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PPT Slide Design Trends: What’s Hot and What’s Not

In the world of presentations, PowerPoint slides are essential tools for delivering impactful messages and engaging audiences. However, not all slides are created equal. The design of your PPT slides plays a crucial role in capturing attention, conveying information effectively, and leaving a lasting impression on your viewers. In this article, we will explore the latest trends in PPT slide design and highlight what’s hot and what’s not in the industry.

Minimalism – Less is More

In recent years, minimalism has become a dominant trend in PPT slide design. Gone are the days of cluttered slides with excessive text and busy graphics. Today, simplicity is key. Minimalistic designs focus on clean layouts, ample white space, and concise content to enhance readability and visual impact.

One popular technique is to use large bold headlines combined with minimal text to convey key messages effectively. This allows viewers to grasp the main idea at a glance without feeling overwhelmed by unnecessary details. Additionally, minimalist designs often incorporate striking visuals or simple icons that complement the content rather than distract from it.

Custom Typography – Adding Flair

Typography plays a significant role in PPT slide design as it sets the tone and enhances readability. While default fonts may be convenient, they lack uniqueness and can make your presentation appear generic. That’s where custom typography comes into play.

Custom fonts allow you to inject personality into your slides while maintaining professionalism. Creative typography choices can make your presentation stand out from the crowd and create a memorable visual experience for your audience. However, be cautious not to overdo it – stick to one or two custom fonts throughout your presentation for consistency.

Multimedia Integration – Engaging Visuals

The integration of multimedia elements into PPT slides has become increasingly popular as it helps captivate audiences’ attention and make presentations more engaging. While images have always been a staple in slide design, the use of videos, animations, and interactive elements has taken presentations to a whole new level.

Videos can be used to demonstrate product features, show customer testimonials, or present complex concepts in an easily digestible format. Animations and transitions can add a touch of dynamism and make your slides visually appealing. Interactive elements like clickable buttons or embedded quizzes encourage audience participation and create an immersive experience.

Responsiveness – Mobile-Friendly Presentations

With the growing reliance on mobile devices for accessing information, ensuring that your PPT slides are mobile-friendly has become crucial. A responsive design allows your presentation to adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes without compromising its visual appeal or readability.

To make your PPT slides mobile-friendly, consider using larger fonts and graphics, simplifying complex layouts, and optimizing slide transitions for smaller screens. Additionally, test your presentation on various devices to ensure that it looks and functions flawlessly across different platforms.

In conclusion, staying up-to-date with the latest trends in PPT slide design is essential for creating impactful presentations that resonate with your audience. Embrace minimalism by simplifying your content and utilizing bold headlines. Experiment with custom typography to add flair and uniqueness to your slides. Incorporate multimedia elements like videos and animations to engage viewers’ attention. Finally, optimize your presentation for mobile devices to reach a wider audience effectively. By following these trends and avoiding outdated practices, you can elevate the effectiveness of your PPT slides and deliver exceptional presentations every time.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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Change the size of your slides

Basic steps.

To change the slide size:

Select the Design tab of the toolbar ribbon.

Select Standard (4:3 aspect ratio) or Widescreen (16:9) or Custom Slide Size .

For more about the predefined sizes (including formats like Overhead, A3, A4, Banner, B4, and B5) or your own custom sizing, click a heading below to expand it and see the details .

Detailed steps

Choose the standard or widescreen slide size.

On the Design tab of the Ribbon, locate Slide Size in the Customize group, near the far right end of the toolbar.

Select Slide Size , and then select either Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9) .

When PowerPoint is unable to automatically scale your content, it prompts you with two options:

Maximize : Select this option to increase the size of your slide content when you are scaling to a larger slide size. Choosing this option could result in your content not fitting on the slide.

Ensure Fit : Select this option to decrease the size of your content when scaling to a smaller slide size. This could make your content appear smaller, but you’ll be able to see all content on your slide.

The 16:9 widescreen setting is the default value for new presentations you create. When you change the slide size for a presentation, the size you choose only applies to that presentation.  However, you can make it easy to create a new 4:3 presentation for yourself whenever you want—by defining a custom theme that uses the 4:3 aspect ratio. See the section below named "Make a default size to start from when creating new presentations."

Choose another size, such as A3, B4, or Overhead

Select Slide Size , and then select Custom Slide Size .

In the Slide Size box, click the down arrow next to Slides sized for and select an option. Their dimensions are listed below:

Overhead provides an aspect ratio very close to the standard 4:3 slide size.

There are two options for 16:9 aspect ratios:

On-screen Show (16:9) sets the slide dimensions to 10 in x 5.625 in.

