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How to use Google Slides

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Google Slides is an online presentation app that lets you create and format presentations and work with other people.

Step 1: Create a presentation

To create a new presentation:

• Open the Slides home screen at Google Slides .

You can also create new presentations from the URL https://slides.google.com/create .

Step 2: Edit and format a presentation

You can add, edit, or format text, images, or videos in a presentation.

• Insert and arrange text, shapes, and lines
• Add, delete & organize slides
• Add animations to a slide

Step 3: Share & work with others

You can share files and folders with people and choose whether they can view, edit, or comment on them.

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If you’re just getting started with Google Slides, its extensive features and add-ons can be a little overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you get going with this powerful alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint.

If you’ve heard of Google Slides before, feel free to skip ahead; if you haven't, here’s a crash course on what you need to know. We’ll go over the basics and get you brushed up on what Google Slides is and how you can get started right away.

Slides is a free, web-based presentation program designed to compete with Microsoft Office PowerPoint. It's part of G Suite---Google's complete office suite (though some people refer to it all as Google Docs). The other main services included in the cloud-based suite are Sheets (Excel) and Docs (Word).

Related: What is Google Workspace, Anyway?

Google Slides is available on all devices and platforms; all you need is an internet connection and a web browser (or, in the case of mobile, the Android and iOS apps ). Google does the rest and handles the brunt of the heavy lifting, while it runs the software in the cloud.

Slides supports several file types, including  .ppt, .pptx , .odp, .jpg, .svg, and .pdf. This makes it easy to view or convert Microsoft Office files directly from Google Drive or insert images directly into a slide.

Related: What Is a PPTX File (and How Do I Open One)?

And since Slides is an online presentation program, you can share and collaborate with multiple people on the same file, and track revisions, changes, and suggestions, all in real-time.

Have you heard enough? Let’s get started.

Before you can use Google Slides, you have to sign up for a Google account (an @gmail account). If you already have one, feel free to move on to the next section. If not, we’ll go over the simplest way to create a Google account and get you set up with Slides.

Head over to  accounts.google.com , click "Create Account," and then click "For Myself."

On the next page, you provide some information---first and last name, username, and password---to create your account.

Also, you have to verify your phone number, so Google can make sure you’re not a bot.

After you verify your phone number, the subsequent pages require you to provide a recovery email address and your date of birth and gender. You must also agree to the privacy statement and terms of service. After that, you’re the proud new owner of a Google account.

Now that you have a Google account, it’s time to create your first presentation. Head over to  Google Slides  and place the cursor on the multicolored "+" icon in the bottom-right corner.

The + turns into a black pencil icon; click it.

Pro Tip: Type 

 into the address bar from any browser and hit Enter to automatically create and open a new blank document.

Even if you’re new to Google Slides, you might already have a collection of Microsoft PowerPoint files you’d like to be able to use. If that’s the case, then you have to  upload all your presentations  before you can view them. While it might not support some of the more advanced features and effects of some PowerPoint presentations, it works pretty well.

When you import a PowerPoint presentation, you can use either Google Slides or  Drive  to upload your files. Both methods let you drag and drop a file from your computer directly into the web browser for easy uploads. Your Drive houses all of your uploaded files, but---for the sake of convenience---when you go to the Slides homepage, it only shows you presentation-type files.

From the Slides homepage, click the folder icon in the top right, and then click the "Upload" tab. Now, drag and drop any files you want to upload directly into this window.

Once the file uploads, Slides opens it automatically, and it's ready for you to edit, share, or collaborate.

To open a PowerPoint presentation that you want to edit, click the filename with the "P" next to it from your Google Slides homepage.

Click to either view the PowerPoint file or edit it in Slides.

After you’ve finished editing your file, you can download and export your presentation back into a Microsoft PowerPoint format. Just go to File > Download As, and then click the "Microsoft PowerPoint" option.

If you’d rather download your presentation as a PDF, ODP, JPEG, TXT, etc., you can do that here, as well.

Related: How to Import a PowerPoint Presentation into Google Slides

Now that you have a few presentations, it’s time to make sure your  spelling and grammar are correct . Slides is equipped with a spellchecker. If you misspell something, it underlines the error with a squiggly line and prompts you to make a change.

This should be on by default, but you can make sure in Tools > Spelling > Underline Errors.

To see spelling corrections and suggestions, right-click the word with the line underneath. Alternatively, press Ctrl+Alt+X (Windows) or Command+Alt+X (Mac) to open the Spell Check and Grammar tool.

Along with a spellchecker, Google Slides comes loaded with a built-in dictionary and thesaurus. To use them, highlight a word, right-click it, and then click "Define [word]."

While this should get you started, we have  a deeper dive into Google’s spelling and grammar checker  if you want more info.

Related: How to Check Your Spelling in Google Docs

One of the best features of Google Slides is its ability to  generate a shareable link.  Anyone you share the link with can view, suggest edits to, or directly edit the presentation. This eliminates the hassle of sending a file back and forth between collaborators. Each person has her own text entry cursor to use on her computer.

To do this, click the orange "Share" button in the file you want to share. Next, choose how and with whom you want to send a link to the file. You can type email addresses or click "Get Shareable Link" in the top corner to hand out the invitation yourself.

From the drop-down menu, you can select one of these options for what other users can do:

• Off:  Sharing is disabled. If you’ve previously shared a link with others, it will no longer work and revokes any permissions they once had.
• Anyone with the link can edit:  Gives the shared users full read/write access. They still can’t delete it from your Drive, though---this is just for the contents of the file.
• Anyone with the link can comment:  Allows shared users to leave comments which is handy for team projects.
• Anyone with the link can view : Shared users can view the file, but can’t edit it in any way. This is the default action when you share a file, and it's the best option if you’re trying to share a file for download.

You can do a lot more with these shareable links, as they also work with other Drive files and on mobile. For a deeper look at how links work and how to generate them,  check out our post .

Related: How to Create Shareable Download Links for Files on Google Drive

When you share documents with others, it’s difficult to keep track of all the small changes that happen if you’re not present. For that, there’s  revision history . Google keeps track of all the changes that occur in a document and groups them into periods to reduce clutter. You can even revert a file to any of the previous versions listed in the history with a click of your mouse.

You can view a list of all recent changes by clicking File > Version History > See Version History. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H (Command+Option+Shift+H on Mac).

Related: How to See Recent Changes to Your Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides File

You can also share a link to a specific slide in your presentation with a friend or coworker, without having to mention which one you're referencing. When someone clicks the link and the presentation loads, it jumps directly to the slide you're referencing. You do have to enable file sharing before you can link to a specific slide in your presentation, though.

Because each slide has a unique URL, all you have to do to link to one is click it in the left pane, and then copy the URL from the address bar.

Google Slides also has a character insertion tool. This allows you to insert special characters into your presentation without having to remember any Alt-codes. There are tons of symbols, characters, languages, and so much more. So, whether you want an arrow, different language scripts, or if you just want a few silly emojis to spruce up your presentation, Google Slides makes it easy to include them.

To open the character insertion tool, click "Insert," and then click "Special Characters."

From here, you can manually search for specific characters with the drop-down menus.

Use the search bar to find a specific character or emoji.

You can also use your drawing skills to search.

Related: How to Insert Symbols into Google Docs and Slides

What happens if you need to access Google Slides but don’t have an internet connection? Although Slides is a web-based product, that  doesn’t mean you can’t use it offline . Any changes you make to the file offline will update the next time you connect to the internet. First, download the extension for Chrome.

To enable a presentation for offline use, go to the Google Slides’ homepage and, in the top-left corner, click the Hamburger menu > Settings. Once here, toggle "Offline" to the On position, and then click "OK."

To save storage space on your local machine, Google only downloads and makes the most recently accessed files available offline. To manually enable a file, click the three dots icon, and then toggle "Available Offline" to On.

Related: How to Use Google Docs Offline

Google Slides is a powerful, feature-rich alternative to Microsoft Office's PowerPoint. It's also completely free to use with an internet connection and a Google Account, making it a legitimate competitor for Microsoft.

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Google Slides vs PowerPoint: Full Comparison Guide for 2024

Written by: Brian Nuckols

Last Updated: 07/04/2024

The biggest difference between PowerPoint and Google Slides is that PowerPoint is an offline, downloadable tool created by Microsoft Windows while Google Slides is an online-only tool offered as part of the Google Workspace.

But the big question here is which of the two presentation software is better for your presentations?

In this guide, we’re going to compare the two popular presentation tools to help you choose the best for creating and editing presentations—as well as introduce a new option into the mix.

Choose the feature that you’re most interested in from the navigation below and find out which option is best for your presentation needs.

Let’s get into it.

Jump to the Section You Want

What is google slides, what is microsoft powerpoint.

• Comparison Point #1: Features
• Comparison Point #2: Templates
• Comparison Point #3: Cost
• Comparison Point #5: Online vs. Offline Performance
• Comparison Point #6: Teamwork & Collaboration
• Comparison Point #7: Storage & Backup
• Comparison Point #8: Embedding

Google Slides vs. PowerPoint FAQs

Google Slides is a free presentation software included in the Google Drive service suite. Perhaps you’ve heard about some of the strengths of Google Slides as a presentation tool, but if you’re not quite sure how to use it, read on.

There are a few aspects of Google Slides that make it a unique presentation software.

First, Google built Google Slides to work in your browser as opposed to directly on your device. This browser-based functionality means you don't necessarily need to download anything to create presentation slides .

This cloud-based approach makes sharing and connecting easy. Because it's a browser-based service, you can easily share and collaborate with any collaborator with an internet connection and a Google account.

Another critical differentiating principle with Google Slides is simplicity. Google is famous for its iconic and straightforward homepage.

They bring simplicity into the Google Slides experience and attempt to make it as simple as possible to utilize their product.

If you're curious about how Visme stacks up against Google Slides,? we've addressed that in this post: Visme vs. Google Slides: What’s the Difference?

Microsoft PowerPoint is a tool for creating professional presentations that was first released in 1990 .

The downloadable desktop app for Microsoft PowerPoint works seamlessly on both Mac OS and PC with Windows and comes with the popular Microsoft toolbar.

PowerPoint is used everywhere from corporate boardrooms to startups, to non-profit board meetings and college classrooms.

PowerPoint is only one component of Microsoft Office, which also includes popular apps like Word and Excel.

Now that we’ve explored some of the basics of Google Slides and PowerPoint, let’s compare the distinct features of each tool.

First, it’s worth noting what both pieces of software allow you to accomplish. Both Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint will enable you to do the following:

• Add text, images, videos and links to any slide
• Pick a custom font
• Use a premade theme
• Include charts and or graphs
• Use basic transitions
• Print to PDF

Additionally, both Slides and PowerPoint allow you to collaborate with team members to greater or lesser degrees.

Google Slides Feature #1: Automatic Saving

Google Slides comes with an excellent automatic saving feature for any changes you make. You don't have to worry about losing your progress because of some kind of malfunction.

Google Slides Feature #2: Version History

Another exciting feature Slides offers building off their automatic saving function is detailed version history. You can quickly restore your presentation back and forth between a previous version if you make changes you no longer want.

Google Slides Feature #3: PowerPoint Compatibility

The third unique feature of Google Slides is easy PowerPoint compatibility.

Slides make it easy to create a presentation using their software and then export it as a PowerPoint file. It’s essentially the Google equivalent of PowerPoint. You can also import a PowerPoint file and make changes to it using Slides.

PowerPoint Feature #1: PowerPoint Designer

PowerPoint Designer is a unique feature that uses a suggestion engine to provide you automatic design suggestions for your slides.

When you add a visual like an image to your slide, PowerPoint will show you several slide options to select. These layouts are based on principles from professionally designed slides.

PowerPoint Feature #2: Broadcast Live

Broadcast Live is another unique feature of Microsoft PowerPoint that allows you to share your slideshow in real time to anyone with an internet connection.

Broadcast live enables you to share a browser-based link where anyone can view your live presentation.

PowerPoint Feature #3:  Presenter View

Presenter View is another useful feature of PowerPoint. Using it, you can project your presentation to a second screen.

Sending your presentation to a second screen is a useful feature because it allows you to keep your speaker notes in front of you while your audience can pay attention to the slides.

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Google Slides and PowerPoint both have numerous templates you can customize and use in their presentation software.

In the next section, we’ll take a look at these templates. A template is a pre-designed slideshow built to help you with a specific type of presentation.

Both Google Slides and PowerPoint have templates for things like classroom lessons, business plans and sales presentations. There are a number of free templates, but they also have unique approaches to templates that we’ll discuss.

Let’s look at how the templates compare between the two presentation software.

Google Slides Templates

When you’re getting started with Google Slides, you’ll see a gallery of basic templates that you can customize according to your needs.

Additionally, Google Slide templates are open source and anyone can make an editable presentation using them.

The use of Google Slides templates makes it easy to design beautiful presentations. These templates also make Google Slides a formidable presentation app that competes with Apple products like Keynote and Microsoft products like PowerPoint.

If you need help translating templates into presentation designs, Google offers tutorials and even shares how you can use Slides to stream on Chromecast .

PowerPoint Templates

When it comes to templates, PowerPoint has the edge with volume. You can find thousands of visual elements and custom templates for PowerPoint in their gallery and across the web.

PowerPoint templates have a wide range of design options. This diversity makes PowerPoint the right choice for someone looking for variety with their presentations.

Additionally, PowerPoint has interesting custom graphs and stylized charts that can be challenging to recreate on Google Slides.

You could create a unique and robust presentation by just filling in the template with your visuals and copy. However, PowerPoint also gives you the option to more fully customize your presentation if you want to take a more hands on approach.

However, many of the templates inside the PowerPoint software have been the same for years. There are quite a few legacy templates that, while commonly used, are an excellent way to create presentations.

Aside from their presentation templates, PowerPoint utilizes a variety of theme layout options that you can use if you want to customize a presentation without using a template.

Additionally, PowerPoint templates are available in many places online.

Envato is an excellent repository for PowerPoint themes. There are thousands of ready-to-use templates with unique styles for different use cases.

Because so many designers go out of their way to create PowerPoint templates, Microsoft does not emphasize creating templates inside of PowerPoint.

Next, we'll move on to the cost of each presentation software. Let’s take a look at a Google Slides vs. PowerPoint comparison when it comes to cost.

Google Slides Cost

Google Drive and Google Slides are completely free services. You won't ever need to pay to download and use these programs. All of the features we've discussed so far are 100% free.

The free cost is one of the most important value propositions for Google Slides. You can use all of the features on any device that’s compatible with the Google Slides app. All you need is a Google Account to use Google Slides.

The only cost ever associated with Google services is if your business is setting up a Google Workplace (i.e., using Google for your email services).

PowerPoint Cost

PowerPoint is most typically purchased as part of the Microsoft Office suite, now called Microsoft 365. The monthly fee starts at $6.99/per month and increases depending on users and team needs.

Buying the software by itself costs $159.99 and comes with no storage.

Keep in mind that both PowerPoint Designer and Broadcast live are features that come included in the Microsoft Office suite.

Create a stunning presentation in less time

• Hundreds of premade slides available
• Add animation and interactivity to your slides
• Choose from various presentation options

Online vs. Offline Performance

An important consideration when comparing your presentation software choices is how they compare with online and offline performance.

There are some distinctions when it comes to presenting online and offline with Google Slides and PowerPoint.

This section will look at their distinctions and how each presentation software approaches online and offline options for their users.

In both cases, if the presentation is rich in interactive media and large photos, a slow connection will slow down the performance of your PC if viewed online. In general, offline access is available on a limited basis.

Google Slides Performance

Google Slides is a predominantly cloud-based app built for seamless online performance. Slides offer a user experience in the browser that makes online use and collaboration simple, especially on desktop.

Google Slides has invested in its offline functionality via the Google Slides Offline program when it comes to offline performance.

Google Slides Offline is available via a Chrome browser extension or by using the Chrome operating system. It's possible to use Google Offline for iPad, iPhone, Android and any desktop operating system.

There’s even a Google Drive plug-in for Microsoft Office that allows you to work on PowerPoint offline and upload the finished result to Google Drive for collaboration or online sharing.

PowerPoint Performance

Microsoft has its own set of online accessibility options such via the Office 365 subscription. Additionally, you can use the PowerPoint Online web app.

When it comes to offline performance, PowerPoint provides robust offline apps for experience for desktop users. However, the offline experience is not as healthy for smartphones and tablets.

The PowerPoint mobile apps for Android, iOS and even the Microsoft Surface tablet fall short compared to Google Drive. The PowerPoint mobile apps are not as powerful as the desktop version.

Teamwork & Collaboration

Collaboration is a critical consideration when selecting the best presentation software for you and your company. The ability to work on presentations as a team is vital across business and education sectors.

This section will explore how Microsoft PowerPoint vs. Google Slides performs in terms of teamwork and collaboration.

Google Slides

Google Slides makes seamless collaboration possible between you and anyone on your team.

Multiple users can make comments and edit the presentation simultaneously using Google Slides. Any user can instantly see any changes that are made to the presentation.

It's also easy to restore previous versions of your presentation if you need to return to a preferred version.

Team members need a Google Account to collaborate on a Google Slides presentation.

The original author of the presentation can share the project with an unlimited number of users. Any collaborator just needs to be granted editing rights via their Gmail account.

Any edits on Google Slides occur in real time. Additionally, collaborators can also leave comments so everyone can stay on track with each other.

Collaboration on PowerPoint is possible but needs a bit of preparation.

For a PowerPoint presentation to be editable as a team, it first needs to be uploaded to OneDrive or SharePoint Online for Microsoft 365.

From there, someone needs to add collaborators via email. Users can see when team members log into the presentation to make changes and see their projects.

If someone makes changes while a user isn’t logged on, they get a notification that changes have been made while they were away.

PowerPoint comes integrated with OneDrive, with sharing options ranging from email, direct link and social media to SharePoint and Live broadcast of PowerPoint slides via Office Presentation Service. You can also collaborate with others using the various online editions of PowerPoint.

Needless to say, PowerPoint has a robust Slideshow mode for presenting presentations which can be further aided using third-party add-ons like live annotations.

Storage & Backup

Creating a presentation is a lot of work. One of the worst feelings is when you lose a presentation after hours or days of work due to an error.

To solve this issue, both Google Slides and PowerPoint have backup features that you can take advantage of on your desktop or mobile devices.

