You have a presentation to prepare — for university, work, or a school assignment — and you don't know where to start? This is a situation that thousands of people face every day. A program screen full of options can be overwhelming, and a blank white slide doesn't make things any easier.
If you're looking for an answer to the question how to make a PowerPoint presentation, you've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll walk you through the entire process of creating a presentation — from launching the program for the first time, through adding content and visual effects, all the way to saving the finished PPTX file.
You don't need graphic design experience or advanced technical knowledge. Just a few minutes of reading, and you'll know how to build clear slides, avoid the most common mistakes, and give your presentation a professional look.
What is PowerPoint and why it still dominates
Microsoft PowerPoint is a multimedia presentation software that first appeared on the market in 1987. Since then, it has become a global standard — in companies, schools, universities, and public administration alike. It is part of the Microsoft 365 suite (formerly Office), which means millions of users have immediate access to it.
Despite growing competition from Google Slides, Canva, and Keynote, PowerPoint maintains its leading position for several reasons:
- Compatibility — the PPTX format is recognized virtually everywhere. When you send a PowerPoint file, you can be sure the recipient will be able to open it.
- Advanced features — Slide Master, SmartArt diagrams, embedded Excel charts, VBA macros — no competitor offers such an extensive set of tools.
- Microsoft ecosystem — integration with Word, Excel, OneDrive, and Teams makes PowerPoint the natural choice in corporate environments.
- Online and mobile versions — you don't need to install the program on your computer. The free version at office.com lets you create and edit slides in a browser.
PowerPoint has its limitations, of course — the interface can be overwhelming for beginners, and the program itself won't tell you what should go on your slides. But when it comes to flexibility and versatility, it's hard to find a better tool.
When PowerPoint is the best choice
Not every situation calls for PowerPoint — sometimes Canva is enough, and sometimes Google Slides works better. But there are scenarios where PowerPoint is clearly the best option:
- Corporate environment — in companies using Microsoft 365, PowerPoint is the standard. Company templates, brand colors, and macros are designed specifically for this program.
- Formal academic presentations — thesis defenses, lectures, and academic conferences often require PPTX files. Professors expect a specific format.
- Advanced data visualization — if you need to embed dynamic Excel charts, create complex SmartArt diagrams, or use the Morph transition, PowerPoint is unmatched.
- Offline work — unlike Google Slides or Canva, the desktop version of PowerPoint works without the internet. At a conference in a hotel without Wi-Fi, this is a critical advantage.
- Compatibility with projectors and AV systems — conference rooms and lecture halls are optimized for PowerPoint. A PPTX file simply works.
If your situation matches one of these scenarios, it's worth knowing how to make a PowerPoint presentation properly and without unnecessary complications.
How to make a PowerPoint presentation step by step
Below you'll find a detailed guide that walks you through every stage of creating a presentation — from launching the program to exporting the finished file.
Launching the program and creating a new file
When you open PowerPoint, you'll see the start screen with several options:
- Blank Presentation — a clean slide where you build everything from scratch.
- Theme templates — pre-made graphic designs ready to be filled with content. Just pick a template and replace the text.
- Recently opened — quick access to presentations you've worked on before.
For beginners, the best approach is to choose a template — it ensures a consistent look without having to design from scratch. If you have a clear vision, go with a blank presentation. After creating the file, save it immediately with Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac). Saving regularly is a habit that protects you from losing your work.
It's also a good idea to go straight to the Design tab and choose a color theme. A theme is a set of colors, fonts, and graphic effects that gives your presentation a cohesive character. Hover over a theme thumbnail to see a live preview, then click to apply it.
Adding and organizing slides
A new presentation starts with a single title slide. You can add more slides in several ways:
- Click New Slide on the Home tab.
- Use the shortcut Ctrl+M — the fastest method.
- Right-click in the thumbnail panel on the left and select New Slide.
PowerPoint offers several standard layouts: title slide, title and content, two columns, blank slide, section header. To change the layout of an existing slide, right-click it and select Layout. Use a variety of layouts — monotony from a single slide type tires the viewer.
You can freely move slides by dragging them in the thumbnail panel, copy them (Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V), duplicate them (Ctrl+D), or delete them (Delete key). For a large number of slides, use the Slide Sorter view (View -> Slide Sorter).
Entering text and formatting
Text is the foundation of every presentation, but it's also the most common cause of poorly designed slides. The key rule: a slide is not a document. It should contain bullet points and key information, not full paragraphs.
Proven text formatting rules:
- Slide titles: size 28–36 pt, bold sans-serif font (Calibri, Arial, Segoe UI).
