Art of Presentations

View Options in PowerPoint – A Complete Beginner’s Guide!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

View Options in PowerPoint – A Complete Beginner’s Guide!

There are many different types of presentations view available in PowerPoint including Normal View, Outline View, Presenter View, and Slide Show View to name a few. All these views serve different purposes and it is important to know how to use them appropriately to get the most out of PowerPoint!

In this article, we will talk about what each type of view does in PowerPoint and how to access them so that you can choose the best for your needs! So, let’s get started!

[ A Quick Note Before We Begin – for this article, I will be using one of the presentation templates from Envato Elements . With Envato Elements, you get access to thousands of presentation designs with unlimited downloads so you never run out of options again. Plus, you get free previews so you know exactly what you’re getting before buying! It is also very affordable. Check out their pricing here ]

1. What are the Different Type of View Options Available in PowerPoint?  

Microsoft PowerPoint is equipped with a variety of Slide View options that can be used for different purposes.

These are the different view options available in PowerPoint –

  • Normal View
  • Slide Sorter View
  • Notes Page View
  • Reading View
  • Outline View
  • Slide Show View
  • Presenter View
  • Slide Master View

2. How to Access the Different View Modes in PowerPoint?

To access the different view modes in PowerPoint, you have to click on the ‘View’ tab in the ribbon. The 2-step process is described below.

Step-1: Click on the ‘View’ tab

powerpoint different views

At first, select the ‘View’ tab, which is the second to last tab in the ribbon section of your PowerPoint Window.

Step-2: Select your preferred ‘View Mode’

Once you have access to the ‘View’ tab, you can select your preferred view mode such as the Outline View , Slide Sorter view, Slide Master view, etc. from the Presentation View section or the Master View section. (as shown in the image in step 1)

3. What is the Purpose of Various View Modes in PowerPoint?

Each view mode in PowerPoint has its own purpose. Let’s go through the purposes of the different slide view options one by one below –

1. Normal View

powerpoint different views

The ‘Normal View’ option is the first option in the ‘Presentation Views’ section of the ‘View’ tab. It is the most commonly used viewing option and is also the default slide view for PowerPoint.

The slides appear on the left of the PowerPoint window in the ‘Slide Navigation’ bar. Thumbnails of the slide are represented as boxes in the ‘Slide Navigation’ bar with its consecutive serial number to the left of it.

The main function of normal view mode in PowerPoint is to navigate through slides in a vertical grid while allowing you to add, design, or edit the slides while getting a preview of the slides on the left.

2. Slide Sorter View

powerpoint different views

The ‘Slide Sorter’ option gives you an overview of all the slides in your PowerPoint presentation.

The slides are represented as thumbnails as a grid of boxes arranged side by side. The serial number of the slide is given on the bottom left corner of the slide thumbnail.

This option serves the purpose of viewing the slides together in one window making it easier to rearrange and organize them in a quick fashion.

3. Notes Page View

powerpoint different views

The ‘Notes Page View’ option gives you the view of each slide and its speaker notes in one page.

In this view, the slides appear at the top and the speaker notes are given on the bottom of the two sections. The serial number of the slide is not shown in this view. You can also edit speaker notes from here.

The main purpose of the notes page view in PowerPoint is to preview what each page will look like before you print the slides with speaker notes.

4. Reading View:

powerpoint different views

The Reading View option allows you to view your PowerPoint presentation without going into Full Screen mode. All the transitions and animations can be seen in this view. The serial number of the slide is given at the bottom right corner of the window.

It is used to preview the slide and review the slides with full focus. This mode also makes other view options easily accessible, which is not the case in ‘Slide Show’ mode where the presentation is shown in the full screen, and the options are not visible on screen.

The reading mode is actually more useful for word documents, as it allows the reader to focus just on the text. In my opinion, it adds little value to a PowerPoint presentation.

5. Outline View:

powerpoint different views

The ‘Outline View’ shows you the entire outline of your PowerPoint presentation in the ‘Slide Navigation’ bar.

In this view, there is no thumbnail of the presentation. Instead, there is an outline of all the data present in that slide. The serial number of the slide is at the left followed by a small white box that represents a slide and then the outline of that slide.

You can also create an entire slide in the pane of this view by copy and pasting data from Microsoft Word. However, you will have to design the slide separately once the data has been added to each slide.

