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Creative Presentation Ideas Without PowerPoint: 7 Unique Ways to Engage Your Audience

Are you in a creative rut when it comes to making presentations and engaging your audience? Have you found yourself relying too much on good ol’ PowerPoint and need a breath of fresh air? We have the ultimate answer to your woes – 7 unique ways to present your subject without PowerPoint! These top 7 suggestions guarantee to get your audiences’ attention, keep them engaged, and make them beg for more. From utilizing props and infographics to interactive activities and storytelling, you’ll be able to find the method that works best for you. And they all come without having to use PowerPoint! So Read on to discover the secrets behind our top 7 creative presentation ideas without PowerPoint, and how you can make your next presentation a smashing success!

Quick Breakdown

There are many creative ways to present information without using PowerPoint, such as creating a hands-on demonstration , using scanned images with voiceover narration, or making a video. You can also use posters, flipcharts , props, and other visuals to help engage your audience.

Explaining Concepts with Storytelling

Storytelling can be a powerful way to explore complex concepts and engage with audiences. Using stories to explain ideas encourages critical thinking, increases audience engagement, and gives meaning to abstract topics. Unlike the structure of PowerPoint slides, storytelling allows for organic dialogue between presenter and audience, creating an environment where both are actively involved in exploring concepts. Furthermore, by using a narrative approach to present information, ideas become easier to remember as they are given much-needed context. Arguments against using stories as a means of communication focus on its relative unstructured nature and the lack of advantages that tangible visuals provide. Others find it difficult to measure engagement when using stories as opposed to traditional PowerPoint slides or other visual aids . However, the most effective storytellers understand how to use emotion, tension, humor, surprise, and suspense to narrate concrete arguments that will stay with their audiences long after their presentations have ended. Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of interpersonal communication; it’s no wonder the listener’s attention is captured from start to finish. By creatively utilizing this ancient technique in combination with modern teaching practices, presenters can captivate their audiences with gripping narratives about important topics. Such engagement not only encourages comprehension but also sparks curiosity and debate among listeners. With so much potential for success, explain concepts with storytelling has become increasingly popular in business settings and other professional environments. Ready to take your presentation skills up a notch? By engaging audiences with interactivity you can ensure that your audience members leave with a full understanding of the concept you were trying share while having a great time doing it!

Engaging Audiences with Interactivity

Interactivity is a great tool for engaging (and not boring) audiences in a presentation. Interactivity can come in many forms and can be tailored to the subject matter, needs of the presenter, and objectives of the audience. Depending on the environment and resources available, there are several ways to introduce interactive elements into presentations. Two popular types of interactivity that can be used are Q&A sessions and polling or surveys . Q&A sessions can be structured by designating time at the end of the presentation or set up as an ongoing part of the presentation. This allows the presenter to quickly address questions from the audience while also staying on topic and providing additional clarity when necessary. Polling or surveys are great for getting more in-depth opinions from participants on a specific topic, helping to provide further context around various aspects of presentation topics . Another method for introducing interactivity is game-based activities. This could include quizzes, challenges, puzzles, scavenger hunts, and other types of games depending on the objectives. Games are often a great way to get people engaged with one another as well as pique interest in the content presented. It’s important to carefully consider whether this type of activity is appropriate for your particular situation prior to implementing it into a presentation. Overall, there is no single best way to incorporate interactivity into your presentation but it is a powerful tool that can help make it successful if used correctly. It’s important to understand how certain interactive elements might affect your message by building in enough time for feedback and thorough responses if needed. With careful planning and consideration for all audiences involved, you can craft engaging presentations without relying on PowerPoint alone. Next we will look at how using an interactive whiteboard is another great alternative for presenting without PowerPoint.

Interactive Whiteboard

Interactive whiteboard technologies offer content-rich, audience-engaging presentations without the same level of formality as PowerPoint. With an interactive whiteboard, you can tap into a wide variety of multimedia content that encourages audience engagement and creativity while reducing any text-heavy messages. A well-made and engaging presentation on an interactive whiteboard can provide students or trainees with an immersive experience, allowing them to visualize and understand complex topics in ways that are not possible with traditional paper-based materials. From the point of view of traditional powerpoint presentations, one advantage of an interactive whiteboard is the fact that the audience can actively participate in the process by sharing their thoughts or responses via either verbal discussion, written comments, or drawings in real time. Other benefits include simple navigation and navigation tools for finding specific parts or pages within a presentation. Additionally, sound effects like music or videos may also be included to make the presentation more attention-grabbing and creative. A disadvantage is that interactive whiteboard systems are typically more expensive than traditional PowerPoint software. Moreover, they often require additional hardware such as a projector or other devices needed to connect it to media sources such as computers and tablets. Furthermore, without technical support assistance at hand, it can be difficult for those who are unfamiliar with this technology to operate the interactive board effectively. Therefore, it is important to take into consideration these potential cons before planning a presentation on an interactive whiteboard system. Overall, when used responsibly and creatively, an interactive whiteboard provides a captivating alternative to PowerPoint presentations without diminishing its educational value and potential effectiveness in communicating key messages and ideas to your target audience. As the next section will discuss further, adding hands-on activities to your presentation is another way create impactful and engaging experiences for your attendees.

Hands-On Activities

Hands-on activities evoke a sense of participation and engagement that can be just as powerful as engaging with a PowerPoint presentation. However, they work best with smaller audiences where the participants are able to get up close to the facilitator and interact with one another. Depending on the type of message you’re trying to convey, different types of hands-on activities may be suitable. For example, if you want to capture creative ideas in a group setting, an exercise such as “speed sketching” could be conducted. Everyone in the group would have to collaboratively draw a set concept or idea in five minutes or less . Alternatively, if you’re trying to inspire people about a specific topic, physical representation will help them retain more information and give them a better understanding of complex topics . More traditional activities such as panel discussions and debates are also great options for fostering an interactive environment amongst any audience. Leading into the next section: Illustrating ideas with multimedia has been tried and tested by many businesses and organizations for its ability to effectively engage larger audiences who may have varying interests or perspectives on the topic being presented.

Illustrating Ideas with Multimedia

When it comes to creative presentation ideas without PowerPoint, leveraging multimedia to illustrate ideas can be an effective method of bringing the audience into an experience and capturing their attention. Multimedia elements such as images, videos, audio clips, and even live web streams can help bring the presentation to life and add a “wow” factor that PowerPoint cannot provide. Not only can visuals help encourage engagement, but this type of multimedia also helps break up the monotony associated with lecturing for long periods of time. By introducing multimedia elements during a presentation, audiences will find this type of approach to be interesting and memorable. Using multimedia for presentations can also add to the impact of narrative content. Rather than just reading from a script or speaking from memory, adding visuals or sound effects can make stories more captivating while strengthening an argument. That said, it’s important to remember there are drawbacks associated with multimedia elements. If not used sparingly, they can quickly become too distracting or take away from the message you’re trying to convey. Ensuring multimedia adds value instead of detracts from your talk is key when leveraging multimedia in creative presentations. Finally, leveraging multi-media is only one side of incorporating creative techniques into a presentation — performance demonstrations are another great way to engage an audience. In the next section we’ll look at how you can use props and physical demonstrations to capture the audience’s attention and create a lasting impression.

• According to a 2004 study , PowerPoint is just presentation technology’s latest iteration and will eventually be replaced by something else.

Performance Demonstrations

Performance Demonstrations are a great way to keep your audience engaged and excited about your presentation. Whether you decide to show off a skill you possess or hire an expert in their field, an engaging, “real performance” is sure to leave a lasting impression on your audience. The advantages of performing a demonstration are that it keeps the audience focused, provides an interactive element to the presentation and makes for a more creative form of communication. Additionally, it allows the presenter to explain some abstract ideas in concrete terms. For example, when explaining aerodynamics, if you have an expert mathematician available, they could use calculus to calculate air resistance and lift force while teaching the audience a physical demonstration. On the other hand, there are potential downsides when incorporating performance demonstrations into your presentation. Not everyone will understand the topic presented; visual learners may comprehend more easily than those with auditory learning styles and vice-versa. Additionally, performance demonstrations run the risk of not being done effectively causing confusion instead of clarity during the presentation. Regardless of these drawbacks, if done correctly, performance demonstrations can be a great way to engage any audience. Following this section about Performance Demonstrations we will explore how Presenters can use Physical Objects as another unique way to capture an audience’s attention and lead them through their message without PowerPoint.

Present Ideas Using Physical Objects

Using physical objects to convey a message can be an effective and creative means to engage an audience. By incorporating tangible elements, such as props, displays, and other materials, presenters can physically demonstrate a concept or idea in a way that captures attention and encourages interaction. Additionally, physical objects can enable the audience to have both tactile interaction as well as visual stimulation. This can help to keep individuals focused on the presentation and more likely to remember what is being said. For example, while explaining increasing sales numbers over time, a presenter may use a graph written on a whiteboard with colored markers. As each section of the graph is explained, the presenter can point to sections of the board with the markers to emphasize certain points or data points. This allows for visual tracking of progress on the graph, as well as directing attention away from other slides or topics being discussed. Furthermore, using physical markers instead of electronic slides gives the audience something tangible with which to interact and remember. Physical objects may also be used as props for storytelling or examples within a presentation. However, this approach can prove difficult if not done correctly due to unexpected issues with transport or storage of materials. If not managed properly ahead of time, these unforeseen problems can have an impact on the quality of the presentation and its potential success. For this reason it is important to weigh all options carefully before selecting any physical props for incorporation into the presentation.

Visual Props

Visual props are a great way to engage audiences and create interesting presentations. These props can include items such as whiteboards and markers, storyboards, sculptures, or even art installations. Visual props can be used to illustrate complex concepts, break up information into more concentrated bits, and make your audience feel like they are actively participating in the presentation. On one hand, visual props might help enhance rather than dominate a presentation. Rather than simply showing an audience slides of written words on a screen and speaking over them, visual props may allow the presenter to incorporate elements of drama and interaction with the audience. For example, depending on the type of prop you choose, viewers may be encouraged to ask questions or share their experiences in relation to what is being presented. On the other hand, using too many props can become overwhelming for an audience and detract from the larger message you want to convey. Additionally, if your chosen prop is too heavy or bulky it can become difficult for a presenter to move around while speaking over them. It is important to focus on how much of your prop should be seen and how much of it should remain behind-the-scenes or in storage during a presentation so that it has maximum impact if needed but also won’t distract from the topic at hand. Overall, visual props provide an effective way to engage viewers in a presentation without the use of PowerPoint. With thoughtful planning, visuals can be used in strategic ways that emphasize key points and foster a greater understanding rather than being distracting or overwhelming to your audience. In order to reach your audience with flashcards – the next step after incorporating visual props – additional considerations have to be taken regarding content selection as well as readability and accessibility.

