how to make a powerpoint presentation smaller size

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How to Reduce Powerpoint File Size

Last Updated: March 29, 2022

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd . Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 976,902 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to lower a PowerPoint presentation file's size by compressing its images on a Windows or Mac computer, or by clearing the editing data on a Windows computer. There is currently no option to delete the editing data of PowerPoint presentations on a Mac.

Compressing Images on Windows

• If your PowerPoint file isn't yet open, first open it by double-clicking it.
• It doesn't matter which picture you double-click, since all of them will open the appropriate tab.

Compressing Images on Mac

Removing Edit Data on Windows

Expert Q&A

• Using JPEG files rather than other file formats will cut down on your presentation's overall size. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• When formulating a presentation, using the default plain backgrounds in your slides will make your file smaller than if you upload detailed backgrounds. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you can't get your PowerPoint file to shrink down enough to send it via email, you can upload it to a cloud service (e.g., Google Drive) and send an email with a link to the file instead. Your recipient will be able to download the file from Google Drive. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Reducing your images' quality will make a noticeable difference in your PowerPoint's overall quality. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

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• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Reduce-your-file-size-631d1d48-a56b-4fd4-ad66-091dd201db10?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US&fromAR=1#bmpp
• ↑ http://www.isumsoft.com/it/reduce-powerpoint-file-size-in-office-2016/

About This Article

1. Double-click an image. 2. Click Compress Pictures . 3. Remove the check mark from “Apply only to this picture.” 4. Select a lower DPI. 5. Click OK . 6. Click File . 7. Click Options . 8. Click Advanced . 9. Click Discard editing data . 10. Click OK and save the file. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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10 Ways to Compress PowerPoint Presentations to Reduce File Size

10 Strategies to Compress or Reduce the Size of Large PowerPoint Presentations

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated September 21, 2023

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

You can compress or reduce the size of large PowerPoint presentations in several ways. The most common strategy to reduce the size of a PowerPoint file is to compress pictures, video and audio. However, you can also use other methods to make files smaller including saving media and PowerPoint files in other formats and converting or removing embedded objects.

In this article, we'll look at 10 ways to compress or reduce the size of a PowerPoint presentation:

• Compress pictures
• Insert pictures instead of copying and pasting
• Use smaller image files
• Convert images to a different file type
• Save a copy of images with artistic effects
• Compress audio and video
• Link to audio or video files
• Convert Excel charts and other embedded objects
• Save a copy of large PowerPoint files
• Save a copy in PDF format

Note: Buttons and Ribbon tabs may display in a different way (with or without text) depending on your version of PowerPoint, the size of your screen and your Control Panel settings. For PowerPoint 365 users, Ribbon tabs may appear with different names. For example, the Picture Tools Format tab may appear as Picture Format.

To view file size in PowerPoint:

• Click the File tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Info. In the Properties area, file size is listed beside Size.

Once you've completed the following strategies, close and save the PowerPoint file, reopen it and check the file size again. You can also view file size in Windows 10 File Explorer or Windows Explorer in older versions of Windows.

Recommended article : How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

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1. Compress pictures

One of the most common ways to reduce file size is to compress one or all of the pictures in your PowerPoint file. You may want to try this with one picture at a time to be sure you are satisfied with the result after compression.

To compress a picture:

• In Normal View, select a picture on image on a slide.
• Click the Picture Tools Format or Format Picture tab in the Ribbon.
• In the Adjust group, click Compress Pictures. A dialog box appears.
• Select the check box to Apply only to this picture if you want to compress only the current picture or uncheck this option if you wish to compress all pictures in the presentation.
• Select the check box to Delete cropped areas of pictures if you have cropped images and want to permanently delete the areas you have removed by cropping.
• Choose the desired document resolution.

Don't forget to check pictures in Slide Master View (click the View tab in the Ribbon and then click Slide Master) as you may want to compress or delete those images as well.

Also, be sure to check image(s) after you compress them to be sure to are satisfied with the quality of the image(s). If you create a copy of the presentation before compressing the image(s), you can revert to the original if necessary.

2. Insert pictures instead of copying and pasting

It's best to insert pictures, rather than copying and pasting (or dragging and dropping) into the PowerPoint file. When you copy and paste (or drag and drop) an image into a presentation, it can lose compression, change file type and also bring in other data that can increase file size.

To insert a picture onto a PowerPoint slide:

• In Normal View, display the slide where you want to insert a picture.
• Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon and click Pictures (2013 and later versions) or Picture (2010). You can also click the Pictures or Picture icon in a placeholder on a slide. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the location of the picture.
• Select the picture and click Insert or double-click the picture.

You also have the option of linking to a picture file by clicking the arrow beside Insert in the Insert Picture dialog box and then choosing Link to File. However, the picture is not actually "in" the file (which reduces file size) and if you email the document, the pictures will not be included. If you use this strategy, it's best to copy the picture to the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation and be sure to bring the entire folder with you when you deliver the presentation.

3. Use smaller image files

It's best to insert pictures in smaller sizes to reduce the size of your PowerPoint files. For example, if you are inserting pictures from a phone taken at a high resolution, this will result in larger PowerPoint decks. Create, save or send images at a lower resolution and insert the lower resolution images into your PowerPoint files.

If you're using stock images, select images at the lowest resolution (at the quality level you require). You can also open an image in an image editing program (such as Microsoft Picture Manager or Adobe Photoshop) and then save it at a lower resolution.

In PowerPoint 365, one of the biggest culprits causing inflated file size is 3D models. Although 3D models are not inserted as pictures but rather as 3D models, they are images. One 3D model we inserted took up 17 MB of space. You can't compress 3D models like other types of images so you may need to delete 3D models or use a picture instead of a 3D model if file size is an issue.

4. Convert images to a different file type

Prior to inserting an image in PowerPoint, you can open it in an image editing program (such as Microsoft Picture Manager or Adobe Photoshop) and then use Save As to save the image in another format.

The format that will result in the smallest size is usually JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group format) or JPG. The JPEG compression algorithm significantly reduces the file size of images.

