Microsoft PowerPoint, an essential tool for presentations, comes packed with a range of robust features. This includes built-in themes, premade templates, multimedia insertion options, animations, transitions, slide management tools, and even real-time collaboration.
If you’ve ever given a presentation, chances are you’ve used Microsoft PowerPoint. It’s one of the most popular presentation software programs available, and it’s pretty easy to use. Although MS PowerPoint is packed with many features, we typically use just a handful of them when giving presentations.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the main features of Microsoft PowerPoint and explain what they are used for.
Contents
- 1. Built-in Themes
- 2. Pre-made Templates
- 3. Insert Vector, Image, and Shapes
- 4. Insert Video/Audio
- 5. Insert Smart Art
- 6. Insert 3D Models
- 7. Add Transitions
- 8. Morph Transition
- 9. Animations
- 10. Slide Review
- 11. Slide Rearranger
- 12. Align Objects
- 13. Pick Slide Sizes
- 14. Resize Objects Together
- 15. Distribute Rows and Columns
- 16. Collaborate Real-time
- 17. Record Slide
- 18. Slide Master
- 19. Digital Pen Compatibility
- 20. Export Slide in Multiple Formats
- Conclusion
1. Built-in Themes
PowerPoint comes with a good number of built-in themes or layouts that you can use to quickly and easily create a presentation. A theme is a set of formatting options that includes fonts, colors, and effects. When you apply a theme to your presentation, it will instantly change the look of all the slides in your presentation.
To use a theme, open PowerPoint and select New from the File menu. In the resulting dialog box, scroll through the list of themes and templates on the right-hand side. When you find one that you like, click it to select it. You can also search for a particular template by typing its name into the search bar at the top of the dialog box.
2. Pre-made Templates
Another way to quickly create a presentation is by using a premade template. Pre-made emplates give you a framework to start with and come with slide designs, fonts, and color schemes that are already chosen for you. They make the design process a lot easier, and can save you a lot of time.
The process of using the templates is the same as using themes. Just open PowerPoint and select New from the File menu, and then scroll through the list of templates on the right-hand side. Select one by clicking it once.
3. Insert Vector, Image, and Shapes
PowerPoint allows you to insert vectors, images, and shapes into your slides. You can choose from a variety of shapes including rectangles, circles, and arrows. In addition, you can also insert images from your computer or from the web. Simply open the Insert tab and select the type of object you want to insert.
If you find the images are becoming fuzzy while presenting, you can consider using the vectors in SVG formats. They are clean and dont break when you present them on a big screen. You can insert them into the slides just like any other image.
4. Insert Video/Audio
Another great feature of PowerPoint is that you can insert videos and audio files into your slides. This can be a great way to add more excitement and interest to your presentation. You can also use it to supplement your message by adding interviews, sound bites, or music.
To embed audio or video files into your PowerPoint presentation, first, open the Insert tab and select the Video/Audio option from the top right corner.
5. Insert Smart Art
You can also insert Smart Art into your slides. Smart Art is a great way to add more visual interest to your presentation. You can add graphs, diagrams, and other illustrations to your slides using Smart Art. They are a great way to present data and information in an interesting and visually appealing way.
To insert a Smart Art, open the preferred slide and press on the icon of the type of Smart Art you want to insert.
6. Insert 3D Models
PowerPoint 2019 and the latest versions allow you to insert 3D models into your slides. This can be a great way to add more visual interest and excitement to your presentation. You can find a variety of 3D models on the web that you can insert into your slides.
To insert a 3D model, open the Insert tab and select the 3D Models option from the illustration tab.
7. Add Transitions
PowerPoint offers the ability to seamlessly transition between slides using a range of dynamic effects. Transitions such as “fade”, “dissolve”, and “wipe” are available to enhance slide flow and maintain audience interest. Adjusting the speed of these transitions allows for a tailored presentation experience.
To add a transition, open the Transition tab and choose the desired transition from the list.
8. Morph Transition
Introduced in PowerPoint 2019, the Morph transition offers a unique way to seamlessly transition by transforming one object into another. This sophisticated feature provides presentations with a smoother, more polished flow.
To use the Morph transition, ensure that an identical object appears on both the starting and subsequent slide. Then, navigate to the “Transition” tab and select “Morph” from the available options.
9. Animations
Microsoft PowerPoint provides a wide range of animations that you can use to make your slides more engaging. You can add animations to text, shapes, and images to create a more interesting and dynamic presentation.
There are a variety of different animations that you can choose from, including fades, zooms, and spins. You can also control the timing and sequence of the animations. This allows you to create a more professional and polished presentation.