Reaching the Audience with Flashcards

Using flashcards is a great way to engage an audience and make sure information is retained. This can be done before your presentation, during question and answer, or at the end as a review for what has been discussed. Flashcards are especially helpful for presentations that include a lot of facts and/or data, as they allow individuals to easily retain information without relying on taking notes. Moreover, flashcards can be used in creative ways to keep an audience’s attention. For example, a presenter can set up different stations throughout the room that have cards which can be collected during the presentation. Additionally, they can be used as an interactive prop to illustrate points or ask questions to audience members. Finally, they can be used as part of a game or challenge to test how well attendees absorbed the content. The downside is that using flashcards can take up considerable time depending on the size of the audience and it must be incorporated correctly into the flow of the presentation to avoid disruption. Additionally, it may not be effective if you are presenting topics with limited supporting numbers or facts. That being said, incorporating flashcards into an engaging presentation when done properly adds excitement and encourages participation among attendees. As mentioned previously, there are many different ways to creatively engage your audience without having to rely on tools like PowerPoint. However, having a few final tips will help make sure your unique presentation goes off without a hitch so let’s discuss that in the following section: A Few Final Tips on Creative Presentations.

A Few Final Tips on Creative Presentations

Creating a successful and engaging presentation without PowerPoint can be difficult. Apart from frameworking it differently and using alternative tools, there are a few time-tested approaches that could help you create powerful presentations. Here are a few tips to consider when creating creative presentations without PowerPoint. 1. Develop Your Story: Whether it’s one of your own experiences or craft an interesting case study for the audience to learn from, using the story format allows for naturally captivating presentation. By starting with a hook and weaving through historical perspectives and facts, you can make sure your presentation will be more memorable and enjoyable for the audience. 2. Have Fun With It: When developing your presentation without PowerPoint, it’s essential that your main focus is getting the information across in an easy-to-understand yet engaging way. Having fun while delivering the content will make it easier for audience members of all age ranges to remember what they were taught. 3. Enrich with Visuals: A presentation isn’t complete if there aren’t visuals to enhance the delivery of your message or topic. Tools like Prezi and PowToon are great alternatives to PowerPoint that you can use if you want to add visual appeal to your next presentation; similarly, incorporating images or art into your slides will guarantee attendees understand essential points they need to take away from your content delivery process. 4. Set Your Audience Expectations: Prepare a clear plan before presenting so that every component found within each slide is communicated effectively and thoroughly explained during the talk; also tell your audience exactly what you should expect from them as well – is there a question and answer session ? Do they have an activity or assignment to complete by the end? By providing these expectations ahead of time, navigating through the material will appear much easier both visually and mentally. 5. Practice & Rehearse: No matter how great of an idea you come up with, if you don’t practice it beforehand then it won’t go over as smoothly as intended. Make sure you’re well rehearsed on all topics covered within the presentation so that no questions go unheard due to memory recall issues caused by stress in public speaking contexts; additionally, rehearsing frequently also allows for polish lines that add even more flavor to any speech! When crafting a creative presentation without PowerPoint, following these top tips helps ensure success in each delivery. As long as thought is put into their approach beforehand, practically anyone can develop an effective method for teaching others without relying solely on slideshows generated through computer software programs like Microsoft Office Suite products!

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

What are the advantages of using alternative presentation ideas without powerpoint.

The advantages of using alternative presentation ideas without Powerpoint are plentiful. For starters, they allow speakers to be more creative and expressive since they don’t need to limit themselves to text-based slides and static visuals. Additionally, these alternatives can be especially effective for highly interactive or participatory presentations. For example, having audience members take part in activities such as role playing, group exercises and simulations can help create an engaging dynamic and offer a much more immersive experience than a traditional powerpoint presentation. Finally, alternative presentation ideas allow the speaker to use a wide range of media formats including videos, visuals, music and sound effects to present their message in a compelling way. These elements can create emotional connections with the audience that are unlikely to be achieved through static “bulleted text” slides.

How can I make an effective presentation without Powerpoint?

Making an effective presentation without Powerpoint can be achieved by leveraging various creative techniques. Firstly, it is important to know your audience and the message which you are trying to convey. When beginning a presentation without Powerpoint, it is beneficial to start strong with a short introduction of yourself and the topic. This will help the audience to more easily relate to what you are sharing. Secondly, using hands-on activities such as demonstrations or simulations are powerful teaching tools that could help to engage your audience in the presentation. You may also consider using props, videos/animations or storytelling techniques as they can draw in an audience and bring to life the subject matter. Thirdly, focus on keeping your audience well informed throughout the duration of the presentation by strategically placing breaks or visual cues. This can make the content easier to digest, in addition to lightening up any dull sections with humour or anecdotes. Lastly, end on a strong note and ensure that there is closure after delivering your message. Acknowledging any questions from the audience, a summary of what was discussed and thanking them for attending will help round off a successful presentation without Powerpoint.

What are some creative presentation formats that do not require Powerpoint?

Creative presentation formats that do not require Powerpoint include: 1. Storytelling – Use stories to bring your message to life and engage your audience. Telling an interesting, engrossing, or even personal story can be a great way to capture and retain the attention of your audience. 2. Role Play – An interactive way to demonstrate a concept is by having people act out scenarios related to the topic at hand. Whether it’s two people performing a skit or a large group of volunteers playing characters in a scene, role play can make abstract concepts concrete while providing a visual aid for the rest of your audience to latch onto. 3. Visual Presentations – One of the most common forms of presentations rely on visuals such as diagrams, maps, charts, etc., rather than words. Incorporating some visual elements will make it easier for people to understand certain key points in your discussion as well as help you keep your audience engaged during long sections of speech. 4. Demonstration – Show don’t tell is an old adage that applies when presenting without Powerpoint. You might prefer to use the time allotted for interactive demonstrations either in person or video clips that show the product or service in action. 5. Workshops – Teaching your audience a new skill or practice can be incredibly engaging while managing to educate them along the way as well. Setting up guided workshops with activities designed around group dynamics can also be highly effective in terms of creating lasting engagement with everyone present.

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Anything but PowerPoint: Five fresh presentation alternatives

What application springs to mind when you think of creating visual aids to accompany your business presentation? For most people, it’s Microsoft’s PowerPoint. But that’s certainly not the only game in town. Plenty of other tools and services are cooler, faster, easier to use, and—in almost all cases—less expensive.

We’ve rounded up five compelling alternatives to PowerPoint, including Web apps that let you dispense with installing software, and mobile apps that allow for presentation-building (and presenting) on the go. Not included are well-known options such as Google Docs , OpenOffice , and Zoho Show , all of which offer basic slide-builders that can easily pinch-hit for PowerPoint and don’t cost a dime. Those tools, however, haven’t changed much in recent years.

Our goal is to showcase presentation options that will help you get your point across a little differently, so your audience’s eyes don’t glaze over in the middle of your pitch. And if your business saves a bit of cash in the process, all the better!

Haiku Deck (iPad)

Haiku Deck for iPad is designed to turn your ideas into beautiful presentations in about the time it takes to ride the train to work. The secret? It gives you built-in access to a wealth of free art.

Indeed, half the battle in crafting attractive slides is finding appropriate artwork to go with the text. Haiku Deck lets you add your own (from your iOS device’s camera roll or from any other image library), but it can also search millions of free, Creative Commons-licensed images based on the words you’ve chosen for that slide.

Let’s say your slide contains the word profits and the phrase 3D printing: You’ll quickly get a list of thumbnails matching those terms. Tap one you like, and presto! You have the perfect background for your slide. Alternatively, you can choose a solid background color or insert your choice of a bar, pie, or numeric chart (with manually added labels and numbers).

Ultimately, Haiku Deck is all about whipping together attractive slides, and it’s great for that task. When you’re done, you can share your deck via Facebook, Twitter, or email. You can also grab embed code for your blog or website. On top of that, Haiku Deck lets you export your presentation for further tweaking in, say, PowerPoint or Apple’s Keynote.

The app doesn’t support sound, transitions, or animations, though, and you can’t manually place your text or change the background color for charts. In fact, trying to make any major slide changes often causes you to lose the work you’ve already done. A save option is desperately needed here.

That said, once you figure out Haiku Deck’s mechanics, you’ll find it a great tool for building short, simple, and attractive slide decks on the run. And you can’t beat the price: It’s free. If you want extra themes, they’re available for purchase in-app.

Kingsoft Presentation Free 2013

If you’re looking for a more traditional alternative to PowerPoint, one that runs in Windows and closely emulates the standard slideshow-building process, Kingsoft offers a compelling option in Presentation Free 2013 . Available separately or as part of the Kingsoft Office Free 2013 suite, this program should satisfy most of your slide-deck needs.

If you’re already familiar with PowerPoint, you’ll have a huge head start on Presentation Free: Its default interface borrows heavily from Microsoft’s Ribbon, though it has a second interface option that closely resembles older versions of PowerPoint. It’s an easy product to learn either way. Whichever interface you choose, Presentation Free has one amenable feature that still eludes PowerPoint: document tabs that make switching between multiple open presentations much easier.

Kingsoft supplies a generous library of presentation templates that you can use as a jumping-off point, along with a nice selection of layouts, color schemes, animations, and the like. You can add a wealth of elements to your slides, everything from sounds and background music to movies and Flash animations.

Perhaps of greatest importance, Presentation Free can open existing PowerPoint presentations, including those saved in the newer .pptx format. It can save only to the older .ppt format, or to Kingsoft’s native .dps format. You also have the option of converting presentation files to PDFs.

Presentation Free 2013 is without question the prettiest PowerPoint clone you can get, and save for VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) support, the free version is every bit as capable as its commercial counterpart, Office Suite Pro 2013 (which also includes word processing and spreadsheet programs).

