Creating a New Presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint

A presentation is a collection of slides arranged to explain information to an audience.

Each slide can contain a title, text, pictures, diagrams, charts, or other content.

Example: A teacher can create a presentation to explain computer fundamentals to students.

Microsoft PowerPoint is an application used to design and display slide-based presentations.

It is included in many Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 plans.

It is widely used in schools, colleges, offices, and businesses.

• Classroom teaching and student projects.
• Business meetings and project reports.
• Seminars and workshops.
• Product demonstrations.
• Training and educational lessons.

You can open PowerPoint from the Windows Start menu.

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type PowerPoint in the search box.
3. Select Microsoft PowerPoint from the results.
4. Wait for the application to open.

You can also open PowerPoint using a desktop shortcut if one is available.

The PowerPoint start screen commonly provides options for creating a blank presentation or choosing a template.

You may also see recently opened files and options for opening an existing presentation.

Choose the option that matches your task.

A blank presentation starts with a basic slide layout that you can customize.

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Select Blank Presentation.
3. Wait for the editing window to appear.
4. Begin adding your content.

This option is useful when you want to design your slides from the beginning.

A template is a pre-designed presentation that may include colors, layouts, backgrounds, and formatting.

1. Open PowerPoint.
2. Browse the available templates.
3. Select a suitable template.
4. Click Create if prompted.
5. Replace sample text and pictures with your own content.

Select a template according to the purpose of your presentation.

• Education: simple layouts with readable text.
• Business: professional colors and organized content.
• Creative projects: visually interesting designs.
• Reports: clear charts, tables, and headings.

Avoid backgrounds that make your text difficult to read.

The PowerPoint editing window contains several important areas.

• Title Bar: Displays the presentation name.
• Ribbon: Contains commands and tools.
• Slide Pane: Displays the current slide.
• Thumbnail Pane: Shows slide previews.
• Status Bar: Displays slide information and view options.

A new blank presentation commonly starts with a title slide.

The title slide usually contains a title placeholder and a subtitle placeholder.

Use these placeholders to introduce your topic and provide supporting information, such as your name or institute.

Click the title placeholder and type the main topic of your presentation.

Example: Introduction to Computers.

Use a short and meaningful title so that the audience can quickly understand the topic.

A subtitle provides additional information about the presentation.

For example, you can enter your name, class, course, institute, or presentation date.

Keep the subtitle shorter and visually less prominent than the main title.

A slide is an individual page of a PowerPoint presentation.

Each slide should explain one main idea or a closely related group of ideas.

Using several well-organized slides is often better than putting too much information on one slide.

You can add slides to expand your presentation.

1. Open the Home tab.
2. Find the New Slide command.
3. Click New Slide.
4. Choose a suitable layout if needed.

You can also use Ctrl + M in many desktop versions of PowerPoint to insert a new slide.

A slide layout determines how placeholders are arranged on a slide.

Common layouts include Title Slide, Title and Content, Section Header, Two Content, and Blank.

Choose a layout that matches the type of information you want to present.

Save your presentation so that you can open and edit it later.

1. Click File.
2. Select Save As if you are saving a new file.
3. Choose a folder.
4. Enter a file name.
5. Click Save.

You can commonly use Ctrl + S to save your work.

Give your presentation a name that describes its content.

Examples: Computer_Fundamentals, English_Grammar, or ADCA_Introduction.

A meaningful file name makes your presentation easier to locate later.

.pptx is the standard modern PowerPoint presentation file extension.

It stores slides, text, images, layouts, and other presentation content.

Example: MyPresentation.pptx.

.ppt is an older PowerPoint presentation file format.

It may be needed when working with older versions of presentation software.

For most new projects, PPTX is the usual choice unless compatibility requirements specify otherwise.

1. Open PowerPoint.
2. Click File.
3. Select Open.
4. Browse to the folder containing the file.
5. Select the presentation and click Open.

You may also open a compatible presentation by double-clicking its file in File Explorer.

The thumbnail pane displays small previews of your slides.

Click a thumbnail to select the corresponding slide.

You can also use this pane to rearrange slides by dragging them into a new position.

Undo reverses a recent action, such as typing, formatting, or moving an object.

Press Ctrl + Z to undo an action in most desktop versions.

Use Undo when you make a mistake while creating or editing your presentation.

Redo restores an action that you previously reversed with Undo.

In many desktop versions, Ctrl + Y repeats or redoes an action.

Use Redo when you decide that the undone change was actually needed.

Slide size determines the dimensions and proportions of your presentation.

Open the Design tab and find the Slide Size command in versions that provide it there.

Widescreen 16:9 is common for modern displays, while other sizes may be required for older equipment or printing.

A theme provides coordinated colors, fonts, and visual effects for slides.

Open the Design tab and choose a theme that suits your subject.

Using a consistent theme helps your presentation look professional.

Slide Show mode displays your slides for an audience.

Press F5 in many desktop versions to start the slide show from the beginning.

Use Shift + F5 in many desktop versions to start from the current slide.

Save your presentation regularly while working.

Saving reduces the risk of losing changes if the application closes unexpectedly.

Check the file name and folder before finishing your work.

• Forgetting to save the presentation.
• Using unclear file names.
• Putting too much text on a slide.
• Choosing difficult-to-read colors.
• Using different designs on every slide without a reason.

Keep your presentation organized, readable, and consistent.

Task: Create a presentation about Computer Fundamentals.

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Create a blank presentation.
3. Enter the title: Computer Fundamentals.
4. Enter your name as the subtitle.
5. Add two more slides.
6. Choose a suitable theme.
7. Save the file as computer_fundamentals.pptx.
8. Start the slide show and review your slides.

You have learned how to create a new PowerPoint presentation, choose a template, enter a title, add slides, select layouts, and save your file.

You also learned basic file formats, useful keyboard shortcuts, and how to start a slide show.

Practise these steps to become comfortable with the PowerPoint interface.