we manually inserted these elements on each slide<\/strong>, which is not ideal.<\/p>\nFor example, what happens if something changes in the design? What if we need to replace the logo everywhere? Or what if we swap the positions of the logo and the project name?<\/p>\n
We would have to go through each slide and manually change the positions and formatting of these elements.<\/p>\n
If there are only 5-10 slides, that\u2019s not a big deal, but with 50 or 100 slides, it would be extremely time-consuming to do this.<\/p>\n
A better solution is to open the Slide Master (Alt, W, M on PC or \u2318 + Opt + 1 on Mac) and insert these common elements on a \u201cLayout<\/strong>\u201d (template)<\/strong> so they repeat across all the slides in the presentation that use this particular Layout:<\/p>\n![\"PowerPoint](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074929\/PPT-03-01-Image-02.jpg\" "\\"PowerPoint")
<\/p>\n
When you insert a normal slide in the standard view of PowerPoint (Alt, H, I on PC), you can base the slide on one of these \u201cLayouts\u201d:<\/p>\n
![\"PowerPoint](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074929\/PPT-03-01-Image-03.jpg\" "\\"PowerPoint")
<\/p>\n
<\/span>The PowerPoint Slide Master: Key Shortcuts<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nThe key shortcuts are as follows:<\/p>\n
Slide Master View:<\/strong> Alt, W, M (PC) \/ \u2318 + Opt + 1 (Mac)<\/p>\nClose Slide Master:<\/strong> Alt, M, C (PC) \/ \u2318 + 1 (Mac)<\/p>\nNormal Edit Mode:<\/strong> Alt, W, L (PC) \/ \u2318 + 1 (Mac)<\/p>\nMove to Next or Previous Layout:<\/strong> Arrow Keys (PC and Mac)<\/p>\nChange Slide Layout (outside of the Slide Master):<\/strong> Alt, H, L (PC) \/ N\/A on Mac<\/p>\nReset Slide Layout (outside of the Slide Master):<\/strong> Alt, H, Q (PC) \/ N\/A on Mac<\/p>\nHeader & Footer (outside of the Slide Master):<\/strong> Alt, N, H (PC) \/ N\/A on Mac<\/p>\nNOTE:<\/strong> The \u201c,\u201d in these shortcuts means that you press and release each button sequentially. The \u201c+\u201d means that you press and hold down each button and then release them all at the end.<\/p>\nFor example, with Alt, W, M, you press and release Alt, press and release W, and press and release M.<\/p>\n
But with \u2318 + Opt + 1 (Mac), you press and hold \u2318, press and hold opt, and press and hold 1 and then release all 3 keys at once.<\/p>\n
You will enter and exit the Slide Master all the time in longer presentations, so you should know at least the first few shortcuts above.<\/p>\n
<\/span>The PowerPoint Slide Master: Placeholders vs. Shapes<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nWhen you\u2019re on a Layout in the Slide Master, you can insert shapes, lines, and textboxes<\/strong>.<\/p>\nHowever, if you insert these objects within the Slide Master, you will not be able to edit them on normal slides that use the Layout<\/strong>.<\/p>\nLet\u2019s look at a simple example, where we add a rectangle shape to the default “Title and Content” Layout in the Slide Master:<\/p>\n
![\"PowerPoint](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074928\/PPT-03-01-Image-04.jpg\" "\\"PowerPoint")
<\/p>\n
If we now return to the normal slides with Alt, W, L (\u2318 + 1 on Mac) and insert a new slide that uses this “Title and Content” layout, it\u2019s impossible<\/strong> to select or edit the shape:<\/p>\n![\"Inability](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074928\/PPT-03-01-Image-05.jpg\" "\\"Inability")
<\/p>\n
To edit this shape, we need to return to the Slide Master and insert a Placeholder<\/strong> on this layout, which is in the \u201cSlide Master\u201d tab under \u201cInsert Placeholder\u201d:<\/p>\n![\"PowerPoint](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074928\/PPT-03-01-Image-06.jpg\" "\\"PowerPoint")
<\/p>\n
We can insert a \u201cContent\u201d Placeholder here and then format it with the same fill color, font color, and other attributes:<\/p>\n
![\"Content](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074927\/PPT-03-01-Image-07.jpg\" "\\"Content")
<\/p>\n
Then, when we return to the normal slide view and reset the Layout of the slide<\/strong> we just inserted, the blue shape is now editable:<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"PowerPoint](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074926\/PPT-03-01-Image-08.jpg\" "\\"PowerPoint")
<\/p>\n
![\"Editable](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074926\/PPT-03-01-Image-09.jpg\" "\\"Editable")
<\/p>\n
In real life, you would not use Placeholders for something trivial like this \u2013 you would normally use them for slide titles or blocks of text that change on each slide:<\/p>\n
![\"Placeholders](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074925\/PPT-03-01-Image-10.jpg\" "\\"Placeholders")
<\/p>\n
You<\/strong> need to consider the Shape vs. Placeholder distinction before using the Slide Master, or your templates will not work correctly.<\/strong><\/p>\nFinally, note that Placeholders are not allowed on \u201cLayout #1\u201d in the Slide Master \u2013 the one that looks like this:<\/p>\n
![\"Slide](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074925\/PPT-03-01-Image-11.jpg\" "\\"Slide")
<\/p>\n
This Layout determines the default font and paragraph styles for all the other slides and Layouts.<\/p>\n
You can add normal<\/strong> shapes, lines, and textboxes<\/strong> to Layout #1, but not Placeholders; the option is greyed out:<\/p>\n![\"Restrictions](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074924\/PPT-03-01-Image-12.jpg\" "\\"Restrictions")
<\/p>\n
In real life, you might add the company or client logo to Layout #1 – but it\u2019s rare to repeat any other element in the same spot everywhere in the presentation<\/em>.<\/p>\nA better approach is to create a few Layouts, such as 1-column and 2-column designs, and add “repeated elements” like the title\/header\/footer divider lines on each Layout.<\/p>\n