Pixxa Perspective (iPad)

What is a presentation if not an audiovisual story? That’s the idea behind the iPad app  Perspective . It’s a powerful tool, though it does come with a learning curve—and a price tag.

Building a story works the same as building a presentation: You create individual slides (known here as scenes ) and populate them with data. For each scene, Perspective gives you a choice of image/text, diagram, various charts (bar, bubble, line, and the like), and PDF. You can also import a wealth of file types, including locally stored Excel and CSV files, the contents of the clipboard, or anything you have stored in Google Drive.

These needn’t be static additions, either: Perspective’s bar and bubble charts are “motion” charts, meaning that you can animate the elements to better highlight data such as sales forecasts and market trends. If you’re short on artwork, the app’s handy Web-search option makes it easy to find online images for your story. And for anyone serious about presenting data, Perspective supports the creation of Sankey diagrams (a specialized kind of flow diagram), though this feature requires a separate in-app purchase ($100).

Alas, the app doesn’t let you embed videos or webpages, and you can’t add audio elements such as music or sound effects. You can, however, record a voice-over after your story is complete and ready for presenting. Speaking of which, you can share a snapshot from your story via email or Twitter, and a recently added Airshow option lets you share stories directly from your iPad to up to ten other iPads.

It may take you some time to learn how to use Perspective’s various tools, especially for arranging elements in a scene and tweaking the data in motion charts. But it’s not unlike learning PowerPoint: Once you know what you need to do, presentation-building goes pretty quickly.

Although the Perspective app is initially free, you can use it to create only one story—think of it as an app test drive. To unlock all the features and create unlimited stories, you must upgrade to Perspective Pro, which costs $50.

That’s a little steep relative to some of the other tools here, but Perspective offers robust data-visualization options. And since it’s entirely mobile, you needn’t stay tied to a PC.

Far too many presentations are boring, with a capital B. In many cases, it’s not because the content is dull, it’s just that audiences have seen enough static slideshows to last a lifetime. Prezi  creates eye-catching custom animations that blow ordinary slide decks out of the water.

It works like this: You assemble various snippets of information—text, graphics, videos, and the like—onto the virtual equivalent of a giant, themed poster board. (Think PowerPoint slides splayed out on a single surface.) Instead of flipping from one page to the next, PowerPoint-style, Prezi flies around that poster board, zooming in to one area for viewing, then up, out, and onto the next.

All of this happens with a dazzling, animated flow. It looks like something a professional effects shop would take weeks and thousands of dollars to create. But it’s really just a Prezi template stocked with your data and some extra infographics.

Earlier this year, Prezi added a long-awaited new feature: sound. You can now include background music that plays during the presentation, or even add voice-overs or sound effects to “path steps” (the transitions between areas of the scene). That might not seem like a huge deal, but Prezi delivers such a smooth, cinematic experience, it almost begs to have a soundtrack.

Prezi has also added a creator app for iPad and a viewer for iPhone, meaning that you can build and/or make your pitches on the run. They’re free, as is Prezi Basic. Upgrade options start at $59 per year.

This is one of the coolest PowerPoint alternatives I’ve seen, period. If you’re as sick of creating static slide decks as people are of seeing them, you should give Prezi a try.

SoftMaker Presentations Mobile (Android)

If Microsoft ever decided to release PowerPoint for Android , it would probably have a lot in common with SoftMaker Presentations Mobile . This powerful app belies its $5 price tag, allowing you to not only create slide decks from scratch right on your Android device, but also to import and save your existing .ppt and .pptx files.

To be fair, Presentations Mobile offers little of the mobile-presentations finesse of Haiku Deck or Pixxa Perspective. It is, at best, a rudimentary PowerPoint clone, allowing for the creation of only the most basic slides. Even something as simple as changing a slide’s background is elusive within the app’s toolbar system, which consists entirely of unlabeled icons.

It can, however, import presentations from a variety of sources, including local memory and online services such as Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, and SkyDrive. Once you have those files in place, you can make basic edits and then restore the files to their homes, or forward them via email. Depending on which Android device you’re using, you can also connect to an external display to deliver your presentation—complete with any embedded sounds, transitions, and animations. (Unfortunately, it doesn’t support videos.)

In our tests, Presentations Mobile did a great job importing a 54-slide PowerPoint file from a Google Drive account to a Barnes & Noble Nook HD. The process went slowly, however, requiring several minutes to download and open the slideshow. But it played back perfectly, transitions and all.

Ultimately, this app isn’t so much about replacing PowerPoint as it is about making PowerPoint mobile, with simple tools for building basic slides and robust tools for accessing your existing presentations on the go. For a mere $5, it’s hard to beat.

Take the ‘no boring presentations’ pledge

The only experience more painful than sitting through a boring presentation is giving  a boring presentation. If a concept is worth presenting, it’s worth presenting effectively.

Take the “no boring presentations” pledge: Invest a little time, give these programs a try, and create a slideshow that will capture your audience’s attention so that you can persuade them to embrace your ideas. It could make all the difference for your business.

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The 8 Best Free PowerPoint Alternatives

Professional results for tight budgets

• Swansea University, Staffordshire University

Microsoft PowerPoint is a great tool for creating professional-looking slideshows and presentations. However, the home version requires a Microsoft 365 subscription, and the free mobile app locks some features behind the sub as well. Fortunately, there are plenty of free PowerPoint software alternatives out there. Here's a look at some of the best options and how they compare to PowerPoint. 

Best Direct PowerPoint Replacement: Google Slides

Very similar to PowerPoint.

Free to use. 

Compatible with PowerPoint.

An internet connection is strongly recommended. 

Where there's a need for an app, Google seems to have it covered. Google Slides is its PowerPoint equivalent and it's a lot like Microsoft's app. Very simple to use and offering full compatible with the alternative, you can access Google Slides via your browser and easily create custom presentations with audio and your own images, all entirely for free. It also offers great live collaboration features for teamwork purposes.

The only minor downside is you need an internet connection to at least get started but the service does also work offline with presentations syncing once you're back online.

Best for Designers: Prezi

Video editing included.

Can easily make data visualizations. 

Stylish user interface.

Free option is pretty basic.

No support.

Presentations viewable by all.

Prezi is a great option for designers who have a vision but aren't technically proficient at achieving it. Its simple drag and drop interface makes it a breeze to organize your presentation just how you want it. Backed up with other Prezi apps that mean you can create videos or more stylish data visualizations than simple graphs, it's ideal for industries that are more visual than others. A series of pre-made templates makes it all the more attractive. 

Prezi isn't as free as it seems though. To get the full wealth of features like advanced image editing, offline access, and narration, you'll need to pay a subscription fee.

Best for Quick Results: Zoho Show

A theme for every occasion.

Quick to create something.

Intuitive interface.

Need to be online to use it.

Simple to use yet highly effective is the sweet spot for quick results, and that's certainly the case with Zoho Show. You might need to be online to use it, but it's worth the connection with an intuitive user interface that adapts to what you need to do. You can easily embed videos, tweets, and images into your presentations with some neat transition effects making things more interesting. 

Collaboration tools further sweeten the deal with annotation features meaning you can work together well as a team and fast.

Best for Animations: Powtoon

Great animation tools.

Easy to use.

Can export to social media platforms.

Branding applied on free presentations.

More about animations than slideshows. 

PowToon tackles PowerPoint presentations from a slightly different angle than a lot of its competitors. It's primarily great for creating full animations and videos rather than presentations that you would click through and present yourself. That lends itself perfectly to the internet which is why it's so useful that you can export your presentations to various forms of social media. 

With a drag and drop template, you can create something within about 20 minutes from your browser. The free version bundles in branding logos so viewers will always know you've used PowToon to create them but that's a small price to pay for an otherwise very accessible and simple to use piece of software. 

Best for Mass Branding: Renderforest

Plenty of options for expanding branding.

300MB cloud storage for free.

Unlimited exports.

Exports can be low in quality.

Content is watermarked.

RenderForest thinks of itself as more than just a PowerPoint alternative. It tackles everything you might need from creating logos to designing promo videos, music visualizations, landing pages, and websites. That's on top of its extensive animations and intro creation. That might sound intimidating but the service keeps things simple, so it won't take you long to mock something up and develop it.

Stick to the free version and there are some restrictions such as branding on your videos, lower quality logos, and so forth, but it's a solid start for an otherwise entirely free service. In particular, if you just need to concoct a quick 3-minute video for a presentation, RenderForest has you covered.

Best for Non-Designers: Visme

Plenty of templates to choose from.

Can set up five projects at once.

Charts and widgets support.

Limited cloud storage.

Visme branding on free plan.

Been asked to make a presentation and you don't know where to start? Visme is perfect for those that aren't well versed with graphics as it offers an extensive template library. The free plan limits your options a little but there are still some decent choices here. In addition, the service provides cool ways to make stats and data look exciting thanks to chart and widget support. It's all done through a simple drag and drop interface too that makes it super simple to add video and embed other content. 

Just bear in mind that storage options are a little limited and everything on the free plan will contain Visme branding. 

Best for Office Replacement: LibreOffice Impress

Full program rather than browser-based.

Extensive support. 

Similar experience to Microsoft Office.

Requires installation. 

Not quite as intuitive as alternatives.

LibreOffice is a popular free alternative to Microsoft Office, so it makes sense to use LibreOffice Impress if you want the closest experience to Microsoft's package. Unlike most of the others here, you need to install LibreOffice on your PC or Mac which means it's no good for Chromebooks or moving between different systems. However, in exchange, you get an intuitive experience that makes it simple to create slideshows, whether you're handing them out to a class or conference afterwards, or simply projecting them on screen. 

Bear in mind you have to seek out templates yourself though which may be off-putting for the least technically minded user out there. 

Download for:

Best for Apple Users: Keynote

Simple to use. 

Apple Pencil support. 

Cloud based as well as app based.

App is only on Apple devices.

Keynote is Apple's direct competitor to Microsoft PowerPoint and it's a great alternative, especially if you're a Mac user. With app support for iOS and Mac, it takes seconds to get started. Alternatively, PC users can use Keynote via the iCloud website and easily work across multiple devices. 