You can also save images in PowerPoint in different formats:

• Right-click the picture. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Save As Picture. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the folder where you want to save the image.
• Enter a name for the file and select a format such as JPG or PNG.
• Click Save.
• In the PowerPoint presentation, delete the original image.
• Click Insert and then click Picture(s).
• Navigate to the location with the image you saved.
• Double-click the image.

5. Save a copy of images with artistic effects

When you apply an artistic effect to an image, PowerPoint retains two copies of the image (the original and a copy with the artistic effects). This allows the user to reset the image but can significantly increase file size. Compressing pictures also doesn't normally have any effect on images where you have applied artistic effects.

If you have applied an artistic effect (such as blur) to an image, you can reduce file size using the following method:

• Right-click the image with the artistic effect. A drop-down menu appears.
• Enter a name and select a file type (usually JPG or PNG).
• In the PowerPoint presentation, delete the image with the artistic effect.
• Navigate to the location with the image you saved with the artistic effect.

6. Compress audio and video

In 2010 and later versions of PowerPoint, audio and video files are copied into presentations rather than linked to the original files. You can improve playback performance and reduce PowerPoint file size by compressing audio and video files in your presentation.

Files can be compressed at different quality levels.

In PowerPoint 2013 and 2016, you can compress to the following quality levels:

• Presentation Quality – select this option to save space but maintain overall audio and video quality.
• Internet Quality – select this option and quality will be comparable to media which is streamed over the web.
• Low Quality – select this option if space is limited, such as when you are sending presentations via e-mail.

In PowerPoint 2019 and 365, you can compress to the following quality levels:

• Full HD (1080p) – select this option to save space while maintaining overall audio and video quality.
• HD (720p) – select this option to save space and the quality will be comparable to media which is streamed over the Internet.
• Standard (480p) – select this option when space is limited, such as when you are sending presentations via e-mail.

The following compression options appear in PowerPoint 2019 or 365:

Note: Some older video file formats may not compress or export properly. Embedded subtitles and alternate audio tracks will be lost in the compression process.

To compress media in PowerPoint:

• Open the presentation that contains the audio or video files you want to compress.
• Save a copy of the presentation so you can retain a copy of the file with the original media.
• In the copy, click the File tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Info.
• In the Media Size and Performance area, click Compress Media. A dialog box appears.
• Select the desired compression option. A dialog box appears indicating that media compression is in progress. PowerPoint will indicate how much space is saved.
• When compression is complete, click Close.

7. Link to audio or video files

You also have the option of linking to audio or video files. When you insert an audio or video file, click the arrow beside Insert in the Insert dialog box and then choose Link to File. Linked audio or video is not actually "in" the presentation (which reduces file size) and if you email the presentation, the media files will not be included if you have linked to audio or video files. Linking was the default behavior in PowerPoint 2007 and earlier versions for video and larger audio files.

If you choose to link to audio or video files, t's best to copy the media files to the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation and be sure to bring the entire folder with you when you deliver the presentation.

Note: You cannot apply certain types of formatting to linked video files.

8. Convert Excel charts and other embedded objects

Embedded objects such as Excel charts or worksheets can also increase file size. If you convert embedded objects to images, it can impact the size or your presentation. You can also reduce file size by breaking links to Excel files.

If you want to convert embedded objects into pictures, you can ungroup them or cut and paste them back into PowerPoint.

To ungroup an object:

• Select the chart or embedded object.
• Click the Format tab in the Ribbon. This tab may appear as Drawing Tools Format, Drawing Format or Shape Format.
• Select Group and then Ungroup. A dialog box appears asking if you want to convert the object to a PowerPoint object.

To cut an object and paste it back into a presentation as a picture:

• Select the embedded chart or object.
• Press Ctrl + X to cut it.
• Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
• Click the arrow below Paste to display the drop-down menu and then choose Paste Special.
• Select an image type (such as JPEG) and click OK.

If you have links to Excel files, you can reduce file size using Edit Links to Files. Check out How to Break, Update or Change Links to Excel Charts or Worksheets in PowerPoint for more information on how to break links.

9. Save a copy of large PowerPoint files

It's a good idea to save a copy of a large PowerPoint files periodically using Save As and give the file a different name (i.e. Sales Presentation and the date). If you save a copy using Save As, version history and some editing data is removed during the process and this will reduce file size. This can also help avoid corrupted files.

To save a copy of a PowerPoint presentation:

• Choose Save As. If necessary, click Options or More Options. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the desired location.
• Enter a new name for the presentation.

10. Save a copy in PDF format

It's also common to save a copy of a presentation as a PDF (portable document format) file to reduce the size and then share it with others. You can compress images during the process.

To save a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF (and compress images):

• Choose Save As and then click Options or More Options if necessary. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the desired location and enter a name for the file. You can use the same name since the extension will be different (PDF).
• Under File Type, select PDF.
• Click Tools on the bottom right of the dialog box. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Compress Pictures. A dialog box appears.
• Click the desired compression option.

Large file size is a common problem in PowerPoint and you can use these strategies to reduce the size of your PowerPoint presentations. Compressing the size of your decks should also help to improve speed and avoid crashes.

This article was originally published on November 6, 2016 and has been updated for clarity and content.

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Blog > Compress PowerPoint to reduce the file size

Compress PowerPoint to reduce the file size

02.12.20   •  #powerpointtips.

Sometimes, the file size of your PowerPoint presentation can get very big. In some cases, that can be annoying, e.g. when trying to send the slides via email, but not being able to do so because the file is too large. Usually, pictures and videos are the reason why presentations become too big. The good news are that you can easily compress pictures and embedded media files by following the steps listed below.

Compress images

Compress videos and audios.

• Convert PPT into a PDF file
• Get rid of 3D-models

Compress PPT as ZIP- file

PowerPoint offers the option to compress all images at once or choose single pictures to reduce their file size. Keep in mind, that compressing an image will automatically reduce its quality as well. If you don't need to reduce the file size, better use the highest quality resolution as possible.