Widescreen sets it to 13.333 in x 7.5 in.

Both of these options are the same aspect ratio so they will look the same in Normal View , since PowerPoint automatically adjusts the zoom level. Widescreen (13.333 in x 7.5 in.) provides more slide surface area for the content, so that is the best choice for presentations. Widescreen won’t fit on an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper without you having to scale it down.

Select OK to accept the dimensions and close the Slide Size dialog box.

Choose custom dimensions (in inches, centimeters, or pixels)

The Slide Size dialog box opens.

In the Slide Size dialog box, ensure the orientation is set the way you want it.

In the Height and Width boxes, PowerPoint accepts measurements in inches , centimeters , or pixels . Type a number followed by a space and then the appropriate abbreviation: in , cm , or px .

PowerPoint then converts measurements, if necessary, to the type of unit your operating system uses.

You can change the unit of measure that is shown in PowerPoint dialog boxes if you like.

Make a default size to start from when creating new presentations

This version of PowerPoint has a default size of 16:9 for new presentation, but you can create a different default for yourself.

Start PowerPoint.

On the File tab of the toolbar ribbon, select New . Then double-click the Blank Presentation to create a new, empty presentation.

Then on the Design tab, click Slide Size and choose the size you want for a default.

(If you want a different default slide size than what's listed there, select Custom Slide Size and then choose your size in the Slide Size dialog box, and then click OK .)

Select Save Current Theme .

Give your theme a name that you'll remember easily and click Save . Don't change the folder that the new theme is to be saved in.

On the Design tab, click the More arrow again in the bottom-right corner of the Themes group. You'll see your newly saved theme under a Custom heading.

Right-click that new custom theme under the Custom heading, and then select Set as Default Theme :

Close PowerPoint. Don't save any files if it prompts you.

Open PowerPoint again. On the File tab of the toolbar ribbon, select New .

The custom theme that you just saved is listed at the top left corner, named Default Theme . The thumbnail image looks like a widescreen slide, but in reality, when you create a new presentation based on that theme, the presentation has the aspect ratio that you've defined for this default theme.

The next time you open PowerPoint, you'll see your default theme in the upper-left of the theme gallery. When you select it, all the slides will be the custom size you chose by default.

Sizing applies to all slides in a presentation

PowerPoint isn't able to resize one slide within a presentation. All slides in a presentation are the same size.

If this is a feature you’d like to request, please send us your feedback to help us prioritize new features in future updates. See  How do I give feedback on Microsoft 365  for more information.

Orientation applies to all slides in a presentation

PowerPoint isn't able to change the page orientation of certain slides. All slides in a presentation have the same page orientation.

Change the page orientation in PowerPoint between landscape and portrait

Use portrait and landscape slide orientation in the same presentation

Reduce the file size of a picture

Important:  Office 2010 is no longer supported . Upgrade to Microsoft 365 to work anywhere from any device and continue to receive support. Upgrade now

In the Page Setup dialog box, under Slides sized for , choose the predefined size you want, or choose Custom and specify the dimensions you want.

Choose a predefined slide size

On the Design tab of the Ribbon, select Page Setup .

The Page Setup dialog box opens.

Select the Slides Sized for list to open it, and then select one of the options.

The choices and their measurements are listed below:

When PowerPoint is unable to automatically scale your content, it will prompt you with two options:

Choose custom dimensions

Select the Slides Sized for list to open it, and then select Custom at the bottom of the list.

In the Height and Width boxes, specify the dimensions you want.

The unit of measure for these boxes is determined by your computer's operating system. If you need to convert from one system to another, see an online converter such as UnitConverters.net .

The minimum and maximum dimensions that PowerPoint accepts are:

You can change the unit of measure that is shown in PowerPoint dialog boxes .

Some folks have asked about resizing one slide within a presentation. PowerPoint isn't able to do that. All slides in a presentation are the same size.

Some folks have also asked about changing the page orientation of certain slides. PowerPoint isn't able to do that. All slides in a presentation have the same page orientation.

On the File menu, select Page Setup .

In the Page Setup dialog box, under Slides sized for , select the predefined size you want, or choose Custom and specify the dimensions you want.

Select Slide Size .

Select Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9) .

PowerPoint may prompt you about scaling your content. Choose one of the following options:

Scale: Select this option to decrease or increase the size of your slide content. When scaling to a smaller slide size, this could make your content appear smaller, but you’ll be able to see all content on your slide.

Don't Scale: Select this option to maintain the size of your slide content. Choosing this option could result in your content not fitting on the slide.

Choose Page Setup from the menu that appears.