One of the best features is the ability to use the Apple Pencil on an iPad to create diagrams or illustrations making it great for skilled artists. As well as that, Apple provides plenty of convenient templates for personal and professional projects. 

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How do I do a PowerPoint presentation without PowerPoint available?

I often use PowerPoint for presentations. Confronted with such disadvantage: PowerPoint is not installed on each computer. Advise me an alternative solution, as you can get without having to install PowerPoint, and is it possible?

• microsoft-powerpoint
• presentations

• Do you send the presentation on CD or other media and need for it to be self running, or will you be there to set things up and run the presentation? What version of PowerPoint do you need to support, and what features do you use (for example, links to external files, links to the net, movies, sounds, etc)? –  Steve Rindsberg Nov 15, 2011 at 15:45

8 Answers 8

• export the presentation from PowerPoint to a self contained presentation
• use Google docs
• use a tool like Prezi ( my recommendation, never looked back to PowerPoint)

Microsoft provides PowerPoint Viewer free of charge. It won't allow you to modify PowerPoint presentations, but it will allow you to play them. I don't think there's a portable version that can be run from a thumb drive, but it's a small install for computers that don't have the full Office treatment.

• 1 Unfortunately, PowerPoint Viewer has been retired. –  Adam J Limbert Oct 8, 2018 at 8:57
• I wrote a website with a script catching pressed key. (Browser in fullscreen mode)
• I often simply use PDF files
• You can take a PPT viewer with you (portable version, no installation required)

You can use Windows Live Webapps.

You can also use the Broadcast feature which allows all your users to watch the same slideshow.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/web-apps-help/about-the-broadcast-slide-show-feature-HA010383019.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA010378340

You send a link to your users and they can all watch your slideshow. You can control which slide they see from inside Powerpoint.

As far as I know, PowerPoint is able to produce a standalone .exe file that plays your slideshow. I guess that would be a suitable solution for almost any computer, because you do not need to install anything and you do not need any user privileges at all. Unfortunately I do not have MS Office on my own, but I guess you should find the option to do that on "export" or "save as". I also heard the it is possible to export the slideshow as flash (.swf) file (I know for sure in LibreOffice) which would be a possibility, too because most systems nowadays have an internet browser with installed flash player.

• PowerPoint isn't able to produce a standalone EXE. While it can't export Flash on its own, there are add-ins that will convert PPT to Flash. –  Steve Rindsberg Nov 15, 2011 at 15:43
• I am pretty sure that I used that feature a few years ago, it may be that it was only in a very old office version. Exporting as flash, like I said can be done in LibreOffice. It is one additional tool, but using a tool or using a plugin is mostly not a very big difference. –  Michael K Nov 15, 2011 at 15:45
• I'm guessing you may've used something like this: indezine.com/products/powerpoint/pp2003/ppt2exe.html (not exactly built into PPT but semi-close). Subject to the limitations of the viewer, it'd work nicely for many uses, but wouldn't work with the 2010 viewer, in case that's a necessity. –  Steve Rindsberg Nov 15, 2011 at 15:57

Here are your options:

• If you need the exact fidelity (animations & graphics) of your PPT but without the ability for the recipient to edit it, go for File > Export > Video (4k)
• If you don't need animations to be preserved but everything else should be as is and the recipient shouldn't be able to edit, go for File > Export > PDF
• If you need the recipient to edit / control the presentation with their device try the PowerPoint Web App which is free.
• If the recipient isn't well versed with Powerpoint but they'd still like to edit the file, convert it to Google slides .

GoogleDocs has a presentation tool.

You can view a presentation without PowerPoint using PowerPoint Online or Office mobile apps . PowerPoint Viewer has been retired. For more information, see View a presentation without PowerPoint .

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How-To Geek

8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.

Want to make your PowerPoint presentations really shine? Here's how to impress and engage your audience.

Quick Links

Table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.

Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.

It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?

It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).

I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.

A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.

This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.

Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD

Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.

Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.

Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.

Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.

Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.

Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.

That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.

Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.

The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.

When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.

Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.

You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.

Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."

Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?

It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.

The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.

This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.

9 Disadvantages of Using PowerPoint Presentations!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

If you frequently have to prepare and deliver presentations you normally want to use software that is suitable for the topics you’ll be covering. The software should also allow you to shape the presentation into a style you are comfortable with.

PowerPoint might have been recommended to you but now you are wondering whether a presenting tool with such a lot of features as PowerPoint is not perhaps giving just as many issues.

The biggest drawback of PowerPoint is that it has many features and requires adequate training to use them properly. If not used correctly, it can affect the reputation of the presenter. Other disadvantages include files don’t save automatically, and PowerPoint is not free to use.

In the end, you have to decide whether you can live with these disadvantages when you compare them to the advantages. In this article, we list for your convenience 9 of the most important disadvantages of PowerPoint.

Also Read – Advantages of Using Microsoft PowerPoint!

1. Text-heavy slides

Text-heavy slides give too much information with too much text. This makes the slide boring and the audience will lose interest in the whole presentation.

Many PowerPoint presentations are unsuccessful because the presenter or compiler of the slideshow has tried to put as much content as possible in text form on the slide. A good slide should ideally only have the headings and sub-headings of what the presenter is conveying to the audience.

And if more information in text form is necessary to make it easier for the audience to follow the presenter and comprehend the content, the text should be well organized.

The use of columns or blocks and even different colors will make the slide much more interesting. Unfortunately, the slides of many PowerPoint presentations are not well-designed. 

Compilers of presentations are sometimes in a hurry and just add all the content they‘ve found on the slide without actually designing the slide. They don’t discriminate between really needed content and content that can confuse the audience.

Research has found that text-heavy slides are often used when the presenter just wants to read the information from the slides to the audience, instead of using the PowerPoint slides as a tool to emphasize certain aspects.

2. Too many features can get overwhelming

The PowerPoint developers have over time put more and more features into the software to theoretically make it possible for the compilers of presentations to complete the task without using any other tools or software.  But too many features can confuse the user.

This can cause you to spend a lot of time compiling your presentation, as you first want to look at the available features for every aspect you use and figure out how it works. 

It is overwhelming to have to pick the right feature for literary every aspect of the presentation. This is often the reason provided by users when asked why they don’t use PowerPoint. They prefer software packages with lesser choices but which are easier and simpler to use.

3. Most features usually remain unexplored

Because of the overwhelming effect of the large number of features offered by PowerPoint, most compilers of presentations using PowerPoint simplifies the process when they use it for the first time.

They search for features they understand and which seem easy to use. They then tend to stick to these features and don’t explore other features.  

Many of the slide designing features are for example not fully explored by compilers. Generally, a compiler will search for templates to use and when they have found a few they like, they are not interested in looking for more or designing their own.

PowerPoint users have indicated in surveys that a feature like the adding of video snippets into the presentation is for instance an example of features that usually remain unexplored.    

4. Can affect reputation if not used correctly

The presenter or compiler of the presentation might be trusting PowerPoint to always automatically create well-designed presentations. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

The result can be a presentation with uninteresting and poorly designed slides.  And sometimes the presenter is a very good speaker but an inexperienced PowerPoint user. The combination of a poorly designed presentation with an inexperienced PowerPoint user can affect the reputation of the speaker.

Thus, the bottom line is that a good speaker has to ensure that every slide in the presentation is interesting and conveys just enough information to keep the audience focused.

The presenter should also use the presentation without reading from the screen. Eye contact with the audience is necessary to keep them focused.

5. Real-time collaboration is not the best

Real-time collaboration allows you to work with some of your other colleagues on the same presentation at the same time! This can for example be done with Google Slides. It is a great feature that is especially helpful when working from distant locations or working from home!

Must Read – PowerPoint vs Google Slides: Which Presentation Application Should You Use?

Unfortunately, only the PowerPoint in Office 365 has this real-time feature . If you use any other version of PowerPoint you will not be able to have real-time collaboration.

6. Requires downloading

Another disadvantage of PowerPoint is that you can’t run the application on the cloud as you can do with Google Slides for instance. The Office 365 PowerPoint software is the one exception.

You have to download the PowerPoint software onto your device to be able to use it.

7. Files are not automatically saved

One of the most frustrating things when compiling a presentation is to lose some of the already created slides because they haven’t been saved.  The ideal is that the software saves continuously as you are creating the presentation.

With PowerPoint (except for Office 365) you have to save manually. To ensure that work is not lost, you have to keep on pressing Ctrl+S from time to time. (Ctrl+S is the shortcut for saving a PowerPoint file.)

User reviews indicate that this is also one of the disadvantages that let presentation compilers move away from PowerPoint. In practice, you often just forget to save files manually and unsaved work can easily be lost.    

8. Files often too large to mail

 PowerPoint presentations can quickly become very large. Although you sometimes only want to mail a few files or slides, it often happens that you have to mail the whole presentation. When it exceeds the 10 MB or 25 MB file size it becomes difficult and sometimes impossible to mail.

9. A variety of errors can occur

Although the many features of PowerPoint might be an advantage for some users, the possibility of errors is very high when there are such a large number of features built into a program.  Presentations with fewer features normally develop fewer errors.

PowerPoint online support groups are full of questions. All these questions are an indication that users constantly encounter issues or don’t understand how the features work.  If you look at the answers on these forums it becomes clear that in some instances nobody actually has the correct answer.

Compared to other presentation applications there are much more errors when you use PowerPoint. 

Credit to Nakaridore (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited)

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Create a new presentation with Copilot in PowerPoint

Note:  This feature is available to customers with a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license or Copilot Pro license.

Create a new presentation in PowerPoint.

Select Send . Copilot will draft a presentation for you!

Edit the presentation to suit your needs, ask Copilot to add a slide , or start over with a new presentation and refine your prompt to include more specifics. For example, "Create a presentation about hybrid meeting best practices that includes examples for team building.”

Create a presentation with a template

Note:  This feature is only available to customers with a Copilot for Microsoft 365 (work) license. It is not currently available to customers with a Copilot Pro (home) license.

Copilot can use your existing themes and templates to create a presentation. Learn more about making your presentations look great with Copilot in PowerPoint .

Enter your prompt or select Create presentation from file to create a first draft of your presentation using your theme or template.

Edit the presentation to suit your needs, ask Copilot to add a slide , organize your presentation, or add images.