6. Slide Show View:

powerpoint different views

The Slide Show View is the view that your audiences are going to see. This view shows each slide of your PowerPoint presentation in full screen.

All the transitions, animation, and multimedia files in your PowerPoint presentation are played here. Consecutive slides can be accessed using the direction keys on your keyboard or by clicking once on the slide.

7. Presenter View:

powerpoint different views

This is the view that you as a presenter are going to see while the audience is seeing the ‘Slide Show’ view.

Although you can give a presentation even in the slide show view, but it is always recommend to deliver the presentation using the “Presenter View” mode in PowerPoint as it provides you with additional features and benefits!

This view mode in PowerPoint will split the screen in multiple windows. The window on the left represents the current slide that is being displayed (the one that is visible to your audience).

The window in the top right section indicates the next slide in the queue. Whereas, the notes section displays the notes or key points made by each slide. Both, the notes section as well as the next slides window are only visible to the presenter and not to the audience!

The purpose of the “ Presenter View ” is to give the presenter all the aids to be prepared for the next slide and highlight the key points to be made on the current slide while delivering the presentation.

8. Slide Master View:

powerpoint different views

This view gives you a view of all the layouts used on the slides of your PowerPoint presentation.

The ‘ Slide Master View ’ option allows you to edit all the aspects of the layouts in your presentation such as fonts, background, color, and pretty much everything you can think of.

You can edit all the slide layouts of the presentation. Furthermore, you can also edit the header and footer of the presentation using the “ Slide Master View ” in PowerPoint.

4. How to Open the Presenter View in PowerPoint?  

There are 2 different ways you can enter into Presenter View in PowerPoint –

  • Using Slide Show View
  • Using the short cut key i.e. Alt+F5

If you are using the Office 365 version of PowerPoint , you can actually directly access the “Presenter View” in the View section. Simply click on “View”. Then, click on “Presenter View”

Let’s look at both the methods quickly –

Method 1 – Using the Slide Show View

Step-1: Click on the ‘Slide Show’ button at the bottom right corner of the screen

powerpoint different views

At first, you have to click on the ‘Slide Show’ button that looks like a projector screen which is located at the bottom right corner of your PowerPoint window. (as indicated in the image above)

Step-2: Right-click and choose “Show Presenter View”

powerpoint different views

Once you are in the ‘Slide Show’ mode, using your mouse right-click anywhere on the screen. From the menu that appears, choose the “ Show Presenter View ” option

Method 2 – Using the Keyboard Shortcut

Alternatively, you can press ‘ Alt + F5 ’ on your keyboard and that will immediately open the ‘Presenter View’ mode.

The keyboard shortcut to open the “Presenter View” in PowerPoint on Mac is “Option+Enter” key.

5. How to Change PowerPoint Back to Normal View? 

To change your PowerPoint back to ‘Normal View’ from ‘Slide Show’ mode, ‘Presenter View’ option or the ‘Reading View’ option, all you have to do is simply press the ‘ESC’ button on the keyboard of your computer. This will take you back to Normal View.

If you are using any other view apart from these 3 view modes in PowerPoint, you need to do the following –

powerpoint different views

If you are in a different viewing option, such as ‘Slide Sorter’ option, or the ‘Reading View’ option then you have to select the ‘Normal View’ option from the ‘View’ tab instead of the ‘Slide Sorter’ option or the different slide view option you are currently on.  

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Views in PowerPoint 365 for Windows

Learn about various views that allow you to edit and show slides in PowerPoint 365 for Windows. Do you use all these views?

Author: Geetesh Bajaj

Product/Version: PowerPoint 365 for Windows

OS: Microsoft Windows 10 and higher

Date Created: December 13, 2019 Last Updated: September 12, 2023

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Your slides are the same, yet various views in PowerPoint do allow you to see those same slides with a different viewpoint. This approach makes sense because viewing slides in Slide Show view gives an entirely different perspective than editing them in Normal view. Further, it's easier to reorder and work with multiple slides in Slide Sorter view, and make changes to individual slides in Normal view.

All put together, PowerPoint 365 for Windows provides you with ten different views. Eight of these views can be accessed from the View tab of the Ribbon , as shown highlighted in red within Figure 1 . You then click on any of the buttons in the Presentation Views and Master Views groups. All views are explained in more detail in separate, linked pages.