<\/span>The Problems with the PowerPoint Slide Master<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nThe Slide Master is great for ensuring consistency, creating templates, and repeating common elements across the slides, but it does have some drawbacks.<\/p>\n
First<\/strong>, not all formatting carries through to normal slides the way you necessarily want.<\/p>\nSimilar to the copy\/paste shape format commands, only the formats of the first line of text<\/em> in a Placeholder are carried through to normal slides.<\/p>\nSecond<\/strong>, many people do not know about the Slide Master or do not use it properly, and it is cumbersome to \u201cconvert\u201d a long presentation with normal slides into one that uses Layouts consistently.<\/p>\nThird<\/strong>, an existing slide will not<\/em> update even if you change the slide\u2019s Layout within the Slide Master.<\/p>\nYou can \u201creset\u201d the slide to its base Layout using the Alt, H, Q shortcut, and this will update all the elements on the slide, including additions\/deletions and edits you\u2019ve made in the Slide Master.<\/p>\n
However, you\u2019ll also lose any additional formatting<\/em> you have applied to the Placeholders on this normal slide.<\/p>\nBecause of these downsides, it\u2019s best to keep the Slide Master simple and use it for tasks like inserting logos, headers, footers, and slide numbers rather than complex layouts.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/span>Setting Up the PowerPoint Slide Master Properly<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nIf you\u2019ve just created a new presentation and you want to use the Slide Master extensively, here\u2019s what we recommend:<\/p>\n
Step 1:<\/strong> First, go to the Slide Master with Alt, W, M (PC) or \u2318 + Opt + 1 (Mac) and delete the default Layouts you will not<\/strong> use.<\/p>\nWe recommend keeping the \u201cTitle and Content\u201d Layout \u2013 ignore the recommendation in the video \u2013 but everything else can go:<\/p>\n
![\"Deleting](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074924\/PPT-03-01-Image-13.jpg\" "\\"Deleting")
<\/p>\n
Step 2:<\/strong> We also recommend removing the Drawing Guides<\/strong> in the Slide Master because they\u2019re separate from the Drawing Guides in the normal presentation, and you usually don\u2019t need multiple sets of Guides.<\/p>\nTo do this, enter the Slide Master and go to Layout #1 there (the “Office Theme Slide Master\u201d).<\/p>\n
Press Alt, W, S (PC) or \u2318 + Opt + Ctrl + G (Mac) to show the Drawing Guides, which should appear in red, and drag them off the slide<\/strong> to remove them.<\/p>\n![\"Removing](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074923\/PPT-03-01-Image-14.jpg\" "\\"Removing")
<\/p>\n
Next, go to each Layout you plan to use and do the same thing.<\/p>\n
These Drawing Guides will appear in orange<\/strong>, and by default, they\u2019ll be single vertical and horizontal lines.<\/p>\nWe recommend removing these unless you plan to customize them for a more complex Layout in which specific alignments would be helpful:<\/p>\n
![\"Removing](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074923\/PPT-03-01-Image-15.jpg\" "\\"Removing")
<\/p>\n
Step 3:<\/strong> Add the company logo, the slide number, and the header or footer elements that should appear on all slides<\/em> on Layout #1.<\/p>\nThe logo is straightforward: insert a normal shape or textbox, format it appropriately, and drag it to the bottom left or right corner:<\/p>\n
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074922\/PPT-03-01-Image-16.jpg\" "\\"Adding")
<\/p>\n
To add the slide numbers, press Alt, N, H (Insert –> Header & Footer on Mac) and make sure \u201cSlide Number\u201d is checked:<\/p>\n
![\"PowerPoint](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074922\/PPT-03-01-Image-17.jpg\" "\\"PowerPoint")
<\/p>\n
If you want to add something else in the header or footer, such as the client\u2019s name or the project name, you can also do that at this stage.<\/p>\n
But in most cases, elements like lines for the header and footer areas should be added directly on the custom Layouts because you usually don’t want to show these on the title slide or “section divider” slides.<\/p>\n
Step 4:<\/strong> Set the default themes, colors, fonts, and background styles.<\/p>\nWithin the Slide Master view, click the \u201cSlide Master\u201d tab and go to \u201cEdit Theme\u201d and \u201cBackground\u201d to set these:<\/p>\n
![\"PowerPoint](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074921\/PPT-03-01-Image-18.jpg\" "\\"PowerPoint")
<\/p>\n
![\"Setting](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074921\/PPT-03-01-Image-19.jpg\" "\\"Setting")
<\/p>\n
If you go to the normal slides and set the fill\/font color of a shape or textbox, you can access all these theme colors easily:<\/p>\n
![\"Accessing](\"https:\/\/biwsuploads-assest.s3.amazonaws.com\/biws\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19074920\/PPT-03-01-Image-20.jpg\" "\\"Accessing")
<\/p>\n
The main benefit of this feature is that it lets you change all the colors in the presentation from within the Slide Master<\/strong>.<\/p>\nYou just need to ensure that each shape, textbox, and line uses one of the \u201cTheme Colors\u201d you\u2019ve selected.<\/p>\n
If it does, you can return to this area of the Slide Master and change the colors here, and everything that uses one of these colors will update automatically.<\/p>\n
Many companies have their own themes and color schemes, so you should follow your internal standards when doing this.<\/p>\n