Create a presentation from a file with Copilot

Note:  This feature is only available to customers with a Copilot for Microsoft 365 (work) license. It is not currently available to customers with a Copilot Pro (home) license.

With Copilot in PowerPoint, you can create a presentation from an existing Word document. Point Copilot in PowerPoint to your Word document, and it will generate slides, apply layouts, create speaker notes, and choose a theme for you.

Select the Word document you want from the picker that appears. If you don't see the document you want, start typing any part of the filename to search for it.

Note:  If the file picker doesn't appear type a front slash (/) to cause it to pop up.

Best practices when creating a presentation from a Word document

Leverage word styles to help copilot understand the structure of your document.

By using Styles in Word to organize your document, Copilot will better understand your document structure and how to break it up into slides of a presentation. Structure your content under Titles and Headers when appropriate and Copilot will do its best to generate a presentation for you.

Include images that are relevant to your presentation

When creating a presentation, Copilot will try to incorporate the images in your Word document. If you have images that you would like to be brought over to your presentation, be sure to include them in your Word document.

Start with your organization’s template

If your organization uses a standard template, start with this file before creating a presentation with Copilot. Starting with a template will let Copilot know that you would like to retain the presentation’s theme and design. Copilot will use existing layouts to build a presentation for you. Learn more about Making your presentations look great with Copilot in PowerPoint .

Tip:  Copilot works best with Word documents that are less than 24 MB.

Welcome to Copilot in PowerPoint

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PowerPoint presentations in a window not full screen

PowerPoint presentations don’t have to be full-screen, that’s the default and normal way to show a deck, but a window option is also there.  A windowed presentation lets you display the slides in other software like virtual cameras or desktop capture.

Go to Slide Show | Setup Slide show and choose ‘Browsed by an individual (window)’.

The options are the same in PowerPoint for Windows or Mac.

Start the slide show (Slide Show | From Beginning or From Current Slide) as usual except now it appears in a resizable window.

Windowed presentation controls

There are back and forward slide buttons on the bottom status bar (see above).

Click on the icon between those two buttons to see some more options.

The same options appear if you right-click in the presentation while windowed.

• Next / Previous
• Go to Slide – choose a slide from the flyout list.
• Go to Section – for decks in Sections
• Zoom In / Zoom Out
• Print Preview and Print
• Edit Slides
• Full Screen

It would be really nice if Presenter View could appear in a second window – but alas it’s not an option. That would let the use control the presentation properly while the slides appear in another window (which could be visible via a third-party tool).

Switching Full Screen and window slide show

Starting from a windowed presentation means you can switch between Full Screen and the window presentation without showing the entire PowerPoint menus etc.  It’s a little neater and more professional.

Go to Full Screen from the menu option.

In Full Screen mode press Escape to return to the windowed presentation.

Why use a windowed PowerPoint presentation?

Having the slides in a resizable window gives you options not available when the deck is taking up the whole screen.

Perhaps you’re demonstrating some software?  Have the presentation in one window and the software in another? See A better Side-by-Side document view for Windows and Mac to see how to use windows controls in Windows or Split View on a Mac.

A windowed presentation can be selected as an input option for a virtual camera or other service which lets you choose to display a selected running program.  Full screen PowerPoint can’t be selected but the same slide can be chosen from a windowed presentation.

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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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9 PowerPoint Mistakes to Avoid for Perfect Presentations

It's easy to screw up your PowerPoint presentation. Let's take a look at mistakes you probably make when presenting your slideshow, and how to correct them.

Giving an effective PowerPoint presentation is an art. We've all sat through a dreadful slideshow that we couldn't wait to escape from. Whether due to a drab speaker or lousy slides, there's usually room for improvement.

The good news is you can prevent your audience from hating your next presentation! Let's review the most common mistakes people make when preparing and giving a PowerPoint presentation. Knowing these recurrent blunders gives you a leg up, and helps you nail your next important talk.

1. You Load Up Slides With Text

Perhaps the biggest mistake people make in presentations is overloading every slide with text. This detracts from your talk for several reasons. For one, people are naturally inclined to read everything on the screen. If it takes them half a minute to digest everything, they aren't listening to you during that time.

If you have too much text on a slide and advance the slideshow before someone has a chance to read through everything, they might get upset and stop paying attention to the slideshow at all. Less is more with text. Don't be afraid to use space to add emphasis to what's present, or break a particularly meaty section into two slides.

When in doubt, remember that people are either going to pay attention to your slides, or pay attention to you. If you tend towards wordiness, stick to bullet points and short phrases instead of sentences. For a rule of thumb, limit yourself to five bullet points per slide, with no more than five words per bullet point.

2. You Use Stupid Transitions

Every new version of PowerPoint includes more wacky transitions , but you shouldn't use them. Aside from being resource-intensive on weaker machines , many slide transition effects are distracting and don't add anything to your talk.

You should certainly use a transition to keep the slideshow interesting, but stick with something simple like a wipe or slide. And never, ever select the Random option since it will undoubtedly choose the wildest transition at the worst time. You don't want your audience to worry more about what transition is coming next than what you'll say next.

3. You Mix Fonts and Colors

While you don't want your slideshow to feature black Times New Roman text with a white background, it's easy to overdo it in the other direction, too. If you choose to get colorful , stick to a few colors that blend well and use them for emphasis.

The same goes for fonts. You should choose a font that's easy to read. As fancy as handwritten script looks , it's probably impossible to read if you're not standing right in front of the screen . Try to stick to one font throughout the entire presentation, and definitely don't mix fonts on the same slide!

Few colors and fonts make for solid presentations because they mean consistency. It's childish to cram as many pretty fonts and colors onto one slide as you can. It looks messy, and while Georgia font isn't too exciting, people would prefer to read your text instead of admiring how fancy it looks.

4. You Read Slides Verbatim

This one might take the prize for worst possible trait during a PowerPoint presentation. Reading your slides word for word will bore the audience, and makes you seem rigid instead of dynamic .

Remember two important notes to help with this problem. First, PowerPoint slides don't need to contain every little bit of information you're discussing. Use them as little attention-grabbers so your audience understands the current topic, but wants to listen to you explain more.

Second, your PowerPoint slides are not for your use! Your slideshow is not the presentation -- the presentation is your talk. PowerPoint slides are simply a tool you use to better communicate. You shouldn't need your slides to stay on topic. Practicing will help with this.

If you have trouble remembering what you want to say, use the notes section of each PowerPoint slide. Then when you display the slideshow, your monitor will display a snapshot of the current and next slide, along with any notes you've jotted for that slide. Stopping to turn around and look at your slides, or reading them aloud, will not effectively bring your message to the audience. Anyone in the audience could stand up and read the slide, but you know the material.

5. Your Charts Are Complex and Useless

Adding media other than text (in moderation) to a slide makes it more interesting and grabs the audience's attention. When you're representing data in the presentation, charts are an easy way to show the relevant information in one image.

Charts are great , but it's important that you don't go overboard with them. The audience won't have the patience to decipher all sorts of colors, trend lines, keys, and text. If the chart isn't self-explanatory for the average audience member, or if you can't explain it in a sentence, you need to make it less complicated .

6. Your Template Is Boring

Take the extra few minutes to find a template that fits your presentation, or even make your own if you're so inclined. While some of the built-in PowerPoint templates might seem a little generic, you'll likely find one that's sharp without being overbearing. Don't choose anything that's too wacky with all sorts of colors, but feel free to find something unique.

Black text on a white background is ugly, but white text on a black background is passable if you don't have any other options. If you need some help, check out awesome free PowerPoint templates for everyone.

7. You Minimize PowerPoint for Other Media

As great as PowerPoint is, often you have to leave the slideshow to put some other content on the screen. Maybe you want to show a relevant YouTube video or visit the company's website. While this is sometimes unavoidable, it's jarring to jump back and forth between windows, even with slick keyboard shortcuts .

That's why you should embed everything you can inside your presentation. We've shown how to embed YouTube videos inside PowerPoint and it's easy to take a screenshot of any website to paste into your slides. If you can avoid leaving the slideshow, do so for a smoother experience.

8. You Don't Remove White Space From Images

Here's a common error that only takes a few seconds to correct. Often seen in college lecture slides and the like, many folks tend to copy and paste images from a Google search into their slides. The trouble is that most of these images include an ugly white border around them, which looks amateurish.

You can remove this white border easily using a free image editor like Paint.NET . Just open the image, and use the magic wand tool to select the white space around the image. Press Delete to remove the white space, then hit File > Save As and make sure you save the image as a PNG . A PNG file makes that deleted space transparent, while JPEGs don't support transparency .

Paste the fixed image into your slideshow and it will look so much better!

9. You Don't Ensure Everyone Can See the Material

Preparation is an essential part of every presentation, but you should do more than just practice your talk. Failing to ensure that people will be able to see everything you've put together could torpedo all your work.

If you have the chance, test your slideshow in the room where you'll be speaking, on the equipment you'll use. Make sure that no graphics or text appear cut off on the projector, and test out various seats in the room to confirm that the text isn't too small from far away. This might sound excessive, but it goes a long way in producing a professional presentation.

What Presentation Mistakes Do You Hate?

PowerPoint is a relatively simple tool , but it's clearly difficult to master. From mistakes in slide creation to blunders during your talk, there's a lot that could go wrong when you're responsible for a presentation. You can improve many of these with practice, which will improve your confidence, too.

In the end, a prepared presentation can salvage poor slides. However, a lousy slideshow damages the audience's impression of you, so it's best to nail everything if you can. Using these tips, your slideshows will be cleaner, flow better, and further engage the audience! You can't ask for much more than that.

What do speakers do with PowerPoint that makes you cringe? Let us know your most hated slideshow mistakes down in the comments!

Image Credit: cunaplus via Shutterstock

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How to troubleshoot a damaged presentation in PowerPoint

• 5 contributors
• Applies to: PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, PowerPoint 2010, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007

You may experience unexpected behavior when you work with a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. This behavior may occur because the presentation is damaged. This article contains step-by-step methods that may help you partly or fully restore your presentation.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user. You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

When you try to open or change a presentation that is damaged, you may experience the following symptoms:

When you try to open a presentation, you receive one of the following error messages:

This is not a PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint cannot open the type of file represented by <file_name>.ppt

Part of the file is missing.

