Prime 10 Hacks for Microsoft PowerPoint

For numerous folks working in enterprise, schooling, and leisure, probably the most generally used software to create a presentation is Microsoft’s PowerPoint. It is simple to make one thing shortly and easily, and it would not take lengthy to get comfy utilizing it.

However if you happen to’re seeking to actually grasp it, and get probably the most out of the appliance, be a part of us as we take a fast take a look at a few of the high 10 shortcuts, suggestions, and hacks that can assist you to in your method to changing into a PowerPoint professional.

All the information and methods listed are for the newest Home windows model of the PowerPoint utility – for macOS and net customers a few of the options may not be current or might look a tad completely different…

1. Press F5 to shortly go reside

To launch a presentation, do not hassle attempting to click on the tiny icon within the backside right-hand a part of the display, or utilizing the menu (Slide Present > From the start…). There is a a lot easier manner to do that.

Simply press F5 in your keyboard!

By utilizing a easy keypress, you will appear to be a complete professional – particularly if you happen to’re having to make use of an outdated laptop computer, with no mouse or a wonky trackpad. Some machines, although, will want you to carry the Perform key (Fn) earlier than you hit F5.

Some keyboards want you to press or maintain the Fn button earlier than hitting F5

If that you must begin a presentation at anywhere within the record of slides, choose the one you wish to begin from and press Shift + F5. Going reside has by no means been simpler.

For macOS, it is Cmd + Shift + Return as an alternative of F5, or Command + Return for the equal of Shift + F5.

In fact, there are heaps extra keyboard shortcuts, one for nearly each single operation in PowerPoint. There are manner too many to record right here. Microsoft has two essential units of shortcuts, although – ones for creating shows, and people for displaying them.

However simply as with all Microsoft/Workplace functions, merely urgent ALT will show the keys that you must press for a sure operate or course of.

2. Snap parts to a grid utilizing guides, and rulers

For getting all parts in a slide lined up accurately, do not waste time shifting all the things in regards to the mouse or arrow keys. As an alternative, allow the Snap to Grid operate.

Head to the View menu and tick the packing containers for the Ruler, Gridlines, and Guides – it is best to see a lot of traces in your slides which helps with alignment and positioning. However if you happen to then click on the small menu icon, just under the place you enabled the Guides, a brand new window will seem.

Right here you may allow Snap objects to grid, which implies while you now transfer objects about, they are going to robotically lock onto the closest gridline. You may also set a customized variety of gridlines per cm – the default is 6 however you modify it by utilizing the drop-down menu or altering the gridline spacing (as proven in cm).

The smaller you make this quantity, the extra gridlines you will get per cm.

In the event you discover that an object, even with snapping enabled, is not precisely the place you need it to be, click on on the thing after which nudge it about by holding the CTRL button, when you press the arrow keys.

3. Copycat the skilled manner

We’re all accustomed to CTRL + C adopted by CTRL + V to repeat and paste textual content and objects in a PowerPoint slide. However in terms of making a number of copies of the identical form to create a symmetrical sample, there are some further methods value figuring out about.

Usually, while you copy after which paste an object, the brand new one overlaps the unique form. Usually, you’d then go about shifting it into the precise place, utilizing the mouse or keys. This is a a lot better manner – click on on the form you wish to copy, then maintain the CTRL + Shift keys down when you click on and maintain the mouse button on the form.

Slide the mouse to the facet or up/down, and you will discover a brand new copy is robotically made and it’s exactly aligned with the earlier one! No extra attempting to nudge shapes about to make them line up.

Even higher, upon getting carried out this, simply press CTRL + Y to repeat the method – the spacing and alignment will get copied throughout, making it a bit of cake to create a superbly symmetrical assortment of objects.

4. Breaking sensible for higher artwork

There’s a wide variety of default shapes which you could add to slides however there’s additionally a shocking lack of artistic aptitude about them. If you wish to use one thing higher, however do not wish to undergo the trouble of attempting to make your personal, then one answer is to interrupt aside SmartArt shapes.

Take the usual block arrows, for instance – they’re fairly boring to have a look at and also you’re very restricted in what you are able to do with them, so let’s repair that now.

Go to Insert > SmartArt > Course of. Now scroll down the menu and choose the Upward Arrow choice.

As soon as you have clicked on that, you will see a cool-looking arrow.

Nevertheless, it is surrounded by a lot of parts that you could be not want.