View tab of the Ribbon

PowerPoint 365 views, accessible from the View tab of the Ribbon are:

  • Normal view
  • Outline view
  • Slide Sorter view
  • Notes Page view
  • Reading view
  • Slide Master view
  • Handout Master view
  • Notes Master view

We also explore two other views which are accessible from other tabs of the Ribbon , or elsewhere within the PowerPoint 365 interface :

  • Slide Show view
  • Presenter view

Other than the View tab of the Ribbon , you can also access most of these views by clicking the four small buttons towards the right side of the Status Bar , as shown highlighted in red within Figure 2 .

View buttons

These four buttons (explained from left to right) allow quick access to the same views. In addition to just clicking these four buttons, you can also click them along with the Shift , Ctrl , and Alt keys. The table below provides these key combinations:

PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Do you want more keyboard shortcuts?

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01 07 01 - Views: Views in PowerPoint (Glossary Page)

Views in PowerPoint 365 for Mac Views in PowerPoint 2019 for Windows Views in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows Views in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac Views in PowerPoint 2013 for Windows Views in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac Views in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows Views in PowerPoint 2007 for Windows Views in PowerPoint for the Web

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Exploring PowerPoint’s Views

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  • Lesson resources Resources
  • Quick reference Reference

About this lesson

The different PowerPoint views allow you to work on different parts of your presentation such as slides, slide thumbnails, text and running your presentation as a slideshow.

Lesson versions

Multiple versions of this lesson are available, choose the appropriate version for you:

2010 , 2013 , 2016 , 2019/365 .

Exercise files

Download the ‘before’ and ‘after’ PowerPoint presentations from the video tutorial and try the lesson yourself.

Quick reference

Exploring powerpoint’s views.

Using Presentation Views to change the application interface to work on specific content in a presentation.

When to use

To change the application interface of PowerPoint to achieve various tasks.

Instructions  

  • Normal to see thumbnails of slides, a large slide editing area and Speaker Notes for that slide
  • Outline View to work with text
  • Slide Sorter to organize and manipulate slides
  • Notes Page to view the slide, combined with Speaker notes
  • Reading View to view the slide show of your presentation in a window without switching to a full screen slide show

As covered in other modules, Master Views help you work with a specific Master. Buttons in the Master Views group allow you to access the Slide Master , Handout Master , and the Notes Master .

Presentation View keyboard shortcuts:

Normal : Alt+W+L

Outline View : Alt+W+PO

Slide Sorter : Alt+W+I

Notes Page : Alt+W+T

Reading View : Alt+W+D

Master View keyboard shortcuts:

