PowerPoint has long been the go-to tool for creating presentations in various industries. Whether you’re a teacher, a business professional, or a student, chances are you’ve had to create a PowerPoint presentation at some point. However, the process of designing and editing slides can be time-consuming and tedious. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 10 powerful PowerPoint features that will help you boost your productivity and create stunning presentations in no time. Let’s dive in!
1. Create and Use Custom Templates
Creating a PowerPoint presentation from scratch every time can be a daunting task. That’s where custom templates come in handy. By creating your own template or personalizing an existing one, you can save time and ensure consistency in your presentations. Start by selecting a blank slide or an existing theme, and customize the fonts, colors, backgrounds, and layouts. Once you’re satisfied with the design, save it as a PowerPoint Template (.potx) file. The next time you create a presentation, you can simply use this template as a starting point, eliminating the need to recreate the same design over and over again.
Pro Tip: Don’t limit yourself to the default templates provided by PowerPoint. Get creative and design templates that reflect your unique style and brand identity. If you need help creating a logo to go with your brand- check out our article on utilizing AI to create a great logo!
2. Harness the Power of Slide Master
The Slide Master’s PowerPoint Features allows you to design a presentation template that can be applied to all slides in your deck. Instead of manually copying and pasting elements on each slide, you can make changes to the Slide Master, and the modifications will be automatically reflected on all slides. This feature is especially useful for adding logos, names, or course titles to every slide in a consistent manner. To access the Slide Master, go to the View tab on the PowerPoint ribbon and click on Slide Master. Customize the top slide as per your preference, and when you’re done, click on Close Master View to return to your slides.
Pro Tip: Use the Slide Master feature to maintain a professional and cohesive look throughout your presentation.
3. Match Colors with the Eyedropper Tool Feature
Getting the exact color match can sometimes be a challenge when designing your slides. Fortunately, PowerPoint’s Eyedropper tool makes it easy to precisely match any color on your slide. Whether you want to change the font color, background color, or shape colors, simply click on the Eyedropper tool and hover over the color you want to match. The tool will sample the color, and with a click, you can apply it to your selected item.
Pro Tip: Use the Eyedropper tool to maintain color consistency and create visually appealing presentations.
4. Embrace PowerPoint Design Ideas
If you’re struggling with creativity or looking to give your presentation a fresh look, Design Ideas in PowerPoint can be a game-changer. This feature analyzes your content and provides you with a variety of design options to choose from. Simply click on the Design tab and then the Design Ideas icon. Scroll through the available options, and when you find a design that catches your eye, select it. PowerPoint will automatically update the design of your current slide and any existing slides in your presentation to match the chosen theme.
Pro Tip: Design Ideas is available to Office 365 users, so make sure you have an active subscription to access this feature. (Click here to reach out to us about getting O365 for your business!)
5. Speed Up Editing with Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are a lifesaver when it comes to boosting productivity in PowerPoint. Memorizing a few key shortcuts can significantly speed up your editing process. Here are two essential shortcuts to remember:
- CTRL+Drag: Use this shortcut to easily copy shapes or images.
- Shift+Drag: Holding down the Shift key while resizing or moving objects ensures perfect alignment.
Pro Tip: Familiarize yourself with more PowerPoint shortcuts to streamline your workflow and become a PowerPoint power user.
6. Align Objects with Ease
Aligning objects on your slides can be a challenging task, especially when dealing with multiple elements. PowerPoint’s Align tool comes to the rescue by allowing you to quickly and precisely align objects. To align objects, select all the items you want to align by holding down the Shift key and clicking on each object. Then, go to the Home tab, click on Arrange, and choose the desired alignment option. PowerPoint offers various alignment options, including left, right, center, top, middle, and bottom alignment. You can also align objects horizontally or vertically with just a few clicks.
Pro Tip: Use the Align tool to give your slides a polished and professional look.
7. Group Objects PowerPoint Features for Efficient Editing
When you have multiple objects on a slide that need to be moved or formatted together, grouping them can save you time and effort. Grouping objects allows you to treat them as a single entity, making it easier to make changes or move them around. To group objects, select the desired items by holding down the Shift key and clicking on each object. Right-click, choose Group, and then click on Group again. You can now edit and move the grouped objects as a whole. To ungroup objects, simply right-click and select Ungroup.
Pro Tip: Grouping objects is particularly useful when working with complex slide layouts or when you want to maintain consistent formatting across multiple elements.
8. Copy and Paste Formatting Powerpoint Features with Format Painter
The Format Painter tool in PowerPoint makes it effortless to copy the formatting of one element and apply it to another. To use the Format Painter, select the text or object you want to copy the format from. Then, go to the Home tab and click on the Paintbrush icon in the Clipboard section. The format will be copied. To apply the format to another piece of text or object, select it without clicking anywhere else first.
Pro Tip: Double-clicking on the Paintbrush icon allows you to paste the same format on multiple pieces of text or objects.
9. Reuse Slides from Previous Presentations
Why reinvent the wheel when you can reuse slides from previous presentations? PowerPoint allows you to easily import slides from other presentations, saving you time and effort. When adding a new slide, instead of selecting a layout option, click on Reuse Slides at the bottom of the menu. A side panel will open, allowing you to browse for the file containing the slide you want to reuse. Once you’ve chosen the file, select the desired slide, and it will be inserted into your current presentation with the matching formatting. You can even choose to keep the original formatting if desired. These PowerPoint Features are game changers when it comes to saving time!
Pro Tip: Reusing slides is especially helpful when you have slides with standard information, such as company details or legal disclaimers, that you frequently use in different presentations.
10. Customize the Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar in PowerPoint is a customizable toolbar located in the top left-hand corner of the interface. It provides quick access to commonly used commands, regardless of the tab you’re currently on. Take advantage of this feature by adding the tools you use the most to the toolbar. Whether it’s the presentation button, quick print option, or any other frequently used command, customizing the Quick Access Toolbar can save you time and clicks.
Pro Tip: Experiment with different commands and find the ones that enhance your workflow the most. Don’t forget to regularly update your Quick Access Toolbar to accommodate changing needs.
Conclusion
With these 10 powerful PowerPoint features at your disposal, you can take your presentation game to the next level. From creating custom templates to leveraging time-saving shortcuts, each feature is designed to enhance your productivity and streamline the design process. So, the next time you sit down to create a PowerPoint presentation, remember to implement these tips and tricks. Your audience will be impressed with your professional and visually appealing slides, and you’ll have more time to focus on delivering an impactful message.
Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t hesitate to explore these features and experiment with different design options.
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