Proper-click on any empty a part of the newly inserted form, go to the Group choice within the menu and choose Ungroup. Do that a second time after which press CTRL+A, to pick all the things within the slide – or drag a highlighting field across the arrow, if there are already a lot of issues within the slide.

Maintain down CTRL and click on on the arrow to deselect it, after which press Delete to take away all the undesirable parts.

You have now bought a properly curved arrow which you could resize or recolor to no matter you need. This trick works with many different SmartArt objects, so it is value exploring all of them to see what new shapes you may pull out of them.

5. Merging sensible for much more artwork

Now, if you happen to do fancy making your personal shapes, then a helpful various to simply grouping objects collectively to make a brand new one, is to make use of PowerPoint’s Merge Shapes software. For instance we wish to have a sq. with a gap within the center. Begin by laying down a separate form and circle, utilizing the conventional Insert > Shapes menu.

We may make our desired object by making the circle white in colour, inserting it over the sq., after which grouping the objects collectively. Nevertheless, in case your slides are going to have a lot of advanced shapes, then the file measurement for the entire PowerPoint can balloon in measurement as a result of grouped objects stay as separate entities.

The benefit of merging is that all of it simply turns into one object…

The plain drawback is that if you wish to appropriate or amend one thing, you may’t ungroup it and start once more – you will want to make use of the Undo operate (CTRL + Z). Effectively, you may, however solely with one of many merge choices.

To merge the shapes you need collectively, choose them by dragging a highlighting field round them (click on and maintain the left mouse button) or maintain down CTRL and click on on the person shapes that you must mix.

There are 5 methods to merge shapes:

Right here we are able to see what these choices do to a circle overlapping a sq.:

It is essential to notice that you simply get completely different outcomes relying on the front-to-back ordering of the shapes you are merging – if you happen to take a look at the above picture for Subtract, the circle reduce the sq. as a result of it was in entrance of it.

If the order of the shapes was reversed, the sq. would reduce the circle in half, leaving a semicircle behind. So it is nicely value experimenting to get that particular form you are after!

6. Rotating shapes: the important thing(s) to higher flip arounds

There are a few methods of rotating shapes in the newest variations of PowerPoint. Click on on the thing and it is best to see a rotating arrow, linked to the form – click on and maintain, then transfer your mouse about to rotate.

Doing this precisely is not simple although, particularly on laptops with poor trackpads. You’ll be able to enter an actual angle measurement for the rotation, utilizing the format menu (right-click on form, Format object, click on on the Dimension & spacing icon), however do not hassle with it.

The easiest way to rotate an object is to make use of the keyboard – maintain ALT after which press the left or proper arrow key to spin the form by 15°, or maintain ALT+CTRL after which left or proper to shift by angles of simply 1°.

With a little bit of follow, this technique can have you spinning objects shortly and precisely, and it is by far the most effective technique of rotating shapes which might be very small.

7. Reap what you sow: Crop and edit photographs in-app

An image is value a thousand phrases, or so the saying goes, and selecting the best search for any photographs inserted right into a presentation could be a little difficult. Thankfully, PowerPoint comes with some useful instruments to govern photographs shortly and simply, guaranteeing that you do not have to make use of one other utility.

And possibly the most effective operate is the Crop software.

Begin by inserting a picture right into a slide (Insert > Footage > This system… or drag and drop it). The toolbar containing the Crop software needs to be seen, but when it isn’t click on on the picture after which on Image Format.

There are many choices right here, so let’s undergo them fastidiously. The primary choice, simply referred to as Crop, will add a set of small thick bars in regards to the picture.

Click on and maintain the left mouse button down, after which drag out a darkish space throughout the picture – this darkened area is the a part of the picture that will probably be reduce away, leaving the non-dark space behind.

Nevertheless, it will not do something till you click on exterior the picture.

This implies you may return and modify the cropping space till you are happy. Even if you happen to’re not completely satisfied after, you may all the time use Undo to return to the unique picture.

Notice that the nook bars do not apply a diagonal reduce impact – this simply permits you to create a bit of the image, that is rectangular in form. To do one thing fancier, then you definately’ll want to make use of one other cropping operate.

The subsequent two cropping choices (Crop to Form and Facet Ratio) will reduce the image up, both by utilizing a normal form as a masks or by utilizing a predefined height-to-width ratio.

Crop to Form is very helpful for creating variations of images which have extra of a artistic affect, than simply utilizing the unique picture. Not all shapes make for a helpful crop, however ones just like the curved nook rectangle or the block arrows can simply give your presentation the visible kick that you simply’re after.

