9 Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint Features You Must Know
Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most popular tools for creating presentations and slide shows. While PowerPoint dominates the presentation software category, you may not know its most valuable features yet.
Let’s look at the most notable Microsoft PowerPoint features that you might not be using but definitely should.
1. Co-Authoring
As its name suggests, co-authoring allows you and your colleagues to work on a PowerPoint presentation collectively. It comes in handy when you’re part of a team and want to collaborate on a PowerPoint presentation. Here are the detailed steps to use co-authoring in PowerPoint:
That’s all you need to do. The next time someone joins the presentation, you’ll see their changes in real time.
Microsoft offers you endless opportunities to customize the PPT sharing settings. You can click thepencilicon and thenSharing settingsto access them.
2. PowerPoint Designer
The PowerPoint’s AI-driven feature, called PowerPoint Designer, helps you transform your PPT’s appearance. When you add a new slide or change the content of an existing slide, the Designer analyzes the content. It then starts suggesting design ideas that match the content of your PPT.
If you often lack design inspirations, you shouldlearn to use PowerPoint’s Designerfeature for help. Follow these steps to get started with PowerPoint Designer:
Want to see the real magic? Create some more slides and add enough content to them. Open theDesignersidebar again to see some related designs (applicable to all of your slides).
3. PowerPoint Add-Ins
You may not know that PowerPoint allows you to install third-party add-ins in one click. There are many differentPowerPoint add-ins to transform your presentationscompletely. Once you know which add-ins to install, you could follow these steps to install them:
4. Presenter Coach
If enhancing your presentation skills is your goal, then Presenter Coach is the perfect option for you. It provides you with real-time feedback on your presentation skills.
It first analyzes all the words you speak. Then, by using artificial intelligence, it suggests how you’re able to improve further. Here is how you can enable Presenter Coach in Microsoft PowerPoint:
But how can you view the feedback or results of the Presenter Coach? To view your results, you have to exit the slide first. A popup will appear then, reflecting your rehearsal report and summary of your performance. If you’re a beginner, you must read ourguide on using Presenter Coachfor help.
5. 3D Models
Everything in 3D looks much better than in 2D, right? This is why you can make your presentations much better than others by using 3D models.
Microsoft PowerPoint has a vast collection of 3D models in various categories. The major categories for 3D models include animals, emojis, avatars, shapes, electronics, and gadgets.
To start, click theInserttab at the top and select the3D Modelsoption. You can open any category you want and then click on any 3D model you wish to insert into your slide. Once you are ready, click theInsertbutton.
The best thing that sets this feature apart is that you could even import your self-made 3D models. Once you insert a 3D model into your slide, you can adjust its position, size, and rotation. You can also use 3D models to showcase products, visualize concepts, or add a creative element to your PPT.
6. Morph Transition
By adding Morph transitions, you can animate different aspects of your slides. You can animate different objects, slides, and even texts as you like.
We will demonstrate the use of Morph transitions with the help of the 3D models discussed above.
To use a Morph transition, follow these steps:
That’s it. You will see that your object will transition between two positions.
If you’re finding it difficult, there are manywebsites for animated PowerPoint slidesto make your work much easier. You can download a pre-designed template and start customizing it.
7. Remove the Photo Background
From PowerPoint 2016 onwards, you can remove photo backgrounds with one click in PowerPoint. You don’t need to go to another website or install a third-party application to do this simple task.
To start with it, insert any image into your slide and then clickRemove Backgroundfrom theFormattab. PowerPoint will then detect the background and remove it.
If you want more control, you can adjust the selection by clicking on the parts of the image you want to keep or remove. So now that you know the steps, you can create custom images that blend with your presentation’s design.
8. Insert Object
By inserting Office files, such as Word or Excel, your slides can get the benefits of both applications. you’re able to add charts, tables, or even Word documents without the headache of copy-pasting. The below steps will guide you on inserting an object in PowerPoint:
Once inserted, you can customize the object’s appearance and position on the slide. If you want to edit the object’s content, double-click on it to open and edit it in its native application.
9. Slide Master
While preparing a presentation, sometimes the flow or consistency breaks for any reason. For example, you may use a bigger font on the first slide and a different font for the rest.
Whatever the situation is, it makes your presentation look unstructured. In such cases, Slide Master comes into play. Slide Master is a helpful feature that helps you master your slides' “consistency” element. It lets you set the same font, heading size, design, and much more for all your slides.
Follow these steps to enable and start using Slide Master:
The best thing about using it is that you don’t need to open every slide and waste your precious time tweaking them. You cancreate a template using Slide Masterthat includes font choices, color schemes, and other elements. Then, let the Slide Master handle your presentations.
Take Your Presentations to the Next Level
No one likes a plain presentation nowadays. So, you should be one step ahead and add creativity and modern looks to your slides. While the Designer will help you with designs, transitions, and 3D models, they will help you with other visual aspects.
Follow these tips to make your PowerPoint presentations stand out and keep your audience interested.
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