. Users can easily customize the design, layout, and formatting of each slide to suit their content and audience. Moreover, PowerPoint offers various templates, themes, and transition effects to enhance the overall look and feel of the presentation.

Regarding the purpose of using PowerPoint, it serves as a powerful tool for delivering information in a structured and visually appealing manner. Whether it’s for educational purposes to engage students, for business meetings to convey data and strategies, or for personal use to showcase memories, PowerPoint helps users effectively organize their content and captivate their audience.

Who is Regina Griffin and What is Her Expertise in PowerPoint?

With a Master’s degree in Education and years of experience in the classroom, Regina Griffin’s innovative approach to teaching sets her apart. She believes that PowerPoint is not just a presentation tool but a powerful medium to foster creativity and critical thinking among students. Leveraging various multimedia elements, she transforms static slides into dynamic visual aids that cater to different learning styles.

Why is it Important to Know How to Move Slides in PowerPoint?

How can moving slides enhance a presentation.

Moving slides in a presentation can enhance the storytelling flow, emphasize key points, and maintain audience interest throughout the session.

Dynamic animations such as zoom-ins fades, or slide transitions can be strategically used to draw attention to important information and guide the audience’s focus. Integrating interactive elements like clickable links, pop-ups, or animations can further captivate the viewers and encourage active participation during the presentation.

What Are the Different Ways to Move Slides in PowerPoint?

In PowerPoint, there are multiple methods to move slides within a presentation, offering flexibility and customization options to presenters.

The navigation pane provides an organized overview of slides, allowing presenters to navigate through the presentation structure efficiently. While this method offers a visual representation of the slide sequence, it may not offer the same level of direct manipulation as the drag-and-drop or thumbnail methods.

Method 1: Using the Navigation Pane

Step 1: open the navigation pane.

The Navigation Pane in PowerPoint serves as a powerful tool for efficiently managing and organizing slides within a presentation. Once the Navigation Pane is open, users can easily view a thumbnail grid of all slides in their presentation, making it convenient to navigate and rearrange the order of slides.

To access the Navigation Pane, you can simply click on the ‘View’ tab in the PowerPoint ribbon, and then select ‘Navigation Pane’ from the ‘Show’ group. This will display the Navigation Pane on the left side of the PowerPoint window, giving you a comprehensive overview of your slides.

Step 2: Select the Slide You Want to Move

The Navigation Pane provides a convenient way to view all the slides in a thumbnail format, allowing users to visually identify the slide they want to relocate.

Step 3: Drag and Drop the Slide to the Desired Location

Once the desired slide is selected, users can drag and drop it to the preferred position within the presentation using the Navigation Pane.

This feature provides a simple and efficient way to rearrange the sequence of slides without the need to manually cut and paste. By effortlessly dragging the slide thumbnail to a new location in the Navigation Pane, the user can swiftly reorganize the flow of their presentation. This hands-on approach promotes a more interactive and dynamic editing process, saving time and enhancing productivity. The visual feedback of the slide moving as it’s dragged across the panel aids accuracy in placing it exactly where needed, ensuring a seamless transition from one slide to the next.

Method 2: Using the Slide Sorter View

Step 1: switch to slide sorter view.

To begin moving slides using the Slide Sorter View, users should switch to this specific view mode within PowerPoint.

Once in the Slide Sorter View, users will notice a condensed overview of all their slides, making it easier to visualize the sequence and flow of the presentation. This feature allows for efficient rearrangement of slides with a simple drag-and-drop action, ensuring a seamless and logical order to enhance the audience’s understanding. You can easily identify duplicate or misplaced slides, helping to streamline your presentation for a more polished delivery.

Step 2: Click and Hold on the Slide You Want to Move

Once the slide is selected and held, users can drag it across the Slide Sorter View interface and drop it at the intended position.

The moment you release the slide, the changes take effect instantly, showing you the updated sequence in real time, ensuring a seamless reordering experience.