The ultimate two choices (Match and Fill) needs to be used after you have used Crop to Form – when you choose both of those, a brand new set of black bars will seem across the picture.

Crop to Form and Fill have been used right here

Fill will make the image take up the entire form, however you would possibly lose some components of the picture within the course of. Match will attempt to make the image fill the form whereas retaining the picture’s facet ratio intact.

You’ll be able to create your personal cropping masks by drawing out a variety of shapes after which grouping them altogether (CTRL+A to pick all of them, CTRL+G to group them). Copy the image you wish to crop (CTRL+C) after which right-click in your new masks and choose Format Form.

Then, within the Fill part of the formatting choices, click on on Image or texture fill, after which click on the Clipboard button. This may then paste your copied picture into your masks form.

As with all these instruments, take a while to experiment and follow with the varied choices and cropping decisions. The unique picture is rarely really misplaced in any manner, so you may all the time undo your edits and check out once more.

8. Choose overlapping or hidden sneaky shapes

You probably have a slide with a lot of objects scattered about, it may be difficult highlighting the one you wish to transfer or edit – particularly if it is hidden behind a stack of different shapes. Thankfully, PowerPoint has a easy system that permits you to shortly choose an object, even if you cannot see it.

Take an instance the place there are three shapes current: a sq., a circle, and a triangle. The sq. is greater than the opposite two and it is in entrance of them, so that they’re fully hidden.

So as an instance we wish to change the circle. Click on, maintain, and drag a spotlight field across the objects you wish to handle. Then, within the Residence toolbar, go to Choose (or consecutively press ALT, H, S, L). Now click on on Choice Pane.

Right here we are able to see our three objects, listed of their front-to-back order. Clicking on any of the record entries robotically selects that object, permitting you to then transfer it about, change its colour, or delete it altogether.

Clicking on the small eye icon will disable the thing from view. The padlock icon will lock the form in place and stop you from altering its measurement, though you may nonetheless change its colour. Now you’ll chop and alter even probably the most advanced of slides!

9. Nearly current with nifty narration

PowerPoint shows are sometimes required for use along side giving a chat or lecture, however you do not have to be bodily current to do that. With the precise gear and some clicks right here and there, you may add your digital presence to any slideshow. To do that, you will want an excellent mic linked to your PC and a quiet room, with no echo.

Begin by creating all the slides and content material you want first, then for every slide, add an audio recording (Insert > Audio recording). A speaker icon will seem on the slide and a small window will pop open.

Give every recording a singular identify, even when it is simply “audio slide 1”, after which click on the small pink circle to begin recording. As soon as you have completed, click on the small sq. subsequent to it.

It is value attempting this a number of occasions until your narration for every slide is admittedly lengthy, so click on the play button to listen to it by. In the event you’re not happy with what you have simply carried out, you may simply hit the file button to overwrite it.

When you’re proud of the recording, click on the OK button, after which instantly click on on the speaker icon, adopted by the Playback choice in the principle toolbar.

For computerized narration, there are some things to make sure you have set proper.

Initially, change the Begin mode to Routinely, then be certain all of those choices are unticked – Play throughout all slides, Loop till stopped, and Rewind after taking part in. Lastly, tick the Conceal Throughout Present choice.

On this similar part, you may trim the audio, so in case you have an excessive amount of silence at first or finish of the recording, you choose when the narration will begin and end.

All of those settings will make sure that the narration robotically begins with every slide transition, in addition to disguise the speaker icon from view. By having the audio run by itself, the slides may also progress with none enter being required.

10. No laser pointer? No drawback!

This final tip is easy, however an absolute boon if you happen to’ve forgotten your laser pointer for a presentation or its batteries have gone flat. Begin your PowerPoint slideshow (remember tip #1!) and you will discover that as quickly as you progress your mouse or contact the trackpad, a cursor will seem on the display.

Press and maintain down the CTRL button, then click on and maintain the left mouse button, and it’ll flip into an ideal laser dot!

It is not the best of issues, after all, and it will probably get fiddly having to handle each the keyboard and mouse/trackpad on the similar time, however it’s a useful various to a pointer.

Like so many workplace functions, there are lots of little additions that may make your life easier or assist you to out when caught. In the event you’re an everyday consumer of PowerPoint and have some nice strategies, be happy to share them within the feedback part under.

You might also wish to try our Prime 10 Hacks for Microsoft Phrase and Prime 10 Hacks for Microsoft Excel.