Slide Master : Alt+W+M

Handout Master : Alt+W+H

Notes Master : Alt+W+K

  • 00:05 One of the great features of PowerPoint is known as PowerPoint Views.
  • 00:08 PowerPoint Views are all about having the right application layout for
  • 00:12 the particular part of the presentation build that you're currently doing.
  • 00:16 Now, I've got to admit,
  • 00:17 that I never really appreciated the various views that were available.
  • 00:21 But since I've begun using them, I've discovered that they're well worth getting
  • 00:25 to know, because they change the arrangement of your application so
  • 00:28 that you can perform different functions.
  • 00:30 And that's the important when you want to show a document, or
  • 00:35 do a slideshow and various functions.
  • 00:38 Now, please note that we will cover the Outline pane and
  • 00:41 the Notes pane more extensively in other videos.
  • 00:44 In this presentation that I've already created,
  • 00:46 I've already accessed the View tab.
  • 00:48 And you can see with this highlighted button that the current
  • 00:51 view that I've selected, is Normal View.
  • 00:54 The button already shows a thumbnail of the application arrangement.
  • 00:59 We can have our slide thumbnails on the slide pane, and
  • 01:02 we can click on those thumbnails to change the active slide.
  • 01:05 And even though we can't add content to the slides themselves
  • 01:09 within the Slide pane, we can certainly do so within the slide itself.
  • 01:13 Now, the view that we see is a classic three pane editing view that we're so
  • 01:17 familiar with.
  • 01:18 And other than the slides pane and the slides area, the third of this
  • 01:23 arrangement is the notes pane that we can see below the active slide.
  • 01:27 When we go to the outline view, we get a text pane, or
  • 01:30 an outline pane where we can work with and manipulate text.
  • 01:33 And this is the topic of discussion in another video.
  • 01:36 In the Slide Sorter view, we can see the slide itself.
  • 01:40 And this is an area where we can add slides and sections, and
  • 01:43 sections will be covered elsewhere, as well.
  • 01:46 We can duplicate slides, or we can even add slides, or quickly move them around.
  • 01:51 And it's well worth getting to know keyboard shortcuts, such as Ctrl+D,
  • 01:55 which is duplicate.
  • 01:56 Or we can duplicate by clicking and dragging a slide with the mouse, and
  • 02:00 hold the Control key and then drop.
  • 02:02 Another presentation view is the Notes page.
  • 02:05 For example, when we add text to the notes area, and we move to the Notes view,
  • 02:10 we can see a preview of the text as well as our slide.
  • 02:12 This output is excellent for producing our slides with notes to be printed and
  • 02:16 handed out.
  • 02:17 However, it also allows us to cut down on the amount of text that's on our slides.
  • 02:21 It's also very handy in presenter view, and
  • 02:23 we can see this when I press F5 on the keyboard.
  • 02:26 That even though we can't see the actual presentation,
  • 02:29 because it's on another monitor, we can see here the notes, and
  • 02:32 that allows us to deliver our presentation with a lot more confidence.
  • 02:36 Now, Reading View is where you can preview the presentation with animations and
  • 02:40 transitions without switching to full screen mode.
  • 02:43 And you can notice that the slide show is constrained by the actual
  • 02:46 application window.
  • 02:48 At the bottom of our program window was a status bar, and
  • 02:50 there were various buttons on the status bar that allow us to select various views,
  • 02:55 such as normal, slide sorter, and importantly, a slideshow view.
  • 02:59 When you go into the slideshow or the reading views,
  • 03:02 you can get out again by hitting the Escape key on your keyboard.
  • 03:05 And there's this very hand slider zoom that we can use to change the zoom of our
  • 03:10 slides, as well as a button to fit the slide to the size of the current window.
  • 03:14 Note that there's also a feature called Slide Designer.
  • 03:17 On the first slide, I click the Design tab > Design Ideas button in the Design group,
  • 03:23 and I'm offered options.
  • 03:25 And that applies to this slide, but also, to other slides.
  • 03:28 Now, there are rules behind how this works, and sometimes it just fails, but
  • 03:32 it's getting better over time as the program is updated.
  • 03:35 So PowerPoint's presentation views are very effective to help us control our
  • 03:39 content, and to present it effectively to our audience.
  • 03:42 It's well worth the investment of your time exploring these.

Lesson notes are only available for subscribers.

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PowerPoint Views

The six different powerpoint views.

There are 6 different views you can use to look at your PowerPoint presentation and each one has its advantages over the others. The default view in PowerPoint is normal view. This means that when you sart PowerPoint, and as lond as you don't change the view, you will be working in Normal View. There are two place to change to a different view: at the top of the left side panel and at the bottom of the workspace to the right (next to the zoom slider). OK, make that three, as you can also see the presentation views on teh View tab!

To change to Slides View or Outline view, click the corresponding tab at the top of the left side panel:

To change to any of the other PowerPoint view, use the small toolbar at the bottom:

Here is an explanation of how you should use the different views:

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Present on multiple monitors (and view speaker notes privately)

You can present with 2 monitors: Using Presenter View is a great way to view your presentation with speaker notes on one monitor (your laptop, for example), while your audience views the notes-free presentation on a different monitor (like a larger screen you're projecting to).

Note:  Make sure the device you're using for your presentation supports the use of multiple monitors. Check with your manufacturer for up-to-date information about multiple monitor support.

To do this procedure and split the view between projectors in this way, you must be connected to the second screen.

Set up PowerPoint to use Presenter view with two monitors

On the Slide Show tab, in the Monitors group, select Use Presenter View .

Monitors group on the Slide Show tab

Windows Display Settings should open.

In the Display Settings dialog box, on the Monitor tab, select the monitor icon that you want to use to view your speaker notes, and then select the This is my main monitor check box.

If the This is my main monitor check box is selected and unavailable, the monitor is already designated as the primary monitor.

Select the monitor icon for the second monitor—the one the audience will watch, and then select the Extend my Windows Desktop onto this monitor check box.

Notes:  If the Windows Display Settings don't open, do the following:

Windows 10: Click Start > Settings > System > Display . At the top, under Customize your display , is a diagram of the screens connected to your computer, with each screen numbered. If you are connected to a project, typically it will be represented in the diagram as screen 2. Select screen 1 in the diagram, then scroll downward. Ensure that the check box named Make this my main display is selected. Above that check box, in the Multiple displays list, select Extend these displays .