- Body text: size 18–24 pt.
- Don't use more than 2 different fonts in a single presentation.
- Limit bullet points to 5–7 per slide — each point should be a short phrase, not a sentence.
- Ensure good contrast between text and background. Dark text on a light background or vice versa.
You'll find formatting options on the Home tab. You can change the font, size, color, alignment, and add bold, italic, or underline. Besides classic bullets, you can use icons — insert them via Insert -> Icons. PowerPoint has a built-in library of hundreds of icons that can be colored and scaled.
Inserting images and graphics
A good image can replace several lines of text. To insert a graphic:
- Go to the Insert tab.
- Click Pictures — choose a file from your disk, from the internet, or from stock (Stock Images in Microsoft 365).
- Use the corner handles to resize (hold Shift to maintain proportions).
When you select an image, the Picture Format tab appears, allowing you to crop, adjust brightness and contrast, apply artistic effects, compress (important when you have many photos), and automatically remove the background.
Besides photos, consider using SmartArt diagrams — professional graphic layouts that you create with a single click. Insert them via Insert -> SmartArt. You can choose from lists, processes, cycles, hierarchies, relationships, and matrices. Just type your text, and PowerPoint automatically adjusts the graphic layout.
Remember about image quality — use a resolution of at least 1920x1080 pixels, especially when displaying on a projector. Avoid images with watermarks and check the license.
Object animations and slide transitions
Animations and transitions can both enhance and ruin the quality of a presentation. Used sparingly, they add dynamism — overdone, they distract from the content.
Object animations control how elements appear or disappear on a slide:
- Select an object (text, image, shape).
- Go to the Animations tab.
- Choose an effect: green for entrance, yellow for emphasis, red for exit.
- Use the Animation Pane to manage order and duration.
Recommended animations are Appear, Fade, and Fly In. Avoid spinning and bouncing effects — they look unprofessional. Use a consistent style throughout the entire presentation.
Slide transitions are effects displayed when changing slides. Configuration: select a slide, go to the Transitions tab, choose an effect, and set the duration (0.5–1 s). Click Apply to All for a uniform transition. The best options are Fade, Push, and Morph — the latter creates smooth transformations between slides and is available in newer versions of Microsoft 365.
Saving and exporting your presentation
Save your finished presentation in the appropriate format, depending on your needs:
- PPTX — the standard PowerPoint format. Preserves all animations, transitions, and editability. This is your main working file.
- PDF — best for sharing when the recipient doesn't need to edit. Export: File -> Save As -> PDF or File -> Export -> Create PDF/XPS.
- PPSX — a presentation that immediately launches in slideshow mode (without the editor view).
- MP4 — export as video with automatic transitions. File -> Export -> Create a Video.
- PNG/JPEG — export each slide as a separate image.
Before the final export, run the Accessibility Checker (Review -> Check Accessibility) — PowerPoint will flag elements that are difficult for people with disabilities to read, such as images without alt text.
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Most common mistakes in PowerPoint presentations
Knowing how to make a PowerPoint presentation, it's also worth knowing what to avoid. Here are the mistakes that most often ruin the final result:
- Walls of text — a slide filled with paragraphs causes the audience to stop listening and start reading. And then they do neither. Limit yourself to 5–7 short bullet points.
- Lack of visual consistency — every slide in a different style: different fonts, colors, margins. Solution: use Slide Master, which enforces a uniform look.
- Too many animations — flying, spinning, and bouncing elements are the plague of school presentations. A professional presentation uses at most 1–2 types of subtle animations.
- Low-quality images — pixelated, stretched photos with visible watermarks immediately lower credibility. Use graphics with at least Full HD resolution.
- Ignoring the 16:9 aspect ratio — a presentation in the old 4:3 format displayed on a modern projector looks bad. Check the aspect ratio in the Design tab -> Slide Size.
- No dress rehearsal — many issues (unreadable text, transitions that are too fast, poor contrast on a projector) only surface during the actual presentation. Always go through your slides in slideshow mode (F5) before the real event.
If you want to learn more rules for effective presentations, read our guide on how to make a good presentation.
Ready-made PowerPoint presentation structure — template
One of the biggest challenges is the question: what exactly should go on the slides? Here's a ready-made 10-slide presentation template that works in most situations — from a school presentation to a corporate report:
- Title slide — presentation title, author's name, date, logo (if applicable).
- Agenda / Presentation plan — 3–5 points you'll cover. Gives the viewer a roadmap.
- Context / Problem — why is this topic important? What problem are you solving?
- Data and facts — key numbers, statistics, a chart. One slide = one message.
