The fastest way to start a slideshow

Open PowerPoint or Google Slides, click the blank presentation option, and you have a slideshow ready to edit. PowerPoint starts you with a title slide and one content slide. Google Slides does the same. From there, you add text, images, and more slides by clicking the buttons in the toolbar or using the menu.

The actual work is adding your content to each slide and deciding what goes on each one. The software handles the slideshow format itself — you do not have to set anything up or configure anything. You just fill in the blanks and arrange them in order.

If you are starting from scratch with no template, expect to spend most of your time on the content and design choices, not on learning the software. The basic steps are the same whether you use PowerPoint on Windows, PowerPoint on Mac, or Google Slides in your browser.

Key Takeaways

  • A new blank presentation in PowerPoint or Google Slides gives you a title slide and one content slide ready to edit immediately.
  • You add more slides by clicking the New Slide button, and each slide can hold text, images, shapes, or a combination of all three.
  • Changing fonts, colors, and layouts happens through the Design or Theme menu, which applies changes to all slides at once or just the one you are editing.
  • When you are done editing, you can save the file to your computer or cloud storage, then play it as a slideshow by pressing F5 (PowerPoint) or the play button (Google Slides).

Creating your first slide and adding text

When you open a blank presentation, the first slide is already there with two text boxes: one for a title and one for a subtitle. Click on the title box and type your title. Click on the subtitle box and type what goes there. That is your first slide done.

If you want to change what the title slide looks like, you can delete the subtitle box or add more text boxes. In PowerPoint, right-click the subtitle box and choose Delete. In Google Slides, click the box and press Delete. You can also click and drag any text box to move it around the slide.

The text you type is editable at any time. Click on any text box later and change the words, make them bigger or smaller, or change the color. Nothing is locked in until you decide it is.

Adding more slides and choosing what goes on them

To add a second slide, look for the New Slide button. In PowerPoint, it is in the Home tab at the top. In Google Slides, it is the plus sign in the toolbar on the left. Click it and a new slide appears below the one you are on.

Each new slide comes with a layout — usually a title at the top and a content area below. The content area can hold text, bullet points, images, or a table. You can change the layout of any slide by clicking the Layout button (PowerPoint) or the Layout menu (Google Slides) and picking a different arrangement.

Common layouts are title only, title with bullet points, title with one large image, and title with two columns. Pick the layout that matches what you want to put on that slide. If none of them fit, you can always delete the content boxes you do not need and add new ones.

Adding images and other content

To add an image to a slide, click the Insert menu at the top. In PowerPoint, choose Pictures. In Google Slides, choose Image. You can upload a file from your computer, search the web for an image, or paste a link to an image you already have online.

Once the image is on the slide, click and drag the corners to resize it. Drag the image itself to move it around. You can put an image on top of text, next to text, or by itself on a slide. The image stays where you put it.

You can also insert shapes, lines, and text boxes that are not part of the slide layout. In PowerPoint, click Insert and then Shapes. In Google Slides, click Insert and then Shape. Draw the shape on the slide by clicking and dragging. You can change the color, outline, and size of any shape after you create it.

Changing fonts, colors, and the overall look

To change the font on a single text box, click the text box, select the text inside it, and use the font dropdown in the toolbar. You can also make text bold, italic, or underlined using the buttons next to the font dropdown.

To change the color of text, select the text and click the text color button (usually an A with a colored line under it). To change the background color of a text box or shape, click the shape, then click the fill color button.

To change the look of the entire slideshow at once, use the Design menu (PowerPoint) or the Theme menu (Google Slides). Click one of the preset designs and it applies to all your slides. You can still edit individual slides after choosing a design — the design is just a starting point.

Saving your slideshow and playing it

In PowerPoint, click File and then Save. Choose where you want to save it — your computer, OneDrive, or another cloud service. Give it a name and click Save. The file is now saved and you can close it and open it again later.

In Google Slides, your work is saved automatically as you type. You can see the save status at the top of the screen. If you want to download it as a PowerPoint file instead of keeping it in Google Slides, click File, then Download, then Microsoft PowerPoint.

To play your slideshow, press F5 on your keyboard (PowerPoint on Windows) or click the play button in the top right (Google Slides and PowerPoint on Mac). The slideshow fills your screen and you can move through slides by clicking, pressing the arrow keys, or pressing the spacebar. Press Escape to exit the slideshow and go back to editing.

Organizing and reordering your slides

As you add more slides, you may want to move them around. In PowerPoint, click the slide you want to move in the left panel, then drag it to a new position. In Google Slides, do the same in the left panel.

You can also delete a slide by right-clicking it and choosing Delete (PowerPoint) or clicking it and pressing Delete (Google Slides). Deleting a slide removes it from the slideshow completely, so make sure that is what you want.

If you want to duplicate a slide — copy it exactly as it is and add it below — right-click the slide and choose Duplicate (PowerPoint) or click the three dots next to the slide and choose Duplicate (Google Slides). This is useful when you have a slide you like and want to make a similar one without starting from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a template instead of starting blank?

Yes. When you open PowerPoint or Google Slides, you see template options before you choose blank. Click any template and it opens with slides already designed and formatted. You replace the placeholder text and images with your own content. Templates save time if you want a professional look without designing it yourself.

What is the difference between PowerPoint and Google Slides?

PowerPoint is software you download and install on your computer. Google Slides is a web-based tool you use in your browser. Google Slides saves automatically and you can share a link with others to edit together. PowerPoint gives you more design options and works offline. Both create slideshows that play the same way.

How do I add animations or transitions between slides?

In PowerPoint, click the Transitions tab at the top and choose an effect. In Google Slides, click Slide in the menu, then Transition. You can pick how slides appear when you advance to them. Animations for individual objects (like text appearing one word at a time) are in the Animations menu in PowerPoint and the Animation menu in Google Slides.

Can I present my slideshow to a group of people?

Yes. Press F5 (PowerPoint on Windows) or click the play button (Google Slides) to start the slideshow on your screen. If you are presenting to others in the room, connect your computer to a projector or large screen. If you are presenting remotely, use video conferencing software like Zoom or Teams and share your screen while running the slideshow.

What file format should I save my slideshow in?

PowerPoint saves as .pptx by default, which works on most computers. Google Slides saves in its own format but can download as .pptx. If you need to send your slideshow to someone else, save it as .pptx so they can open it in PowerPoint or Google Slides. Both programs can open .pptx files.