There are two ways to compress images within your PPT file which nearly work the same way:

Compress selected pictures

• Select the image you want to compress or any picture if you wish to reduce the size of all graphics
• Navigate to the Picture Tools Format tab and select Compress Pictures

• A new menu pops up. Choose your compression options and make sure to check "Delete cropped areas of pictures" and uncheck "Apply only to this picture" (if you want to compress all images)
• High fidelity: preserves quality of the original picture
• HD (330 ppi): good quality for high-definition (HD) displays
• Print (220 ppi): excellent quality on most printers and screens
• Web (150 ppi): good for web pages and projectors
• E-mail (96 ppi): minimize document size for sharing
• Use default resolution

Compress all images while saving the PPT file

• Open your presentation. Go to File in the PowerPoint menu
• Click Save as and then Browse
• In the window that opens, click on Tools (right beside Save )
• Select Compress Pictures and choose the resolution you need To save even more space, you can additionally choose Delete cropped areas of pictures to remove the parts of pictures which you cropped in PowerPoint.
• Click OK and then Save

Video and audio files can increase your PPT size a lot. It's a good idea to compress those if you want to make some space. Some PowerPoint versions make it possible to decrease the media size in PPT but if this option is missing in your program, online video compressors are the solution.

Compress videos and audios in PPT

• Go to File in the PowerPoint menu
• Open the Compress media drop down
• Choose a compression file size. Don't reduce the quality too much and check if the appearance of your media doesn't look too grainy on the actual projector you will be presenting on

Online video compressor

There are plenty of online video compressors which you can use to reduce the video size in advance. For example, the website FreeConvert makes it easy to decrease the file size without having to download anything. This way you can integrate a smaller media file into PPT.

Links instead of videos

Instead of importing a video to your PPT slides, including a link to your PowerPoint presentation can save a lot of space. If your video is somewhere on YouTube or other online video-sharing platforms, include a link and use it when you're presenting. But notice: a link can only be used, if you're connected with wifi. Watching videos online, can take time and a bad connection might give you some unwanted breaks during your presentation. In this case, saving the video on your disk and opening it separately can save time and still reduce the size of the PPT.

Convert PPT to PDF

By converting a PowerPoint file into a PDF, the size will reduce automatically. During the process, images get compressed and some media (audio, videos, 3D models..) get removed. If you want to change the PowerPoint slides at all time, this method might not be the right one for you, as PDF files can't get edited the way a PowerPoint can. Hence, converting PPT into PDF only makes sense if your presentation will work as a handout and if the PDF files options are enough for you.

• Click Export
• Hit the Create PDF/XPS button
• Choose a location in which you want to save your PDF file
• Click Publish

Get rid of 3D models

The Office 365 subscription makes it possible to add 3D models to your PowerPoint slides. Nevertheless, those media require much space since they transport a lot of information. In order to minimize the PPT file, exchanging the 3D model with a normal image will easily reduce the size of your PowerPoint file.

If you need to share your PPT with someone, a ZIP- file format might help you to reduce the size of the PowerPoint. Even though, this method can save some place temporally, it might not be enough to send it via email. Uploading it to file-sharing platforms, such as GoogleDrive, DropBox, OneDrive or other websites and sharing its link to download the PPT, can be the better option. (Using an USB for sharing the presentation without the need to decompress anything would be the best solution)

Here's how to convert a PPT into a ZIP- file format:

• Select the file you want to minimize in the File Explorer
• Right-Click the file and hit Send to
• Choose the Compressed (zipped) folder option

If you want to decompress a ZIP- file into its original PowerPoint format:

• Right-Click on your ZIP- folder
• Select Extract All... or the similar operation of your program
• Choose a File Location to extract your file to, or extract it at the place you are currently at

How can I reduce the size of a PowerPoint file?

There are several ways to reduce the file size of a PowerPoint. You can compress images, videos and audios, convert your presentation into a PDF file, get rid of 3D models or compress the PowerPoint as a ZIP-file. We explained for you how all of this works in our blog.

How do I compress a video in PowerPoint?

To compress videos in PowerPoint, go to "File" in the PowerPoint menu and then click on "Info". Then open the drop-down menu "Compress media" and select the size of the compression file. Be careful not to reduce the quality too much and check that the quality of your video on the projector you will be presenting on is not too bad.

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Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

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How to Reduce the Size of a PowerPoint Presentation

Sometimes, after creating a presentation, you come to realize that its size is bigger than what you expected and, thus, you need a way to reduce the space it takes up on your drive or storage device.  In this Slidesgo School tutorial, we are going to give you some hints on how to decrease the size of a PowerPoint file . 

Reducing the size of the images

Changing the resolution, lowering the amount of characters from embedded fonts, exporting the presentation as a pdf.

• Open your PowerPoint presentation.
• Select an image.
• The Format tab will appear at the top of the screen. Go to that tab and click Compress Pictures.

A dialog box will appear, where you can choose whether to:  

• Apply the changes only to the selected picture or all of them.
• Delete all cropped areas (please note that if you choose this option, these areas will be deleted and you will not be able to restore the image to its original state).
• Under “Resolution”, we recommend that you select “Use default resolution”.
• Open your PowerPoint presentation, go to the File tab and click Options. Then, select the Advanced tab.
• Under “Image Size and Quality”, check “Discard editing data” and uncheck “Do not compress images in file”.

There’s an option that allows you to set the default resolution (measured in ppi). We recommend that you choose one that suits your presentation mode. 

To minimize even more the size of the file, you should embed only the characters used in the presentation. This, however, will limit some editing capabilities for other users who do not have the same font already installed on their computers. To do this, go to: 

• File tab > Options > Save.

Under “Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation”, check the following boxes: 

• Embed fonts in the file.
• Embed only the characters used in the presentation.

Pro Tip: If you have used fonts that you would like to keep or you think other users will need when editing this presentation, check “Embed all characters” instead of “Embed only the characters used in the presentation”. 

If you want to reduce the size of the file even more, you can convert it to PDF. This will generate another file with the same contents, but lighter. It’s a good solution, especially if you need to send the file to other people. 