Every Google Drive account offers up to 15 GB of storage for free. Paid Google Workspace accounts will get up to 30 GB of storage before having to pay for more.

When it comes to backup options, Google Slides saves all data on their cloud. This means you don't need to hit save every few minutes to ensure you don’t lose your work.

Google Slides also provides a helpful history review where you can explore previous versions of your presentation. This means you can restore earlier versions of your work if you don't like some of the recent edits you made.

Because PowerPoint is a primarily desktop-based presentation tool, all your presentations are stored directly on your computer.

However, you can also take advantage of the Microsoft OneDrive to store your PowerPoint files. Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage solution similar to Google Drive.

However, it requires a Microsoft 365 subscription that comes with a 5GB cloud storage plan for users. Additionally, you can use Office 365 backup from NAKIVO  to automatically backup all your data.

Something to be aware of is that PowerPoint doesn’t offer automatic saving features unless you have an updated version of PowerPoint and you are an Office 365 subscriber.

Embedding media features like video and audio are critical to keep in mind when selecting a presentation software. Additionally, understanding how to embed the presentation itself on a web page is important if you need to share your presentation later.

Let’s take a look at how Google Slides and PowerPoint compare on this vital feature.

Google Slides enables you to embed your videos from a YouTube or Google Drive account. However, it is not possible to store standalone audio files in your presentation.

One major plus of working with Slides is how easy it is to work with videos. You don't have to worry about installing any additional software to use video in Slides.

When it comes to uploading static pictures in Google Slides, you can upload your photos from a URL, a camera, your Google Drive or any desktop computer.

In PowerPoint, media content is easy to embed into your presentation. You can freely embed both video and audio files in PowerPoint.

When you add your video or audio content to a One Drive account, embedding content on PowerPoint is particularly easy.

When it comes to adding static pictures into your PowerPoint presentation, you can include many types of graphics and animations.

In fact, for advanced users, you can even draw your own animations. You can also insert a YouTube video by using the online video embed option.

These are some of the possibilities for visual content in PowerPoint presentations.

Should You Use Google Slides or PowerPoint?

Both Google Slides and PowerPoint have their own strengths and weaknesses. The software you choose depends entirely on your unique needs.

For example, Google Slides offers real time collaboration abilities that make it an ideal solution for teams working on a presentation together.

Likewise, using Microsoft PowerPoint may be a better fit for someone who wants to work offline and who wants customization options without the need for internet accessibility.

When it comes to choosing between Google Slides and PowerPoint, it mostly comes down to how you want to design your presentation. Each tool has capabilities and strengths that the other lacks.

For example, Google Slides makes it much easier to work across IOS, Android and desktop devices. However, Microsoft PowerPoint has a robust desktop solution that gives you the ability to do things like embed audio files and draw your animations.

What is Google’s version of PowerPoint?

The Google equivalent of PowerPoint is called Google Slides. The functionality between the two is extremely similar, with the main different being that PowerPoint is a downloadable software while Google Slides is built completely online.

What is the difference between Google Slides and PowerPoint?

Google Slides is run by Google and is only accessible with an Internet connection. PowerPoint was created by Microsoft and is a downloadable software that can be used completely offline.

Is Google Slides a PowerPoint?

In simplest terms, no, Google Slides is not a PowerPoint. However, although “PowerPoint” is a tool, it has often become a placeholder word for “presentation” or “slideshow,” even if the presentation has not been created in PowerPoint.

Is Google Slides like PowerPoint?

Google Slides has a similar functionality to PowerPoint. However, it offers less features and cannot be used without an internet connection.

How do you convert PowerPoint to Google Slides?

If you’ve created a PowerPoint and need to convert it into a Google Slides presentation, simply upload your PowerPoint file to your Google Drive and open it. It will immediately open in Google Slides. You can also simply create a new Google Slides presentation by typing slides.new in your browser bar, heading to File in the top navigation bar and clicking Open to import your PowerPoint.

Conversely, if you’ve created a presentation in Google Slides and need to download it in PowerPoint format, you can easily do so in just a couple of steps. Click File in the top navigation bar, then go down to the Download menu. Click the option to download as Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) .

How do you save Google Slides as PDF?

You can download your presentation as a PDF in the same menu you use to convert your Google Slides presentation to PowerPoint. However, instead of clicking Microsoft PowerPoint, you’re going to click the option to download as PDF Document (.pdf) .

Looking for the Best Presentation Software?

If you read this far, you might already know if Google Slides or PowerPoint is the best software for you. If not, don't worry — we have another option!

If you are looking for the best of both worlds, Visme is an incredibly effective presentation tool. From unique and fun slideshows to sharp business slides, you can create the most effective presentation for your needs with our professionally designed templates .

Watch the video below for a quick intro to making presentations in Visme.

Additionally, you can create interactive slide decks with GIFs, maps, charts, popups, external links, voice-overs, YouTube videos and audio.

If you need to store your presentation in the cloud using Google Drive, Dropbox or other cloud-based systems, Visme gives you the ability to upload presentations easily.

When it comes to collaboration , Visme helps you work with your whole team to create beautifully designed presentations, infographics, reports, ebooks and social media graphics in file formats like JPG, PNG, GIF and MP4.

Sign up for a free Visme account today and try out the tools your presentation needs to be outstanding and unforgettable.

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

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About the Author

Brian Nuckols is a writer working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enjoys communicating visionary ideas in clear, action oriented language. When he’s not working on content for a transformative company you can find him analyzing dreams, creating music, and writing poetry.

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The Definition of a Slide (or Slides) in a PowerPoint Presentation

• Brock University

Presentation software such as PowerPoint generates a series of slides to accompany a human presenter or to be recorded as a stand-alone presentation. A slide is a single screen of a presentation, and every presentation is composed of several slides. Depending on the subject matter, the  best presentations may consist of 10 to 12 slides to get a message across, but more may be needed for complex subjects.

Slides keep an audience's attention during a presentation and provide additional supporting information in textual or graphic format. 

Selecting Slide Formats in PowerPoint

When you open a new PowerPoint presentation file, you are presented with a large selection of slide templates that you can choose from to set the tone for your presentation. Each template has a series of related slides in the same theme, color, and font choice for different purposes. You can choose a template and use only the additional slides that work for your presentation.

The first slide of a presentation is usually a title or introductory slide. It typically consists of text only, but it can include graphic elements or images as well. Subsequent slides are chosen based on the information to be transmitted. Some slides contain images, or charts and graphs.

Transitions Between Slides

Slides follow one after another during a presentation, either at a set time or when the presenter advances the slides manually. PowerPoint includes a large number of transitions you can apply to slides. A transition controls the appearance of one slide as it transitions to the next. Transitions include one slide morphing into another, a fade of one to another, and all sorts of special effects such as page curls or animated motion.

Although transitions add extra interest to a slide presentation, overdoing them by applying a different spectacular effect to each slide tends to look unprofessional and may even distract the audience from what the speaker is saying, so use transitions judiciously.

Enhancing a Slide

Slides can have sound effects attached to them. The sound effects list includes cash register, crowd laughing, drum roll, whoosh, typewriter and many more. 

Adding motion to an element on a slide – a line of text or an image – is called animation. PowerPoint comes with a large selection of stock animations you can use to generate movement on a slide. For example, you can choose a headline and have it zoom in from the margin, spin around 360 degrees, flip in one letter at a time, bounce into position or one of many other stock  animation effects .

As with transitions, don't use so many special effects that the audience is distracted from the content of the slide. 

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PowerPoint vs Google Slides (Full Feature Comparison + Benefits)

Which is Better – PowerPoint or Google Slides?

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated August 4, 2023

Applies to: Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 365 (Windows) and Google Slides

When comparing PowerPoint vs Google Slides (and trying to decide which is the better choice for your needs), you will need to consider versions when you compare the two applications. In this article, we'll compare the desktop or downloadable version of PowerPoint vs Google Slides, an online program that works in a browser. The key difference then if you are comparing PowerPoint vs Google Slides is that PowerPoint is a paid program that must be downloaded and runs on your desktop and Google Slides is free and runs online in a browser by default.

The desktop version of PowerPoint is a robust, full-featured program with many advanced features. You can buy PowerPoint as a stand-alone version or as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription. If you are a 365 subscriber, new features roll out on a regular basis.

Google Slides is free for personal use but you or your organization can buy a subscription for Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) as well which provides other tools but not a better version of Google Slides. Because Google Slides is an online program, new features roll out periodically.

It is important to note that there is a free online version of PowerPoint that is essentially a light version of the desktop program and does not provide all of the features of the paid desktop version.

After reviewing the advantages and disadvantages, you can determine which presentation software is better for your needs.

Note: PowerPoint screenshots in this article are from PowerPoint 365 desktop but are similar in other versions of PowerPoint.

Recommended article: How to Convert PowerPoint to Google Slides (5 Ways)

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

In this article we'll review:

What is Microsoft PowerPoint?

What is google slides, cost comparison, ease of use, saving, storage and versions, powerpoint and google slides common features, format using themes and slide masters, create presentations using templates.

• Insert and format text, images an shapes

Insert and format video and sound

Create links to slides, add animations and transitions, insert charts or graphs, run a slide show and use presenter view, turn on live captioning, collaborate with other users, create presentations on windows and mac devices.

• Run PowerPoint or Google slides presentations online or offline

Save a presentation as a PDF

Use the outline view (powerpoint only feature), design using powerpoint designer (powerpoint only feature).

• Which is the better choice – PowerPoint or Google Slides?

Microsoft PowerPoint (desktop version) is a paid, downloadable presentation program first released in 1990 and it is included in the Microsoft apps (formerly Microsoft Office) suite of products (along with Word, Excel and Outlook). You can download PowerPoint on PCs or Macs. It has many advanced features that make it a good choice for more complex presentations.

PowerPoint presentations can be run offline or online but with the desktop version, most users run presentations on a device.

The PowerPoint window appears as follows for a new blank presentation using the Office theme:

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation program that is free for personal use. It is part of the Google  apps that are available online which include Google Docs and Google Sheets. Google Slides is used to create presentations online that can be run from a browser. Google Slides presentations can also be downloaded and run offline.

You don't need to download any software to use Google Slides but you do need to set up a Google account (either on Google Drive or a Gmail account). If you set up a Gmail account, you will be able to access Google Slides easily as it is connected to the same account.

You can access Google Slides presentations at any time by logging into your Google account. It's also easy to share Google Slides presentations with other users who have a Google account and to collaborate on presentations.

The Google Slides window appears as follows for a new blank presentation using the default theme (other themes can be selected in the task pane or imported):

Google Slides is free for personal use or is included in Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). There is a fee if you purchase Google Workspace for business or education users. Current pricing can be found at workspace.google.com . You or your organization will have to pay for the desktop version of PowerPoint either as the 365 subscriber model or you can buy the standalone version. PowerPoint 365 is offered in different plans (personal, business and enterprise) on a monthly basis and paid yearly. The current standalone version of PowerPoint is 2021. You can find current pricing based on license type, country and currency on microsoft.com .

Many large organizations have purchased the Microsoft apps for enterprise (formerly Microsoft Office).

PowerPoint users can also use the free online version of PowerPoint (which has limited features).

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides are simple to use to create a basic presentation.

Google Slides saves changes automatically. PowerPoint presentations are saved by the user in the location of their choice (on the device, on a shared drive or on OneDrive). Google Slides users may need to purchase more storage if they store a lot of files as Google Slides are stored on Google Drive along with other files. Google Drive accounts include up to 15 GB of free storage. Google Workspace paid accounts include up to 30 GB of storage. More storage may be purchased by the user (or organization) if needed.

Both Google Slides and PowerPoint also keep a version history which allows you to restore your presentation to a previous version if required.

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides allow users to:

• Use themes for a consistent look
• Format using slide masters
• Use templates
• Insert text, images and shapes
• Insert video and sound
• Apply animations and transitions
• Use live captioning
• Create presentations on Windows or Mac devices
• Run presentations online or offline

You can apply different document themes and color themes in both PowerPoint and Google Slides for a consistent look and feel. You can also format an entire presentation using slide masters and layouts in both programs. In Google Slides, slide masters and layouts appear when you edit the theme. In PowerPoint, slide masters and layouts appear in Slide Master View.

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides offer built-in templates and you can find thousands of templates for both applications (free and paid) online.

Insert and format text, images and shapes

You can insert and format text, images and shapes in both PowerPoint and Google Slides. PowerPoint 365, however, has an advantage here as it includes thousands of high-quality stock images that are included with the subscription. These can be used royalty-free in Microsoft programs.

PowerPoint key benefit: Microsoft Stock images are included with PowerPoint 365.

You can insert video and sound in both Google Slides and PowerPoint. However, video and sound files must be uploaded first to Google Drive before using them in Google Slides. You can also insert YouTube videos into Google Slides.

In PowerPoint, you can insert video and sound files from your computer hard drive, shared drive or online sources such as YouTube or Vimeo. PowerPoint 365 also includes high-quality stock videos with the 365 subscription. These can be used royalty-free in Microsoft programs.

PowerPoint key benefit: Microsoft Stock videos are included with PowerPoint 365 and PowerPoint allows users to insert video or audio from a drive on a Mac or PC. PowerPoint offers some more advanced features for formatting video such as changing brightness and contrast, adjusting color, adding frames and cropping to name a few.

You can create links or hyperlinks to slides in both PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Google Slides includes a limited number of animations and transitions. PowerPoint offers more than 40 animations in 4 different categories including motion paths. Google Slides currently includes 15 animations.

PowerPoint includes more than 30 transitions compared to 7 transitions in Google Slides (in Google Slides transitions appear in the Motion pane along with animation options). PowerPoint 2021 and 365 also has a new transition called Morph that is unique to PowerPoint.

PowerPoint key benefits: PowerPoint offers a significantly higher number of animations and transitions as well as the ability to use more advanced animation features (such as an Animation Pane and Animation Painter). It also includes the Morph transition.

Below is the Animations gallery in PowerPoint (there are more animations available at the bottom of the gallery):

Below is the Transitions gallery in PowerPoint:

In Google Slides, animations and transitions appear in the Motion task pane (below):

You can insert charts or graphs into Google Slides from Google Sheets. You can also insert charts or graphs from Microsoft Excel into PowerPoint or create charts directly in PowerPoint. If you are a heavy Excel user, you can easily copy Excel charts into PowerPoint (which supports object linking and embedding (OLE) for Microsoft products).

You can run a slide show and view speaker notes using Presenter View in both PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Both PowerPoint 365 and Google Slides allow users to turn on live captioning when running a slide show.

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides allow users to collaborate on their presentations. PowerPoint users can collaborate using OneDrive, Sharepoint or the online version of PowerPoint. Google Slides users can collaborate on presentations with collaborators who have a Gmail, Google Drive or Google Workspace account.

You can create PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations on both Windows and Mac devices.

Run PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations online or offline

You can run PowerPoint presentations online using the online version of PowerPoint. By default, PowerPoint presentations are run offline if you are using the desktop version.

You can run Google Slides presentations offline by downloading a Chrome browser extension or by using the Chrome operating system. You can also use Google Offline for iPad, iPhone, Android and any desktop operating system.

Microsoft apps are also available for phones and tablets through the App Store.

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides presentations can be saved as a PDF (portable document format) file which is a good option for distribution to other users or audience members.

One very important feature in PowerPoint that does not exist in Google Slides is the Outline View. The Outline View is dynamically linked to text placeholders on PowerPoint slides. It is extremely useful for navigating and linking to slides and you can even create a presentation in the Outline View. Text that appears in the Outline View is readable by screen readers used by vision-impaired users.

PowerPoint key benefit: Outline View is available in PowerPoint.

PowerPoint 365 includes an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called PowerPoint Designer which provides design ideas for slides. You can simply click a design idea slide in the PowerPoint Designer task pane to apply a design idea. As AI applications are growing exponentially, AI tools should soon be available in Google Slides.

PowerPoint key benefit: PowerPoint Designer is available in PowerPoint.

Which is the better choice – PowerPoint or Google Slides?

When deciding which is the better choice – PowerPoint or Google Slides, you will need to consider the following:

• Is your organization's staff, your team or your colleagues using PowerPoint or Google Slides?
• What are your required features?
• What is your budget?
• Are your presentations simple or do you need more advanced features?

If your organization's staff, your team or your colleagues (such as a group of students or volunteers) use PowerPoint, PowerPoint is probably your best choice. If they are using Google Slides, Google Slides is probably your best choice.

As we've noted above, PowerPoint and Google Slides offer many of the same basic features so if you are creating a basic presentation, you can use either program.

If cost is an issue, you may want to choose Google Slides as it is popular as a free program for personal use. It has alot of great features and is also very popular in educational organizations.

The Microsoft products are very popular for business users, particularly in large organizations. They also include enhanced security features.

If you need to create more advanced presentations, you will likely want to use PowerPoint as it offers many more advanced features including advanced animations and transitions as well as stock images and videos. There are also several other advanced features in PowerPoint.

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More Resources

How to Add Audio in Google Slides

How to Remove the Background of an Image in PowerPoint

How to Group or Ungroup Objects in PowerPoint (with Shortcuts)

How to Insert a Check Mark or Tick Mark in Google Slides (3 Ways)

How to Make an Object Appear and Disappear in Google Slides Using Animations

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Microsoft PowerPoint: Introduction

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Microsoft PowerPoint: Design for Non-Designers

Microsoft PowerPoint: Animations Bootcamp

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PowerPoint vs Google Slides: Which is Better? [ULTIMATE Test!]

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides are powerful presentation design applications, but which is better? This blog post will compare the two to help you decide which one to use. We’ll cover the advantages of each application and share some disadvantages. Finally, we’ll make a suggestion for what type of user might prefer either PowerPoint or Google Slides.

So, without any further delay, let’s get started!

Is Google Slides Better than PowerPoint?

There are a lot of people who have been wondering this very question a lot lately! In fact, a quick comparison of the popularity of PowerPoint and Google Slides using Google Trends showcases that the question is quite valid!

As you may notice, Google Slides has been on an upward trend ever since it was launched. In the last few years, it has only gathered further momentum.

Furthermore, with the pandemic in 2020, Google Slides has been seen as a great free alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint. It has gathered a lot of attention and accolades, especially from teachers and students apart from the business owners.