Method 3: Using the Slide Thumbnails

Slide Thumbnails in PowerPoint offer a compact visual representation of each slide, allowing users to manipulate and reorder slides efficiently.

Step 1: View the Slide Thumbnails

Within the Slide Thumbnails interface, users can click and hold on a specific slide to initiate the relocation process.

Once the slide is selected and held, users can smoothly drag it to the target position and drop it to rearrange slides effectively.

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Moving Slides in PowerPoint

Mastering the skill of moving slides in PowerPoint enables presenters to create engaging, well-structured presentations that effectively communicate their message.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. how do i move a slide in powerpoint without dragging it manually, to move a slide without dragging in powerpoint, you can use the keyboard shortcut “alt+shift+up/down arrow keys”. this will move the selected slide up or down in the slide deck., 2. is there a way to move multiple slides at once in powerpoint, yes, you can move multiple slides at once in powerpoint by selecting them and then using the “ctrl+shift+up/down arrow keys” shortcut. this will move the selected slides up or down in the slide deck., 3. can i rearrange slides in a specific order without dragging them individually, absolutely in powerpoint, you can rearrange slides in a specific order by using the “slide sorter” view. simply click on the slide you want to move and drag it to its desired position., 4. are there other keyboard shortcuts for moving slides in powerpoint, yes, in addition to the “alt+shift+up/down arrow keys” and “ctrl+shift+up/down arrow keys” shortcuts, you can also use “ctrl+x” to cut a slide and “ctrl+v” to paste it in a different location., 5. can i move a slide to a different location within the same powerpoint file, yes, you can move a slide to a different location within the same powerpoint file by using the “reorder slides” feature. simply right-click on the slide you want to move and select “reorder slides”., 6. is there a way to move a slide to a different powerpoint presentation, yes, you can move a slide to a different powerpoint presentation by using the “reorder slides” feature and selecting the option to “browse for file”. this will allow you to select the desired powerpoint file to move the slide to., similar posts, how to adjust indent after bullet in powerpoint, how to use slide master in powerpoint, how to get audio in powerpoint to play automatically, how to remove watermark in powerpoint, how to present a journal article in powerpoint, how to align text under bullets in powerpoint.

How to Get Slides to Change Automatically in PowerPoint

PowerPoint presentations are some of the most effective ways to get your message across in a professional setting. Whether you’re giving a business presentation, conducting a meeting, or teaching a class, it’s important to keep your audience engaged and interested. One way to do this is by using automatic slide transitions in your PowerPoint presentation, which allow your slides to change automatically at set intervals. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of automatic slides and provide a step-by-step guide to setting them up in your presentation.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Benefits of Automatic Slides in PowerPoint Presentations

Using automatic slides in your presentation has several advantages. First, it can help keep your audience engaged and focused on your presentation, as the movement on the screen can draw their attention to the content. Second, it allows you to control the pace of your presentation, ensuring that you cover all of the information you want to get across.

Finally, it can help you create a more polished and professional-looking presentation. By using automatic slide transitions, you can avoid awkward pauses or the need to manually click through slides, allowing your presentation to flow seamlessly from one slide to the next.

Another benefit of using automatic slides is that it can save you time during your presentation. Instead of having to manually advance each slide, you can set the timing for each slide to change automatically, giving you more time to focus on delivering your message and interacting with your audience.

Additionally, automatic slides can be a useful tool for accessibility. For individuals with visual impairments, the movement on the screen can provide an audio cue to indicate when a new slide has appeared, making it easier for them to follow along with the presentation.

Choosing the Right Timing for Automatic Slide Changes in PowerPoint

Choosing the right timing for automatic slide transitions depends on several factors, including the content of your presentation, the pace of your speaking, and the attention span of your audience.

Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is to set your slide transitions to change every 5-10 seconds, depending on the complexity of the content and the length of your presentation. You may want to increase the time between transitions if you have a lot of text on your slides, or decrease it if you have a lot of visual content or shorter speaking points.