You receive the following kinds of error messages:

General Protection Fault

Illegal Instruction

Invalid Page Fault

Low system resources

Out of memory

More Information

How to determine whether you have a damaged presentation.

There are several ways to determine whether you have a damaged presentation. You can try to open the file on another computer that has PowerPoint installed to see whether the unexpected behavior occurs on the other computer. You can try to create a new file in PowerPoint and see whether the unexpected behavior occurs with the new file. This section describes how to use existing presentations and how to create a new file in PowerPoint to determine whether the presentations have the same behavior.

Method 1: Open an existing presentation

• In PowerPoint 2007 select the Microsoft Office Button .
• Select a different presentation, and then select Open.

If this presentation opens and seems to be undamaged, go to Method 3 in this section. Otherwise, go to Method 2 to create a new presentation.

Method 2: Create a new presentation

Step 1: create the presentation.

• In PowerPoint 2007, select Installed Templates , and then select Introducing PowerPoint 2007 .
• Select Create . This process creates a presentation that is based on the template.
• In PowerPoint 2007 select the Microsoft Office Button , and then select Save .
• Type a name for the presentation, and then select Save .
• Exit PowerPoint.

Step 2: Open the new presentation

• In PowerPoint 2007 select the Microsoft Office Button , and then select Open .
• Select the new presentation, and then select Open .

If you cannot open or save the new presentation, go to Method 3.

If you cannot create a new presentation, PowerPoint may be damaged and a repair should be initiated. (See Method 3, Part 2 below.)

Method 3: General troubleshooting

Windows 10, windows 8.1, windows 8, and windows 7.

This procedure allows your computer to restart without startup add-ons. For a clean restart, follow these steps:

Sign in to the computer by using an account that has administrator rights.

Select Start, type msconfig.exe in the Start Search box, and then press Enter to start the System Configuration utility.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, you should type the password or provide confirmation.

On the General tab, select the Selective startup option, and then clear the Load startup items check box. (The Use Original Boot.ini check box is unavailable.)

On the Services tab, select the Hide all Microsoft services check box, and then select Disable all.

This step lets Microsoft services continue to run. After you do a clean restart, you should check Office performance and then resume usual startup.

This procedure will cause the Office program to check for issues and repair itself.

Select the Start button and type Control Panel.

Open the Control Panel, go to Uninstall or change a program (or Add or Remove Programs ).

Scroll through the list of programs and find your version of Microsoft Office. Right-select and then select Change .

We suggest that you do the online repair option.

Methods to try if you cannot open a presentation

Method 1: drag the presentation to the powerpoint program file icon, windows 10, windows 8.1, and windows 8.

Right-click the Windows icon on the Taskbar, and then select Run.

Type one of the following depending on your version of PowerPoint:

Select the Enter key.

Locate the Powerpnt.exe icon in Windows Explorer.

Drag the damaged presentation icon from one window to the Powerpnt.exe icon in the other window.

PowerPoint will try to open the presentation. If PowerPoint does not open the presentation, go to Method 2.

Select Start, and then select Documents. Or select Start and then search for Windows Explorer.

If you have the MSI version of PowerPoint 2013 installed, type %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\office15 (PowerPoint 2013 64 bit) or %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Office\office15 (PowerPoint 2013 32 bit), and then press Enter.

If you have PowerPoint 2013 Select-to-Run installed, type C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15 (PowerPoint 2013 64 bit) or C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15 (PowerPoint 2013 32 bit), and then press Enter.

If you have the MSI version of PowerPoint 2016 installed, type %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Office\office16, and then press Enter.

If you have PowerPoint 2016 Select-to-Run installed, type %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\root\Office16 (PowerPoint 2016 64 bit) or %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Office\root\Office16 (PowerPoint 2016 32 bit), and then press Enter.

Method 2: Try to insert slides into a blank presentation

Step 1: create a blank presentation.

• In PowerPoint 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click New .
• Select Blank Presentation, and then select Create.

This process creates a blank title slide. You can delete this slide later after you re-create the presentation.

Step 2: Insert the damaged presentation as slides

• On the Home tab, select the arrow next to New slides in the Slides group, and then select Reuse Slides.
• In the Reuse Slides task pane, select Browse. Select the damaged presentation, and then select Open.
• Select Insert Slide for each slide in the damaged presentation.
• In PowerPoint 2007 click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Save .
• Type a new name for the presentation, and then select Save.

Step 3: Apply the damaged presentation as a template

If the presentation does not look the way that you expect after you try these steps, try to apply the damaged presentation as a template. To do this, follow these steps:

On the File menu, select Save as.

• In PowerPoint 2007 click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Save as .

This will make a backup copy of the restored presentation that you can use in case the damaged presentation damages this new presentation.

On the Design tab, select More in the Themes group, and then select Browse for Themes.

Select the damaged presentation, and then select Apply. The slide master of the damaged presentation replaces the new slide master.

If you start to experience unexpected behavior after you follow these steps, the template may have damaged the presentation. In this case, use the backup copy to re-create the master slide.

If the backup copy of the new presentation exhibits the same damage or strange behavior as the original presentation, go to Method 3.

Method 3: Try to open the temporary file version of the presentation

When you edit a presentation, PowerPoint creates a temporary copy of the file. This temporary file is named PPT ####.tmp.

The placeholder #### represents a random four-digit number.

This temporary file may be located in the same folder as the location to which the presentation is saved. Or it may be located in the temporary file folder.

Rename the file, and then try to open the file in PowerPoint

Right-select the file, and then select Rename.

Change the old file-name extension from .tmp to .pptx so that the file name resembles the following file name:

PPT ####.pptx

Start PowerPoint.

On the File menu, select Open.

Browse to the folder that contains the renamed file.

Try to open the file in PowerPoint.

More than one file may correspond to the temporary file that was created the last time that you saved the presentation. In this case, you may have to open each file to see whether one is the temporary copy of the presentation.

If there are no temporary files, or if the temporary files display the same kind of damage or strange behavior, go to Method 4.

Method 4: Make a copy of the damaged presentation

• Right-select the presentation, and then select Copy.
• In the Windows Explorer window, right-select in a blank space, and then select Paste.

If you cannot copy the file, the file may be damaged, or the file may reside on a damaged part of the computer's hard disk. In this case, go to Method 5.

If you can copy the file, try to open the copy of the damaged presentation in PowerPoint. If you cannot open the copy of the damaged presentation, try to repeat Method 1 through Method 5 in the "Methods to try if you cannot open a presentation" section below by using the copy of the damaged presentation.

Method 5: Run Error Checking on the hard disk drive

• Exit all open programs.
• Right-click the Start menu and select File Explorer .
• Right-select the hard disk drive that contains the damaged presentation.
• Select Properties, and then select the Tools tab.
• In Error-checking, select Check Now.
• Select the check box Automatically fix file system errors.
• Select the check box Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.
• Select Start.
• Select Start, and then select Computer.
• Right-click the hard disk drive that contains the damaged presentation.
• Select to select the Automatically fix file system errors check box.
• Select to select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box.

Error checking may verify that the presentation is cross-linked and attempt to repair the presentation. However, this is not a guarantee that PowerPoint will be able to read the presentation.

Methods to try if you can open a damaged presentation

Method 1: try to apply the damaged presentation as a template.

• In PowerPoint 2007, select the Microsoft Office Button , and then select New .
• Select Blank Presentation , and then select Create . This process creates a blank title slide. (You can delete this slide after you re-create the presentation.)

Step 2: Insert the damaged presentation into the blank presentation

• On the Home tab, select the arrow next to New slides in the Slides group, and then select Reuse Slides .
• In the Reuse Slides task pane, select Browse .
• Select the damaged presentation, and then select Open .
• Select the Microsoft Office button, and then select Save .

If the presentation does not look the way that you expect it to look after you try follow these steps, try to apply the damaged presentation as a template. To do this, follow these steps:

• On the File menu, select Save as .
• In PowerPoint 2007, select the Microsoft Office Button , and then select Save as .

Type a new name for the presentation, and then select Save .

On the Design tab, select More in the Themes group, and then select Browse for Themes .

Select the damaged presentation, and then select Apply . The slide master of the damaged presentation replaces the new slide master.

If the backup copy of the new presentation still displays damage or strange behavior, go to Method 2.

Method 2: Transfer the slides from the damaged presentation to a blank presentation

• In PowerPoint 2007, select the Microsoft Office Button , and then select Open .
• Locate the damaged presentation, and then select Open .
• Select Blank Presentation , and then select Create . This process creates a blank title slide.

Step 2: Copy slides from the damaged presentation to the new presentation

On the View tab, select Slide Sorter . If you receive error messages when you switch views, try to use Outline view.

Select a slide that you want to copy. On the Home tab, select Copy .

If you want to copy more than one slide at a time, hold down the Shift key, and then select each slide that you want to copy.

Switch to the new presentation. To do this, on the Window tab, select Switch Window in the View group, and then select the new presentation that you created in step 1.

On the View tab, select Slide Sorter .

On the Home tab, select Paste .

Repeat steps 2a through 2f until the whole presentation is transferred.

In some cases, one damaged slide may cause a problem for the whole presentation. If you notice unexpected behavior in the new presentation after you copy a slide to the presentation, that slide is likely to be damaged. Re-create the slide, or copy sections of the slide to a new slide.

If the new presentation shows damage or strange behavior, go to method 3.

Method 3: Save the presentation as a Rich Text Format (RTF) file

If there is damage throughout the presentation, the only option to recover the presentation may be to save the presentation as a Rich Text Format (RTF) file. If this method is successful, it recovers only the text that appears in Outline view.

Step 1: Save the presentation in the RTF file format

• Open the presentation.
• In PowerPoint 2007, select the Microsoft Office Button , select Save As , and then select Other Formats .
• In the Save as type list, select Outline/RTF(*.rtf) .
• In the File Name box, type the name that you want to use, select a location in which to save the presentation, and then select Save .
• Close the presentation.

Any graphics, tables, or other text in the original presentation will not be saved in the .rtf file.

Step 2: Open the .rtf file in PowerPoint

• On the File menu, select Open .
• In the Files of type list, select All Outlines or All Files .
• Select the .rtf file that you saved in step 1d, and then select Open .