That said, if more people are using a particular service doesn’t really mean that it is better than its competitors!

Let’s do a side-by-side comparison of the two applications and see how they compare with each other. After all, your purpose of using a presentation design application might be different from what majority of the people might be using it for!

PowerPoint vs Google Slides (Side-by-Side Comparison)

In this section, I shall be doing a side-by-side comparison between PowerPoint and Google Slides. This comparison will be based on some of the key parameters that any user should consider before choosing the correct presentation design applications for themselves.

Hopefully, the comparison will highlight the strengths of each of the two applications and help you make your own decision about which application is best for you.

S.No	Parameter	PowerPoint	Google Slides
1		Starts at about $70/user annually	Completely FREE
2		Provides a plethora of features for both beginners and advanced users alike	Basic features needed for a presentation design application are provided
3		Clean and easy to operate	Clean and easy for simple tasks. But, complex tasks (like adjusting animation layers, delay, and timings) can become really time-consuming
4		Fairly beginner friendly, but takes time to master all the features (since there are many features available)	Very beginner friendly
5		Highly interoperable. PPT files considered gold standard and are widely accepted in keynote, Google Slides and other open source software	Google Slides allows PowerPoint files to be imported. Google Slides can also be exported as PPT files and opened in PowerPoint (once converted to ppt format, it can also be opened in Keynote)
6		PowerPoint is primarily offline	Files can also be accessed offline using the “Make available offline” feature
7		Limited online accessibility features	Google Slides is a cloud-based application. Online access is the industry gold standard
8		Can be accessed using mostly Windows and Mac OS	Can be accessed from any OS since it only needs a browser and an internet connection to operate
9		App exists for android and iOS devices, but is best used for viewing presentations or making minimal changes	Provides a good app that allows you to design a presentation on the phone. However, not all features are available on the app.
10		Both audio and video can be easily embedded. Narration can be easily be added directly on each slide. However, YouTube videos don’t work that well in PowerPoint	YouTube videos work seamlessly! Audio and video can be added, but need to upload them separately through Google Drive. You can not add narrations directly but you can upload audio files for each slide separately
11		Supports export to multiple file formats including JPEG, PNG, PDF, Video, PPS, GIF, BMP, WMV, and many others	Export is limited to the basic and most common file formats including PPT, PDF, TXT, SVG, JPEG, PNG ( – exporting as JPEG or PNG is only available for a single slide)
12		More than 85 animations (entrance, emphasis, and exit) and transitions are available	Very limited animations and transition (15-20) options are available
13		About 20 very basic themes are provided out-of-the-box. However, provides a good selection of templates	15 decent themes provided out-of-the-box (are better than that in PowerPoint). However, several are available for unlimited downloads
14		Multiple sharing options available including through email attachment, link sharing, live broadcast (only for Office 365 users) etc.	Equally easy to share. You can share Google Slides as an attachment (through Gmail), link sharing, embedding on the web, etc.
15		Limited online collaboration available if the file is stored in OneDrive	King of online collaboration! Works seamlessly and sets a gold standard for collaboration
16		Auto-recover feature is available to help recover unsaved data, but in most case, data loss (partial or complete) is observed. You will need to keep saving your file.	There is no concept of data loss. Work is automatically and saved instantly in the cloud every few seconds. You don’t need to keep pressing Ctrl+S every time!
17		Several advanced features are available. This makes PowerPoint a perfect tool for a presentation design expert!	Google Slides is designed with beginners in mind. Thus it barely provides any advanced features.

What is Common to Both PowerPoint and Google Slides?

While there are differences between the two applications (which we will learn more about below in the article), here is what is common to both PowerPoint and Google Slides –

• Developed by Tech Giants – Both, PowerPoint and Google Slide, have been developed by technology giants namely Microsoft and Google. This means that both these presentation programs share a common goal to enable the user to create a well-defined and impressive presentation. Furthermore, both the applications will continue to invest in further development and adding features!
• Mass Appeal – Both PowerPoint and Google Slides have a strong mass appeal and are often the go-to choice for a presentation design application.
• Presentation Templates – Since both PowerPoint and Google Slides have a mass appeal, there are several pre-made themes are templates available for both PowerPoint and Google Slides! In fact, third-party players like Envato Elements allow you to download unlimited beautifully curated presentation templates!
• Presenter View – The presenter view enables the user to present a PPT or Google Slides effectively. Both the presentation applications work in a similar manner. The user can project the presentation to the audience on a second screen while keeping the speaker notes visible only on the user’s screen.
• Design Assistance – Both Google Slides and PowerPoint provide a feature that assists you with the design of your slides. PowerPoint provides the “ Design Ideas feature ” (for Office 365 users only) that automatically and instantly generates the design ideas for the slides. Google Slides provides the “Explore” feature that pretty much does the same thing.

There are perhaps many other similarities between the two applications if we start digging into each feature that the two applications provide. That will require a separate article altogether. However, I’m confident that the above high-level information should suffice.

How is Google Slides Different from PowerPoint?

If you are seriously considering either switching over from PowerPoint to Google Slides or perhaps just deciding which presentation application to choose for your next project, this section will be super helpful for you!

Here’s a list of key differences between PowerPoint and Google Slides –

• Google Slides is More Affordable – One of the key differences between the two applications is the cost itself! As mentioned before, Google Slides is completely free to use, whereas PowerPoint needs to be purchased and can be bought for as low as $6.99 per user per month!
• Google Slides is Easily Accessible – Google Slides is an online presentation program that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, and on any device. The two prerequisites are an internet connection and a Google account. Unless shared, PowerPoint can be accessed only on the computer on which it has been saved. Thus the user is required to carry the device along.
• Google Slides is the Best Tool for Collaboration – Teamwork is one of the key highlight features of Google Slides. Multiple users can easily collaborate on a presentation and make comments or edit it simultaneously while working on the presentation. The editing or chatting is instantly visible to all the users. In PowerPoint, collaboration is not seamless and is a bit more lengthy process.
• Google Slides is Very Compatibility – Google Slides is compatible with not only Google applications but also with PowerPoint. Charts from Google Sheets or videos from YouTube can be embedded in a Google Slides presentation with ease. A Google Slides presentation can easily be converted and opened with PowerPoint. Likewise, it can easily import a PowerPoint file.
• Google Slides Provides Instant Autosaving – Google Slides works with cloud-based technology. The presentation made with Slides is stored in Cloud and is automatically saved. There is no fear of losing data due to not saving frequently as is the case with PowerPoint.
• Revision History in Google Slides – A prominent feature of Google Slides is revision history. Every edit made in the presentation is saved with details such as the time of the editor the name of the user who made the edit. The user can refer to the previous versions of the presentation anytime and can restore them. In PowerPoint, revision history is not available. 
• Google Slides can’t be Lost – Google Slides is stored in the cloud. Cloud storage is more secure and more effectively backed up than a local drive. Data stored in the cloud can only be lost when the user removes it from cloud storage. PowerPoint is stored on a hard drive and data may be lost forever due to various reasons such as corrupt drive, virus, or power failure.

Is Google Slides Compatible with PowerPoint?

A Google Slides presentation can be converted to PowerPoint file format and vice versa. A Google Slides file can be downloaded in PowerPoint format. Similarly, a PowerPoint presentation can be opened in Google Slides.

However, a factor that may limit the compatibility level of Google Slides with PowerPoint is the difference in the list of features offered by both the presentation programs.

As compared to Google Slides, PowerPoint is more advanced and is loaded with a wide variety of features and transitions. For example, fancy transitions are not available in Google Slides. Thus, on converting a PowerPoint to Google Slides, the user may have to make certain adjustments.

Furthermore, if some animations that are not available on Google Slides have been used while creating the PowerPoint file, these animations can be lost as they are not available and supported .

Nonetheless, the entire process is not much time-consuming and provides the user with the flexibility to switch between Google Slides and PowerPoint easily.

To add, as per the recent updates, now a user can open, view, and edit PowerPoint in Google Slides without converting it to Google Slides supported formats. Earlier, a PowerPoint presentation opened in Google Slides in preview mode. To edit the files, PowerPoint was either converted to Office edit mode or downloaded.

With the recent advancements, PowerPoint files can open in edit mode by default. Another advantage extended by this update is that through collaboration a team can work on PowerPoint even if all the members do not have MS office installed. The exception to this development is password-protected files.

Which is Easier: Google Slides or PowerPoint?

Google Slides is easier to use than PowerPoint. Google Slides comes with a clean and simple user interface. It takes less time for a user to get conversed with Google Slides. Furthermore, since Google Slides only provides basic features, it is easy to remember and master as compared to PowerPoint!

The majority of us must have learned to make a presentation on PowerPoint in our school and college days. Microsoft Office forms an integral part of our education. As a result, almost everyone well converses with PowerPoint which makes working with PowerPoint familiar.

On the other side, though Google Slides is much younger than PowerPoint, it is relatively simple. The screen view and structure of Google Slides is similar to those of PowerPoint. Thus, a user who has worked with PowerPoint can seamlessly work with Google Slides.

The popular version of PowerPoint is desktop-based whereas Google Slides is web-based. This makes Google Slides easily accessible.

Instant auto-saving makes it easy to work with Google Slides. It eliminates the need to remember and save frequently as is the case with PowerPoint.

A team cannot collaborate as conveniently on PowerPoint as it can on Google Slides. Google Slides provide for real-time collaboration and instantly update all the team members.

To summarize, at the forefront both the presentation programs are easy to use. However, PowerPoint consists of relatively complex interfaces and requires pre-defined software and hardware set up. Compared to this, Google Slides is easy to use and access. 

Which is Better for Teachers and Students – Google Slides or PowerPoint?

PowerPoint is three decades old and is an integral part of the education system worldwide. At the school level, the subject of computer science includes a dedicated chapter on Microsoft Office. Thus, both teachers and students are familiar with PowerPoint.

Google Slides is better suited for teachers and students as a presentation design application. It is free and easy to use. It also allows to include YouTube videos making learning more convenient. Google Slides is also compatible with other e-learning platforms like Schoology, Nearpod, etc.

The advancements in technology have reformed the education sector to a great extent. Classes are equipped with Wi-Fi or projectors and tablets have become an element of school bag. Covid-19 has fuelled the process. This has increased the user base of Google Slides. A user who has worked with PowerPoint can quickly learn to work with Google Slides. 

However, when a presentation is to be shared either by teachers or students, Google Slides is convenient. It makes it easy for students to view a presentation on their Chrome Books and for teachers to grade a presentation.

Who is PowerPoint Most Suited for?

A PowerPoint presentation is a great option for those looking to create simple, visually appealing slides but also understand the nuances of graphic design. If you are an advanced user, then you will really understand and appreciate the advanced features that PowerPoint has to offer.

The power user will enjoy using PowerPoint because it offers more advanced editing tools. It also has a large library of templates and design features which is helpful for those who want to create presentations with complex animations or graphics.

If you are someone who perhaps enjoys creating a lot of presentations, or perhaps you are someone who provides presentation design as a service, then Microsoft PowerPoint is definitely one of the best options for you!

That said, if you have been using PowerPoint and you are well-versed with the interface, there is no need necessary to switch to Google Slides as you will most likely be able to all that Google Slides has to offer.

Moreover, if your team prefers to work on Google Slides and you are more comfortable with PowerPoint, then you can continue creating presentations using PowerPoint. Once you are done with the design, you can simply upload it to Google Slides!

But if you have little expertise in graphic design then PowerPoint may be too much work for you as there is less of a learning curve with Google Slides.

In my opinion, the best choice for beginners is Google Slides as it is completely free to use and learn. Once you’ve picked up the flair for design, you can then switch over to Microsoft PowerPoint!

Which is Better: PowerPoint or Google Slides? [Final Verdict]

If you look at a software from purely the purpose it is used for (in this case designing a presentation), then Microsoft PowerPoint is certainly a better presentation design software than Google Slides . PowerPoint provides loads of small features that provide the flexibility and streamline the process of designing.

That said, if you are low on budget or perhaps are beginning your presentation design journey, then Google Slides is definitely the better option for you.

Each program has its list of advantages and disadvantages. Depending upon the purpose of your presentation and the amount of time and budget you are willing to dedicate, you will be able to decide the presentation software that is most suited for you!

Credit to Wayhomestudio for the featured image of this article

Google Slides vs Microsoft PowerPoint – What Are the Differences?

We give you all the serious deets

PowerPoint has held the position of the best presentation software since 1987. It’s used by millions in schools, workplaces, and homes. But in 2012 Google Slides entered the market as an alternative to PowerPoint. Today, PowerPoint and Google Slides are both popular and are used around the globe, but which one is the best?

In this article, we’ll compare all the important features between PowerPoint and Google Slides to help you decide which tool is best for you.

What Is PowerPoint?

Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful tool that will help you create professional presentations. You can create slides with custom graphics, animations, and videos to make your presentation more interactive and fun. Having such a long history also means that PowerPoint comes with a large number of templates and resources you can use to impress your audience.

As part of the Suite, PowerPoint is often used alongside Word and Excel. This is why many companies, schools, and new start-ups prefer it.

What Is Google Slides?

Google Slides is part of the Google Docs Editors suite and it’s supposed to be an alternative to PowerPoint. It is a free cloud-based presentation tool that works in any browser, so you don’t have to download it.

You can create, edit, and share creative presentations easily since it’s an online tool instead of a standalone application.

The Comparison

Both Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint are powerful presentation tools and the best way to compare the two is to look into their features. It is clear that both will allow you to make professional presentations in which you can:

• Add text, images (jpg, png, and gif), videos, and links
• Add charts and graphs to your presentation
• Use premade templates and themes
• Use transitions
• Print to PDF
• Include your team members and collaborate with them through the tool itself

Let’s dive in and check out the detailed features of MS PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Unique Features in PowerPoint

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides have some unique features that set them apart from other presentation tools and from each other. Here’s what sets Microsoft PowerPoint apart:

1. PowerPoint Designer

Microsoft Powerpoint has a suggestion engine that helps you choose the design of your slides and overall PowerPoint presentation. Let’s say you import a visual such as a graph or an image. PowerPoint will suggest slide layouts that will work well with your visual element. All of these layouts are based on professional slide design examples.

2. PowerPoint Broadcast Live

If you need to share your slides with your team members in real-time, PowerPoint’s unique Broadcast Live feature will help you. This feature allows you to invite people to join and view your live presentation.

3. PowerPoint Presenter View

The Presenter View feature projects your presentation onto a second screen. This is an amazing tool for those who need to have their speech notes available on their personal screen. The audience will still be able to follow the captivating presentation, without seeing all the boring text behind it.

Unique Features in Google Slides

Here are some of the special features you get with Google Slides:

1. PowerPoint Compatibility

Google Slides allows its users to make presentations and export them as PowerPoint files. You can also import files made in PowerPoint and continue editing the slides in Google Slides. This compatibility between the two presentation tools is good to have when it comes to collaboration.

2. Automatic Saving

With Google Slides, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress if suddenly the internet connection is cut off, or if the browser bugs out. This tool comes with a powerful auto-save feature. Every little change you make to your document will automatically be saved.

3. Detailed Version History

This is a feature that builds up on automatic saving. If you change your mind after making far too many changes, you can easily go back to an older version of the document. You don’t have to manually redo anything.

Templates are pre-designed slide shows that you can use freely when you create your presentation. Both PowerPoint and Google Slides offer a wide variety of templates that cover nearly every category you can imagine.

PowerPoint comes with a lot of templates, not only in its gallery but also on the web . Being older than Slides gives it the advantage of having many templates made by third parties.

Aside from templates, PowerPoint offers themes. These are reserved for people who opt to make their presentations from scratch, without using a template. Themes will help with slide design, but it is up to you to choose the layout options.

Google Slides has a gallery of basic templates. These templates are open source, which means that they are available to anyone, and anyone can change them to suit their needs. If you are new to Google Slides and don’t know how to fully unlock the potential of templates, you can watch tutorials available as Chromecast streams. Also, you can check out themes websites for more help with presentation design.

Online and Offline Performance

Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides have different approaches to offline and online presentations.

PowerPoint has a very robust offline performance. After all, it was designed as a desktop app. However, PowerPoint Online was created as a separate app that lets its users easily share PowerPoint files and work together on a presentation. That said, PowerPoint falls short when it comes to mobile apps. Microsoft developed apps for Android, iOS, and for Microsoft Surface tablets, but they are not as powerful as the desktop version of PowerPoint.

On the other hand, Google Slides was developed as a cloud-based app which means its primary function is online performance. The online use of Slides is simple and effortless, even when you’re collaborating with others. It is also possible to use Google Slides offline, but only if you use ChromeOS or an extension for the Chrome browser.

Collaboration

Companies and education centers need their teams to work on presentations together, so collaboration becomes an important aspect that you should consider.

PowerPoint has OneDrive integration and has various different sharing options. However, you need to do some prep work before collaboration is possible. The presentation needs to be uploaded to OneCloud or SharePoint Online for Microsoft 365 , and the collaborators need to be added via email.

All added team members can see the changes made to the presentation, and in case they are offline, they’ll get a notification that a change has been made. Other sharing options are available in PowerPoint such as direct links, through social media, and through Office Presentation Service which enables live broadcast.

Google Slides, being a cloud-based browser presentation tool, is optimized for collaboration. Everyone can access it, make simultaneous changes, and add notes and comments. All the team members need to work on the same presentation on a Google Account. The original creator of the presentation will send an invitation link to his collaborators and give them editing powers. All changes made on a shared Google Slide presentation are live, and everyone will see them immediately.

Storage and Backup

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides took preventive measures to make their users safe from losing their files due to a software error. But because one is a primarily desktop tool, and the other is a browser tool, the approach to storage and backup options is significantly different.

Microsoft PowerPoint stores all your files directly on your computer. But if you need to share your files, you can choose to store them on OneDrive instead. The only downside to this is that you need to manage two tools instead of one.

All Google Drive users get 15GB of storage for free, and this is where your Google Slides project will be saved automatically. That’s it.

Microsoft PowerPoint makes it easy to embed YouTube videos with its online video embed option. You can also add any type of static images or animations. If you feel capable you can even try drawing your own animations.

Google Slide lets you embed videos directly from YouTube or Google Drive. You can also import static images from your computer, Google Drive, via URL, or directly from the camera.