To do this, go to: 

• File tab > Save as Adobe PDF.
• If you do not have Adobe PDF installed, this option will not appear. In that case, go to the File Tab, click Save as and select “PDF” from the “Save as type” drop-down list.

For more information on how to set up the different options for exporting as a PDF, please refer to our How to Export Your Presentation as a PDF File tutorial.  All the GIFs for this tutorial show our Cool Birthday Party template. If you like it and you want to use it to organize a nice party, just click on the title and you will be able to download it.  Note: Regarding the instructions listed on this tutorial, we are assuming you are using the PowerPoint version included within Office 365. If you have a different version, some of the options might change. Please visit Microsoft Support for more information if that is the case. 

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How to compress a PowerPoint file so that it loads faster and doesn't take up as much space

• You can easily compress a PowerPoint file's size, which makes it easier to share and save.
• When you compress your PowerPoint, you'll have to reduce the quality of any music, videos, or pictures you have in your slideshow.
• Once you've compressed your PowerPoint, it will load faster, but the media in it may not look as good.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

At some point in your slideshow-creating life, you've probably saved a PowerPoint presentation and realized that the file size is entirely too large. 

Larger file sizes make PowerPoints more difficult to send and save, and they also make each slide take longer to load.

One of the easiest ways to quickly reduce a PowerPoint presentation's file size is to compress it. When you compress a PowerPoint, you'll reduce the quality and size of every media file in the presentation. This includes videos, audio clips, animations, and photos.

If you compress them down to an appropriate size, your file size will be much smaller. However, your photos, videos, and other media probably won't look or sound as sharp.

Here's how to compress your media files in PowerPoint on a Mac or PC.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to compress a powerpoint file on a pc.

1. In the ribbon or menu bar at the top of the screen, click "File." Make sure that "Info" is selected in the left sidebar.

2. Click "Compress Media." Depending on whether your version of PowerPoint was made before or after 2016, this button will either be next to the label "Multimedia" or "Media Size and Performance."

3. Choose one of the three options for media quality from the dropdown menu. These will differ based on which version you have as well, but they boil down to: 

• Select the highest quality option if you want to maintain high quality media for in-person presentations. 
• Select the middle option for quality akin to media found on the internet. 
• Select the lowest quality option if your file needs to be as compressed as much as possible — for example, if you need to send it via email.

How to compress a PowerPoint file on a Mac

In the Mac version of PowerPoint, you can only reduce the file size of images, not videos or music.

To do this:

1. Open your PowerPoint slideshow and click "File" in the menu bar at the top of the screen. If you only want to compress specific images, select them before clicking "File."

2. In the dropdown menu, click "Compress Pictures..."

3. You'll be shown a "Compression Table," which lists all the different ways you can compress the file. You'll have three main options:

• "Printing" will keep your pictures at the highest quality possible.
• "Viewing on screen" will reduce the quality of your pictures by about 30 percent.
• "Sending in an e-mail message" will compress them by another 30 percent or so.

You can also pick the fourth and last option, which will keep each picture's current resolution, but try to reduce the file size in other areas.

4. Select whether you'd like to delete parts of your pictures that have been cropped out — doing so will help reduce the file size.

5. Choose whether you'd like to compress every picture in the slideshow, or just the ones that you selected beforehand. Once you've decided, click "OK."

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

How to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to embed a youtube video into your microsoft powerpoint presentations using a mac or pc, how to convert google slides to a powerpoint presentation in 4 easy steps, how to convert a powerpoint to google slides in 2 different ways, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow.

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Optimize PowerPoint File Size: 5 Tips for Reducing the Size of Your Files!

It is still a common issue in offices today: employees from your company’s overseas branches send you the “latest presentation” via email. However, what arrives in your inbox is a 30-megabyte attachment that not only clogs your email but also slows down your computer when opened.

Furthermore, many companies still impose fixed maximum sizes for email attachments. As a result, there are instances where you may not receive the presentation at all. However, this scenario can be prevented with a few simple measures. Today, we’ll share 5 tips on how to optimize file sizes.

File Size Optimization: Here’s How!

Aim for a target size of approximately 5 megabytes or less for your presentations. This ensures that your PowerPoint file will reach the recipient as an email attachment. Follow these simple tips to reduce the file size of your PowerPoint files:

1. Remove Unused Slides, Pictures, and Videos

This is especially relevant for presentations that are edited by multiple people over an extended period. Often, there are numerous hidden old slides that may still contain images and videos, which can significantly impact the file size.

In such cases, delete all irrelevant slides and content from the presentation and save a new version. This can noticeably reduce the file size.

2. Compress Inserted Images

PowerPoint provides an integrated function to compress images in a presentation. To do this, open the presentation and go to “File,” then select “Save As.” Click on “Browse” in the newly opened window, then click on “Tools” at the bottom and choose “Compress Pictures.”

Select the option “Delete cropped areas of pictures” and set the target output to 150 or 96 ppi. If your recipient plans to print the presentation, leave the target output at 220 ppi. For more information on compressing images in PowerPoint, check our article on the subject.

You can find more information in our articel “ Compress Images “.

3. Discard Editing Data for Images

This option can further reduce the size of presentations. Go to the “File” tab, then select “Options. ” Under “Advanced,” check the box next to “Discard editing data” under “Image Size and Quality.” Keep in mind that after enabling this option, changes made to images cannot be undone.

4. Avoid Creating Image Effects with PowerPoint

Avoid using PowerPoint’s image tools to edit your graphics and photos. For example, the image tools offer the option to apply “Artistic Effects” to your images. However, PowerPoint creates two image files – one for the original and one for the edited image with the artistic effect.

As a result, the overall file size increases with more images attached to the presentation. Instead, use a separate image editing program for effects and other adjustments. Insert the finished edited images into your presentation.

5. Check the Master Slide

When copying a slide from one presentation to another, it’s possible to unintentionally include the master slide from the source presentation in the target presentation, thus increasing its file size. To avoid this unnecessary increase in file size, always paste copied slides into the target presentation using the right-click option “Use Destination Theme.”