To create an animation, select the text, shape, or image that you want to animate and then click on the Animations tab. From here, you can choose the animation that you want to use. You can also customize the animation by adjusting its speed, direction, and other settings.
10. Slide Review
Microsoft PowerPoint also includes a handy feature that allows you to review your slides before presenting them. This feature gives you a quick overview of how your slides will look when they are displayed on the screen. You can also check spelling and grammar mistakes from there.
To use the slide review feature, click on the Review tab and then select the Slide Show option. From here, you can choose to view your slides as a slideshow or in presentation mode. You can also choose to have the slide show play automatically or require user input.
11. Slide Rearranger
The Slide Rearranger is a great feature that lets you quickly and easily rearrange the order of your slides. You can select multiple slides and then drag and drop them to where you want them to be. This is a great way to reorganize your presentation if you need to make last-minute changes.
To use the slide rearranger, click on the View tab and then select the Slide Sorter option. From here, you can select the slides that you want to rearrange and then drag and drop them to where you want them to be.
12. Align Objects
In the earlier versions of PowerPoint, it could be difficult to align objects on a slide. However, the latest versions of PowerPoint make it easy to align text, shapes, and images.
You will find guides when you drag and drop an object, and it snaps to the guidelines. You can also use the Gridlines and rulers to help you align objects perfectly.
13. Pick Slide Sizes
Microsoft PowerPoint also lets you choose different slide sizes for your presentation. This can be a great way to make sure that your slides fit well on screen.
To customize the dimensions of your slide, head to the “Design” tab and opt for the “Slide Size” feature. Here, you have the flexibility to select from standard or widescreen formats. For more specific requirements, delve into the “Custom Slide Size” option, allowing you to fine-tune the slide dimensions to perfectly fit your presentation’s intent.
14. Resize Objects Together
It’s important to keep the object sizes consistent when creating a presentation. This can be difficult to do if you have to resize objects by hand. However, PowerPoint makes it easy to resize multiple objects at the same time.
To resize multiple objects, open the Format tab and select the objects that you want to resize. Now, press on the Size option and enter the preferred size for the images in the boxes. That’s it; all the objects will resize to the same size.
15. Distribute Rows and Columns
For a cleaner and more comprehensible presentation of data, PowerPoint offers a feature to uniformly distribute contents within rows and columns. This ensures consistent spacing and improved legibility.
To apply this, choose the table you aim to adjust. Next, navigate to the “Layout” section and select either “Distribute Rows” or “Distribute Columns” as needed.
16. Collaborate Real-time
Recent versions of PowerPoint have introduced a dynamic real-time collaboration tool. This feature empowers multiple users to work on the same presentation simultaneously, witnessing live updates and changes.
To engage in this collaborative mode, open your desired PowerPoint file, click the “Share” button, and send out invitations to team members or collaborators.
17. Record Slide
In PowerPoint 2019, Microsoft has added a new feature that allows you to record your slides. This can be a great way to create video tutorials or training materials.
To record your slide, click on the File tab and then select the Record option. From here, you can choose to record the slide audio or video. You can also choose to include your webcam and record screen. Once the recording is complete, you can save it as a slideshow or video file.
18. Slide Master
PowerPoint’s Slide Master is a central feature that lets you uniformly apply changes across your entire presentation. With this tool, you can ensure consistency in layout, background, fonts, and more.
To harness the power of Slide Master, navigate to the “View” tab and choose the “Slide Master” option. This grants you access to a suite of design controls, streamlining the editing process for a cohesive presentation.
19. Digital Pen Compatibility
The new version of Microsoft PowerPoint also includes support for digital pens. This means that you can use a digital pen to draw or write on your slides.
To use a digital pen, you will need to have a device that supports the Windows Ink feature. Once you have installed the necessary drivers, open PowerPoint and go to Draw from the ribbon. You can now start drawing on your slides.
20. Export Slide in Multiple Formats
PowerPoint also allows you to export your slides in different formats. This can be a great way to share your slides with other people or to use them in other programs.
Some of the export options include PDF, JPG, and PNG. The newer versions of PowerPoint even enable you to export the slide as Ultra-HD (4K) video. To export your slide, click on the File tab and then select the Export option. From here, you can choose the desired format and save the slide.
Conclusion
Microsoft PowerPoint is a versatile program that allows you to create professional presentations. As you see above, it includes a number of features that can help you to create better slides. You can make use of the different features to create slides that are interesting and engaging. We hope that you will find this article helpful and that it will help you to create better presentations.