The cost of the software often determines if you will choose one tool over the other. Let’s look at how PowerPoint and Google Slides compare regarding pricing.

PowerPoint is typically bought as part of Microsoft 365, previously Microsoft Office Suite. Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service and its monthly cost starts at $6.99 but it will increase depending on the number of users and their needs. The standalone PowerPoint app costs $139.00 but will come with no online storage, PowerPoint Designer or Broadcast live features.

Google Slides is a free service and all of its features are immediately available to you. There is no software to buy, download, and install and that makes Google Slides a hassle-free option. But you will need a Google or Gmail account to use Google Slides and perhaps some additional storage space. Depending on the subscription plan it can be $2 for 100GB per month or $20 for 100GB per year.

So which tool do you think is better? Let us know in the comments below! And if you decide to go with PowerPoint instead of Google Sliders, check out our article on the best PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow.

Nicolae is a Jack of all trades technology writer with a focus on hardware, programming languages, and AI image-processing software. Over the last five years, he has ghostwritten numerous tech how-to guides and books on a variety of topics ranging from Linux to C# programming and game development. Nicolae loves everything that has to do with technology and his goal is to share his knowledge and experience with others. Read Nicolae's Full Bio

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Ten simple rules for effective presentation slides

Kristen m. naegle.

Biomedical Engineering and the Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America

Introduction

The “presentation slide” is the building block of all academic presentations, whether they are journal clubs, thesis committee meetings, short conference talks, or hour-long seminars. A slide is a single page projected on a screen, usually built on the premise of a title, body, and figures or tables and includes both what is shown and what is spoken about that slide. Multiple slides are strung together to tell the larger story of the presentation. While there have been excellent 10 simple rules on giving entire presentations [ 1 , 2 ], there was an absence in the fine details of how to design a slide for optimal effect—such as the design elements that allow slides to convey meaningful information, to keep the audience engaged and informed, and to deliver the information intended and in the time frame allowed. As all research presentations seek to teach, effective slide design borrows from the same principles as effective teaching, including the consideration of cognitive processing your audience is relying on to organize, process, and retain information. This is written for anyone who needs to prepare slides from any length scale and for most purposes of conveying research to broad audiences. The rules are broken into 3 primary areas. Rules 1 to 5 are about optimizing the scope of each slide. Rules 6 to 8 are about principles around designing elements of the slide. Rules 9 to 10 are about preparing for your presentation, with the slides as the central focus of that preparation.

Rule 1: Include only one idea per slide

Each slide should have one central objective to deliver—the main idea or question [ 3 – 5 ]. Often, this means breaking complex ideas down into manageable pieces (see Fig 1 , where “background” information has been split into 2 key concepts). In another example, if you are presenting a complex computational approach in a large flow diagram, introduce it in smaller units, building it up until you finish with the entire diagram. The progressive buildup of complex information means that audiences are prepared to understand the whole picture, once you have dedicated time to each of the parts. You can accomplish the buildup of components in several ways—for example, using presentation software to cover/uncover information. Personally, I choose to create separate slides for each piece of information content I introduce—where the final slide has the entire diagram, and I use cropping or a cover on duplicated slides that come before to hide what I’m not yet ready to include. I use this method in order to ensure that each slide in my deck truly presents one specific idea (the new content) and the amount of the new information on that slide can be described in 1 minute (Rule 2), but it comes with the trade-off—a change to the format of one of the slides in the series often means changes to all slides.

Top left: A background slide that describes the background material on a project from my lab. The slide was created using a PowerPoint Design Template, which had to be modified to increase default text sizes for this figure (i.e., the default text sizes are even worse than shown here). Bottom row: The 2 new slides that break up the content into 2 explicit ideas about the background, using a central graphic. In the first slide, the graphic is an explicit example of the SH2 domain of PI3-kinase interacting with a phosphorylation site (Y754) on the PDGFR to describe the important details of what an SH2 domain and phosphotyrosine ligand are and how they interact. I use that same graphic in the second slide to generalize all binding events and include redundant text to drive home the central message (a lot of possible interactions might occur in the human proteome, more than we can currently measure). Top right highlights which rules were used to move from the original slide to the new slide. Specific changes as highlighted by Rule 7 include increasing contrast by changing the background color, increasing font size, changing to sans serif fonts, and removing all capital text and underlining (using bold to draw attention). PDGFR, platelet-derived growth factor receptor.

Rule 2: Spend only 1 minute per slide

When you present your slide in the talk, it should take 1 minute or less to discuss. This rule is really helpful for planning purposes—a 20-minute presentation should have somewhere around 20 slides. Also, frequently giving your audience new information to feast on helps keep them engaged. During practice, if you find yourself spending more than a minute on a slide, there’s too much for that one slide—it’s time to break up the content into multiple slides or even remove information that is not wholly central to the story you are trying to tell. Reduce, reduce, reduce, until you get to a single message, clearly described, which takes less than 1 minute to present.

Rule 3: Make use of your heading

When each slide conveys only one message, use the heading of that slide to write exactly the message you are trying to deliver. Instead of titling the slide “Results,” try “CTNND1 is central to metastasis” or “False-positive rates are highly sample specific.” Use this landmark signpost to ensure that all the content on that slide is related exactly to the heading and only the heading. Think of the slide heading as the introductory or concluding sentence of a paragraph and the slide content the rest of the paragraph that supports the main point of the paragraph. An audience member should be able to follow along with you in the “paragraph” and come to the same conclusion sentence as your header at the end of the slide.

Rule 4: Include only essential points

While you are speaking, audience members’ eyes and minds will be wandering over your slide. If you have a comment, detail, or figure on a slide, have a plan to explicitly identify and talk about it. If you don’t think it’s important enough to spend time on, then don’t have it on your slide. This is especially important when faculty are present. I often tell students that thesis committee members are like cats: If you put a shiny bauble in front of them, they’ll go after it. Be sure to only put the shiny baubles on slides that you want them to focus on. Putting together a thesis meeting for only faculty is really an exercise in herding cats (if you have cats, you know this is no easy feat). Clear and concise slide design will go a long way in helping you corral those easily distracted faculty members.

Rule 5: Give credit, where credit is due

An exception to Rule 4 is to include proper citations or references to work on your slide. When adding citations, names of other researchers, or other types of credit, use a consistent style and method for adding this information to your slides. Your audience will then be able to easily partition this information from the other content. A common mistake people make is to think “I’ll add that reference later,” but I highly recommend you put the proper reference on the slide at the time you make it, before you forget where it came from. Finally, in certain kinds of presentations, credits can make it clear who did the work. For the faculty members heading labs, it is an effective way to connect your audience with the personnel in the lab who did the work, which is a great career booster for that person. For graduate students, it is an effective way to delineate your contribution to the work, especially in meetings where the goal is to establish your credentials for meeting the rigors of a PhD checkpoint.

Rule 6: Use graphics effectively

As a rule, you should almost never have slides that only contain text. Build your slides around good visualizations. It is a visual presentation after all, and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. However, on the flip side, don’t muddy the point of the slide by putting too many complex graphics on a single slide. A multipanel figure that you might include in a manuscript should often be broken into 1 panel per slide (see Rule 1 ). One way to ensure that you use the graphics effectively is to make a point to introduce the figure and its elements to the audience verbally, especially for data figures. For example, you might say the following: “This graph here shows the measured false-positive rate for an experiment and each point is a replicate of the experiment, the graph demonstrates …” If you have put too much on one slide to present in 1 minute (see Rule 2 ), then the complexity or number of the visualizations is too much for just one slide.

Rule 7: Design to avoid cognitive overload

The type of slide elements, the number of them, and how you present them all impact the ability for the audience to intake, organize, and remember the content. For example, a frequent mistake in slide design is to include full sentences, but reading and verbal processing use the same cognitive channels—therefore, an audience member can either read the slide, listen to you, or do some part of both (each poorly), as a result of cognitive overload [ 4 ]. The visual channel is separate, allowing images/videos to be processed with auditory information without cognitive overload [ 6 ] (Rule 6). As presentations are an exercise in listening, and not reading, do what you can to optimize the ability of the audience to listen. Use words sparingly as “guide posts” to you and the audience about major points of the slide. In fact, you can add short text fragments, redundant with the verbal component of the presentation, which has been shown to improve retention [ 7 ] (see Fig 1 for an example of redundant text that avoids cognitive overload). Be careful in the selection of a slide template to minimize accidentally adding elements that the audience must process, but are unimportant. David JP Phillips argues (and effectively demonstrates in his TEDx talk [ 5 ]) that the human brain can easily interpret 6 elements and more than that requires a 500% increase in human cognition load—so keep the total number of elements on the slide to 6 or less. Finally, in addition to the use of short text, white space, and the effective use of graphics/images, you can improve ease of cognitive processing further by considering color choices and font type and size. Here are a few suggestions for improving the experience for your audience, highlighting the importance of these elements for some specific groups:

• Use high contrast colors and simple backgrounds with low to no color—for persons with dyslexia or visual impairment.
• Use sans serif fonts and large font sizes (including figure legends), avoid italics, underlining (use bold font instead for emphasis), and all capital letters—for persons with dyslexia or visual impairment [ 8 ].
• Use color combinations and palettes that can be understood by those with different forms of color blindness [ 9 ]. There are excellent tools available to identify colors to use and ways to simulate your presentation or figures as they might be seen by a person with color blindness (easily found by a web search).
• In this increasing world of virtual presentation tools, consider practicing your talk with a closed captioning system capture your words. Use this to identify how to improve your speaking pace, volume, and annunciation to improve understanding by all members of your audience, but especially those with a hearing impairment.

Rule 8: Design the slide so that a distracted person gets the main takeaway

It is very difficult to stay focused on a presentation, especially if it is long or if it is part of a longer series of talks at a conference. Audience members may get distracted by an important email, or they may start dreaming of lunch. So, it’s important to look at your slide and ask “If they heard nothing I said, will they understand the key concept of this slide?” The other rules are set up to help with this, including clarity of the single point of the slide (Rule 1), titling it with a major conclusion (Rule 3), and the use of figures (Rule 6) and short text redundant to your verbal description (Rule 7). However, with each slide, step back and ask whether its main conclusion is conveyed, even if someone didn’t hear your accompanying dialog. Importantly, ask if the information on the slide is at the right level of abstraction. For example, do you have too many details about the experiment, which hides the conclusion of the experiment (i.e., breaking Rule 1)? If you are worried about not having enough details, keep a slide at the end of your slide deck (after your conclusions and acknowledgments) with the more detailed information that you can refer to during a question and answer period.

Rule 9: Iteratively improve slide design through practice

Well-designed slides that follow the first 8 rules are intended to help you deliver the message you intend and in the amount of time you intend to deliver it in. The best way to ensure that you nailed slide design for your presentation is to practice, typically a lot. The most important aspects of practicing a new presentation, with an eye toward slide design, are the following 2 key points: (1) practice to ensure that you hit, each time through, the most important points (for example, the text guide posts you left yourself and the title of the slide); and (2) practice to ensure that as you conclude the end of one slide, it leads directly to the next slide. Slide transitions, what you say as you end one slide and begin the next, are important to keeping the flow of the “story.” Practice is when I discover that the order of my presentation is poor or that I left myself too few guideposts to remember what was coming next. Additionally, during practice, the most frequent things I have to improve relate to Rule 2 (the slide takes too long to present, usually because I broke Rule 1, and I’m delivering too much information for one slide), Rule 4 (I have a nonessential detail on the slide), and Rule 5 (I forgot to give a key reference). The very best type of practice is in front of an audience (for example, your lab or peers), where, with fresh perspectives, they can help you identify places for improving slide content, design, and connections across the entirety of your talk.

Rule 10: Design to mitigate the impact of technical disasters

The real presentation almost never goes as we planned in our heads or during our practice. Maybe the speaker before you went over time and now you need to adjust. Maybe the computer the organizer is having you use won’t show your video. Maybe your internet is poor on the day you are giving a virtual presentation at a conference. Technical problems are routinely part of the practice of sharing your work through presentations. Hence, you can design your slides to limit the impact certain kinds of technical disasters create and also prepare alternate approaches. Here are just a few examples of the preparation you can do that will take you a long way toward avoiding a complete fiasco:

• Save your presentation as a PDF—if the version of Keynote or PowerPoint on a host computer cause issues, you still have a functional copy that has a higher guarantee of compatibility.
• In using videos, create a backup slide with screen shots of key results. For example, if I have a video of cell migration, I’ll be sure to have a copy of the start and end of the video, in case the video doesn’t play. Even if the video worked, you can pause on this backup slide and take the time to highlight the key results in words if someone could not see or understand the video.
• Avoid animations, such as figures or text that flash/fly-in/etc. Surveys suggest that no one likes movement in presentations [ 3 , 4 ]. There is likely a cognitive underpinning to the almost universal distaste of pointless animations that relates to the idea proposed by Kosslyn and colleagues that animations are salient perceptual units that captures direct attention [ 4 ]. Although perceptual salience can be used to draw attention to and improve retention of specific points, if you use this approach for unnecessary/unimportant things (like animation of your bullet point text, fly-ins of figures, etc.), then you will distract your audience from the important content. Finally, animations cause additional processing burdens for people with visual impairments [ 10 ] and create opportunities for technical disasters if the software on the host system is not compatible with your planned animation.

Conclusions

These rules are just a start in creating more engaging presentations that increase audience retention of your material. However, there are wonderful resources on continuing on the journey of becoming an amazing public speaker, which includes understanding the psychology and neuroscience behind human perception and learning. For example, as highlighted in Rule 7, David JP Phillips has a wonderful TEDx talk on the subject [ 5 ], and “PowerPoint presentation flaws and failures: A psychological analysis,” by Kosslyn and colleagues is deeply detailed about a number of aspects of human cognition and presentation style [ 4 ]. There are many books on the topic, including the popular “Presentation Zen” by Garr Reynolds [ 11 ]. Finally, although briefly touched on here, the visualization of data is an entire topic of its own that is worth perfecting for both written and oral presentations of work, with fantastic resources like Edward Tufte’s “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information” [ 12 ] or the article “Visualization of Biomedical Data” by O’Donoghue and colleagues [ 13 ].

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the countless presenters, colleagues, students, and mentors from which I have learned a great deal from on effective presentations. Also, a thank you to the wonderful resources published by organizations on how to increase inclusivity. A special thanks to Dr. Jason Papin and Dr. Michael Guertin on early feedback of this editorial.

Funding Statement

The author received no specific funding for this work.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

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

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

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

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

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to Format Presentation Slides

How to Format Presentation Slides

Learn how to give your presentation slides a facelift so they captivate your audience.

Why is Presentation Design and Formatting Important?

A well-designed presentation can help you connect with your audience and gets your message across in an easily digestible manner. Great presentation design can impart a positive first impression and is more likely to draw in and engage an audience.

Pretend you’re attending a presentation and instead of formatted PowerPoint slides, each one is plain white with a lot of dark text that’s hard to read. And even though the background and text colors are the same, none of the text is lined up and multiple fonts are used. There are no transitions or title pages that help to differentiate between topics being discussed and you’re presented with slide after slide of confusing, jumbled text.

Tell your story with captivating presentations

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

Formatting slides in your presentation is what enhances the look of the slides and transforms them into something that complements the content and resonates with the audience.

What Else Should a Good Presentation Include?

While formatted slides can help to connect with the audience, a good presentation should also include:

• Well-written, concise content that clearly explains the problem that you’re trying to solve and the unique solution you’ve come up with.
• A great hook or emotionally compelling introduction.
• Visuals that support your message and aren’t too busy.

Most importantly, a good presentation should be efficient and engage with the audience. And that engagement can be found in the content as well as how the slides are formatted.

Tips for Creating & Formatting Presentation Slides

Before you start creating your PowerPoint presentation, make sure that your content is solid. Making an outline can help you keep information organized, clear, and concise before you put it into a presentation. The outline can also help you break down what information is shared on each slide to keep things from being overcrowded or wordy. Take a minute to consider your audience and the best ways to connect with them and present what you’re trying to share.

Once your content is finalized, you can get to work on creating and formatting your presentation slides.

How to Make a Slide

A PowerPoint presentation is sometimes known as a deck and is composed of different slides. When you’re putting your own deck together, you’ll certainly need to add slides and format them in different ways.

In order to make a new slide appear in your presentation, first select the slide that you’d like your new slide to follow. Then click Home and choose New Slide . From there, you can choose your desired layout , and start inputting content. The layout options in PowerPoint are great for keeping your text lined up and consistent through the deck. You can also rearrange, duplicate, and delete slides as necessary.

Formatting Your Presentation Slides

Once you’ve created your content or slides, it’s time to consider design and formatting. This is where you make choices about themes, templates, color schemes, and fonts.

If you don’t feel confident about your design abilities, you might want to try applying a template . This customizable option offers a variety of artistic skins that can give your deck a professional polish. There is even a range of downloadable templates available from Microsoft to suit any kind of presentation.

Don’t feel like you must use a template, though. Many users may prefer to use or create a theme to visually tie together their presentations. PowerPoint provides a variety of themes which include color schemes, backgrounds, fonts, and placeholder slides. In the Design tab, you can choose a theme that appeals to you or matches with your content. You can even try different color variations within the theme by selecting Variants . Each variant has built in options for colors, fonts, and background colors and styles that can help you format your slides and create a cohesive look throughout the deck.

There are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to eschew the suggestions made by PowerPoint:

• Consider the colors you’re using. There are definitely a few color combinations you should avoid .
• Choose fonts that are easy to read and make sure that your text isn’t too small to be read across a large room. You’ll also want to remember to keep the text on your slides relatively sparse, with no more than three bullet points per slide.

Using Visual Aids in Your Presentation

One way to break up the monotony of an all-text presentation is to use visual aids like charts, graphs, static images, gifs, and movies.

As with all other aspects of your deck, ensure that your visuals are easy to see and understand, and aren’t too wordy. Imagine trying to read a line graph with lots of muddy colors and small text from across a conference room. The goal of a visual aid is to make the presentation you’re giving more compelling and the information you’re sharing easier to understand.

Here are a few tips for adding visuals to your presentation:

• Make sure the images you use are of high quality and that they fit in your deck. They shouldn’t be distorted or pixelated, as this will distract from the content.
• All charts should be very easy to read and understand. If someone can’t immediately glean what information is presented, you may be trying to fit too much into a single chart.
• Don’t use more than one chart per slide unless it’s necessary. Keep it simple.
• If you’re including a brand or logo in your deck, make sure you’re adhering to that brand’s style guide .