- Solution / Main thesis (part 1) — the first substantive section with arguments.
- Solution / Main thesis (part 2) — continuation or a second argument.
- Example / Case study — a specific story, photo, quote. People remember examples better than abstract theses.
- Comparison or visualization — table, SmartArt diagram, comparison chart. A purely visual slide.
- Summary and conclusions — 3–4 key takeaways from the presentation. No new information.
- Closing slide / CTA — thank you, contact details, or a question for the audience.
You can expand this structure by adding slides between points 5–8, but maintain the logical flow: introduction, body, conclusion. For more tips on the optimal number of slides, check out the article how many slides should a presentation have.
How to speed up creating presentations in PowerPoint
Creating slides manually is a solid approach, but it takes time. If you already know the basics and understand how to make a PowerPoint presentation, it's worth learning methods that shorten the process:
- Templates with pre-made content — instead of starting from a blank slide, download a template tailored to your topic. Microsoft offers dozens of templates in the start gallery, and you can find more on sites like SlidesCarnival or SlidesGo.
- Slide Master — set the logo, colors, and fonts once, and every new slide will automatically inherit those settings. This saves hours of work on longer presentations.
- Keyboard shortcuts — Ctrl+M (new slide), Ctrl+D (duplicate), F5 (slideshow), Shift+F5 (slideshow from current slide). Knowing a dozen shortcuts can cut your work time by 30%.
- Format copying — Ctrl+Shift+C copies an object's formatting, Ctrl+Shift+V pastes it onto another object. Much faster than manually setting the font, size, and color every time.
These techniques help, but they still require manual work on content, layout, and graphics. The real breakthrough in presentation creation speed comes from artificial intelligence, which can generate a complete set of slides based on just a topic description.
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How to generate an AI presentation and open it in PowerPoint
If time is of the essence — say you have a meeting in an hour, a report due by end of day, or you simply prefer to focus on content rather than formatting — you can generate a presentation automatically using the Prezentacje AI tool.
The entire process is simple:
- Go to the Prezentacje AI website and describe your presentation topic in a few sentences.
- Artificial intelligence generates a complete set of slides — with substantive content, a well-thought-out layout, and professional graphics.
- Download the finished file in PPTX format.
- Open the file in PowerPoint and edit as needed — change the text, add your own data, modify the colors.
The key advantage: you get a PPTX file that is fully compatible with PowerPoint. It's not an image or a PDF — it's an editable document where you can change every element as if you had created it manually. You combine the speed of AI with the full control that PowerPoint provides.
This approach works especially well when you need to quickly prepare slides and then refine the details in PowerPoint. Instead of spending hours arranging elements from scratch, you start with a ready-made base and make adjustments.
Frequently asked questions
Is PowerPoint free?
The desktop version is part of the paid Microsoft 365 suite, but there is a free online version at office.com — all you need is a Microsoft account. It offers basic editing and collaboration features, though not all the advanced tools found in the desktop version.
How do I add animations in PowerPoint?
Select an object, go to the Animations tab, and choose an effect from the gallery. In the Animation Pane, you manage order, delay, and duration. Remember to use restraint — 1–2 types of animation throughout the entire presentation are enough.
What format should I save a PowerPoint presentation in?
PPTX is the standard, fully editable format. For sharing, use PDF. For automatic slideshow — PPSX. You can also export slides as MP4 video or PNG images.
How do I make a PowerPoint presentation on my phone?
Download the free Microsoft PowerPoint app from the App Store or Google Play. The mobile interface is simplified, but it supports basic features: adding slides, text, images, and simple animations.
How many slides should a PowerPoint presentation have?
It depends on the length of your talk. A popular rule suggests 1 slide per 1–2 minutes. For a 10-minute presentation, 7–10 slides are enough. Quality and readability of content matter more than the number of slides.
How do I insert a video into a PowerPoint presentation?
Go to the Insert -> Video tab. You can insert a file from your disk or embed a YouTube video (Online Video). After inserting, adjust the size and set whether playback should be automatic or on click.
Summary
Knowing how to make a PowerPoint presentation is a skill that's useful at every stage of your career and education. PowerPoint remains the most popular tool for creating slides in the world — and not without reason. It offers unmatched flexibility, advanced features, and compatibility that no alternative can match.
The most important rules to remember: less text on slides, consistent visual style, readable fonts, restraint with animations, and a logical presentation structure. If you follow these rules, your slides will look professional regardless of the topic.
And if you're short on time for manual creation — try Prezentacje AI, which will generate a ready-made PPTX file to open and edit in PowerPoint. You combine the speed of AI with full control over every element.
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