Another important factor to consider when choosing the timing for automatic slide changes is the purpose of your presentation. If you are giving a sales pitch or a product demonstration, you may want to keep the slides moving quickly to maintain the audience’s interest and excitement. On the other hand, if you are presenting complex data or information, you may want to slow down the transitions to give your audience time to absorb the information.

It’s also important to consider the context in which your presentation will be given. If you are presenting in a large conference room with a lot of distractions, you may want to keep the transitions shorter to keep your audience engaged. However, if you are presenting in a smaller, more intimate setting, longer transitions may be more appropriate to allow for discussion and interaction with your audience.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Automatic Slide Transitions in PowerPoint

Setting up automatic slide transitions in PowerPoint is a simple and straightforward process. Here’s how:

• Open your PowerPoint presentation and navigate to the “Transitions” tab on the ribbon.
• Select the slide or slides you want to apply the transition to.
• Choose a transition effect from the “Transition to This Slide” section of the ribbon.
• In the “Timing” section, set the duration of the transition and choose whether you want the transition to occur automatically or manually.
• Set the advance slide time to the desired duration.
• Preview your slide transition and, if needed, adjust the duration or the transition effect until you’re satisfied with the results.

It’s important to note that while automatic slide transitions can add visual interest to your presentation, they should be used sparingly and strategically. Too many transitions can be distracting and take away from the content of your presentation. Consider using transitions only between major sections or to emphasize important points.

Tips for Creating Engaging Automatic Slide Transitions in PowerPoint

Creating engaging automatic slide transitions in PowerPoint is an art as well as a science. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of this powerful tool:

• Use a variety of transition effects to keep your audience interested and engaged.
• Keep the duration of your transitions consistent throughout your presentation to avoid distractions or confusion.
• Use animation to enhance your slides, but don’t overdo it. Too many animations can be distracting and take the focus away from your message.
• Consider adding sound effects to your transitions to create a more immersive experience for your audience.

Another important tip to keep in mind when creating automatic slide transitions in PowerPoint is to ensure that the transitions are relevant to the content of your presentation. For example, if you are presenting data or statistics, consider using a chart or graph animation to visually represent the information. Additionally, make sure that the transitions are not too flashy or distracting, as this can take away from the overall message of your presentation. By keeping your transitions relevant and subtle, you can create a more engaging and effective presentation for your audience.

Using Animations and Effects to Enhance Your Automatic Slides in PowerPoint

In addition to automatic slide transitions, PowerPoint offers a wide range of animation and effect tools that can help you create a more dynamic and engaging presentation. Here are a few options to consider:

• Custom animation: Use custom animation to control the timing and sequence of animations on your slide.
• Motion paths: Create custom motion paths to move objects around on your slide.
• Entrance and exit effects: Use entrance and exit effects to control how objects appear and disappear from your slide.
• Emphasis effects: Use emphasis effects to draw attention to particular objects or areas of your slide.

It’s important to use animations and effects sparingly, as too many can be distracting and take away from the content of your presentation. When using animations and effects, make sure they are relevant to the information being presented and enhance the overall message of your presentation. Additionally, be mindful of your audience and their preferences, as some people may find excessive animations and effects to be overwhelming or annoying.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with Automatic Slides in PowerPoint

Like any technology, automatic slides aren’t foolproof, and you may encounter issues when using them in your presentation. Here are a few common issues and how to fix them:

• Your slide transitions aren’t working: Ensure that your transitions are set to “Automatic” and that the advance slide time is set to the correct duration.
• Your transitions are too slow or too fast: Adjust the duration of your slide transitions to the appropriate length for your presentation.
• Your transitions are distracting or confusing: Consider using more subtle or simpler transitions, or eliminating transitions altogether.
• You’re having difficulty previewing or testing your slides: Use the “Preview” button on the Transitions tab to check the timing and appearance of your slide transitions.