A great way to get design ideas for slides in your presentation us to use the Designer feature in PowerPoint. It automatically generates design ideas for you to choose from based on the content of your slide. Designer detects when you’re using pictures, charts, and tables and gives you suggestions for arranging them on your slides in a cohesive layout that’s easy on the eyes. Designer can also help to format your lists and timelines into easy-to-read graphics and suggests relevant graphics to pair with keywords that it finds within your content.

Create a PowerPoint deck that stands out and resonates with your audience by formatting it in a professional manner. And don’t forget to prep for your presentation !

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The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation .

These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication. 

This article describes what a presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills.

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk.  Some of these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation that also lays the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered. 

A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a ' persuasive ' element. It may, for example, be a talk about the positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding for a project.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Making a presentation is a way of communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience and many of our articles on communication are also relevant here, see: What is Communication? for more.

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.

When and where will you deliver your presentation?

There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room, lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.

Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?

If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.

Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?

A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.

Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?

Are you already familiar with the audience?

With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and effectively, to get them on your side.

What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will you be expected to use?

In particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be expected to stand in one place, or move around.

What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?

Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information needs to be included in your presentation.

All these aspects will change the presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation Method .

The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the presentation.

Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.

You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.

The audience receives the presenter’s message(s).

However, this reception will be filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge and personal sense of values.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why communication can fail.

The message or messages are delivered by the presenter to the audience.

The message is delivered not just by the spoken word ( verbal communication ) but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact ( non-verbal communication ), and visual aids.

The message will also be affected by the audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well . They will judge your presentation a failure, because you have not met their expectations.

The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message, and whether it met their expectations.

As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will meet expectations.

See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.

How will the presentation be delivered?

Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience.  However, there may be occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video conferencing systems, such as Skype.

It is also important to remember that if your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous references should be kept to a minimum.

Impediments

Many factors can influence the effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience.

For example background noise or other distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.

As presenter, you have to be prepared to cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your message.   

Our page: Barriers to Communication explains these factors in more depth.

Continue to read through our Presentation Skills articles for an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Continue to: Preparing for a Presentation Deciding the Presentation Method

See also: Writing Your Presentation | Working with Visual Aids Coping with Presentation Nerves | Dealing with Questions Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks

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• English Only

powerpoint [slide/slides]

• Thread starter emma.learns
• Start date Mar 19, 2017

emma.learns

Senior member.

• Mar 19, 2017

Dear all, Should I ask someone "where is your PowerPoint slide" or "where are your PowerPoint slides" ? Since there are normally multiple slides in a PPT set. What if when it's plural? "I have got your ( three people's ) PPT slides", should I use plural in this case then? Thank you!  

It doesn't matter how many people are involved, or who you are talking to, if you are talking about one slide it's singular, so us a singular verb and singular noun. If you are talking about more than one slide, then the verb and noun are both plural.  

In actual speech, you're more likely to hear "Where's your PPT?" or "Where are your PPTs?" Or perhaps "presentation/presentations". But if you say "Power Point slide(s)", it's as heypresto says.  

Barque said: In actual speech, you're more likely to hear "Where's your PPT?" Click to expand...

dojibear said: "Slides" is an outdated term when referring to PowerPoint Click to expand...

Member Emeritus

Andygc said: I have never heard anybody say that. I have heard "Where's your PowerPoint?", although in my experience it's more likely to be "Where's your presentation?" Click to expand...

The fact that an image is no longer on celluloid and no longer slides in and out of the frame of a projector doesn't stop it being called a "slide". That's just an example of the meaning of a word adjusting with the times. Click to expand...

Andygc said: I have never heard anybody say that. Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply! So when I refer to one powerpoint set , should I say "your powerpoint slide" or "your powerpoint slides"? It is uncommon to say that? Is it more common to say "powerpoint presentation" or something else? Thanks again.  

First, there's no such thing as a PowerPoint (not capitalization) "set." If you mean one slide, you use "slide." If you mean more than one, you use "slides." Same as ordinary singulars and plurals – and has heypresto said in post 2. Andygc already answered the question about what you call a PowerPoint presentation in post 5: Is your PowerPoint ready? Is your presentation ready? Is your PowerPoint presentation ready? (Not wrong but I've never heard anyone be so precise and wordy.)  

Sorry, I'm still a little confused, to double check: So when I ask someone to send me a PowerPoint file which contains multiple slides, I'd say "please send me the PowerPoint slides ", doesn't matter that's one file , right? Is "PowerPoint file" a better way to say it? I had someone correct me for saying that, so I'd like to know what's the right way to say it. Thank you.  

A PowerPoint presentation is made up of slides, of course, but we don't call the entire presentation "the PowerPoint slides." So I would suggest you say: "Please send me the PowerPoint." It will be one single file. If you were the person putting together a PowerPoint (presentation) and you were all finished except for five slides that someone else was working on, you could ask if they could send you "the PowerPoint slides" (that you need to complete the PowerPoint). But that's a special case and I don't believe you're asking about that.  

Thank you very much, sorry about not being very clear about what I was asking, I tried to make it clear. May I ask, when we refer to the entire presentation, we can't call it "PowerPoint slide", right? The person who corrected me told me I should say "PowerPoint slide" when refer to the entire presentation, but I don't agree.  

emma.learns said: May I ask, when we refer to the entire presentation, we can't call it "PowerPoint slide", right Click to expand...

The person who corrected me told me I should say "PowerPoint slide" when refer to the entire presentation, but I don't agree. Click to expand...

Thank you!  

Moderato con anima (English Only)

Barque said: In actual speech, you're more likely to hear "Where's your PPT?" or "Where are your PPTs?" Or perhaps "presentation/presentations". But if you say "Power Point slide(s)", it's as heypresto says. Click to expand...

natkretep said: Are you saying that in India, people say pee-pee-tee? Click to expand...

• Mar 20, 2017

Am I right in thinking that people in the UK, Singapore and the US (from which Copyright is from, if I'm not mistaken) do not often or at all use "PPT" in writing (even in emails)? e.g. "I've attached a PPT my colleague created. Please read it, and let me know if you have any questions." (Here in Japan, which isn't an English-speaking country, of course, we never say "pee-pee-tee" but write "PPT", even in a formal document sometimes, just because it's easier to write than the full name. In informal speech, we say "xxx", which I can't post since it's not English, but it sounds similar to "PowerPo".)  

You're right. Your note sounds formal, and I would write 'presentation' or 'Powerpoint file'. In something informal, it might be possible to use ppt as an abbreviation, eg 'Pls see ppt file attached'.  

meijin said: Am I right in thinking that people in the UK, Singapore and the US (from which Copyright is from, if I'm not mistaken) do not often or at all use "PPT" in writing (even in emails)? Click to expand...

natkretep said: In something informal, it might be possible to use ppt as an abbreviation, eg 'Pls see ppt file attached'. Click to expand...

Copyright said: We always used PowerPoint, which is pretty fast if you're a touch typist. Click to expand...

.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Best Practices The #1 rule for improving your presentation slides

by Tom Rielly • May 12, 2020

When giving presentations, either on a video conference call or in person, your slides, videos and graphics (or lack of them) can be an important element in helping you tell your story or express your idea. This is the first of a series of blog posts that will give you tips and tricks on how to perfect your visual presentations.

Your job as a presenter is to build your idea -- step-by-step -- in the minds of your audience members. One tool to do that is presentation graphics, such as slides and videos.

Why graphics for your presentation?

A common mistake is using slides or videos as a crutch, even if they don’t actually add anything to your presentation. Not all presentations need graphics. Lots of presentations work wonderfully with just one person standing on a stage telling a story, as demonstrated by many TED Talks.

You should only use slides if they serve a purpose: conveying scientific information, art, and things that are hard to explain without pictures. Once you have decided on using slides, you will have a number of decisions to make. We’ll help you with the basics of making a presentation that is, above all, clear and easy to understand. The most important thing to remember here is: less is more.

Less is so much more

You want to aim for the fewest number of slides, the fewest number of photos, the fewest words per slide, the least cluttered slides and the most white space on your slides. This is the most violated slide rule, but it is the secret to success. Take a look at these examples.

As you can see in the above example, you don’t need fancy backgrounds or extra words to convey a simple concept. If you take “Everything you need to know about Turtles”, and delete “everything you need to know about” leaving just “turtles”, the slide has become much easier for your audience to read, and tells the story with economy.

The above example demonstrates that a single image that fills the entire screen is far more powerful than a slide cluttered with images. A slide with too many images may be detrimental to your presentation. The audience will spend more mental energy trying to sort through the clutter than listening to your presentation. If you need multiple images, then put each one on its own slide. Make each image high-resolution and have it fill the entire screen. If the photos are not the same dimensions as the screen, put them on a black background. Don’t use other colors, especially white.

Your slides will be much more effective if you use the fewest words, characters, and pictures needed to tell your story. Long paragraphs make the audience strain to read them, which means they are not paying attention to you. Your audience may even get stressed if you move on to your next slide before they’ve finished reading your paragraph. The best way to make sure the attention stays on you is to limit word count to no more than 10 words per slide. As presentation expert Nancy Duarte says “any slide with more than 10 words is a document.” If you really do need a longer explanation of something, handouts or follow-up emails are the way to go.

Following a “less is more” approach is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your presentation visuals and the impact of your presentation overall. Make sure your visuals add to your presentation rather than distract from it and get your message across.

Ready to learn more about how to make your presentation even better? Get TED Masterclass and develop your ideas into TED-style talks.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

The 15 Most Common Presentation Mistakes You Should Avoid

Becoming a better presenter should be in your bucket list. With so many real-life benefits to improving your presentation skills, you’re seriously missing out if you think being an ‘okay’ presenter is good enough. Avoid these common presentation mistakes, and be on your way to becoming a popular and highly sought-after speaker in your industry!

Perfection Isn’t Key To A Successful Presentation

Photo by Jonathan Hoxmark on Unsplash

There is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ presentation. We’re all bound to make mistakes – rookies and expert presenters alike. And that’s alright. Why? Because we’re not robots. We’re humans. As such, we are inherently error-prone.

Think about the last time you had a ‘perfect’ presentation. Can you remember? No? Maybe that’s because it never happened. No matter how well-prepared you are, you may still occasionally stumble, mispronounce something, or forget to mention some meaningful examples you’ve rehearsed during practice.

Perfection isn’t something that you should aspire to, anyway. You’re just setting yourself up for failure that way. When you’re aiming for perfection, you’re setting the bar far too high and putting a ton of pressure on yourself. The more you make mistakes, the more frustrated you become. Even if you achieve the impossible and do a ‘perfect’ presentation, what’s next for you? What’s comes after ‘perfection,’ anyway?

Perfection is never the right approach. Instead, strive to continuously improve and become a better version of yourself. Even the most successful presenters constantly look for ways to improve themselves. They read up on presentation techniques, observe their competitors in action, and are relentless in their pursuit of knowledge.

Wouldn’t you love to be like these ‘experts’? They’re already at the pinnacle of success, and yet they continue to seek knowledge and growth. Complacency just isn’t part of their vocabulary – and it shouldn’t be in yours, too!

Stop Committing These 15 Most Common Presentation Mistakes

In the beginning, you may find yourself committing these mistakes over and over again. That’s okay. Don’t be frustrated. Take it as a challenge to continue improving. These mistakes are called ‘common’ for a reason. Presenters of all levels make these from time to time. So, don’t be too harsh on yourself if you don’t succeed right away.

1. Not defining your presentation goal

Presenters who don’t define their presentation goal are prone to making a lot of mistakes which translates to a higher risk of failure. Sure, you can try to ‘wing’ it, but what would you say your chances of success are?

Before you even plan out your content, you should know what your presentation’s goal is. Are you looking to inform, educate, persuade, activate, inspire or entertain the audience?

Now, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. One would expect an informative or educational presentation to be a bit more serious than an entertaining one would be. But, if it’s not against the rules, try to liven things up as well. You can say you want to educate and, at the same time, entertain people. Or, you can persuade and inspire your audience simultaneously.

Whatever your goals may be, always have the audience in mind. Meet people’s expectations and plan your presentation in such a way that they will not be disappointed.

2. Not preparing enough for the presentation

It’s so easy to put off preparing for a presentation when you know the topic like the back of your hand. In your mind’s eye, you can see yourself finishing the outline, the speech, and the slides – all in just a few hours.

But, of course, when it comes right down to it, you find yourself panicking because you underestimated the task at hand. So, when you get to your presentation, you’re sweating nervously. And your slides are nothing but a bunch of copied-and-pasted text from the Internet.

Procrastination has destroyed so many reputations and so many careers. Leaving stuff up to the very last minute may give you a rush of adrenaline. It makes you feel powerful when you get lucky and pull a successful presentation off. However, it also makes you think you can pull the same stunt every time you have a presentation coming up. You get complacent and don’t prepare until the very last minute.

The only excuse you can have for not preparing is when you’re not given enough time in the first place. Say you’re doing a client presentation. But your boss only assigned that task at the very last minute, leaving you with literally zero time to prepare. You certainly can’t be blamed in this situation, unless your boss is deliberately trying to get you fired.

3. Not knowing who your audience is

You’re doing your presentation to benefit your audience. So, spending a fair amount of time researching your topic is the right thing to do. But don’t stop there. Learn more about your audience, too.

How can your presentation add value to people’s lives? Why should they listen to you? And why should they care about your presentation?

Getting to know your audience can mean the difference between success and failure. If your message resonates with them, they’re going to pay attention to you. Otherwise, they’ll tune you out – they simply have no reason to listen to you.

Let’s say, for example, you’re giving a presentation on a new product your company is launching. If you know your audience, you can tell stories that they can relate to. You can cite real-life examples that are relevant to your audience.

If you’re presenting in front of a culturally diverse group of people, you don’t want to make an off-putting joke that people will hate you for. Offending your audience is the last thing you want to happen during your presentation.

Getting to know your audience isn’t really as hard as it sounds. This article will give you ideas you can follow to learn more about your listeners.

4. Not checking if the presentation file is working

In most cases, you won’t have a technical team on standby. Whether you’re doing a one-on-one presentation, or presenting in front of a group, it’s important to personally make sure you can access the presentation file.

It doesn’t matter if you’re using PowerPoint, Keynote or Google Slides, or whatever your preferred presentation app is. You may have designed a bunch of impressive-looking slides, but if you can’t access it on presentation day, then your work is all for naught.

This is especially important when the stakes are high. If you’re trying to get people to invest a considerable sum in your business, you need them to trust you. And the thing is, they’re not going to trust you if they witness you panicking because the presentation file is corrupted, or worse, missing!

How can people trust you with their money when you can’t even be bothered to check beforehand if your file is working? Think about it. So, don’t throw a tantrum if people give you negative feedback on your company website or on social media. Own up to your mistakes and do a better job next time.

5. Not scoping out the presentation venue ahead of time

Here’s another very common presentation mistake. You don’t just waltz in to your presentation venue without visiting it earlier in the week (or day), and making sure everything’s in good working condition.

Check the sound system, the projector, the podium, the stage, etc. Go to the very back of the room, and see if you can still read the text on your presentation slides. If not, well, at least you still have time to make the necessary adjustments. Ideally, however, this should have been factored in before you even started working on your slides.

Make sure your voice carries across the room, and everyone can hear you loud and clear. You’ve got an important message and you want it to be heard.

If you’re presenting in a cozy cafe or renting a small meeting room in a very busy establishment like a restaurant, then check the noise levels in the area. Can your guests hear you? Perhaps you can request to be moved to a better, quieter spot.

Scoping out your presentation venue may sound unnecessary, but really, it’s the small things that count. After all, you want your audience to be as comfortable as possible, so they’d be more receptive to your presentation.

6. Too many animations

Subjecting your audience to a presentation with nonstop animations and transitions is akin to torture. Seriously, try watching your presentation yourself and see if you can last till the end without getting dizzy, or worse, throwing up!

Animations, when used sparingly and carefully, can do a lot of good to your presentation. You can get people to re-focus their attention on you. A subtle movement every now and then can emphasize important points in your presentation. Applying animation effects to every single element on your slides is just plain overkill.

For best results, stick to simple animations. The most commonly used slide transition effect is a simple fade animation. For object animations, there are plenty of options to choose from in PowerPoint. Before you apply an animation effect, ask yourself first if it adds any value to your presentation. If the answer is ‘no,’ forget it. If ‘yes,’ then by all means, add that effect to your slide!

7. Not getting straight to the point

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Your audience is most likely composed of busy individuals. Respect them by not wasting their time. After briefly introducing yourself, tell them what they can expect to learn from your presentation. Then, go through your points one by one.

Having an outline – and sticking to it – will help prevent you from going around in circles. With an outline, you can structure your presentation, and go from introduction to body to conclusion smoothly. In short, an outline can help you plan how you can make the most impact on your audience.

Remember, people have short attention spans. If you don’t deliver on your promises, and you keep on talking about non-relevant stuff, people will tune you out. You better give them something important to chew on before they turn their attention elsewhere.

8. Too much text or information in slides

This is personally one of my pet peeves in presentations – cramming way too much info on slides. When you lay out everything on your slides, you don’t give your audience any incentive to continue listening to you. They’re just going to read your slide and play on their phones while they wait for you to move on to the next slide. They’ll just repeat this process until the end of your presentation.

The element of surprise or the unknown is important in presentations. Keep your audience’s interest by not sharing everything on your slides. Pique their curiosity by giving hints and clues on your slides. Then deliver a verbal discussion on what those hints mean.

Another benefit of not putting way too much text or information in your slides is that you avoid doing the next mistake.

9. Reading the presentation slides

Trust me when I say you’re disrespecting your audience by reading whatever is on your slides. It’s like you’re assuming they don’t know how to read for themselves!

What’s even worse is when your slides are so crammed with text that the font size becomes reduced to near-infinitesimal levels! So, you end up inadvertently insulting your audience even more. Now they’re stuck listening to you read your slides because they can’t read what’s on there. It’s the double whammy of bad presentations!

To sum up this point, people want to learn from you and they want to listen to you. But they DON’T want to listen to you read your slides.

