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Microsoft PowerPoint XP

PowerPoint Basic Tasks

PowerPoint is a powerful and versatile program for creating presentations. Many of the concepts that you know from working with other programs will carry through to PowerPoint. This document will show you how to complete some of the basic tasks involved in creating a presentation. 

Return to top Opening PowerPoint

In order to perform tasks with PowerPoint XP, use the following instructions to open the program: 

NOTE: The procedure for opening PowerPoint may vary depending on the setup of the computer you are using.

  1. From the Start menu, select Programs » Microsoft Office » Microsoft PowerPoint

Return to topStarting a New Presentation

When PowerPoint is opened, by default a blank Title slide appears as the first slide in your new presentation. You may start a new presentation when you first open PowerPoint or after PowerPoint is already open.

Starting a New Presentation: When Opening PowerPoint (with menu choices first)

  1. Open PowerPoint
    A blank title slide appears as the first slide in your presentation.
  2. To start a presentation using a design template, from the Format menu, select Slide Design...
    OR
    From the Other Task Panes pull-down menu, select Slide Design
     Other Task panes pull-down menu
    OR
    From the Formatting toolbar, click DESIGN Slide design button
    The Slide Design pane appears.
    Slide design pane  design slide pull-down menu
  3. Click the desired slide design
    Your presentation reflects your choice.
    HINT: When you mouse over each slide selection, a pull-down menu arrow appears. Click to make a selection from Apply to All Slides, Apply to Selected Slides or Show Large Previews.
  4. To choose a different slide layout, from the Format menu, select Slide Layout...
    OR
    From the Other Task Panes pull-down menu, select Slide Layout
    The Slide Layout pane appears.
    slide layout pane  slide layout pull-down menu
  5. Click the desired slide layout option
    Your new slide layout appears.
    HINT: When you mouse over each slide selection, a pull-down menu arrow appears. Click to make a selection from Apply to Selected Slides, Reapply Layout or Insert New Slide.

Starting a New Presentation: PowerPoint Already Open (with task pane choices first)

  1. From the File menu, select New...
    The New Presentation pane appears

  2. OPTIONAL: To work without a design template, click BLANK PRESENTATION and skip steps 3-5 below.
    The Slide Layout pane appears.

  3. Click FROM DESIGN TEMPLATE
    OR
    From the Format menu, select Slide Design...
    OR
    From the Formatting toolbar, click DESIGN Slide design button
    The Slide Design pane appears.

  4. Select a template
    The selected slide design is applied to the presentation.

  5. From the Other Task Panes pull-down menu, select Slide Layout
    OR
    From the Format menu, select Slide Layout...
    The Slide Layout pane appears.

  6. Select a slide type
    The selected slide layout appears in your presentation.

Return to top Saving a Presentation

It is important to save your presentation for future usage. If you have already saved your presentation to a file, it is as easy as one step. If you are saving for the first time, you need to select a location and a name for your file.

Saving a Presentation: First Time

  1. From the File menu, select Save As...
    The Save As dialog box appears.

  2. Navigate through folders/files to the desired save location

  3. In the File name text box, type a file name

  4. Click SAVE

Saving a Presentation: Already Named

  1. From the File menu, select Save
    OR
    From the Standard toolbar, click SAVE Save button

Return to top Opening a Presentation

You can either open a presentation through the File menu or through the Task Pane.  The Task Pane allows you to open presentations by showing the filenames of recently used or created presentations.

Opening a Presentation: File Menu

  1. From the File menu, select Open...
    The Open dialog box appears.

  2. Navigate to your saved presentation

  3. Click OPEN

Opening a Presentation: Task Pane

  1. From the Other Task Panes pull-down menu, select New Presentation
    The New Presentation pane appears.

  2. From the Open a Presentation section, click the desired presentation file you would like to open
    NOTE: If the desired file is not listed, click MORE PRESENTATIONS
    The Open dialog box appears. Continue with Opening a Presentation: File Menu

Return to top Inserting New Slides

PowerPoint offers you two quick ways to add new slides to your presentation: the Insert menu and the Formatting toolbar. By default the new slide will be the Title and Text slide layout choice.

Inserting New Slides: Insert Menu

  1. From the Insert menu, select New Slide
    A new Title and Text slide is inserted in your presentation.

  2. To change the slide layout, select the desired slide layout from the choices in the Slide Layout pane
    HINT: PowerPoint will create a new slide in the view you are currently in. If you want to change the view, use the view buttons in the lower left-hand corner of the PowerPoint window. See The PowerPoint Views for more information.

Inserting New Slides: Formatting Toolbar

  1. On the Formatting toolbar, click NEW SLIDE New Slide button
    A new Title and Text slide is inserted in your presentation.

  2. To change the slide layout, select the desired slide layout from the choices in the Slide Layout pane
    HINT: PowerPoint will create a new slide in the view you are currently in. If you want to change the view, use the view buttons in the lower left-hand corner of the PowerPoint window. See The PowerPoint Views for more information.

Return to top Preparing to Print

Before you print your slides, you need to set them up. You can prepare your slides by

  1. Selecting the Page Setup... option from the File menu
    This option lets you identify your output medium (e.g., paper, on-screen slide show, 35mm slides) as well as the orientation (portrait or landscape) of slides, notes, handouts, and outlines.
    NOTE:     For instructions on using Page Setup..., see Setting Up Slides to Print within Printing Your Presentation.

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