Speaker notes let you write reminders that appear only on your screen during a presentation

Speaker notes are text you add to a slide that the audience cannot see. Only you see them on your screen while you present — they appear below the slide in presenter view, or on a separate monitor if you have one connected. You use them to write talking points, statistics you want to remember, timing cues, or anything else you need while speaking but don't want displayed on the big screen.

PowerPoint calls this feature "Notes" or "Speaker Notes" depending on which version you use. The steps are slightly different between the desktop version and the online version, but both take less than a minute to set up once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Speaker notes are hidden from your audience and appear only on your screen during a presentation.
  • In PowerPoint desktop, you access notes through the Notes pane at the bottom of the slide editor, or through the Notes Page view.
  • In PowerPoint online, you click the Notes button at the bottom of the screen to open the notes panel.
  • You can type as much as you want in the notes section — there is no character limit.
  • Notes stay with the slide even if you rearrange slides or share the file with others.

Adding notes in PowerPoint desktop (Windows and Mac)

Open your presentation and click on the slide you want to add notes to. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a small text area labeled "Notes" — this is where you type. Click in that area and type whatever you need to remember for that slide. If the notes area is too small to see clearly, you can make it bigger by dragging the divider line upward.

If you do not see the notes area at the bottom, go to the View menu at the top and click "Notes" or "Notes Page". This opens a full-page view where the slide appears at the top and a large text box below it is dedicated to notes. Type your notes in that box. When you are done, switch back to Normal view by clicking View again and selecting "Normal".

You can also access notes through the View menu by selecting "Notes Page" — this view shows one slide per page with plenty of space for notes below it. Some people find this easier for writing longer notes because you have more room to see what you are typing.

Adding notes in PowerPoint online

Open your presentation in PowerPoint online (the version you access through Office.com or your organization's Microsoft 365 account). Click on the slide you want to add notes to. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a button labeled "Notes" — click it. A panel will open below the slide where you can type your notes.

Type whatever you need in that panel. The notes are saved automatically as you type — you do not need to click a save button. If you want to close the notes panel and get more screen space back, click the Notes button again to toggle it off.

What happens to your notes when you present

When you start a slideshow, your notes do not appear on the main screen that your audience sees. Instead, they appear in Presenter View — a separate display that only you can see on your computer monitor or laptop screen.

In Presenter View, your current slide appears in the center, your notes appear below it, and upcoming slides appear to the right so you know what is coming next. If you have a second monitor or projector connected, the audience sees only the slide itself, while you see the full Presenter View on your computer screen.

To turn on Presenter View, start your slideshow and look for a button or menu option that says "Presenter View" or "Speaker View". In some versions of PowerPoint, it turns on automatically if you have a second monitor connected.

Editing notes after you have written them

Click on any slide and open the notes area the same way you did to create them — either through the Notes pane at the bottom of the screen (desktop) or the Notes button (online). Click in the notes text and edit it just like you would edit any document. Delete text, add new text, or rewrite it completely.

You can also copy notes from one slide and paste them into another if you have similar talking points. This saves time if you have multiple slides covering related topics.

Printing your notes or sharing them with others

If you want a paper copy of your notes to study before presenting, go to File and select Print. In the print settings, look for a dropdown menu that says "Full Page Slides" or "Print Layout" — click it and select "Notes Pages". This prints each slide with its notes below it on the same page. You can then print this to paper or save it as a PDF.

If you share your PowerPoint file with someone else, your notes come with it. The other person can see your notes if they open the file and look at the Notes pane or Notes Page view. If you want to share the presentation without showing your notes, you can delete the notes before sending the file, or you can export the presentation as a video or PDF that shows only the slides.

Troubleshooting: Notes are not showing during your presentation

If you started your slideshow and cannot see your notes, Presenter View may not be turned on. Press Alt+F5 (Windows) or Command+Option+P (Mac) to toggle Presenter View on and off. If that does not work, check that your presentation is in slideshow mode — you should see a black bar at the top of your screen with slideshow controls.

If you are using a second monitor or projector, make sure it is connected before you start the slideshow. PowerPoint detects the second display and automatically puts Presenter View on your computer screen and the slides on the projector or external monitor. If the displays are reversed, right-click on the Presenter View window and look for a "Swap Displays" or "Mirror" option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see my notes on my phone or tablet while presenting?

Yes, if you use PowerPoint online or the PowerPoint mobile app. Open the presentation on your phone, start the slideshow, and your notes will appear on your phone screen while the slides display on a projector or TV. This is useful if you do not have a second monitor available.

Will my notes print if I print the slides normally?

No. When you print slides in the default setting, only the slides print — your notes stay hidden. To print notes, go to File, Print, and change the layout dropdown from "Full Page Slides" to "Notes Pages". Then print.

Can I add notes to a slide that is locked or protected?

Yes. Slide protection in PowerPoint prevents changes to the slide content itself, but notes are stored separately and can always be edited. You can add or change notes on a protected slide without unlocking it.

What is the difference between notes and slide text?

Slide text is what appears on the slide itself and is visible to your audience. Notes are hidden text that only you see during the presentation. Use slide text for the main message and notes for reminders, details, or talking points you do not want on screen.

Do notes take up file size?

Yes, but very little. Notes are plain text, so they add only a few kilobytes to your file no matter how much you write. They will not noticeably increase the size of your presentation.