10. ‘Death by PowerPoint’

Don’t quote me on this, but I don’t think anyone’s literally died yet just by watching a PowerPoint presentation. ‘ Death by PowerPoint’ is a phenomenon brought about by the millions of PowerPoint presenters who bore their audiences to tears, or in this case, death.

If you’ve ever attended a presentation where the presenter showed a dizzying and confusing array of slides, or droned on and on without caring if anyone’s actually listening, then you’ve personally experienced this phenomenon. I bet you – and everyone else – were thinking you’d rather be anywhere else but there.

Here’s a video from 10 years ago that’s still relevant today:

So, yeah, ‘death by PowerPoint’ is easily one of the most common PowerPoint mistakes you should avoid at all cost!

11. Not speaking clearly

Many rookie presenters are guilty of this common presentation mistake. Who wants to listen to a presenter speak gibberish? Not me. And I’m pretty sure not you, either. You’re attending a presentation because you want to learn something. When the speaker on stage doesn’t speak clearly, frustrations can quickly build up.

So, when you practice your speech, it’s important to make sure you enunciate each word clearly. Don’t use words that your audiences aren’t familiar with. If you’re speaking to a bunch of elderly people, don’t use lingo they may not understand. If you’re with a younger group, try to learn their slang so they’ll feel more comfortable with you.

Also, when using acronyms, make sure you define it first so people don’t end up confused. You want everyone to be on the same page as you, and communication is key to achieving this particular goal.

12. Not making eye contact

Making eye contact is one of the first things you should work on as a presenter. Why? Because avoiding eye contact during presentations make you look dodgy and untrustworthy. You won’t inspire confidence. So, don’t be surprised if no one takes you seriously.

With eye contact, however, you make it easy for people to see that you actually believe in what you’re saying. If you’re trying to persuade them to buy something from you, they’ll look at you for reassurance that you yourself believe in the product you’re selling.

Eye contact helps you build connections with your audience. When you make eye contact for a few seconds, you feel like you’re talking to that person one-on-one. In that moment, you make that audience member feel important and respected. In return, they will be more receptive to the message you’re sharing with them.

If you’re a naturally shy person, you’ll need to take some baby steps in the beginning. Try practicing making eye contact with the people you interact with on a daily basis. Over time, you’ll find yourself making eye contact naturally and you’ll feel your confidence levels rising.

13. Not dressing appropriately

Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash

How would you feel if you wore formal attire to someone’s presentation and the speaker shows up wearing street clothes? You’d probably be annoyed that you took the time to dress up. Here you are listening to someone who didn’t even bother to wear a more suitable outfit for his talk.

First impressions are everything. The right clothes can make people warm up to you. You’re selling an image of being a professional, trustworthy speaker. Your clothes can definitely speak volumes on your behalf.

When in doubt, stick to the classics – gray or black business suits look good in presentations. If you’re borrowing someone else’s suit, make sure it at least fits you. You don’t want to look like you’re swimming in your clothes. For best results, invest in your own business suits. Wearing your own clothes will help you feel more comfortable and more confident.

Don’t forget about your hair, too. You want nothing sticking out unless you’re speaking to a bunch of guys with spiky hair. But even then, you’d still want to maintain an air of professionalism.

The bottom line is, make yourself look good so you’ll feel good. Carefully pick out your clothes . Let your audience see that you’re someone they can build a professional relationship with.

14. Insufficient knowledge of presentation topic

As I’ve mentioned earlier in this article, people attend your presentation because they want to learn something new from you. So, if you show up to your presentation without doing your research or your homework, then you’re essentially wasting their time.

It’s important to be prepared for your presentation. But don’t just cover the basics and then gloss over the details. Be prepared to go as in-depth as possible and cover all possible angles. Now, I don’t mean you need to know everything about the subject, but do try to be as well-informed as possible.

Don’t tell people what they already know. Figure out how you can ‘sell’ your ideas and make your presentation engaging and exciting!

15. No clear call to action

Many rookie presenters make the mistake of not adding a call to action (CTA) to their presentations. They think that their job is done just by sharing whatever their message is and that nothing else needs to be done afterwards.

To be fair, however, in informative presentations, the need for a CTA may not be as clear-cut as, say, a sales presentation. But you should definitely still add a call to action to ALL presentations.

Why? Because CTA’s motivate and encourage your audience to take action. You’re letting them know that the ball is in their court now. You’ve laid out what they need to do, so they can apply the information they’ve learned from you.

Don’t let people treat your presentation as something they can just sweep under the rug. Make an impact during your presentation so that people will be more willing to follow your CTA.

Here’s a tip: instead of using a thank you slide, put your CTA in the final slide. This way, people will be more likely to remember – and take action on – your call to action.

Final Words

You don’t need to aim for a perfect presentation. But avoiding these common presentation mistakes will definitely help you become a better presenter. Define your presentation goal and plan out your content before you do anything else. When designing your slides, make your audience’s visual experience a positive one. Create a strong first impression and engage with your audience throughout your presentation. Help them learn from you, and they’ll help you achieve your presentation goals!

You might also find this interesting:

• Here are the best resources to improve your presentation techniques
• The seven worst presentations of all time and why they went wrong
• Bad PowerPoint Examples You Should Avoid at All Costs

Create professional presentations online

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Blog Beginner Guides 8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

Written by: Krystle Wong Aug 11, 2023

From persuasive pitches that influence opinions to instructional demonstrations that teach skills, the different types of presentations serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences.

Presentations that are tailored to its objectives and audiences are more engaging and memorable. They capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression. 

Don’t worry if you’re no designer —  Whether you need data-driven visuals, persuasive graphics or engaging design elements, Venngage can empower you to craft presentations that stand out and effectively convey your message.

Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface, extensive presentation template library and customizable design options make it a valuable tool for creating slides that align with your specific goals and target audience. 

Click to jump ahead:

8 Different types of presentations every presenter must know

How do i choose the right type of presentation for my topic or audience, types of presentation faq, 5 steps to create a presentation with venngage .

When it comes to presentations, versatility is the name of the game. Having a variety of presentation styles up your sleeve can make a world of difference in keeping your audience engaged. Here are 8 essential presentation types that every presenter should be well-acquainted with:

1. Informative presentation

Ever sat through a presentation that left you feeling enlightened? That’s the power of an informative presentation. 

This presentation style is all about sharing knowledge and shedding light on a particular topic. Whether you’re diving into the depths of quantum physics or explaining the intricacies of the latest social media trends, informative presentations aim to increase the audience’s understanding.

When delivering an informative presentation, simplify complex topics with clear visuals and relatable examples. Organize your content logically, starting with the basics and gradually delving deeper and always remember to keep jargon to a minimum and encourage questions for clarity.

Academic presentations and research presentations are great examples of informative presentations. An effective academic presentation involves having clear structure, credible evidence, engaging delivery and supporting visuals. Provide context to emphasize the topic’s significance, practice to perfect timing, and be ready to address anticipated questions. 

2. Persuasive presentation

If you’ve ever been swayed by a passionate speaker armed with compelling arguments, you’ve experienced a persuasive presentation . 

This type of presentation is like a verbal tug-of-war, aiming to convince the audience to see things from a specific perspective. Expect to encounter solid evidence, logical reasoning and a dash of emotional appeal.

With persuasive presentations, it’s important to know your audience inside out and tailor your message to their interests and concerns. Craft a compelling narrative with a strong opening, a solid argument and a memorable closing. Additionally, use visuals strategically to enhance your points.

Examples of persuasive presentations include presentations for environmental conservations, policy change, social issues and more. Here are some engaging presentation templates you can use to get started with: 

3. Demonstration or how-to presentation

A Demonstration or How-To Presentation is a type of presentation where the speaker showcases a process, technique, or procedure step by step, providing the audience with clear instructions on how to replicate the demonstrated action. 

A demonstrative presentation is particularly useful when teaching practical skills or showing how something is done in a hands-on manner.

These presentations are commonly used in various settings, including educational workshops, training sessions, cooking classes, DIY tutorials, technology demonstrations and more. Designing creative slides for your how-to presentations can heighten engagement and foster better information retention. 

Speakers can also consider breaking down the process into manageable steps, using visual aids, props and sometimes even live demonstrations to illustrate each step. The key is to provide clear and concise instructions, engage the audience with interactive elements and address any questions that may arise during the presentation.

4. Training or instructional presentation

Training presentations are geared towards imparting practical skills, procedures or concepts — think of this as the more focused cousin of the demonstration presentation. 

Whether you’re teaching a group of new employees the ins and outs of a software or enlightening budding chefs on the art of soufflé-making, training presentations are all about turning novices into experts.

To maximize the impact of your training or instructional presentation, break down complex concepts into digestible segments. Consider using real-life examples to illustrate each point and create a connection. 

You can also create an interactive presentation by incorporating elements like quizzes or group activities to reinforce understanding.

5. Sales presentation

Sales presentations are one of the many types of business presentations and the bread and butter of businesses looking to woo potential clients or customers. With a sprinkle of charm and a dash of persuasion, these presentations showcase products, services or ideas with one end goal in mind: sealing the deal.

A successful sales presentation often has key characteristics such as a clear value proposition, strong storytelling, confidence and a compelling call to action. Hence, when presenting to your clients or stakeholders, focus on benefits rather than just features. 

Anticipate and address potential objections before they arise and use storytelling to showcase how your offering solves a specific problem for your audience. Utilizing visual aids is also a great way to make your points stand out and stay memorable.

A sales presentation can be used to promote service offerings, product launches or even consultancy proposals that outline the expertise and industry experience of a business. Here are some template examples you can use for your next sales presentation:

6. Pitch presentation

Pitch presentations are your ticket to garnering the interest and support of potential investors, partners or stakeholders. Think of your pitch deck as your chance to paint a vivid picture of your business idea or proposal and secure the resources you need to bring it to life. 

Business presentations aside, individuals can also create a portfolio presentation to showcase their skills, experience and achievements to potential clients, employers or investors. 

Craft a concise and compelling narrative. Clearly define the problem your idea solves and how it stands out in the market. Anticipate questions and practice your answers. Project confidence and passion for your idea.

7. Motivational or inspirational presentation

Feeling the need for a morale boost? That’s where motivational presentations step in. These talks are designed to uplift and inspire, often featuring personal anecdotes, heartwarming stories and a generous serving of encouragement.

Form a connection with your audience by sharing personal stories that resonate with your message. Use a storytelling style with relatable anecdotes and powerful metaphors to create an emotional connection. Keep the energy high and wrap up your inspirational presentations with a clear call to action.

Inspirational talks and leadership presentations aside, a motivational or inspirational presentation can also be a simple presentation aimed at boosting confidence, a motivational speech focused on embracing change and more.

8. Status or progress report presentation

Projects and businesses are like living organisms, constantly evolving and changing. Status or progress report presentations keep everyone in the loop by providing updates on achievements, challenges and future plans. It’s like a GPS for your team, ensuring everyone stays on track.

Be transparent about achievements, challenges and future plans. Utilize infographics, charts and diagrams to present your data visually and simplify information. By visually representing data, it becomes easier to identify trends, make predictions and strategize based on evidence.

Now that you’ve learned about the different types of presentation methods and how to use them, you’re on the right track to creating a good presentation that can boost your confidence and enhance your presentation skills . 

Selecting the most suitable presentation style is akin to choosing the right outfit for an occasion – it greatly influences how your message is perceived. Here’s a more detailed guide to help you make that crucial decision:

1. Define your objectives

Begin by clarifying your presentation’s goals. Are you aiming to educate, persuade, motivate, train or perhaps sell a concept? Your objectives will guide you to the most suitable presentation type. 

For instance, if you’re aiming to inform, an informative presentation would be a natural fit. On the other hand, a persuasive presentation suits the goal of swaying opinions.

2. Know your audience

Regardless if you’re giving an in-person or a virtual presentation — delve into the characteristics of your audience. Consider factors like their expertise level, familiarity with the topic, interests and expectations. 

If your audience consists of professionals in your field, a more technical presentation might be suitable. However, if your audience is diverse and includes newcomers, an approachable and engaging style might work better.

3. Analyze your content

Reflect on the content you intend to present. Is it data-heavy, rich in personal stories or focused on practical skills? Different presentation styles serve different content types. 

For data-driven content, an informative or instructional presentation might work best. For emotional stories, a motivational presentation could be a compelling choice.

4. Consider time constraints

Evaluate the time you have at your disposal. If your presentation needs to be concise due to time limitations, opt for a presentation style that allows you to convey your key points effectively within the available timeframe. A pitch presentation, for example, often requires delivering impactful information within a short span.

5. Leverage visuals

Visual aids are powerful tools in presentations. Consider whether your content would benefit from visual representation. If your PowerPoint presentations involve step-by-step instructions or demonstrations, a how-to presentation with clear visuals would be advantageous. Conversely, if your content is more conceptual, a motivational presentation could rely more on spoken words.

6. Align with the setting

Take the presentation environment into account. Are you presenting in a formal business setting, a casual workshop or a conference? Your setting can influence the level of formality and interactivity in your presentation. For instance, a demonstration presentation might be ideal for a hands-on workshop, while a persuasive presentation is great for conferences.

7. Gauge audience interaction

Determine the level of audience engagement you want. Interactive presentations work well for training sessions, workshops and small group settings, while informative or persuasive presentations might be more one-sided.

8. Flexibility

Stay open to adjusting your presentation style on the fly. Sometimes, unexpected factors might require a change of presentation style. Be prepared to adjust on the spot if audience engagement or reactions indicate that a different approach would be more effective.

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and the best type of presentation may vary depending on the specific situation and your unique communication goals. By carefully considering these factors, you can choose the most effective presentation type to successfully engage and communicate with your audience.

To save time, use a presentation software or check out these presentation design and presentation background guides to create a presentation that stands out.    

What are some effective ways to begin and end a presentation?

Capture your audience’s attention from the start of your presentation by using a surprising statistic, a compelling story or a thought-provoking question related to your topic. 

To conclude your presentation , summarize your main points, reinforce your key message and leave a lasting impression with a powerful call to action or a memorable quote that resonates with your presentation’s theme.

How can I make my presentation more engaging and interactive?

To create an engaging and interactive presentation for your audience, incorporate visual elements such as images, graphs and videos to illustrate your points visually. Share relatable anecdotes or real-life examples to create a connection with your audience. 

You can also integrate interactive elements like live polls, open-ended questions or small group discussions to encourage participation and keep your audience actively engaged throughout your presentation.

Which types of presentations require special markings

Some presentation types require special markings such as how sales presentations require persuasive techniques like emphasizing benefits, addressing objections and using compelling visuals to showcase products or services. 

Demonstrations and how-to presentations on the other hand require clear markings for each step, ensuring the audience can follow along seamlessly. 

That aside, pitch presentations require highlighting unique selling points, market potential and the competitive edge of your idea, making it stand out to potential investors or partners.

Need some inspiration on how to make a presentation that will captivate an audience? Here are 120+ presentation ideas to help you get started. 

Creating a stunning and impactful presentation with Venngage is a breeze. Whether you’re crafting a business pitch, a training presentation or any other type of presentation, follow these five steps to create a professional presentation that stands out:

• Sign up and log in to Venngage to access the editor.
• Choose a presentation template that matches your topic or style.
• Customize content, colors, fonts, and background to personalize your presentation.
• Add images, icons, and charts to enhancevisual style and clarity.
• Save, export, and share your presentation as PDF or PNG files, or use Venngage’s Presentation Mode for online showcasing.

In the realm of presentations, understanding the different types of presentation formats is like having a versatile set of tools that empower you to craft compelling narratives for every occasion.

Remember, the key to a successful presentation lies not only in the content you deliver but also in the way you connect with your audience. Whether you’re informing, persuading or entertaining, tailoring your approach to the specific type of presentation you’re delivering can make all the difference.

Presentations are a powerful tool, and with practice and dedication (and a little help from Venngage), you’ll find yourself becoming a presentation pro in no time. Now, let’s get started and customize your next presentation!

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18 presentation mistakes you probably make (and how to avoid them)

July 11, 2017

Almost exactly one year ago I was in Paris with a colleague and his team of presentation coaches. We were gonna hold a presentation workshop for an international company and their senior managers. What unfolded in that workshop was eye-opening. We asked the attendees to reflect on what makes a presentation great versus awful, and the consensus was clear - bad slides can ruin even the most brilliant presenter's performance.

As we delved into the workshop, it became evident that the common pitfalls were "bad slides," "too much text on slides," and "ugly PowerPoint slides." Aha! The attendees understood the significance of clean design in business presentations. This was great news for me who was growing my presentation design agency.

Bad slides can make the greatest presenter fail

One might argue that as long as you're a captivating speaker, the slides are secondary. However, reality struck us during a 5-minute presentation exercise. One of the senior managers, let’s call him John, had great stage presence and his outgoing and fun personality caught my attention straight away. John was not talking about a super exciting topic, but his impressive way of presenting it made me actually want to listen and see if I could learn anything.

The issue was that John's slides kept pulling my attention away from him and what he was saying, and my focus was instead on reading his bullet points. And it didn't take long before I had lost him and what he was talking about. This happened over and over again with several of the other managers. It became clear that the details crammed into his slides were working against him, not for him.

Most of the senior managers were good at communicating their ideas but they didn't need all the content that they had stuffed in their slides. The details in their presentation slides worked against the speaker rather than supporting them. And this is a fact that most speakers neglect: do my slides enhance or detract from my message?

When you are preparing a presentation, try asking yourself these three questions:

Do I really need all these points on my slide? Embrace simplicity and let your speech fill in the gaps.

What can I delete from my slides and convey through my words? Less is often more when it comes to impactful presentations.

Do my slides support me, or are they stealing the spotlight? Ensure your slides complement your narrative, not compete with it.

The 18 most common presentation mistakes people do, and how to avoid them

On the second day of the workshop we worked together with the participants, did some role plays, critiqued their slides and how they gave their presentations. From these exercises we developed a big list of the most common mistakes people make when giving presentations. We also gave suggestions on how to stop making those mistakes. Here are the top 18 from that list.

1. Ignoring the Power of Design

Mistake : Underestimating the impact of presentation design.

Solution : Embrace clean, visually appealing slides that complement your message. Consider color psychology, visual hierarchy, and maintain consistency throughout. It's hard to tell stories with bullet points.