After completing your presentation, it’s always a good idea to check the master slide view. There, you can verify if any unnecessary master slides have been inadvertently included through copying and delete them if necessary.

Extra Tip: Use File Size Optimization Tools

There are various tools available that allow you to reduce the size of PowerPoint and other Office files. A popular tool is for example PowerShrink . Both software options allow you to shrink file sizes without any loss of quality. If you want to try out these tools, you can download and test their free trial versions.

Conclusion: Easily and Quickly Optimize Your File Size with Our Tips!

In presentations, file sizes can quickly become too large. To ensure that you and your colleagues can edit and send the presentation without any issues, it’s important to keep the file size below 5 MB. With our tips, you can easily and quickly optimize your file size! Give it a try!

If you have any questions about optimizing file sizes or general questions about PowerPoint, feel free to contact us at [email protected] . We’re here to help!

Are you looking for professionally designed slide templates to support your key message ? Visit our shop for a wide range of slides on various (business) topics available for download. Explore our shop today! ► Go to Shop

You may also be interested in other articles:

• Compressing PowerPoint Images
• Standardizing Image Sizes

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How to compress PowerPoint files.

Want to save space on your computer? Learn how to compress a PowerPoint to save space and make your presentation easier to share.

Need to learn how to compress Microsoft PowerPoint files but not sure where to begin? Whether you want to save space on your device or avoid file size issues in an email, compressing your PowerPoint is a great way to keep file sizes to a minimum and make your presentation easier to store and manage.

When is compressing a PowerPoint file beneficial?

While a PowerPoint in its original quality is great for presenting, it may not always be the easiest to share and store on your computer. Compressing PowerPoint files is a great way to save space while keeping your hard work.

Here are a few reasons you may want to compress your PowerPoint:

• Improve shareability over email. Most email platforms limit the file sizes that you can share. If your Powerpoint contains a lot of content, especially photos and videos, it may be more difficult to share over email. Compressing the PowerPoint ensures that the same content is shared, just as a smaller file size.
• Have more storage space on your computer. By compressing your PowerPoint file, you leave room for more important documents to be stored on your computer.
• Boost productivity. By spending less time waiting for a file to upload, you can place your attention on other important tasks.

Steps: How to compress a PowerPoint file.

There are a few different methods you can try within the PowerPoint application and outside of it to reduce your PowerPoint file size and easily be able to share and save your content.

You can reduce the size and quality of any images in the presentation, reduce audio and video content, compress the PowerPoint as a PDF, compress it as a zip file, or swap any 3D models with static images.

Compress a PowerPoint file by reducing the size and quality of your images.

While there’s no way to compress the entire file in PowerPoint, you can reduce the size and quality of all the images to reduce the whole presentation’s size.

Instead of going through your complete presentation and editing your images one by one (which you can do if you want), there’s an easy way to compress all your image files at once:

• Open the presentation in PowerPoint.
• Click File on the top toolbar and choose Options > Advanced.
• Check “Discard editing data.”
• Uncheck “Do not compress images in file.”
• Select 150 PPI or lower in the Default resolution dropdown menu.

These steps will reduce the file size of all the images in your presentation, effectively compressing the entire PowerPoint. The more pictures you have, the more it’ll compress the file.

Compress a PowerPoint file by reducing the size of audio and video files.

Audio and video content takes up a lot of storage space in a presentation.

You can reduce the size of audio and video files by following these steps:

• Click on the File tab in the upper-left corner.
• Select Info from the dropdown menu.
• Click Compress Media. There are three options for compression.
• Choose your compression option. Click Close once the file is done compressing.

Ensure the file is compressed to your liking. If the compression does not meet your standards, adjust the settings as needed.

Compress a PowerPoint file as a PDF.

An easier way to compress a PowerPoint is to first convert the PPT to a PDF using an online PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat online services. PDF files are smaller and easier to share than PowerPoints.

To convert your PowerPoint to a PDF, follow these easy steps:

• Visit the online PDF converter tool.
• Upload the PowerPoint you want to convert.
• Let the software do its magic.
• Download your new PDF file.

The PDF file should be much smaller than the original PowerPoint, making it easy to store and share. If the file size is still too big, you can reduce it even further by compressing the PDF online .

Compress PowerPoint files as a ZIP file.

By changing the PowerPoint to a ZIP file, the whole presentation size will be reduced.

Use these steps to transform your PowerPoint into a ZIP file:

• Click File in the upper-left corner.
• Choose the Open option.
• Right-click the project you wish to compress. Additional options will appear.
• Choose “Send to” and more options will appear.
• Find the option named “Compressed (zipped) folder.” Choose this option to compress the file.

Compressing PPT files on macOS and Windows.

In the macOS PowerPoint, you can reduce the file size of images but not music or videos.

Here are the steps to compress your PowerPoint on a Mac:

• In PowerPoint, click File. If you only want to compress certain images, select them before you click File.
• From the dropdown menu, click Compress Pictures.
• Printing — highest quality.
• Viewing on Screen — reduces image quality by 30%.
• Sending in an email message — compresses images by another 30% or so.
• Choose whether or not you’d like to delete portions of the photos that have been cropped out. By doing this, you can reduce the file size.
• Decide whether you want to compress every photo in the slideshow or only the ones you already selected. Click OK when done.

For Windows, follow these instructions:

• Click File and make sure Info is selected in the left sidebar.
• Click Compress Media. Depending on the version of PowerPoint, the button will either say Multimedia or Media Size and Performance.
• Choose the highest quality option if you want to maintain the presentation quality for in-person presentations.
• Choose the middle option for a presentation best suited for the internet.
• Choose the lowest quality option for the highest compression so you can easily share the PowerPoint over email.

Tips on how to reduce PowerPoint file size.

There are a few methods that can help reduce your PowerPoint file size.