Windows 8: Right-click the Windows Start button, click Control Panel > Display > Adjust resolution . In the Multiple displays list, click Extend these displays . Select the monitor on which you want to view your speaker notes, and click Make this my main display .

You can use PowerPoint on your smartphone as a remote control to run your presentation and view your speaker notes. See Using a laser pointer on your smartphone when presenting in PowerPoint for more information, including a brief video.

Deliver your presentation on two monitors

On the Slide Show tab, in the Set Up group, click Set Up Slide Show .

Set Up Slide Show button

In the Set Up Show dialog box, choose the options that you want, and then click OK . If you choose Automatic , PowerPoint will display speaker notes on the laptop monitor, if available. Otherwise, PowerPoint will display speaker notes on the main display identified in your Display settings ( Settings > Display ).

Monitor options in the Set Up Show dialog box

Extend vs. Duplicate: What happens after the slide show ends

PowerPoint does something behind the scenes to make the process of starting a slide show on a second monitor as smooth and quick as possible. When you enter Slide Show, PowerPoint automatically changes your display settings (also known as your display topology) to Extend .

What can be confusing is what happens after your slide show concludes:

In PowerPoint 2013 , when your slide show ends, PowerPoint leaves the display topology as Extend . (The benefit of this approach is that the next time you present on a second monitor, the first slide will appear with minimal delay. The drawback is that PowerPoint may be overriding your preferred display setting of "duplicate". Some people don't like this override.)

In newer versions , in the same end-of-slide-show scenario, PowerPoint reverts to your default setting, returning to Duplicate , if that's what you have chosen.

If you are using PowerPoint 2013 and you want PowerPoint to revert to the default setting, rather than keeping the Extend setting, you can tell it to do that by making a small change to the Windows registry as described below.

In this procedure, you are creating a command that adds a new setting to the Windows Registry for PowerPoint, and then you are running that command:

Create a new file in Notepad.

Copy and paste the following three lines of text into Notepad:

On the File menu in Notepad, click Save As .

Name the file Update.reg . (It's important that the file name extension be .reg ).

In the Save as type box, choose All Files (*.*) .

Take note of the folder in which you are saving the file. Then click Save , and close Notepad.

Open File Explorer from the Start menu and navigate to the folder where you saved Update.reg.

Double-click Update.reg .

Answer "Yes" to the two prompts that ensue.

With that completed, PowerPoint will now revert to your default display topology at the conclusion of a slide show.

(Read more technical details in this community forum post that was answered by a PowerPoint program manager .)

Video: Use Presenter view

View your speaker notes as you deliver your slide show

Video: Rehearse timings for a slide show

Zoom in to part of a slide in Slide Show view

Print your PowerPoint slides, handouts, and notes

Create a self-running presentation

Start the presentation and see your notes in Presenter view

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Presentation Views in Powerpoint 2010

PowerPoint supports multiple views to allow users to gain the maximum from the features available in the program. Each view supports a different set of functions and is designed accordingly.

PowerPoint views can be accessed from two locations.

Views can be accessed quickly from the bottom bar just to the left of the zoom settings.

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Views can also be accessed from the Presentation Views section in the View ribbon

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Here is a short description of the various views and their features.

Normal View

This is the default view in PowerPoint and this is primarily used to create and edit slides. You can create/ delete/ edit/ rearrange slides, add/ remove/ modify content and manipulate sections from this view.

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Slide Sorter View

This view is primarily used to sort slides and rearrange them. This view is also ideal to add or remove sections as it presents the slides in a more compact manner making it easier to rearrange them.

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Reading View

This view is new to PowerPoint 2010 and it was created mainly to review the slideshow without losing access to rest of the Windows applications. Typically, when you run the slideshow, the presentation takes up the entire screen so other applications cannot be accessed from the taskbar. In the reading view the taskbar is still available while viewing the slideshow which is convenient. You cannot make any modifications when on this view.

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This is the traditional slideshow view available in all the earlier versions of PowerPoint. This view is used to run the slideshow during presentation.

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Use Outline View in PowerPoint

How to Use Outline View in PowerPoint

Cover for how to use Outline View in PowerPoint

PowerPoint provides different views to help presenters manage their presentations and PowerPoint templates . The Normal view is often used when creating presentations, the Slide Sorter view helps sort slides easily, the Reading view gives ease of reading the slides for review purposes, whereas the Slideshow mode is used for presenting presentations. Similarly, if you need to review and manage your outlines, the Outline View in PowerPoint is the right option.

