Customizing Slide Layouts

To Change the Layout of an Existing Slide:

1. Select the slide you wish to change.
   Selecting a slide
2. Click the Layout command in the Slides group on the Home tab. A menu will appear with your options.
   Layout command
3. Choose a layout from the menu. The slide will change in the presentation.
   Choosing a layout

To Delete a Placeholder:

1. Position your mouse on the dotted border of the placeholder so it changes to a cross with arrows .
2. Click the border to select it.
   A selected placeholder
3. Press Backspace or Delete on your keyboard. The placeholder will be removed from the slide.

To Add a Text Box:

1. From the Insert tab, click the Text Box command. 
   Text Box command
2. Your cursor will turn into an upside-down cross .
   Text Box cursor
3. Click, hold, and drag your mouse to draw a text box. A text box will appear.
   A text box

To Use a Blank Slide:

• Select Blank from the menu of layout options.

Choosing a blank slide
Working with Slides
To Insert a New Slide:
1. From the Home tab, click the bottom half of the New Slide command to open the menu of slide layout options.
   New Slide command
2. Select the slide you want to insert.
   Choosing a slide
3. A new slide will be added your presentation.
   
To instantly add a slide that uses the same layout as the one you have selected, simply click the top half of theNew Slide command.
New Slide
To Copy and Paste a Slide:
1. On the Slides tab in the left pane, select the slide you wish to copy.
2. Click the Copy command on the Home tab. You can also right-click your selection and choose Copy.
   Copy command
3. In the left pane, click just below a slide (or between two slides) to choose the location where you want the copy to appear. A horizontal insertion point will mark the location.
   Slide insertion point
4. Click the Paste command on the Home tab. You can also right-click and choose Paste. The copied slide will appear.
   Paste command
To select multiple slides, press and hold Ctrl on your keyboard, and click the slides you wish to select.
To Duplicate a Slide:
An alternative to Copy and Paste, Duplicate copies the selected slide and, in one step, pastes it directly underneath. This feature does not allow you to choose the location of the copied slide (nor does it offer Paste Options for advanced users), so it is more convenient for quickly inserting similar slides.
1. Select the slide you wish to duplicate.
2. Click the New Slide command.
3. Choose Duplicate Selected Slides from drop-down menu.
   Duplicate Selected Slides command
4. A copy of the selected slide appears underneath the original.
   A duplicated slid
To Delete a Slide:
1. Select the slide you wish to delete.
2. Press the Delete or Backspace key on your keyboard.
To Move a Slide:
1. Select the slide you wish to move.

Slide insertion pointRelease the mouse button. The slide will appear in the new location.

Managing Slides and Presentation

Watch the video (4:15). Need help?

About Slide Views

Slide view options

Normal View

Slide Sorter View

Reading View

Slide Show View

To View an Outline of Your Presentation:

1. Click the Outline tab in the left pane.
   Outline tab
2. An outline of your slide text appears.
3. Type directly in the pane to make changes to your text.
   Typing in the outline

To Organize Slides into Sections:

1. Select the slide that you want to begin your first section.
2. From the Home tab, click the Section command.
3. Choose Add Section from the drop-down menu. 
   Adding a section
4. An Untitled Section appears in the left pane.
   An untitled section
5. To rename the section while it is still selected, click the Section command, and choose Rename Sectionfrom the drop-down menu. 
   Renaming a section
6. Enter your new section name in the dialog box. Then click Rename.
   Rename Section dialog box
7. Repeat to add as many sections as you need.

An expanded section

Adding Notes to Slides

PowerPoint gives you the ability to add notes to your slides, often called speaker notes, to help you deliver or prepare for your presentation. You can enter and view your speaker notes using the Notes pane or the Notes Page View.

To Use the Notes Pane:

1. Locate the Notes pane at the bottom of the screen, directly below the Slide pane.
2. Click and drag the edge of the pane to make it bigger or smaller, if desired.
   Adjusting the Notes pane
3. Type your notes in the Notes pane.
   Typing in the Notes pane

To Use the Notes Page View:

1. Go to the View tab.
2. Click the Notes Page command in the Presentation Views group.
   Notes Page command
3. Type your notes in the text box, or use the scroll bar to review your slides.
   Using the Notes Page View