• Analyze image quality. Presenting high-quality images, audio files, and videos can create a more engaging experience for your audience. Each time you compress images, double-check to be sure they still look presentation-ready.
• Replace 3D models. While 3D models are a unique component of presentations, they take up more storage space. Opting for similar static images may be the best option for sharing your presentation.
• Convert images to JPEG. If your photos are in the PNG format, you may want to make them JPEGs. You can easily do this in PowerPoint by right-clicking the pictures and then choosing “Save as Picture.” From there, under “Save as Type:,” choose the option named JPEG. Save, and you’re done.

More resources to work with your files.

After compressing PowerPoint files, here are additional ways to work with your documents:

• Learn two ways to convert a PDF to Google Slides for presentation.
• Discover how to delete a slide in PowerPoint .
• Learn how to redline documents in Word .
• Discover how to convert a PPT to Google Slides .

Discover what more you can do with Acrobat online services to simplify editing and managing your PowerPoint and PDF files.

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Useful Tips to Reduce a PowerPoint Presentation File Size

PowerPoint presentations generally contain a large number of images, videos, gifs, charts, and other visual content. This makes the files very large and difficult to work with.

Large files take up a considerable amount of disk space, and they push the limits of the data you are allowed to send via email. Even if you put your file in cloud storage, the file can be slow to respond when the recipient uses it.

To get the best performance from a PowerPoint file, you need to keep the document size under control. There are many different ways you can keep the extra, and mostly unnecessary, information from blowing up the size of your presentation.

Also read: 8 Alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint You Need to Try

Edit Images in an Image Editor

Although PowerPoint gives you the option of editing the images in your presentation within the program, it adds extra bites of information. For example, if you change the color of an image to black and white, the file still contains the color image. If you edit many images in PowerPoint, you can add quite a bit of extra data.

Instead, use an external image editor to make the changes to the image before inserting it into the presentation. There are image editors available online to make these edits. If you add all the pictures before you make any changes, you can tell PowerPoint to discard all the extra data created during the edits.

1. Click on File -> Info.

2. Click “Check for issues.”

3. Select “Inspect Document.”

4. In the Inspect Document window, check at the following boxes at the very minimum:

• Comments, Revisions, Versions, and Annotations
• Document Properties and Personal Information
• Invisible Content
• Hidden Text

5. Click Inspect.

6. After the inspection finishes, click “Remove all” to remove the extra information added through editing the images.

Also read: 14 Useful PowerPoint Templates to Set Up a Digital Planner

Compress Images

Because the images take up a large amount of space in a PowerPoint presentation, you want to make sure they are as small (in data) as possible. To do this, either compress all the images or only the largest ones.

1. Click on the File tab and select “Save As.”

2. Click on “More options” under the File type drop-down box.

3. In the Save as window that appears, click the word Tools next to the Save button.

4. Select “Compress Pictures.”

5. In the Compress Pictures box, choose the resolution you prefer. (150 ppi is best for presenting.) Make sure the box for “Delete cropped areas of pictures” is checked (unless there is a chance you may want to recover the cropped portions from your images..

6. Click OK.

To compress only specific images in the presentation:

1. Click on the image you want to compress.

2. On the menu ribbon click the “Picture Tools -> Format” tab. Click “Compress pictures.”

3. In the window that appears, select your preferred resolution from the low end of the options.

4. Make sure “Delete cropped areas of pictures” is checked.

5. Click OK.

Insert Images

If you copy and paste images into your slide show by using Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V or by dragging and dropping them, PowerPoint may change the format of those pictures to either a PNG or a BMP. These formats are larger than a JPG of the same image.

Tip: Learn more PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflows.

Insert your images using the Insert image option on the PowerPoint menu.

The image will remain in its original format, possibly saving you some extra data.

Don’t Embed Fonts

Embedding fonts includes special fonts in the presentation as part of the document. Unless the font is of particular importance to the theme of the presentation, consider using standard fonts and turn off the option to embed them.

1. Click on the File tab and click Options at the bottom.

2. In the options box click on the Save tab. Untick the box that says “Embed fonts in the file.”

3. Click OK.

Link to Videos

If you are not sending the presentation to someone else, you can save a large amount of data by linking to videos instead of embedding them. Click on the Insert tab and on the Video button to see your options.

Compress media

Lastly, to reduce the size of the presentation as much as possible, compress the media files using the file menu.

1. Click on “File -> Info.”

2. Click on Media Size and Performance.

3. Select the quality you want from the choices. Internet Quality is usually enough for most presentations.

4. Once you select the quality you want, the compression begins.

The next time you need to create a PowerPoint presentation to share with others, take some or all of these steps to ensure a smaller file size. It will run more smoothly and be easier to send electronically.

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5 Methods to Reduce the File Size of a PowerPoint Presentation

In some cases, especially when creating large presentations, the file size of your project may go up to a rather large number. This can make it difficult to share your finished presentation, especially if you’re using email services or a USB to store it on.

To help combat this issue,  PowerPoint  comes with options to compress various elements and reduce the file size or projects. You can compress images, videos, convert 3D objects to static images or even use the PPTX or ZIP formats to further optimize file size.

Our article focuses on all the methods to help you compress PowerPoint files and create more shareable presentations.

Jump to Solution

Method 1: compress images in powerpoint, method 2: compress videos in powerpoint, method 3: swap 3d models with static images, method 4: convert your presentation to pptx format, method 5: compress powerpoint presentations as a zip file.

The first way to reduce the file size of your presentations is definitely compressing the images used in your slides. Images with large resolution can quickly start generating large file sizes.

Oftentimes when making a presentation, there’s no need for large images to be displayed on the screen, so compressing your images won’t harm the final outcome. According to our tests, correctly compressed images can help you reduce the file size of your presentation by 17 times.

• Select the picture you want to compress. This will open up the  Pictures Tools Format  tab in the ribbon on top of your screen.
• Click on the  Compress Pictures  button.
• Select the desired picture quality and options. The lower the PPI number, the more compressed your image will be.
• Make sure to check “ Delete cropped areas of pictures ” and choose whether you want to apply the compression to all pictures in your presentation, or selected pictures only.
• Click the  OK  button. You should immediately see the changes in quality and notice the reduced file size.