How to Switch to Outline View in PowerPoint

By going to View -> Outline View , you can see the outline for your presentation. This view displays the presentation as titles and text within slides to give you an overview of the slide content.

Locating Outline View in PowerPoint

The Outline view can also help review your slides after you have created a basic outline and need to start working on your slides. This can help you review if the outline makes sense. You can also use it during or after the completion of your presentation for the same purpose.

PowerPoint displaying Outline View and Slide Management

There are numerous handy options in the PowerPoint Outline view accessible via the right-click context menu. This includes options to expand or collapse the list and delete, move, or add new slides.

Outline View settings in PowerPoint

How to Print an Outline of the Presentation

To print an outline for your slides, go to File -> Print and select Outline via Settings . Select the printer and click Print .

Printing Outline View

Final Words

When designing your outline, a few considerations should include the title, introduction to your topic, subheadings, the number of slides you intend to use, a summary of your slides to make your content memorable with key action points, and a conclusion. The Outline View in PowerPoint can be a good option to review the basic outline for your presentation to remain on track when working on your slides.

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How to Use the Slide Sorter View in PowerPoint

The Slide Sorter view makes grouping and reorganizing slides a breeze

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What to Know

  • Select View > Slide Sorter or select Slide Sorter on the Task Bar in the bottom right.
  • To reorder a slide, drag it into a new location.

This article explains how to use Slide Sorter view to reorder your slides by dragging and dropping them into a different sequence. Instructions apply to PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010.

Use the Slide Sorter in PowerPoint

When you first open your PowerPoint presentation, all the slides are listed as thumbnails on the left side of the PowerPoint window. Drag slides up and down on this list to reorder them. If you have a long PowerPoint presentation , however, it’s easier to use the Slide Sorter to reorder them.

To access the Slide Sorter, select View > Slide Sorter . Or, select Slide Sorter on the Task Bar in the bottom-right corner of the PowerPoint window.

Drag Your Slides to Reorganize Them

In Slide Sorter view, PowerPoint slides display as a series thumbnails. Each slide displays a number under the bottom-left corner to show which order they're in. To reorder a slide, drag it into a new location.

Break a Presentation into Sections

If you have different people creating or presenting different parts of the presentation, or if you have different topics within your presentation, organize your presentation into sections using the Slide Sorter view. Grouping your slides into sections is like using folders to organize your files in File Explorer.

To create a section, right-click between the two slides where you want to split the presentation and select Add Section .

Each section starts on a new line in the Slide Sorter view. You can create as many sections as you like.

Rename a Section

When you create a new section, the Rename Section dialog box opens. In the Section name text box, enter a new name for the section and select Rename .

To change the section name later, right-click the section name in Slide Sorter view and select Rename Section .

In the Rename Section dialog box, enter a name in the Section name box and select Rename .

Move or Remove Sections

To reorder the sections in your presentation, move the sections. To move a section, right-click on the section name and select either Move Section Up or Move Section Down .

If it’s the first section, Move Section Up is grayed out and not available. If you right-click on the last section, Move Section Down is grayed out.

Return to the Normal View

When you’re finished reordering your slides , creating sections, and arranging your sections, select View > Normal .

In Normal view, slides display in the new order in the list of thumbnails on the left side of the PowerPoint window. If you added sections, you’ll see your section headings, as well.

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February 13, 2024

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PowerPoint - Slide appearing different in Normal view than in Presentation view.

I am having an issue where my slide appears one way while I'm editing it, but as soon as I press play slideshow it changes it's appearance. Below are two images, one of Normal and one of Presentation.

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Replies (1) .

StephyHogan

If so, it looks as though you have the transparency for the background set as something other than zero.

Right click on the background of the slide and choose Format Background. See image below. Make sure transparency is set to zero. If the background is semitransparent, the slide will look dark in normal view and in the thumbnail pane as well as slideshow view, it'll look lighter.

powerpoint different views

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IMAGES

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  22. PowerPoint

    If so, it looks as though you have the transparency for the background set as something other than zero. Right click on the background of the slide and choose Format Background. See image below. Make sure transparency is set to zero. If the background is semitransparent, the slide will look dark in normal view and in the thumbnail pane as well ...