Another common issue with automatic slides is when they don’t advance at all. This can happen if there is a hidden object or element on the slide that is preventing the automatic advance. To fix this, check for any hidden objects or elements and either remove them or adjust their settings to allow for automatic advance. Additionally, make sure that the “On Mouse Click” option is not selected for any objects or elements on the slide, as this will require manual advance instead of automatic.

Customizing Your Automatic Slideshow Settings in PowerPoint

In addition to setting up automatic slide transitions, PowerPoint offers several customization options to help you fine-tune your presentation. For example, you can:

• Change the slide transition speed.
• Choose to have the slides advance automatically or manually.
• Set a specific time for each slide to be displayed.
• Choose a different transition effect for each slide in your presentation.

Another useful customization option in PowerPoint is the ability to add narration or audio to your slideshow. This can be particularly helpful if you want to provide additional context or explanation for your audience. To add audio, simply click on the “Insert” tab and select “Audio” from the dropdown menu.

Additionally, PowerPoint allows you to customize the appearance of your slides by changing the background color or adding a watermark. This can be a great way to add branding or visual interest to your presentation. To change the background color, click on the “Design” tab and select “Background Styles.” To add a watermark, click on the “Insert” tab and select “Watermark.”

Sharing and Presenting Your Automatic Slideshow in PowerPoint

Once you’ve set up your automatic slideshow in PowerPoint, it’s time to share it with your audience. Here are a few tips to help you present it effectively:

• Practice your presentation ahead of time to ensure that the timing of your automatic slides is smooth and seamless.
• Make sure that you’re presenting your slideshow on a compatible device and that all necessary equipment (such as a projector or AV system) is working properly.
• Consider providing a handout or summary document to your audience so that they can follow your presentation more easily.

In conclusion, creating automatic slides in PowerPoint can help you create a more engaging, professional-looking presentation. By following these guidelines and best practices, you can create a slide show that captures your audience’s attention and keeps them focused on your message throughout your presentation.

Another important aspect to consider when sharing and presenting your automatic slideshow in PowerPoint is to engage with your audience. Encourage them to ask questions or provide feedback during or after your presentation. This will not only help you gauge their understanding of the topic but also make them feel more involved and invested in your presentation. Additionally, try to keep your presentation concise and to the point, avoiding unnecessary information or slides that may distract your audience from your main message.

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Automatically move to a specific slide in Powerpoint?

After showing some animation introduction on slide number 2, I want Powerpoint to automatically move to slide number 6. Is there any way to for me to tell Powerpoint to automatically move to a specific slide without having to trigger a click? Thanks.

• microsoft-powerpoint
• presentations

• What have you tried? Because basic functions within PowerPoint make this possible, any details of what you've tried will help get you an answer. –  CharlieRB Commented Nov 12, 2012 at 14:41
• And to help understand the problem, is there some reason why you can't move slide 6 to slide 3 (ie, so that it immediately follows slide 2)? –  Steve Rindsberg Commented Nov 12, 2012 at 16:59
• @CharlieRB I can only see there is an option to advance ONE slide after an amount of time in the Transitions menu, not moving to further slides so I asked there. –  Teiv Commented Nov 13, 2012 at 9:12
• @SteveRindsberg I'm preparing for my teaching material. I want to first show some introduction on slide 2 and move to slide 6 for a short question. And after that I will move back to slide 3 and continue the lesson normally until when slide 6 is on screen again, I will give some explanation to this question. Maybe it's illogical a bit? –  Teiv Commented Nov 13, 2012 at 9:15
• 2 Then only way to skip slides is to hide them. In that case, they won't show at all. The easiest way to do as you described; make a copy of slide 6 as slide 3. You will then have flow you are looking for. –  CharlieRB Commented Nov 13, 2012 at 12:29

4 Answers 4

Between my suggestions and CharlieRB's I think you have an answer so I'll summarize here.