It’s not a secret that video files can be huge. If you have videos embedded into your presentations, it’s not uncommon that you’ll end up with a large file size that’s hard to transfer between devices, USB’s and email. To make sure your presentation doesn’t exceed file size limits, you can try to compress the videos in it.

• Open your presentation in PowerPoint, then navigate to the  File  tab and go to the  Info  page within the backstage view.
• When video files are detected in your presentation, you'll be able to see the  Compress Media  button. Simply click on it, then choose the desired quality. In most cases, compressing to  1080p  or  720p  will significantly reduce the file size of your presentation.
• A new window will open up showing the progress of the compression and determining how much space was saved. Wait for the process to finish.
• Check your video and make sure you’re happy with the quality. If you want to undo the compression, navigate back to  File  >  Info  >  Compress Media , and choose to  Undo  the last compression.

(Source: Nuts & Bolts)

While 3D models are definitely useful and give your presentations more visual interest, they definitely increase the file size of the finished product. If you’re working with a limited amount of space, we recommend swapping 3D models with static images. You can use images from the internet, or even take a  screenshot  of the model and insert it manually.

• If you want to replace the 3D model entirely, simply select it and press the Delete button on your keyboard. This will remove all traces of the model from your presentation as soon as you save it, and significantly reduce the file size.
• Insert an image in place of the 3D model by using the  Insert  >  Image  menu. You may choose one from your computer, or look for one online within PowerPoint.

If you want to replace the 3D model with a static image of the model itself, follow these steps.

• Create a new, blank slide with a white background.
• Insert the 3D model you want to use and position it in any way you want to.
• Take a screenshot using the  Windows  +  Shift  +  S  keyboard shortcut. This shortcut allows you to select a region of the screen instead of screenshotting the entire desktop. Select your 3D model on a white background.
• On Mac, you can use the  Command  +  Shift  +  4  shortcut to do the same.
• Delete the 3D model and the blank slide, then insert the screenshot of your model in place of the original.
• If needed, select the screenshot and click on  Picture Format  >  Remove Background . This will get rid of the white background, creating a transparent static image of your 3D model.

Your presentation might be saved in the PPT format. This format is quite large compared to PPTX, which is the format used in files created post-2007, alongside the release of PowerPoint 2007. The optimized format aims to reduce the file size of presentations, making transfer much less of a hassle.

If you saved your presentation in the PPT format, don’t worry. There are plenty of free, online tools you can use to convert a PowerPoint presentation into the PPTX format. Here’s how.

• Open the  Convertio PPT Converter  in your web browser. This is an entirely free-to-use website that allows you to convert a PPT file into PPTX online.
• If your file is over 100 MB, click on the  Sign Up  button and create a free account. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
• Click on the  Choose Files  button and select your PPT presentation.
• Make sure to select  PPT to PPTX  using the drop-down menus for file types.
• Follow on-screen instructions and convert your presentation into the PPTX format. You should immediately see a decrease in file size.

As a last resort, you can save some space by sharing your presentation as a ZIP file. These compressed files are handy if you want to keep all of your original images, videos, models, and other elements, but still need to reduce the file size.

Here’s how you can convert a PowerPoint presentation into a ZIP on  Windows 10 . Make sure to scroll to the next section if you’re on a Mac system!

• Open the  File Explorer  and navigate to the location of your saved presentation.
• Right-click on the presentation file and hover over the  Send to  option.
• Choose the  Compressed (zipped) folder  option.
• Wait for Windows to finish compressing your file. When finished, you’ll be left with a ZIP file that has a reduced file size and provides better shareability.

The instructions for  Mac  systems are as follows.

• Open the  Finder  and navigate to the location of your presentation.
• Right-click on the presentation and select  Compress “(Presentation name)”
• Wait for the process to finish. You should see a smaller ZIP file with the same name as your original presentation created.

We hope that this article helped you compress PowerPoint presentations and reduce the file size for easier sharing. Show your world the hard work you put into your presentations without having to sacrifice quality!

Keep Learning 

»  What Is PowerPoint Viewer? How Can I Use It? (Part 1) »  What Is PowerPoint Viewer? How Can I Use It? (Part 2) »  What Is PowerPoint Viewer? How Can I Use It? (Part 3) »  How To Use PowerPoint Design Ideas: A Complete Guide »  7 Useful Tips to Build More Creative MS PowerPoint Templates

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How to Change Your PowerPoint Slide Size (16:9 vs. 4:3)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• March 10, 2019

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to change your slide size in PowerPoint.

That way you can create slides for any situation including on-screen presentations, printed documents, posters, postcards, handouts, etc.

First off, the two most used PowerPoint slide sizes are:

• 16:9 ratio  for onscreen presentations and new overhead projectors. This is the default setting for the latest versions of PowerPoint.
• 4:3 ratio  for printing slides on standard 8.5 x 11 pieces of paper as handouts.

When starting with a blank PowerPoint presentation, changing your slide size is super easy and straightforward. If not, there are a few issues you’ll need to deal with, each covered below.

That’s why it’s worth figuring out what slide size you need BEFORE you build your presentation. If you later convert your presentation to a different size, it can be painful!

It’s just like the old carpenter saying, “measure twice and cut once.” In PowerPoint, you’ll want to “ask twice (to double confirm the required size) and build once.”

Changing your PowerPoint slide size does not make your PowerPoint presentation larger or smaller. To reduce your PowerPoint file size, you need to learn how to compress a PowerPoint presentation .

Table of Contents

How to change your powerpoint slide size.

By default, new PowerPoint presentations start in the 16:9 slide size format.

This is the NEW standard for most modern overhead projects and monitors and is recommended for most presentations. That said, you can easily change your slide size to something else.

To change your slide size in PowerPoint, simply:

• Navigate to the  Design tab
• Open the  Slide Size  drop down menu
• Select  4:3 ,  16:9  or  Custom Slide Size  (see options below)

When starting with a blank presentation, you are now good to go. You will not have to worry about any of the conversion issues discussed below.

Notice too, how much wider the 16:9 slide size is versus the 4:3 slide size in the picture below. The new size gives you more room for the content on your slides.