This procedure will re-create the presentation based on the original presentation's outline view.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

PowerPoint presentations are not usually known for being engaging or interactive. That’s often because most people treat their slides as if they are notes to read off  and not a tool to help empower their message.

Your presentation slides are there to help bring to life the story you are telling. They are there to provide visuals and empower your speech.

So how do you go about avoiding a presentation “snoozefest” and instead ensure you have an engaging and interactive presentation?  By making sure that you use your slides to help YOU tell your story, instead of using them as note cards to read off of.

The key thing to remember is that your presentation is there to compliment your speech, not be its focus.

In this article, we will review several presentation tips and tricks on how to become a storytelling powerhouse by building a powerful and engaging PowerPoint presentation.

Start with writing your speech outline, not with putting together slides

Use more images and less text, use high-quality images, keep the focus on you and your presentation, not the powerpoint, your presentation should be legible from anywhere in the room, use a consistent presentation design, one topic per slide, avoid information overwhelm by using the “rule of three”.

• Display one bullet at a time

Avoid unnecessary animations

• Only add content that supports your main points

Do not use PowerPoint as a teleprompter

• Never Give Out Copies of the Presentation

Re-focus the attention on you by fading into blackness

Change the tone of your voice when presenting, host an expert discussion panel, ask questions, embed videos, use live polling to get instant feedback and engage the audience.

• He kept his slides uncluttered and always strived for simplicity
• He was known to use large font size, the bigger, the better.
• He found made the complex sound simple.

He was known to practice, practice, and keep on practicing.

Summary – how to make your presentation engaging & interactive, fundamental rules to build powerful & engaging presentation slides.

Before we go into tips and tricks on how to add flair to your presentations and create effective presentations, it’s essential to get the fundamentals of your presentation right.

Your PowerPoint presentation is there to compliment your message, and the story you are telling. Before you can even put together slides, you need to identify the goal of your speech, and the key takeaways you want your audience to remember.

YOU and your speech are the focus of this presentation, not the slides – use your PowerPoint to complement your story.

Keep in mind that your slides are there to add to your speech, not distract from it.  Using too much text in your slides can be distracting and confusing to your audience. Instead, use a relevant picture with minimal text, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

This slide is not unusual, but is not a visual aid, it is more like an “eye chart”.

Aim for something simpler, easy to remember and concise, like the slides below.

Keep in mind your audience when designing your presentation, their background and aesthetics sense. You will want to avoid the default clip art and cheesy graphics on your slides.

While presenting make sure to control the presentation and the room by walking around, drawing attention to you and what you are saying.  You should occasionally stand still when referencing a slide, but never turn your back to your audience to read your slide.

You and your speech are the presentations; the slides are just there to aid you.

Most season presenters don’t use anything less than twenty-eight point font size, and even Steve Jobs was known to use nothing smaller than forty-point text fonts.

If you can’t comfortably fit all the text on your slide using 28 font size than you’re trying to say and cram too much into the slide, remember tip #1.4 – Use relevant images instead and accompany it with bullets.

Best Practice PowerPoint Presentation Tips

The job of your presentation is to help convey information as efficiently and clearly as possible. By keeping the theme and design consistent, you’re allowing the information and pictures to stand out.

However, by varying the design from slide to slide, you will be causing confusion and distraction from the focus, which is you and the information to be conveyed on the slide.

Technology can also help us in creating a consistent presentation design just by picking a topic and selecting a sample template style. This is possible thanks to the SlideModel’s AI slideshow maker .

Each slide should try to represent one topic or talking point. The goal is to keep the attention focused on your speech, and by using one slide per talking point, you make it easy for you to prepare, as well as easy for your audience to follow along with your speech.

Sometimes when creating our presentation, we can often get in our heads and try to over-explain. A simple way to avoid this is to follow the “ Rule of Three ,” a concept coined by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.

The idea is to stick to only 3 main ideas that will help deliver your point.  Each of the ideas can be further broken into 3 parts to explain further. The best modern example of this “Rule of Three” can be derived from the great Apple presentations given by Steve Jobs – they were always structured around the “Rule of Three.”

Display one sentence at a time

If you are planning to include text in your slides, try to avoid bullet lists, and use one slide per sentence. Be short and concise. This best practice focuses on the idea that simple messages are easy to retain in memory. Also, each slide can follow your storytelling path, introducing the audience to each concept while you speak, instead of listing everything beforehand.

Presentation Blunders To Avoid

In reality, there is no need for animations or transitions in your slides.

It’s great to know how to turn your text into fires or how to create a transition with sparkle effects, but the reality is the focus should be on the message. Using basic or no transitions lets the content of your presentation stand out, rather than the graphics.

If you plan to use animations, make sure to use modern and professional animations that helps the audience follow the story you are telling, for example when explaining time series or changing events over time.

Only add engaging content that supports your main points

You might have a great chart, picture or even phrase you want to add, but when creating every slide, it’s crucial to ask yourself the following question.

“Does this slide help support my main point?”

If the answer is no, then remove it.  Remember, less is more.

A common crutch for rookie presenters is to use slides as their teleprompter.

First of all, you shouldn’t have that much text on your slides. If you have to read off something, prepare some index cards that fit in your hand but at all costs do not turn your back on your audience and read off of your PowerPoint.  The moment you do that, you make the presentation the focus, and lose the audience as the presenter.

Avoid Giving Out Copies of the Presentation

At least not before you deliver a killer presentation; providing copies of your presentation gives your audience a possible distraction where they can flip through the copy and ignore what you are saying.

It’s also easy for them to take your slides out of context without understanding the meaning behind each slide.  It’s OK to give a copy of the presentation, but generally it is better to give the copies AFTER you have delivered your speech. If you decide to share a copy of your presentation, the best way to do it is by  generating a QR code  for it and placing it at the end of your presentation. Those who want a copy can simply scan and download it onto their phones.

Tips To Making Your Presentation More Engaging

The point of your presentation is to help deliver a message.

When expanding on a particularly important topic that requires a lengthy explanation it’s best to fade the slide into black.  This removes any distraction from the screen and re-focuses it on you, the present speaker. Some presentation devices have a built-in black screen button, but if they don’t, you can always prepare for this by adding a black side to your presentation at the right moment.

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

Part of making your presentation engaging is to use all the tools at your disposal to get your point across. Changing the inflection and tone of your voice as you present helps make the content and the points more memorable and engaging.

One easy and powerful way to make your presentation interactive is experts to discuss a particular topic during your presentation. This helps create a more engaging presentation and gives you the ability to facilitate and lead a discussion around your topic.

It’s best to prepare some questions for your panel but to also field questions from the audience in a question and answer format.

How To Make Your Presentation More Interactive

What happens if I ask you to think about a pink elephant?  You probably briefly think about a pink elephant, right?

Asking questions when presenting helps engage the audience, and arouse interest and curiosity.  It also has the added benefit of making people pay closer attention, in case they get called on.

So don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if rhetorical; asking a question engages a different part of our brain. It causes us to reflect rather than merely take in the information one way. So ask many of them.

Asking questions can also be an excellent way to build suspense for the next slide.

(Steve Jobs was known to ask questions during his presentations, in this slide he built suspense by asking the audience “Is there space for a device between a cell phone and a laptop?” before revealing the iPad) Source: MacWorld SF 2018

Remember the point of your presentation is to get a message across and although you are the presenter, it is completely fine to use video in your PowerPoint to enhance your presentation.  A relevant video can give you some breathing time to prepare the next slides while equally informing the audience on a particular point.

CAUTION: Be sure to test the video beforehand, and that your audience can hear it in the room.

A trending engagement tool among presenters is to use a live polling tool to allow the audience to participate and collect immediate feedback.

Using a live polling tool is a fun and interactive way to engage your audience in real-time and allow them to participate in part of your presentation.

Google Slides has a built-in Q&A feature that allows presenters to make the slide deck more interactive by providing answers to the audience’s questions. By using the Q&A feature in Google Slides, presenters can start a live Q&A session and people can ask questions directly from their devices including mobile and smartphones.

Key Takeaways from one of the best presenters, Steve Jobs

He kept his slides uncluttered and always strove for simplicity.

In this slide, you can easily see he is talking about the battery life, and it uses a simple image and a few words. Learning from Jobs, you can also make a great presentation too. Focus on the core benefit of your product and incorporate great visuals.

Source: Macworld 2008

SlideModel.com can help to reproduce high-impact slides like these, keeping your audience engagement.

He was known to use large font sizes, the bigger, the better

A big font makes it hard to miss the message on the slide, and allows the audience to focus on the presenter while clearing the understanding what the point of the slide is.

He found made the complex sound simple

When explaining a list of features, he used a simple image and lines or simple tables to provide visual cues to his talking points.

(This particular slide is referencing the iMac features)

What made Steve Jobs the master of presentation, was the ritual of practicing with his team, and this is simple yet often overlooked by many presenters.  It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking you don’t need to practice because you know the material so well.

While all these tips will help you create a truly powerful presentation , it can only achieve if applied correctly.

It’s important to remember when trying to deliver an amazing experience, you should be thoroughly prepared. This way, you can elevate your content presentation, convey your message effectively and captivate your audience.

This includes having your research cited, your presentation rehearsed.  Don’t just rehearse your slides, also take time to practice your delivery, and your tone.  The more you rehearse, the more relaxed you will be when delivering. The more confident you will feel.

While we can’t help you with the practice of your next presentation, we can help you by making sure you look good, and that you have a great design and cohesiveness.

You focus on the message and content; we’ll focus on making you look good.

Have a tip you would like to include?  Be sure to mention it in the comments!

Like this article? Please share

Audience, Engaging, Feedback, Interactive, Poll, Rule of Three, Steve Jobs Filed under Presentation Ideas

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People are promoted to management positions for a variety of reasons. For many, they rise to the top because of their knowledge, technical skills, and decision-making capabilities. As a manager, your effectiveness also strongly depends on your ability to communicate well with your team members and other stakeholders. Here is a quick guide on Interpersonal Communication for Managers.

Filed under Business • June 27th, 2019

Using 360 Degree Feedback in Your Organization

Many organizations use 360 degree feedback to provide assessment for employees via multiple sources to analyze the knowledge, skill and behavior of employees. It is also known as multi-rater feedback, multi-source feedback, 360 Degree Review and multi-source assessment, since it is used frequently for assessing the performance of an employee and to determine his/her future […]

2 Responses to “23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations”

Very great advices!