You can put a copy of Slide 6 right after Slide 2 and have it automatically appear, then proceed with the rest of the slides, eventually landing on Slide 6, the original, again.

Or you could put Slide 6 right after Slide 2, then on Slide 6, add a hyperlink to a custom show composed of slides 3,4,5, and checkmark the option to show and return. You'd land on slide 6, click the link when ready; you'd then be able to view 3,4,5 and when done, PPT would automatically return you to slide 6. You'd want to hide slides 3,4,5 so that when you're done with slide 6, you'd move on to slide 7.

In all cases, I'm using your original numbering, but you'd actually have, in the first example:

and in the second example:

The current Office 365 releases of PowerPoint offer another option - Slide Zooms. On the Insert tab, click Zoom > select zoom type

The Zoom feature creates hyperlinked thumbnails of selected slides on a summary slide. Clicking the thumbnail jumps to that part of the presentation. Getting to the end of that part returns you to the summary slide. I organize my presentations into sections, so the Section Zoom has been very helpful in casually moving around the presentation, and is more visually interesting than a text list of hyperlinks.

An alternative method of achieving the end goal is to use the various slide navigation options in presentation view, or re-order the slides as was mentioned. My favourite navigation trick is to type the number of the slide I want, and press ENTER. If I want slide 6, I type 6 ENTER. That's it. So easy.

For a more sophisticated method of branching that doesn't tie you into a specific order of presentation, place an object on the slide and add a hyperlink to the desired slide. Want to go from slide 3 to slide 6? Click the object. Want to go from slide 3 to slide 4? Don't click the image. Place the corresponding return hyperlinked object on the destination slide.

Use any of the above-mentioned strategies (including Custom Shows) to go to your desired next slide.

You can use a custom show.

In PowerPoint 2013 on Windows, select the "Slide Show" tab on the ribbon. Then select "Custom Slide Show" and click "Custom Shows..." to see/edit all shows. A dialog window will pop up and here you can click "New...". Now you can add each slide you want, in whatever order you want, and even use them multiple times. The best part about this is that if you change a slide you used multiple times, each instance is updated (because they're really just the same slide). This capability has been in PowerPoint at least since 2003; the steps to configure it may vary.

In order to use this custom show, you can select the "Slide Show" tab, then select "Custom Slide Show" and click the custom show you created in the drop down list.

You can make your custom slide show be shown as the default. On the "Slide Show" tab, click on "Set Up Slide Show"; under "Show Slides", click on "Custom Show" and select the custom show that you want. Now, if you click one of the "Start Slide Show" buttons or press F5 , PowerPoint will display your selected show.

The way to do this is to create an invisible object over the entire slide - with a hyperlink to the slide you want to go to (slide 6).

• Create a rectangle the size of the entire slide
• Use Hyperlink to link it to slide 6
• set it in front of everything

Note: This won't work if the user is using the keyboard to advance the slide. It will work if he or she clicks the mouse anywhere on the slide to advance it.

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How-To Geek

How to autoplay and loop a google slides presentation.

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Today's nyt connections hints and answer for june 29 (#384), 5 things i never back up to the cloud, quick links, set up autoplay and loop when presenting, set up autoplay and loop when publishing to the web.

If you don't want to worry about clicking through your slideshow, you can set up Google Slides to play your presentation automatically. Plus, you can have the slideshow loop, so it starts over at the beginning when it ends.

You might be playing your slideshow at a kiosk, during a conference, or publishing it to the web. These are the ideal times to use AutoPlay and Loop in Google Slides . You can automatically present the show and choose the timing between slides. Then, restart the presentation at the beginning each time it ends.

If you plan to start the slideshow and then let it play, you can set up AutoPlay and Loop , or simply one or the other.

Related: How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

Start the presentation by clicking "Slideshow" at the top of Google Slides. You can also use the arrow to pick either "Presenter View" or "Start From Beginning" per your preference.