When you are converting an existing presentation to a new slide size, you will additionally be given the following prompt:

“You are scaling to a new slide size. Would you like to maximize the size of your content, or scale it down to ensure it will fit on the new slide?

Maximize  leaves all your content as is on your slide, even if it no longer fits on the new slide size that you selected.

Ensure Fit  scales down your content in proportion to the new slide size you have selected. You will only see this option when moving from a larger slide size to a smaller one.

Custom PowerPoint slide sizes

Choosing  Custom  for your slide size gives you additional options to work with. Inside the dialog box you can choose your size on the left and your orientation on the right.

On top of that, you can also input your own custom slide size. However, I recommend using one of the preset PowerPoint dimension options.

• On-screen show (4:3)
• Letter Paper (8.5×11 in)
• A3 Paper (297×420 mm)
• B4 (ISO) Paper (250×353 mm)
• B5 (ISO) Paper (176×250 mm)
• 35mm Slides
• On-screen Show (16:9)
• On-screen show (16:10)

For your orientation options on the right-hand side of the dialog box, you can choose between  Landscape  and  Portrait .

In most situations, you will want one of the default settings. Best practice is  Landscape  for your presentation slides and  Portrait  for your printed notes, handouts and outlines.

Issues when converting 4:3 to the 16:9 slide size in PowerPoint

When converting an existing 4:3 presentation with content into the 16:9 format, you are not given any conversion options. Instead, PowerPoint simply does the conversion for you, which can create several problems.

There are two issues you will face in the new 16:9 slide size.

The first issue is that all the images on your slide master (including company logos) will be stretched to fit the new, larger slide size.

To fix the stretched images, you will need to fix those images (or reinsert them) on your slide master, as if you were creating a PowerPoint template from scratch.

The second issue you will face in the larger 16:9 slide size is that you will have a lot of extra white space on your slides.

While you can leave the space blank, doing so will make your content look weird. Ideally you don’t want a lot of white empty space like that on your slides. Especially since all your font sizes will be so small.

That’s why if you have the time, I recommend resizing your content to fill in the white space. You can do this by either increasing the font size of your content, or adding additional visuals that support your message.

Issues when converting 16:9 to the 4:3 slide size in PowerPoint​

When converting an existing 16:9 presentation to the 4:3 slide size, you are given the option to either  Maximize  or  Ensure Fit  (both covered below).

1. The Maximize option

This option means that the content on your slides will not be resized to fit the 4:3 slide size. The same is true if you move to any smaller slide size.

Maximize Issue #1:  All the images on your slide master (including your company logo) will be distorted.

You might also have issues with other content placeholders, slide backgrounds or anything else that was built on your slide master.  For these issues, you’ll first need to navigate to your Slide Master. Once you are there, you either adjust (or rebuild) your PowerPoint template so that everything fits properly.

Maximize Issue #2:  Your content will not be scaled down to the smaller slide size. Instead, you’ll have overhanging content as pictured above.

For these kinds of spacing issues, you will need to work through your slides to adjust your content.

One recommendation as you move from the larger 16:9 slide size to 4:3, is to break up your slides. Take the contents from one larger slide and break it into two (or even three) separate slides.

Breaking up your content is preferable to just cramming more content on the smaller slide space. Doing so will make your content easier to read when presented on an overhead projector.

2. The Ensure Fit option

This option means that PowerPoint will scale down your content to fit the smaller slide size based on the size you selected.

Ensure Fit Issue #1:  Distorted images, slide backgrounds and anything else that PowerPoint had to automatically resize on your slide master.

To fix these issues, you’ll need to navigate to your slide master and adjust (or rebuild) your template to make everything fit.

Ensure Fit Issue #2:  Your content will be scaled down to fit your new slide size, leaving you with a lot of white space. In addition, all your font sizes will be smaller, making them hard to read.

For small content like this, you’ll need to work through your slides and resize your content accordingly. Keep in mind the people at the back of the room too when choosing a new font style and size.

Saving your custom slide size as a PowerPoint theme

If want to use your own custom slide size for all your future PowerPoint presentations, you can save and set it as a PowerPoint theme.

This is a two-step process as discussed below.

1. Save your custom slide size as a theme

To save your custom slide size (and settings) as your own custom PowerPoint theme, simply:

• Open the M ore options
• Click  Save Current Theme
• Name your Theme (and don’t change the file location it saves to)
• Click  Save

2. Set your custom theme as the default

To set a custom PowerPoint theme as the default for all your future presentations, simply:

• Open the  More options
• Right-click  your custom theme
• Select  Set as Default Presentation
• Close out of PowerPoint (and do not save any presentations if it prompts you)

Once you’ve set your own custom theme as the Default Presentation, it will open every time you start PowerPoint. This saves you from always having to switch your slide sizes.

So that’s how you can change your PowerPoint slide size, either before or after you create your presentation.

And although you are given a lot of flexibility in the slide sizes you can choose from, I recommend using the default slide sizes as used by most people.

It’s also important to remember that switching slide sizes after you have built your presentation can be a total pain. So, to the extent possible, figure out your PowerPoint slide size first before you build out your presentation.

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How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

Engage your audience with cool, actionable features.

Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.

Change the size of text in Windows

Here's how to change the size of text, images, and apps in Windows.

To change your display in Windows, select  Start   > Settings  > Accessibility  > Text size . To make only the text on your screen larger, adjust the slider next to Text size . To make everything larger, including images and apps, select Display , and then choose an option from the drop-down menu next to Scale .

To zoom in or zoom out on parts of your screen in Windows, use Magnifier. To turn on Magnifier, press the Windows logo key  + Plus (+) . Zoom in by continuing to press the  Windows logo key + Plus (+) . Zoom out by pressing the  Windows logo key  + Minus (-) . To turn off Magnifier, press the  Windows logo key   + Esc .

To change your display in Windows, select  Start   >  Settings  > Ease of Access > Display . To make only the text on your screen larger, adjust the slider under Make text bigger . To make everything larger, including images and apps, choose an option from the drop-down menu under Make everything bigger .

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