Greetings ! A compact composed communication for the host to have an impact -VOICE

Thank You ?

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PowerPoint isn't responding, hangs or freezes

Problems with PowerPoint 2013 or a newer version hanging, freezing or not responding may occur for one or more of the several reasons. Try these solutions in the order listed below:

Install the latest Office updates

Send a frown to the Office product team

Check whether powerpoint is in use by another process, investigate possible issues with add-ins, repair office, check to see if your antivirus software is up-to-date, check whether antivirus software is conflicting with powerpoint, change printer defaults.

Try some advanced troubleshooting solutions

Install the latest updates

Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can often correct problems by replacing out-of-date files and fixing vulnerabilities. To install the latest Office updates, see Install Office updates .

You can also attempt to get updates manually at any time. If installing the latest Office updates doesn't resolve your issue, continue to the next step.

If you're using Office 2016, on the File tab in PowerPoint, select Feedback . Click Send a Frown . (The Feedback pane opens on the right side of the PowerPoint window.)

Describe the problem, and then please select the Include diagnostic and usage data box. (Sending diagnostic data to the Office product team allows it to analyze the context in which your problem has occurred. This helps the team determine what needs to be fixed in the software.)

Click Submit to transmit the feedback to the Office team.

If PowerPoint is in use by another process, this information will be displayed in the horizontal status bar at the bottom of the screen. If you try to perform other actions while PowerPoint is in use, PowerPoint may not respond. Let the task in process finish its job before attempting other actions.

If PowerPoint is not in use by another process, continue to the next step.

While add-ins can enhance your experience, they can occasionally interfere or conflict with PowerPoint. Try starting PowerPoint without add-ins to see if the problem goes away. Here’s how:

Do one of the following:

If you're running Windows 10, click the Start button in the lower-left corner of the screen.

If you are running Windows 8, move your mouse to the upper right corner of your screen and select Search .

If you are running Windows 7, click Start .

Type PowerPnt /safe , and then click OK .

If the issue is resolved, on the File menu, click Options , and then click Add-Ins .

Select COM Add-ins , and then click Go .

Click to clear all the check boxes (Disable the Add-ins) in the list, and then click OK .

Restart PowerPoint.

If the issue does not occur, start enabling the add-ins one at a time until the issue occurs. This will allow you to figure out which add-in is causing the problem. Be sure to restart PowerPoint each time you enable an add-in.

If disabling add-ins did not resolve your issue, continue to the next step.

Repairing your Office programs can resolve issues with PowerPoint not responding, hanging, or freezing by automatically repairing errors in the file.

Close any Microsoft Office applications that are running.

Open Control Panel , and then open Programs and Features .

In the list of installed applications, right-click your version of Microsoft Office , and then click Change and select Repair .

If repairing your Office programs did not resolve your issue, continue to the next step

If your antivirus software is not up-to-date, PowerPoint may not function properly. Download the latest updates by visiting your antivirus software vendor’s website.

For a list of antivirus software vendors, see Consumer security software providers

If your antivirus software includes integration with PowerPoint, you may experience performance issues. In this case, you can disable all PowerPoint integration within the antivirus software. Or, you can disable any antivirus software add-ins that are installed in PowerPoint.

Warning:  Changing your antivirus settings may make your PC vulnerable to viral, fraudulent, or malicious attacks. Microsoft does not recommend that you attempt to change your antivirus settings. Use this workaround at your own risk.

You may have to contact your antivirus software vendor to determine how to configure software to exclude any integration with PowerPoint or to exclude scanning in PowerPoint.

If updating you antivirus software, and excluding it from integrating with PowerPoint did not resolve your issue, continue to Advanced Troubleshooting.

PowerPoint loads a default printer, and changing this setting may resolve the issue:

Open the Control Panel , and then open Hardware and Sound .

In the list of printers, right click on either the Microsoft XPS Document Writer or Send to OneNote.

Select Set as default printer from the menu.

Advanced troubleshooting

This section is intended for more advanced computer users.

Perform a Selective Startup to determine if another program is conflicting with PowerPoint

When you start Windows normally, several applications and services start automatically and then run in the background. These applications and services can interfere with other software on your PC. Changing your startup settings can sometimes help you resolve issues.

Windows 10 Startup Settings (including safe mode)

Windows 8.1 Startup Settings (including safe mode)

Windows 7 Advanced startup options (including safe mode)

If performing a Selective Startup does not resolve your issue, please contact Microsoft Support .

If you’re having the issue on Office 2010, please see: PowerPoint 2010 not responding, hangs or freezes

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How To Get Free Access To Microsoft PowerPoint

E very time you need to present an overview of a plan or a report to a whole room of people, chances are you turn to Microsoft PowerPoint. And who doesn't? It's popular for its wide array of features that make creating effective presentations a walk in the park. PowerPoint comes with a host of keyboard shortcuts for easy navigation, subtitles and video recordings for your audience's benefit, and a variety of transitions, animations, and designs for better engagement.

But with these nifty features comes a hefty price tag. At the moment, the personal plan — which includes other Office apps — is at $69.99 a year. This might be the most budget-friendly option, especially if you plan to use the other Microsoft Office apps, too. Unfortunately, you can't buy PowerPoint alone, but there are a few workarounds you can use to get access to PowerPoint at no cost to you at all.

Read more: The 20 Best Mac Apps That Will Improve Your Apple Experience

Method #1: Sign Up For A Free Microsoft Account On The Office Website

Microsoft offers a web-based version of PowerPoint completely free of charge to all users. Here's how you can access it:

• Visit the Microsoft 365 page .
• If you already have a free account with Microsoft, click Sign in. Otherwise, press "Sign up for the free version of Microsoft 365" to create a new account at no cost.
• On the Office home page, select PowerPoint from the side panel on the left.
• Click on "Blank presentation" to create your presentation from scratch, or pick your preferred free PowerPoint template from the options at the top (there's also a host of editable templates you can find on the Microsoft 365 Create site ).
• Create your presentation as normal. Your edits will be saved automatically to your Microsoft OneDrive as long as you're connected to the internet.

It's important to keep in mind, though, that while you're free to use this web version of PowerPoint to create your slides and edit templates, there are certain features it doesn't have that you can find on the paid version. For instance, you can access only a handful of font styles and stock elements like images, videos, icons, and stickers. Designer is also available for use on up to three presentations per month only (it's unlimited for premium subscribers). When presenting, you won't find the Present Live and Always Use Subtitles options present in the paid plans. The biggest caveat of the free version is that it won't get any newly released features, unlike its premium counterparts.

Method #2: Install Microsoft 365 (Office) To Your Windows

Don't fancy working on your presentation in a browser? If you have a Windows computer with the Office 365 apps pre-installed or downloaded from a previous Office 365 trial, you can use the Microsoft 365 (Office) app instead. Unlike the individual Microsoft apps that you need to buy from the Microsoft Store, this one is free to download and use. Here's how to get free PowerPoint on the Microsoft 365 (Office) app:

• Search for Microsoft 365 (Office) on the Microsoft Store app.
• Install and open it.
• Sign in with your Microsoft account. Alternatively, press "Create free account" if you don't have one yet.
• Click on Create on the left side panel.
• Select Presentation.
• In the PowerPoint window that opens, log in using your account.
• Press Accept on the "Free 5-day pass" section. This lets you use PowerPoint (and Word and Excel) for five days — free of charge and without having to input any payment information.
• Create your presentation as usual. As you're using the desktop version, you can access the full features of PowerPoint, including the ability to present in Teams, export the presentation as a video file, translate the slides' content to a different language, and even work offline.

The only downside of this method is the time limit. Once the five days are up, you can no longer open the PowerPoint desktop app. However, all your files will still be accessible to you. If you saved them to OneDrive, you can continue editing them on the web app. If you saved them to your computer, you can upload them to OneDrive and edit them from there.

Method #3: Download The Microsoft PowerPoint App On Your Android Or iOS Device

If you're always on the move and need the flexibility of creating and editing presentations on your Android or iOS device, you'll be glad to know that PowerPoint is free and available for offline use on your mobile phones. But — of course, there's a but — you can only access the free version if your device is under 10.1 inches. Anything bigger than that requires a premium subscription. If your phone fits the bill, then follow these steps to get free PowerPoint on your device:

• Install Microsoft PowerPoint from the App Store or Google Play Store .
• Log in using your existing Microsoft email or enter a new email address to create one if you don't already have an account.
• On the "Get Microsoft 365 Personal Plan" screen, press Skip For Now.
• If you're offered a free trial, select Try later (or enjoy the free 30-day trial if you're interested).
• To make a new presentation, tap the plus sign in the upper right corner.
• Change the "Create in" option from OneDrive - Personal to a folder on your device. This allows you to save the presentation to your local storage and make offline edits.
• Press "Set as default" to set your local folder as the default file storage location.
• Choose your template from the selection or use a blank presentation.
• Edit your presentation as needed.

Do note that PowerPoint mobile comes with some restrictions. There's no option to insert stock elements, change the slide size to a custom size, use the Designer feature, or display the presentation in Immersive Reader mode. However, you can use font styles considered premium on the web app.

Method #4: Use Your School Email Address

Office 365 Education is free for students and teachers, provided they have an email address from an eligible school. To check for your eligibility, here's what you need to do:

• Go to the Office 365 Education page .
• Type in your school email address in the empty text field.
• Press "Get Started."
• On the next screen, verify your eligibility. If you're eligible, you'll be asked to select whether you're a student or a teacher. If your school isn't recognized, however, you'll get a message telling you so.
• For those who are eligible, proceed with creating your Office 365 Education account. Make sure your school email can receive external mail, as Microsoft will send you a verification code for your account.
• Once you're done filling out the form, press "Start." This will open your Office 365 account page.

You can then start making your PowerPoint presentation using the web app. If your school's plan supports it, you can also install the Office 365 apps to your computer by clicking the "Install Office" button on your Office 365 account page and running the downloaded installation file. What sets the Office 365 Education account apart from the regular free account is that you have unlimited personal cloud storage and access to other Office apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Read the original article on SlashGear .