When the slideshow opens, display the Presenter Toolbar by hovering your cursor over the bottom left corner of the presentation.

Click the three dots on the right of the Presenter Toolbar, then move to AutoPlay. You'll see a pop-out menu that lets you select the advance timing for the slides. You can pick from every second up to every minute.

If you also want to loop the slideshow, select "Loop" at the bottom of the pop-out menu.

When you finish, click "Play" to automatically play your presentation.

To stop the slideshow, simply click on a slide. You can then resume AutoPlay from the Presenter Toolbar by selecting "Play" again.

Maybe you plan to publish your slideshow to the web or embed it on a website rather than play it locally. You can set up AutoPlay and Loop as part of the publish settings.

Related: How to Share a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides File as a Web Page

Go to File > Publish to the Web in the menu.

Choose either "Link" or "Embed" per your intent. Then use the Auto-Advance Slides drop-down box to choose the timing for the slides. Here again, you can pick from every second up to every minute.

To loop the slideshow, check the box for Restart the Slideshow After the Last Slide.

You can then mark the checkbox for Start Slideshow as Soon as the Player loads if you like, so that the viewer doesn't have to take any action to begin the presentation.

When you finish, click "Publish" and confirm to obtain the link or embed code for the slideshow.

To share a Google Slides presentation that doesn't require you to walk viewers through it, remember these steps to automatically play and loop the slideshow.

• Google Slides

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to introduce yourself in a presentation

How to introduce yourself in a presentation

A well-executed presentation should captivate your audience and listeners. The first step to gaining their attention is creating an engaging introduction. Learn why presentation introductions are important and how to properly execute one for your presentation.

Why are presentation introductions important?

Presentation delivery impacts your audience’s reception and listening skills. A dull delivery can deter listeners and potentially leave them disinterested. Conversely, an effective delivery can engage your audience, promote active listening, and stimulate substantive discussion.

Presentation introductions also help to establish the outline of your presentation and give the audience an idea of what is to come. Introductions play a crucial role in captivating listeners from the onset and building momentum. They address who you are, why the audience should be invested, state the topic, establish credibility, preview the main points, and establish the cadence and tone of your presentation. Before you dive into the content of your presentation, ensure you establish an effective introduction to captivate your audience.

Tell your story with captivating presentations

Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices

How to begin a presentation introduction

To establish rapport with your audience, here are some tips to effectively introduce yourself and your presentation:

Be clear and concise

A succinct introduction makes it easier for your audience to follow. Keep your introduction simple, short, and include only necessary information. State your name and topic clearly so your audience knows you from the beginning. Avoid unnecessary details or lengthy anecdotes in your introduction to keep things focused and to the point.

Provide pertinent background information

In addition to your name and topic, highlight anything else that is relevant. You can include your education, work background, qualifications, and other information. Most importantly, ensure the information you disclose is directly relevant to yourself and presentation.

Create a hook or attention getter

Once you’ve established your name and topic, create an engaging hook or attention getter. Your introduction can be funny, clever, or it can captivate your audience. Have fun creating an introduction, but be sure to align your tone and delivery to your audience.

Outline your presentation

Let your audience know what your will be discussing. Establish a roadmap of your presentation: outline your contents, topics, and main points in an easily digestible format. This makes it easier for your audience to follow your presentation and prepare for its contents.

Practice and refine

Once you’ve created a solid introduction, rehearse your introduction until the delivery is organic and smooth. Confidence is key for an optimal delivery. Speak clearly, practice eye contact, and use storytelling to engage your audience.

Be authentic

Above all, be yourself—authenticity helps you build trust and connection with your audience. Carry you character, speech, and personality into your presentation to draw in your audience.

A successful introduction establishes tone, cadence, topic, and showcases your personality. Gain your audience’s attention and effectively deliver your presentation with an effective introduction. For more ways to engage your audience and improve presentation delivery , learn more presentation tips .

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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