Page Setup gives you an assortment of predefined slide/page size options. The options and their dimensions are listed below:

In the Slide Size box, click the down arrow next to Slides sized for and select an option.

Widescreen sets the dimensions to 13.333 in x 7.5 in.

Choose custom dimensions (in inches, centimers, or pixels)

Select Slide Size , and then click Page Setup .

In the Width and Height boxes, PowerPoint accepts measurements in inches , centimeters , or pixels . Type a number followed by a space and then the appropriate abbreviation: in (inches) or cm (centimeters) or px (pixels).

PowerPoint then converts the measurements, if necessary, to the unit of measurement your operating system uses.

Make a new slide size the default for new presentations

Select Slide Size , and then select Page Setup .

Follow the steps in the prior section to choose the slide size you want.

On the Design tab, click the More arrow below the standard themes.

Click Save Current Theme at the bottom of the window.

Give your theme a name that you'll remember easily and click Save .

On the Design tab, click the More arrow below the standard themes again. You'll see your newly saved theme under Custom .

Right-click your new custom theme, and then click Set as Default Theme .

The next time you open PowerPoint, you'll see your default theme in the upper-left of the theme gallery. When you select it, all the slides will be the size you chose for your default theme.

On the Design tab of the toolbar ribbon, click Slide Size in the Customize group.

Click Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9) .

When PowerPoint for the web is unable to automatically scale your content, it prompts you with two options:

The 16:9 widescreen setting is the default value for new presentations you create. When you change the slide size for a presentation, the size you choose only applies to that presentation. 

You can also change the orientation of all the slides in your presentation. See Change the page orientation for instructions.

In the Width and Height boxes, type a measurement in inches . PowerPoint doesn't accept measurements outside the minimum and maximum shown below:

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How to change the size of slides in Microsoft PowerPoint

The actual size(s) of the slide is less important than the aspect ratio. By default, slides in presentations that you create from the Blank Presentation template are set to Widescreen size.

To change the size of your presentation slides, on the Design tab, in the Customize group, click the Slide Size button and then:

Notes : The Standard slide size:

• 1600 x 1200
• 2048 x 1536
• 2560 x 1920
• Matches the aspect ratio of standard tablet screens
• Exactly fills the screen in the Slide pane and when printed on a tablet.

Notes : The Widescreen slide size:

• 1920 x 1080
• 2048 x 1152
• 2560 x 1440
• Does not match the aspect ratio of standard tablet screens
• Has empty space above and below when printed on a 4:3 screen.
• Click Custom Slide Size... :

In the Slide Size dialog box:

• Choose the slide orientation in the Orientation group.

After choosing the necessary options, click OK . The Microsoft PowerPoint dialog box will show two options on how to scale the existing slides to a new slide size:

Maximize the content size or scale it down to Ensure Fit it on the new slide.

Note : It is impossible to change the size or orientation just for some slides.

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PowerPoint-format – 16:9 or 16:10?

Are you using the PowerPoint format 16:9 or 16:10 for your presentations? In this article, we will show you the advantages of both the 16:9 and 16:10 formats. Each aspect ratio has its own advantages and is more suitable for certain uses than others. We also show you how to change your PowerPoint format and how this can affect your presentation.

16:10 is better suited for Office documents

Most people no longer have to ask themselves whether they should use the 4:3 or 16:9 image format. They are considering whether the 16:10 format offers more advantages than 16:9 in MS Office applications like PowerPoint or Word. Essentially, the only difference between the two formats is that one is higher than the other. It is interesting to note that MacBooks have been using the 16:10 monitor for years, and recently Dell has also launched a 16:10 notebook model. This could lead to a 16:10 trend in monitors.

Advantages: 16:9 especially suites film and video content

Since the 1990s, the 16:9 format has become a big trend on TV and laptop screens. In contrast to the previous 4:3 aspect ratio, the 16:9 version is much wider and everyone immediately recognizes that it is more modern. Furthermore, the 16:9 widescreen format is currently the standard for many display resolutions.

For film or video, the 16:9 format is the most common ratio. Videos are just more pleasant to watch in this format. You know it mainly from cinema screens, where it was first used.

PowerPoint slides are also set to the widescreen 16:9 format by default, since this width offers plenty of space on a slide in landscape format. This format is ideal, for example, if you want to save and play a PowerPoint presentation as a video.

16:10 is especially popular at offices

The 16:10 aspect ratio offers more height. When working with MS Office applications, you quickly notice that 16:9 monitors are often not high enough vertically to display all content on a page. Since you need more height for Word documents or Excel spreadsheets, for example, the 16:10 format is particularly appropriate for business applications. For this reason, many PC monitors use the 16:10 aspect ratio.

