To make the text appear on click in PowerPoint, simply choose the element > menu bar > “Animations” > an entrance animation, then set Start > On Click. You can also customize the duration or delay of the text and, in desktop PowerPoint, choose if you want to make sentences appear word by word or per letter (typing effect).
Making your presentation appear on click can make it more fun or professional, depending on what goal you want to achieve and how you want your audience to see you. Create amazing effects that will definitely grab your audience’s attention!
It only takes a few simple steps to make text appear on click in PowerPoint. The screenshots below show the Windows desktop interface. On Mac and in PowerPoint for the web, select an entrance effect from the Animations gallery and set its start to On Click; the word and letter controls described later belong to the desktop apps.
Step 1: Choose which element you want to animate to appear. It may be a picture, a text, or a shape. In this case, we will be using a text box.
Step 2: Click Animations, then Add Animation on Windows, and choose an entrance effect such as Appear or Fade. On Mac or the web, choose the entrance effect from the animation gallery. An emphasis effect changes text already on screen; an exit effect makes it disappear.
Step 3: Select the effect and set Start > On Click in the Animations timing controls. Do not rely on its default setting. Start Slide Show from this slide to check it: the text should be hidden until your click. The text remains visible while you edit the slide.
Making sentences appear word by word
Words appearing word by word can have an impact on your audience and help keep them focused on what you are saying. You’ll see this approach a lot in slide decks that pack in heavy detail, like medical talks or legal briefings where each phrase deserves its own beat. By Word reveals the sentence automatically after one starting click. For a separate click per bullet, choose By Paragraph; for a separate click per word, put the words in separate text boxes and give each an On Click entrance effect.
To add word-by-word animation to your PowerPoint presentations:
Step 1: Choose the textbox with the sentence or phrase you want to animate.
Step 2: Click Animations, then Add Animation on Windows and choose an entrance effect such as Appear. On Mac, choose the effect from the entrance gallery. Set Start to On Click if you want to control when the sequence begins.
Step 3: Click the “Animation Pane“. This will show up in the sidebar.
Step 4: Click the arrow next to the element that corresponds to the text box. Alternatively, you can right-click the element.
Step 5: Select “Effect Options.” This will open a window.
Step 6: In the window, open the Effect tab, find Animate text and select By word. On Mac, select the effect in the Animation Pane, expand Text Animations and use its Animate text control. The Windows dialog shown below is different from the Mac pane.
Step 7: Adjust the delay on which the words appear by using the “% delay between words” that is located below the “Animate Text” option. The screenshot shows the older percentage-style delay field; use the delay field provided by your selected effect and preview the result.
Step 8: Click ‘OK‘ and You’re done! Your text will now appear word by word.
Adding a typing effect in the animation
Enhance your presentation and capture your audience’s focus using the typing effect animation. By Letter applies to text, allowing you to control how quickly or slowly its characters appear on the screen. Pictures can have entrance effects, but they do not have letters to reveal.
Here’s how to add a typing effect in PowerPoint:
Step 1: Choose the textbox with the word, sentence, or phrase you want to animate.
Step 2: Click Animations, then Add Animation on Windows and choose an entrance effect such as Appear. On Mac, choose the entrance effect from the gallery. Set Start to On Click to begin typing with your next presentation click.
Step 3: Click the “Animation Pane“. This will show up in the sidebar.
Step 4: Click the arrow of the element that corresponds to the text box.
Step 5: Select “Effect Options.” This will open a window.
Step 6: In the window, use the Effect tab’s Animate text drop-down and select By letter. On Mac, select the animation in the Animation Pane and expand Text Animations > Animate text > By letter. The screenshot below shows the Windows controls.
Step 7: Adjust the delay between letters using the delay control below Animate Text in the Windows dialog. On Mac, expand the pane’s Timing controls to adjust the delay. Preview the effect to choose a pace that your audience can read.
Step 8: You’re done! Confirm the Windows dialog with OK and preview in Slide Show. Your text will now appear like it is typing. If everything appears immediately, select the entrance effect in the Animation Pane and check Start is On Click, along with the effect order and delay. If you cannot find By Word or By Letter in the web app, open the file in desktop PowerPoint to use those controls. If each bullet needs its own click, use Effect Options > By Paragraph rather than the typing sequence.
Conclusion
A few small animation tweaks like these go a long way toward helping your audience track the points you’re making in PowerPoint. With your next click, your presentation will now be more engaging and attention-grabbing, so don’t miss the opportunity to deliver organized and clear content!
