Microsoft PowerPoint software creates professional-looking slide shows suitable for projectors or large screen TVs. The result of this software is presentation . Typically, the presenter addresses the audience and uses a PowerPoint presentation to keep the audience’s attention and add visual information. However, some presentations are created and recorded to ensure they work only in digital format.
The information in this article applies to PowerPoint 2019 and 2016, PowerPoint for Office365, PowerPoint 2016, and PowerPoint Online.
Setting up PowerPoint presentations
PowerPoint presentations are output to photo albums—complete with music or stories—for sharing on CDs, DVDs, or flash drives. The software supports charts, images, and organization charts. Make your presentation on a web page for email distribution or as an advertisement displayed on your company’s website.
Easily customize presentations with your company logo and impress your audience using one of the many design templates, that come with the program. Many other free add-ons and templates are available online from Microsoft and other websites. In addition to on-screen slideshows, PowerPoint provides print options, that allow the speaker to provide handouts and outlines for the audience, as well as pages of notes that the presenter can refer to during the presentation.
Where to find PowerPoint
PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft Office suite and is also available as:
- Standalone program for Windows and Mac computers
- Part of an Office 365 subscription
- PowerPoint Online
- PowerPoint apps for Android and iOS mobile devices
How to use PowerPoint
PowerPoint comes with a variety of templates that set the tone for your presentation, from casual to formal or beyond.
Choose a template and replace the text and image placeholder with your own to customize your presentation. Add additional slides in the same format as you and add text, images and graphics. As you learn, add special effects, slide transitions, music, diagrams, and more. animation – all of these features are built into the software – to enrich the experience of the audience.
PowerPoint Collaboration
While PowerPoint is often used by an individual, it is also structured for use by a group to collaborate on a presentation.
In this case, the presentation is saved online in Microsoft One Drive OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint. When you’re ready to share, send your collaborators or colleagues a link to the PowerPoint file and assign them permissions to view or edit. Comments on the presentation are visible to all co-authors.