2. Overlooking the Psychology of Colors

Mistake : Neglecting the influence of colors on audience perception.

Solution : Choose colors wisely to evoke the right emotions. Warm tones for passion, cool tones for trust. Align your color palette with the mood and message of your presentation.

3. Neglecting Visual Hierarchy

Mistake : Failing to guide the audience's attention through visual hierarchy.

Solution : Use larger fonts, bold colors, and strategic layouts to highlight key points. Guide your audiences' attention with visual hierarchy.

4. Inconsistency in Design

Mistake : Not maintaining a consistent design throughout the presentation.

Solution : From fonts to color schemes, consistency breeds professionalism. Create a cohesive narrative by ensuring all design elements align with your brand.

5. Underestimating the Power of Storytelling

Mistake : Overlooking the impact of a compelling narrative.

Solution : Tailor your story to resonate with your audience. Craft a narrative arc with a captivating introduction, core content, and a memorable takeaway. Humanize your presentation with real-life anecdotes.

6. Not Knowing Your Audience

Mistake : Failing to tailor your presentation to your audience.

Solution : Understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations. Make your message more relatable by addressing their specific interests.

7. Neglecting Virtual Presentation Skills

Mistake : Ignoring the nuances of virtual presentations.

Solution : Master the art of virtual communication. Leverage tools, optimize visuals for screens, and maintain an engaging tone to keep your audience actively participating.

8. Avoiding Interaction in Presentations

Mistake : Sticking to a one-way communication approach.

Solution : Break away from monotone presentations with interactive elements. Incorporate polls, Q&A sessions, and multimedia to keep your audience engaged and participating actively.

9. Underestimating the Impact of Presentation Design Agencies

Mistake : Overlooking the expertise of presentation design agencies.

Solution : Collaborate with specialized presentation and/or PowerPoint agencies for visually stunning presentations. They understand the nuances of effective design and can transform your ideas into captivating visuals.

10. DIY Design Mistakes

Mistake : Thinking effective design requires a hefty budget.

Solution : Explore user-friendly design tools like Canva. Invest in online courses to enhance your skills and gather feedback from peers to uncover areas for improvement.

11. Ignoring Rehearsals

Mistake : Neglecting the importance of rehearsing your presentation.

Solution : Practice your delivery to enhance confidence and identify areas for improvement. Record yourself and watch it back. Seek feedback from a colleague.

12. Overloading Slides with Information

Mistake : Cramming too much information onto slides.

Solution : Embrace simplicity. Focus on key points and let your speech fill in the details. A clutter-free slide enhances audience understanding.

13. Disregarding Body Language

Mistake : Ignoring the impact of body language during presentations.

Solution : Be mindful of your gestures, posture, and facial expressions. Positive body language enhances your credibility and engages the audience.

14. Neglecting the Opening Hook

Mistake : Starting your presentation with a weak or generic opening.

Solution : Capture your audience's attention from the start. Begin with a compelling question, quote, or anecdote to hook your audience and set the tone.

15. Poor Time Management

Mistake : Overrunning or rushing through your presentation.

Solution : Practice pacing to ensure your presentation fits the allotted time. Be mindful of your audience's attention span and adjust your content accordingly.

16. Ignoring Feedback Loops

Mistake : Disregarding the importance of feedback.

Solution : Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or the audience. Constructive criticism helps refine your presentation skills and address blind spots.

17. Using Overly Complex Jargon

Mistake : Assuming your audience understands complex industry jargon.

Solution : Simplify your language to ensure universal understanding. Clear communication enhances engagement and relatability.

18. Lack of Adaptability

Mistake : Failing to adapt your presentation style to different audiences or settings.

Solution : Understand the context and preferences of your audience. Tailor your delivery to resonate with diverse groups, whether in a boardroom or a virtual setting.

Mastering the art of presentation goes beyond being a captivating speaker. It involves understanding the marriage of design and storytelling, navigating the technological landscape, and adapting to evolving presentation styles. Whether you collaborate with a presentation design agency or take the DIY route, the goal remains the same - to captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression. Embrace the power of design, craft compelling narratives, and watch as your presentations become not just informative sessions but memorable experiences.

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What size should my slides be, 16:9 or 4:3?

July 3, 2017 by Laura Foley 2 Comments

Deciding on a slide format used to be easy when there was only one choice. Nowadays, you can choose between 4:3 format or 16:9. What do these numbers mean and which size should you choose for your presentations?

What the numbers mean

The above notation is called the “aspect ratio,” or the ratio of the width to the height of the slide. In the 4:3 aspect ratio, the dimensions are 1024 x 768 pixels (10.67″ x 8″); the height is 3/4 of the width. Back in the Ye Olde Days of PowerPoint, it was your only choice. Why? Because that’s the aspect ratio of actual slides, pictured above, television screens, and early computer monitors.

When high-definition screens came on the scene in the early 2000s, they were built in a 16:10 aspect ratio. But as more and more high-definition screens were manufactured, it became clear that screens with a 16:9 aspect ratio were cheaper to manufacture. So the 16:9 aspect ratio (1920 x 1080 pixels or 13.3″ x 7.5″) became the new standard.

What size should you choose?

From boardrooms to computer monitors to smartphone screens, 16:9 is the default screen aspect ratio so that’s the slide size I always go with. The 16:9 format gives you a lot of slide real estate to play around with! The legacy 4:3 aspect ratio, while still used, creates smaller slides and doesn’t look that great on newer screens.

How do you change an old 4:3 deck to the new 16:9 format?

Oh, this is super-fun to do and you’re a lucky duck if it becomes your job.

To resize your slides go to the Design tab on the ribbon and select Slide Size/Widescreen on the right side of the screen.

After you select the new size, this window will appear:

Now you’re faced with either everything on the slides being stretched out or squished to fill the space. Oh boy! Either way, after you make your selection you’ll need to go through the presentation slide by slide to ensure that everything looks good. This can be fairly straightforward if the creator of the presentation stayed within the template or a real pain in the rear if he/she didn’t. But do go through the deck to ensure that everything looks right.

If you’re a production artist that charges by the hour, reformatting an organization’s slides from 4:3 to 16:9 could be a nice little gig for you!

Other slide sizes for special events

Now, the 16:9 format is great for everyday use but what if you’re designing a presentation for an event? Last year, I was designing slides for a corporate conference where the setup included multiple, massive screens. For that event, the slides measured 52″ x 17″ and had a “leave this space blank” area on the bottom. Each event is different, so if you’re working on slides like these you need to become friends with the AV folks and find out what size slides they recommend for optimal viewing on that particular setup. The last thing you want to see on a gigantic stage are distorted graphics!

Bottom line

Unless you’re told otherwise, use the 16:9 format. You get a lot more space on each slide for your visuals and it’s really the way things are going.

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20 Best Update & Project Status Report Templates for PPT (2024)

Working on a big project can be stressful if you've got no idea of how it’s progressing. It’s easy to keep everyone on the same page and updated. Present the status of your project with a project status report PPT format.

Creating a project status report for PPT may sound difficult and time-consuming. But you don’t have to start from scratch. You can find hundreds of modern and easy-to-edit project status report templates online. I'll share some of the best project status report templates for PowerPoint .

Jump to content in this section:

Top 20 Project Status Report Templates for PPT From Envato Elements

How to quickly customize a premium project status template, 8 tips for creating a project status report, top 5 project status report design trends, common powerpoint questions answered (faq).

Take a look at some of the best project status report templates for PPT, all available on Envato Elements:

1. Imfea: Project Status Report Template for PowerPoint  

Looking for a professional and creative project status template for PowerPoint? This template will come in handy. The PowerPoint report template offers:

• 60 unique status update slides
• two color variations
• widescreen resolution
• image placeholders

This project progress report PPT also comes with custom icons and image placeholders.

2. Project Status Report PowerPoint Template  

This project status report template for PowerPoint has a modern design. It’s perfect for a project progress report PPT. The PowerPoint report template comes with many different slides to help you include relevant project details. It offers:

• five color variations for your project update slides
• download link to 800 vector icons

Start working with this project status update presentation PPT! 

3. Project Status Report Template (PPT)  

Project Status is a simple project status report for PPT. It comes with:

• 40 editable project status slides
• 10 color variations
• retina-ready format
• easy editing options

Designed in widescreen resolution to present a perfect project status report PPT, it also comes with custom icons and image placeholders. Likewise, this project status update template for PPT includes plenty of tables, charts, and other infographic elements. Use them to design a beautiful report.

4. Project Status PowerPoint Template  

Choose this project status update template for PPT. It's great if you’re looking for a bold and professional template. You’ll find:

• 20 unique status update slides
• based on master slides

The status report template PPT comes with icons, tables, and charts, plus plenty of infographic elements. 

5. A4 Vertical Project Status Report PowerPoint Template

Stand out with this vertical project status PowerPoint template. It includes many different project update slides. You'll find slides for an agenda, yearly Gantt chart, and task timeline. The template includes:

• five color variations
• 800 custom icons
• various infographic elements

6. Project Review PowerPoint Template

Wondering how to present your project status in PowerPoint? This template comes with modern and minimalist slide designs to make it easy to see the project status. It was designed in standard and widescreen resolutions. With this project update PowerPoint template, you'll get:

• 31 PowerPoint project status slides
• resizable graphics
• free web fonts 
• picture placeholders
• 16:9 widescreen ratio

7. Project Plan: A4 Vertical PowerPoint Template

This PowerPoint report template has a versatile and modern design. Use the template to create status report updates for any type of project. This vertical template comes with:

• dark and white versions
• vector icons

Also, these project status presentation slides are suitable for print. Start working with this original project report PPT template! 

8. Retail Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

Try this PowerPoint report template if you're in the retail business. Find versatility in your project report design with this template. It comes with modern and professional designs, and it also includes:

• plenty of slide designs to add your content, including a status update slide
• 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio 
• blue, green, orange, salmon, and lavender color themes
• user guide PDF

9. Animated Project Update PowerPoint Template

Looking for an animated project update PowerPoint template? This marketing project status PowerPoint template has everything you need. Create a detailed project status report with awesome infographics. The template comes with:

• 100 unique project update slide designs
• five pre-made color themes
• 3,000+ icon pack
• fully and easily editable

It's perfect for a complete project status report in PowerPoint.

10. Radit Business PowerPoint Template

Here’s a modern PowerPoint template for project status reports. The project status report PPT includes:

• 39 unique project status slides
• 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio
• all graphics are resizable and editable
• documentation file

It also features a stunning design. Still thinking about how to present project progress in PowerPoint? This project status update PPT template is a great way to start.

11. Project Strategy PowerPoint Template

Looking for a more unique project status report in PPT? This PowerPoint report template comes with:

• unique and dark project status slides
• three color themes
• infographic elements

It's a great tool for project managers looking for work efficiency. This also works as a project update presentation sample. 

12. Brila Business PowerPoint Template

Create an original project progress presentation PPT with Brila. This project PowerPoint report template has a creative and colorful design and was designed in widescreen resolution. With this download, you'll get:

• all resizable graphics
• used and recommended free web fonts

Download this easy-to-edit project update presentation.

13. Company Profile PowerPoint Template

Wondering how to present project status in PowerPoint? This project status template also works as a company profile. It's easy to customize and edit. It comes with:

• five color themes (blue, red, green, orange, and grey)
• infographic elements, charts, and tables
• 800 vector icon set

Add your content to this project status update PPT. Insert your own photos in the image placeholders. 

14. Annual Report PowerPoint Template

This PowerPoint report template can easily be used for a project status report in PPT. The project status report PowerPoint has a professional design. It includes:

• different project update slides
• widescreen format
• six color themes
• plenty of infographic elements

Still wondering how to present a project status in PowerPoint? This template is a great place to start.

15. Movea Project Status Report PowerPoint Template

Here’s another great project status PowerPoint template. Create a beautiful status update slide with this template, which comes with editable icons. Also, find image placeholders with this project update template PPT. With your download, you'll get:

• 100 presentation slides in total
• 50 unique and editable presentation slide designs
• two options of color theme variations
• 16:9 HD widescreen slide format (1920 x 1080 pixels)
• image placeholders with slide master

Looking for a sample project report PPT? Start working with this amazing status update presentation. 

16. Rima Business PowerPoint Template

This cool and modern PowerPoint template has all you need. Rima has enough project status presentation slides PPT for you to play. Create a stunning project report with this template. It comes with:

• 39 unique project update slides
• resizable and editable graphics
• free web fonts

The PowerPoint report template also has image placeholders. This is one of the best project status reports in PowerPoint you'll find. 

17. Project Status Report PowerPoint Template

Looking for a project update presentation sample? Here’s another complete project status report PowerPoint template. Use it to create great-looking project reports. The PowerPoint report template comes with:

• 30 unique slides
• light and dark versions
• easy customization options

Wondering how to present a project status in PowerPoint? This template includes charts and infographics to make it happen.

18. Web Design Project Status PowerPoint Template

Are you a web designer working for different clients? Learn how to present your project progress in PowerPoint with this awesome template. Here are some of its features:

• 5 PPTX files
• 5 pre-made color themes

This modern project status template for PPT also works for any type of presentation. It has everything you need for detailed project reports. 

19. Proposal Project Update PowerPoint Template

This is a beautiful project status update PPT PowerPoint template. Use it for different project status reports. It comes with:

• 30 slides for a complete project progress presentation PPT
• widescreen slide format
• fully editable elements

The status update slide comes with image placeholders. This is a great project status update template for PPT.  

20. Holi Project Status Template for PPT

Last but not least! Create an amazing project status report PPT with this template. Holi is a simple PowerPoint template with a clean and bold design. It includes:

• 39 unique project status update slides
• drag-and-drop image placeholders
• custom icons

Design a stunning project status report. This is one of the best project status update templates for PPT.

Found your project status report template for PPT? Now you’ll need to customize it to fit your project details. Take a look at how easy it is. Customize a premium project status report template below. 

For this tutorial, I’ll be using Movea: Project Status Report PowerPoint Template. Find it on Envato Elements. This template has a modern and clean design. It comes with 50 editable project status update slides in two color variations. 

Let's get started:

1. Choose Your Slides

To delete unwanted slides, click on the View tab and select Slide Sorter . Then, hold down the Shift key and click on each slide you don’t want to keep. After you've selected all the unnecessary slides, right-click and select Delete slide . Then, switch back to Normal view . 

2. Add Your Content

Add your own content. Double-click on any text area and press Control-A or Command-A to select all the text. Then, paste your own content or type it in. 

3. Customize Fonts

As you’re entering the content, it’s easy to update your fonts at the same time. While the text is highlighted, select a different font from the drop-down menu on the Home tab of the ribbon. 

4. Customize Colors

To change the colors, click on the Design tab and select a different color theme. Or right-click on any colored area and select Format shape . Then, click on Fill > Solid Fill and enter your own color code. 

5. Add Your Own Images 

The last step is to add your own images or photos. Most PowerPoint project status report templates come with image placeholders. It’s easy to do. Click on an image placeholder icon, choose an image from your computer, and click Insert .

Add the necessary project status update slides to your PowerPoint report template. Here are some tips that can help you work with a project report template:  

1. Use Gantt Charts

Gantt charts are an excellent way to illustrate a project schedule in the form of a bar chart. This type of chart is a staple for any project status report. 

2. Talk About Solutions 

Even when these details were laid out before the project was started, talk about how your project is solving problems. This helps connect your audience with the problem and solution again. 

3. Break Your Project Down

Project status reports are about breaking down the components of your project, so turn them into digestible pieces. Consider one slide that contains a road map, section breakdown, or project phases. 

4. Add an Expenses Page

The road map to achieving a particular goal is important, and so is including your expenses. This expense slide can be a simple list of all the expenses that you've accrued.

5. Add Milestones

On a project status report, include all the milestones that you've reached. Add any future milestones that you plan to reach with your project. This is essential for your audience to know what you've done and what you plan to do. 

6. Add a Summary Slide

Be it at the beginning or the end of your presentation, it's a good idea to add a summary slide. This can be where you highlight the essential topic you'll touch on or give a reminder of what you just mentioned. Either way, it can help your audience keep their attention on crucial aspects of your presentation.

7. Provide Helpful Links

A great PowerPoint presentation shares the key points of a specific subject. However, sometimes, project status reports require more information and data. To that end, it's helpful to include links to resources that can help your audience seek more information if they need it. Here's one example of how to do it:

8. Highlight Next Steps

Last but not least, highlight next steps. Knowing the basis of where the project is at is incredibly helpful. However, it's just as (or even more) important to let your audience know what actions you'll be taking to keep the project progressing. Don't forget to highlight the course of action so everyone can be on the same page.

Deliver the most up-to-date designs to your audience in your project status reports. We've collected five of the top design trends in 2024. Use them in your own PowerPoints:

1. Include Multi-Colored Charts

Make the charts more interesting. Use many complementary colors to highlight lines, bars, and tables. Blue, green, and red colors work exceptionally well here. 

2. Add Dimension

Make your design seem more interesting and appear to pop out of the slides. Layer your elements on top of each other. This gives a sense of dimension in your slides that looks visually pleasing. Add solid shapes on your slides as this is one standard design that always looks great.

3. Use Highlight Colors

This can really help give a hierarchy to your slide design. This color can be a highlight color that's used for on the various shapes on your slides. Draw attention to a particular section on the slide, and display the most important information on that slide. 

For more color combinations that work well together, check out this article:

4. Include Various Types of Charts

Get creative with the different types of graphs in project status reports. Use them to highlight specific data for your project in your project status PPT. Pie charts, line graphs, bar charts, timelines, and infographics. All work well in a project status PPT. Only include charts that fit the particular content that you're presenting.

5. Use Icons

Most types of PowerPoint presentations come with icons in their slides. Create a complete project report PPT using icons as visual aids. They also work for a project progress presentation PPT.

Need even more PowerPoint templates? We'll cover even more premium templates that you can download.

Discover More Great PowerPoint Templates

Looking for a different PowerPoint template? Or need more inspiration for your project status report template design? The articles below will be useful:

Microsoft PowerPoint is a complete slideshow application. It's got all the features you could ever want in this type of software. To help you get the most out of PowerPoint for your presentations, we'll cover five frequently asked questions:

1. Can I Print My PowerPoint Presentations?

Absolutely! Need to print out hard copies of your PowerPoint presentations? You can easily do this within the software. But keep in mind that all your animations and videos won't be shown. 