A concrete example showing the benefit of the 16:10 format on a 24 inch monitor (1920×1200 pixels): two full-size A4 pages fit side-by-side on the screen. That saves you scrolling and allows you to view your document in its entirety. With Excel spreadsheets, the 16:10 resolution offers space for more lines at a glance.

When it comes to PowerPoint presentations, consider what device you use for creation and presentation. If you mainly present on 16:10 devices, you should create your PowerPoint presentation in that format. In the following sections, we show you how you can easily change your PowerPoint format with 5 simple clicks.

Distorted PowerPoint layout due to wrong slide format

You have probably noticed in some of your PowerPoint presentations that your slides do not fill the screen completely. This is due to the different aspect ratios of the PowerPoint presentation and the device on which it is created/opened. The most common problem is the following unevenness in the view:

• black stripes on the upper and lower edge of the presentation
• slides are displayed in a reduced size
• content is stretched or compressed
• slides are cut off

Since PowerPoint 2013, slides default to 16:9 format. But many monitors and MacBooks display in 16:10. So you have to decide on an aspect ratio for your PowerPoint layouts. Always remember the aspect ratio of the device on which you want to create and open your PowerPoint presentation.

The right slide format for your PowerPoint presentation:

• 4:3 is ideal for presentations on iPads and also for old monitors or projector
• 16:9 is the common aspect ratio of most modern notebooks and is also standard for PowerPoint
• 16:10 is best for presentations on MacBooks and office monitors

Also, find out when you should use the PowerPoint format 16:9 or 4:3.

How to change your PowerPoint aspect ratio from 16:9 to 16:10

2020: five new models in 16:10

16:10 is less common on displays, but MacBooks do use that format. Some other manufacturers are towards higher screens in 2020. The latest examples are the office monitor from Dell (P2421) and Acer with their new Spin 3 model. 

Typical resolutions of some popular screen sizes are: 

• 19-inch screen (standard ratio): 1280 x 1024 pixels
• 20-inch screen (standard ratio): 1600 x 1200 pixels
• 22-inch screen (widescreen): 1680 x 1050 pixels
• 24-inch screen (widescreen): 1900 x 1200 pixels

Trend: easier working with MS Office applications

Since the 16:9 aspect ratio still predominates on office monitors, you cannot go wrong with it for now. The emerging trend toward 16:10 screens is still in its infancy. If you work a lot with office applications and want to improve your skills in this area, the trend toward 16:10 offers you some advantages to think about.

Did you know that you can work efficiently with Microsoft Office applications such as PowerPoint or Word even on a large scale? The Office add-ins from empower ® offer you a wide range of possibilities. The empower® Brand Control solution , for example, enables you to automate complex positioning with over 50 practical layout tools. You and your employees will never have to worry about adhering to the corporate design again, as you can lay all that work into our Office add-in's hands.

We know our customers’ use cases. Presentations saved in an old format should be converted into a new one. A simple format adjustment often leads to the above-mentioned unsightly display errors. In this case, the empower ®  Design Check intelligently updates to the new format without the need for extensive formatting. The function for this is the empower ® Layout Switcher. See how it works in this video: 

Could our Office solution spark your curiosity? Contact us! Our experts are looking forward to working with you to find the perfect solution to boost productivity in your company!

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How to Change the Slide Size in PowerPoint

Are you tired of presentations that don’t adapt well to the screens used in the venue? That’s mostly due to them not being properly suited for conventional (4:3) or widescreen (16:9) formats.

Before giving your presentation, it’s important to know which type of screen it’s going to be shown on, so you can optimize it as much as possible. However, have in mind that after changing the original aspect ratio of your presentation , any elements and images already included will probably appear scrambled, so you’ll need to readjust them one by one in the slides or even the master slides.

To change the aspect ratio in PowerPoint, click Slide Size, which is in the Customize group on the Design tab, and choose the desired aspect ratio for your presentation.

As with Google Slides, you can set your own slide size by clicking Custom Slide Size…

When scaling the content, PowerPoint asks you to choose between two different options: 

• Maximize: With this option, PowerPoint will increase the size of the content when scaling to a greater size. As a result, the content might get redistributed in the slides.
• Ensure Fit : With this option, the size of the content will be reduced when scaling to a smaller size. As a result, the content will be smaller and you might need to scale it up again where needed.

Now your presentation is ready and adapted for the new aspect ratio. If you want to learn more about PowerPoint and/or Google Slides and how to get the most out of them, stay tuned for more Slidesgo School tutorials. For further information on how to change the aspect ratio of your slides in PowerPoint, please refer to this article of the Microsoft Office support page .

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