For more information on how you can print your presentations, check out the article below:

2. Can I Customize Templates Easily?

All PowerPoint templates are fully customizable, regardless of what template you use. Templates will help you start with a professional design. Customize every aspect of the design to fit your particular presentation.

Learn how to edit your PowerPoints from the article below:

3. Can You Create Infographics in PowerPoint?

Infographics are a great way to add interest to your presentations, especially in project status reports. They give the viewer something to look at, while providing useful information about your project.

The best way to get started with infographics is with templates. Choose the ones that have them designed and ready to customize. For more templates that feature infographics, check out the article below:

4. How Can I Make My Presentations More Interesting?

PowerPoint presentations can be quite stale, but there are many different ways that you can spice up your slides. Here are some tips to create a captivating presentation:

• declutter your slides
• change up the colors
• use images for interest

Check out this article to find out how you can add interest to your slides:

5. Can I Record a PowerPoint Presentation Via Zoom?

Virtual meetings are a staple for any business in 2024. Don't miss any detail by recording a presentation on Zoom.

To begin a recording of a PowerPoint presentation, move your cursor over the menu bar in Zoom. To record your PowerPoint in Zoom, click Record .

For a more detailed explanation, follow the tutorial below: 

Learn More About Making Great PowerPoint Presentations

Creating great presentations can be tricky. Ready to learn more about making great PowerPoint presentations ? We've got you covered. Check out the tutorials below: 

Where to Find Great Project Status Report Templates

Are you looking for the best project status report templates? Envato Elements should be your first stop. This marketplace offers thousands of top-quality project status report templates for PowerPoint, as well as thousands of design assets.

Explore PowerPoint Status Report Templates

Browse our collection of the best project status report templates for PowerPoint, and find your next favorite presentation template!  

Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Daniel Strongin , Janila Castañeda and Dacia Egurrola . Daniel is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+. Janila is the Associated Editor of the Tuts+ Business channel. Dacia is a staff writer with Envato Tuts+. 

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Human Resources University of Michigan

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• Counseling and Consultation Services

Mental and Emotional Health Presentations for Academic Campuses

• See a PDF flier of all by-request Zoom presentations . 

Are you looking to build a positive workplace culture, create a shared team experience, or address a challenge?

FASCCO offers brief presentations on a range of emotional and mental health topics. These presentations are free of charge, available to Central Campus, Flint, and Dearborn community faculty/staff groups, and are provided via Zoom. Below are the presentations that we currently offer to work units. Please call us at (734) 936-8660 if you would like to schedule a presentation for your department and discuss the details including minimum participation requirements.

Learn About Services From FASCCO

Fascco orientation for staff & faculty .

FASCCO is a resource to assist with issues of daily living or problems that are personal or work-related that can be stressful.  The core services of the office are provided in this 20-to-30-minute session, including professional assessment, short-term problem resolution services, and referrals, when warranted to community and University resources. An overview of current stressors, self-care tips, and strategies are covered.  Confidential practices, ease of access, and current emotional health educational offerings are discussed. Also, an introduction to other universities and community resources is given.  

FASCCO Orientation for Supervisors

Orientation and Training on the services of FASCCO and how to refer/suggest a staff or faculty member to seek assistance is critical.  Frequently supervisors (unit leaders and HR Staff) are the first to detect or be aware of performance issues that may be related to personal stressors that staff/faculty may be experiencing. The primary focus of the orientation is on the recognition of those who are “distressed,” intervention strategies, and recommended referral procedures.  Sample opening statements and scripts are provided for difficult conversations. University policies (confidentiality etc.)  that are applicable are discussed and an overview of University and Community resources is provided. 

Topic-specific Emotional Health Presentations

Please call us at (734) 936-8660 if you would like to schedule a presentation for your department. Please make note of the name or number of the presentation and provide an estimate of the number of participants. Some offerings have minimum participation requirements.

1. Mental Health Hygiene 101 

Healthy eating and regular exercise promote good physical health, but what do we know about practices to promote good mental health? Come attend an informal, one-hour presentation to learn just that. In our time together, you’ll hear recommendations and tips that support your overall emotional well-being.

2. Selecting a Therapist and Identifying Community Resources (Mini Session)

This session will provide descriptions of the types of mental (behavioral) health providers, an understanding of their listed credentials, and suggestions on how to select one. An overview of the styles and approaches that therapists use in providing services (resolution-focused, family systems, and analytical). Also, some sample questions to ask when choosing one will be offered. In addition, a brief overview of how to identify and locate support groups will be provided.

3. Creating Healthy Boundaries

Healthy boundaries are so important for our emotional well-being, but how do we set and maintain them? In this presentation, you'll learn the importance of setting personal and professional boundaries, how to recognize your own limits, and tips for having difficult conversations and communicating your needs.

4. Enhancing Social Connections

Explore ways to increase your connection with others by breaking down barriers to social interaction. This group offers practical tips to get started on engaging in meaningful ways.

5. Worry: Tips and tricks for pushing back (Mini Session)

Do you wish you had more control over your worry? Join an informational and interactive lunch and learn to hear about strategies to better manage your worry so it doesn’t manage you. Participants can expect to leave with tools to try on their own.

6. WFH Strategies & Skills Support Group

In these trying times, we are all trying new things. For many, that means working from home (WFH) Join this FASCCO-facilitated discussion group to connect with peers. Together you will explore strategies that work for you, plus pick up some practical tools & tips to stay connected with colleagues and manage your time.

7. Defining & Cultivating Happiness

Come explore what happiness can look like in your life and how to cultivate and maintain a sense of happiness, contentment, and well-being in your life. This is an interactive presentation so come prepared to share your understanding and experiences.

8. Sleep Better, Feel Better

Tips to improve your sleep (mini)- Want a better night’s sleep but not sure how? Join this session in a relaxed setting to learn well-established strategies that can help improve your sleep.

9. Constructing a Conversation of Concern with Anyone (mini session)

This session will review some key elements in developing a script to have a conversation with a family member, partner, or anyone that you have a concern about. Suggestions on how to frame your concern to minimize the party of concerns defensiveness. Sample conversation openings will be provided along with techniques that strengthen your caring message.

10. Goal Setting (mini session)

Setting a goal is the first step to meeting it. Attend an informal session to learn tips and tricks to help yourself succeed in accomplishing your goals. Strategies can be applied to both professional and personal settings.

11. Re-Acclimating to Being on Site & Self-Help Tips to Address Anxiety

Many of us will have some angst and trepidation about physically returning to campus. This session will introduce some strategies to assist and revitalize you with returning to the campus work setting. Methods to increase our social connections with colleagues and friends will be noted. In addition, attendees will learn self-help tools and interventions to address worry and anxiety in general.

12. Mindful Self Compassion

An interactive discussion group that identifies the concepts inherent to mindful self-compassion (MSC), the role it can play in health and well-being, and techniques to cultivate acceptance of yourself, inner strength, and resilience.

13. Introduction to Stress Management

This brown bag presentation provides an introductory overview of stress management techniques that can be used in daily life. Participants will practice specific stress management techniques in the class and will be encouraged to select some of these techniques for active implementation in their personal and professional lives.  The format is informal, practical and interactive.  

14. Managing Your Stress Through Managing Your Thinking

This brown bag is available to all units on central campus, this brown bag identifies ways in which negative and illogical thinking often leads to personal and occupational stress. The brown bag also includes methods to replace these illogical thoughts with more logical or rational ways of thinking, which has been found to significantly reduce stress. To inquire about scheduling a brown bag, please contact FASCCO at (734) 936-8660.

15. Understanding Mental Health Conditions and Having a Conversation of Concern

Do you know that an estimated 1 in 5 Americans (43.4 million adults) experience a mental illness in a given year? Given that you, a family member, or a coworker might be that one individual, perhaps you can benefit from a better understanding of how mental and emotional health conditions impact the work environment and what factors constitute a mental health-friendly work environment. Join us to discuss these issues and learn about the workplace programs and resources available to UM faculty and staff who experience mental health conditions.

16. Strategies for Dealing with Difficult People

This session first examines why some people are difficult to deal with and why they act the way they do. Some tips on what pitfalls to avoid when interacting with difficult persons are given. The key principles and strategies for dealing with difficult behaviors are provided and discussed.

17. Quick Tips for Self Care

This one-hour session focuses on tools and skills for prioritizing self-care. Don't have a lot of time to squeeze it in? No problem. Folks will walk away with a tangible plan and self care techniques that they can use both at home and at work, even when time is limited. 

18. Gratitude Workshop

Explore the concept of gratitude from ancient philosophers, to the major faith/spiritual traditions, to contemporary thinkers.  The scientific research on the benefits of gratitude will also be explored.  Prepare to delve deeper and identify the many forms of gratitude in your life.

19. Grief 101

This workshop addresses loss across the lifespan but particularly focuses on the death of a loved one. Anticipatory, normal, and complicated grief will be identified as well as grief responses in children briefly addressed. Some common theories of grief will also be explored. The emphasis is on normalizing grief and providing resources to cope.

20. Overview of Anxiety Disorders & Other Mental Health Conditions

This session will present an overview of Anxiety Disorders and a summary of major mental health conditions along with commonly used intervention strategies.

FASCCO counselors also develop and teach MHealthy classes on a range of emotional and mental health topics. These classes are free of charge and open to all employees.

• Additional  training resources are available from Organizational Learning .

21. Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training

QPR is an evidence-based program designed to teach individuals to recognize and refer someone at risk of emotional crisis or suicide. This training provides valuable knowledge and skills for understanding risk and protective factors, recognizing early warning signs for emotional crisis, and helping individuals connect to available resources. This is an interactive skill building session, which includes each attendee participating in breakout practice scenarios. (90 minutes)

Mental Health Counseling and Consultation Services

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Presentation Remote Clicker, Wireless Presenter for PowerPoint Presentation Remote, RF 2.4GHz USB for Mac, Keynote, Computer, Laptop

Dual Connectors

Rechargeable+Mouse

Rechargeable+USB A&C

Brand	DinoFire
Special Feature	Ergonomic
Color	Black
Max Number of Supported Devices	1
Compatible Devices	Laptop, Personal Computer

About this item

• 【BRIGHT RED LIGHT】 This wireless presenter remote is with a bright red light which is easy to see against most backgrounds to highlight points of your presentation. (Not recommended for TV/LED/LCD); Wireless control range is up to 49 feet, freeing you from the constraint of the keyboards
• 【EASY TO USE】 Plug & play, no need to download software (For mac, you may need to complete an easy set-up first). The powerpoint presentation clicker supports page backward/forward, black/full screen. One buttons one function and separate-buttons design, you don’t need to look at it while presenting
• 【PERFECT SIZE & ERGONOMIC DESIGN】 Compact but perfect size, meeting ergonomic principle, it is comfortable to hold in hand, the presenter can fit pocket when not in use. Made with high quality material, presentation remote clicker has a rubber feeling. USB stored under the battery cover, never worry to lose it
• 【WIDELY APPLICABLE】 Wireless computer clicker for presentations supports systems: Windows 2003, XP, Windows Vista, Windows7, 8, 10, Linux, Android; Presentation remote clicker for laptop supports software: Keynote, Google Slides, Prezi, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ACD See, website and etc
• 【WHAT YOU GET & SUPPORT】 Package includes: 1x Clicker for Powerpoint Presentations with USB Reciver; 1x User Manual. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need any help about our product or service

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Product Description

Bright Red Light & Long Control Distance

A bright red light that is easy to see against most backgrounds to highlight your points; Control distance is long enough for you freely move around the room and interact with your audiences

Presenter pointer is plug & play, no need to download software (For mac, you may need to complete an easy set-up first)	One button one function design, super easy to use, and there is no need to look down to operate by its separate buttons	Ergonomic design makes for comfortable holding feeling in your hand; Compact design for easy portability

Customer Reviews
Pointer Color	Red	Red	Red	Red	Red	Red
Power Method	AAA	Rechargeable	AAA	AAA	AAA	Rechargeable
Receiver Type	USB	USB	Type C & USB A	Type C & USB A	USB	USB C

From the brand

DinoFire is dedicated to enhancing the way presenters deliver efficient presentations.We have been providing various types of presentation clickers for years.Our product combines professional technology,and user-friendly features to create the presentation assistant.

The precision and reliability of our remote ensure smooth transitions between slides, giving presenters the confidence to focus on their content and engage with their audience.

Clicker for Presentations

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Wireless Presenter Remote

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Review of presentation clicker

The Check Point Professor

Wireless Presentation Clicker Presenter Remote Review

✅ Billy Aiken

The wireless clicker I bring to all my presentations & why

#thisorthat wireless presenters

moysyak_tanya

You Will Never Believe Why This Product is Life Changing!

Christine Long

Good quality, love the design

SafePal Support

Take Control of Your Presentation with this Wireless Clicker

The Travel Ninjas - Vanessa & Steve

Presentation Clicker Remote

Miranda's Must Haves

DinoFire Presentation Clicker Wireless Presenter Remote Clicker for PowerPoint Presentation Remot...

DinoFire-Direct

Customer Review: Highly recommend! MY NEW FAVORITE REMOTE!!❤💯👍

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Product information.

Product Dimensions	2.9 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
Item Weight	1.58 ounces
ASIN	B075NRXJHP
Item model number	8541661066
Batteries	1 A batteries required.
Customer Reviews	4.4 out of 5 stars
Best Sellers Rank	#1,406 in Office Products ( ) #5 in
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer	No
Date First Available	September 15, 2017
Manufacturer	DinoFire LLC

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Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 72% 14% 6% 2% 6% 72%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 72% 14% 6% 2% 6% 14%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 72% 14% 6% 2% 6% 6%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 72% 14% 6% 2% 6% 2%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 72% 14% 6% 2% 6% 6%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the brightness, comfort, and value of the remote control. For example, they mention it has a built-in laser pointer, is easy to hold, and is good value for money. Customers are also happy with size, performance, and ease of setup. That said, opinions are mixed on button and quality.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers like the performance of the remote control. They mention that it works well with PowerPoint, and the function buttons all work fine. Some say that it's perfect for the job and that the laser works well.

"... It works well . Bluetooth has good signal. Love the laser part since I get to point out where I am in the presentation." Read more

"...We are both teachers and teach from slides. This is amazing and allows you to walk around and interact, assist and engage with your students...." Read more

"At first, this worked really well, but after a week it just stopped working . Even after changing the battery, it just died. Not good quality." Read more

" Works well and accurate" Read more

Customers find the remote control easy to set up and use. They say it's simple and intuitive. Customers also mention that it'll change slides as they're walking. They also say it pairs easily with their laptop and projector, and the slide advance buttons are easy to use.

"Soft and easy to use . Its like I expected" Read more

"... Super easy to install and use . Highly recommend to all of my teacher friends!" Read more

"...my small hands, very comfortable and ergonomic, and that the buttons are easy to use and very useful...." Read more

"...Reliable, small form factor, immediate and easy PNP , easy to use, long battery life." Read more

Customers like the value of the remote control. They say it's well worth the price, inexpensive, and works well. Some customers also say it makes for a successful presentation and is a great presenter to use when teaching science. Overall, most are satisfied with the value and quality of the product.

"...The Targus presenter was very reasonably priced , but this one, with a recent markdown, is a steal!" Read more

"...Overall, I find this clicker very easy to use and very well worth the value for the money ; especially if you want something practical..." Read more

"...analysis is even with its flaws, it gets 3 stars because it was so low priced ...." Read more

"Loved this actually. Easy, worked really well and inexpensive . Bought in March 2023 and it died in April 2024 after about 25 uses...." Read more

Customers like the size of the remote control. For example, they say it's small, compact, and easy to carry. Some mention it'll fit in their pocket. That said, they find it easy to install and adjust to their devices.

"...Reliable, small form factor , immediate and easy PNP, easy to use, long battery life." Read more

"...-Easy to use out of the box- plug and play capability.- Compact and lightweight- Takes only 1 AAA battery..." Read more

"...laptop case and the big thick cardboard box is a bad option as it is too bulky ...." Read more

"There's a lot to like about this clicker. It's lightweight , ergonomic, and seems to have good battery life so far...." Read more

Customers like the comfort of the remote control. For example, they mention it's easy to hold, fits comfortably in their hand, and is ergonomic. Some say the shape makes it easy to push.

" Soft and easy to use. Its like I expected" Read more

"...What I like is that the presenter is, for my small hands, very comfortable and ergonomic, and that the buttons are easy to use and very useful...." Read more

"... Fits comfortably in the hand and I liked the USB/USB-C compatibility. If you need a laser pointer for TV screens, however, it will not show up." Read more

" Fits well in the hand " Read more

Customers like the brightness of the remote control. They mention that it has a built-in laser pointer that is useful in pointing out specific areas on a presentation. Some customers also say that the laser pointers seem brighter than other units they have used in the past.

"...It works well. Bluetooth has good signal. Love the laser part since I get to point out where I am in the presentation." Read more

"...( the laser pointer is quite helpful too!) Try it for yourself!" Read more

"...The laser pointer is very clear and visible from a distance...." Read more

"...and advancing through the slides it works great but the lazer pointer is VERY weak and you have to be right next to the screen for it to show up...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the quality of the remote control. Some mention it's very good quality, reliable, durable, and useful. However, others say that it broke after one use, is fragile, and seems cheaply made.

"...It works well. Bluetooth has good signal . Love the laser part since I get to point out where I am in the presentation." Read more

"...Even after changing the battery, it just died . Not good quality." Read more

"...comfortable and ergonomic, and that the buttons are easy to use and very useful ...." Read more

"...laptop... I have to fiddle with it to insert and it feels like it will fail within a few months . Time will tell but it is really cheap feeling...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the buttons on the remote control. Some find them right where they'd want them, while others say they make a significant click when pressed that may be distracting during a presentation.

"...Cons:-The surface of the clicker can be a bit too smooth to where I feel like I am going to drop it( might just be a personal preference)...." Read more

"...Now for the negatives:1. The button layout sucks !..." Read more

"For the price you can't beat this product. Device has a forward and back button to move between slides and has a laser pointer...." Read more

"...The blackout button does not work with my usual PDF reader (Sumatra), but works fine on Adobe, Google Chrome (as a PDF display), and Google..." Read more

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