Learn PowerPoint: Free Course from Beginner to Expert
Four levels take you from your first slide to running deck production for a team. Each tutorial ends with a practice task you do in PowerPoint, a quick quiz and a checklist, and each level ends with a project.
4 levels · 35 tutorials · about 8 hours
Where should you start?
| If this sounds like you | Start at |
|---|---|
| You're new to PowerPoint, or you only edit other people's decks and still hunt for commands. | PowerPoint Basics |
| You can build slides, but you fix alignment by hand and haven't used Slide Master yet. | Intermediate PowerPoint |
| You make polished decks and now need story structure, templates, Morph and interactive lessons. | Advanced PowerPoint |
| You already lead decks and want template kits, automation, team workflows and ways to coach others. | Expert PowerPoint |
Take the 45-minute placement check → Fix a messy 7-slide deck, then match what you changed to a level.
Your progress
0 of 35 done
Start the course →How to Get Started with PowerPoint: Workspace, Views, and Saving
The four levels
- PowerPoint BasicsBeginner8 tutorials · about 2 hoursStart from a blank presentation and finish able to build and deliver a clean short deck: layouts, readable text, pictures and icons, themes, simple tables and charts, speaker notes and PDF export.Ends with: Beginner Project: Build an 8-Slide Mini Lesson in PowerPoint
Completion badge: Beginner Builder
- Intermediate PowerPointIntermediate9 tutorials · about 2 hoursStop formatting slide by slide. Control structure with Slide Master and layouts, place objects precisely, design clear hierarchy, tell honest stories with data, and add media, motion, review and accessibility checks.Ends with: PowerPoint Intermediate Capstone: Build a 12-Slide Tutoring Lesson Deck
Completion badge: Intermediate Producer
- Advanced PowerPointAdvanced9 tutorials · about 2 hoursPlan decks around an audience and a story, build template systems, treat images like a designer, teach with Morph and triggers, build interactive and self-paced modules, and run a real QA pass before delivery.Ends with: Advanced Project: Build an 18-Slide Interactive Tutoring Module in PowerPoint
Completion badge: Advanced Designer
- Expert PowerPointExpert9 tutorials · about 2 hoursLead deck production. Ship template kits, automate repeat work with VBA, add-ins and scripts, run team workflows and accessibility governance, handle high-stakes decks, publish to every format and coach other learners.Ends with: Expert PowerPoint Capstone: Build a Template Kit, Automation and Coaching System
Completion badge: Expert Systems Lead
Full syllabus
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PowerPoint BasicsBeginner8 tutorials · about 2 hours
- 1. How to Get Started with PowerPoint: Workspace, Views, and SavingLearn what each part of the PowerPoint window does, switch between views, and create, save, and export your first file without losing work.13 min
- 2. How to Build Your First Presentation in PowerPointPlan a deck around your audience and purpose, pick the right slide layouts, and put your slides in an order that makes sense to listeners.14 min
- 3. How to Write Slide Text People Can Read in PowerPointWrite slide titles that state the point, use placeholders, and format text, bullets, and alignment so people can read your slides from the back row.14 min
- 4. How to Add Pictures, Shapes, Icons, and Screenshots in PowerPointInsert pictures without stretching them, crop them to the point, and add shapes, icons, and annotated screenshots that make a slide clearer.15 min
- 5. How to Use Themes and Templates in PowerPoint for a Consistent DeckApply a theme, start from a template without letting it run your message, and keep titles, colors and backgrounds consistent across every slide.14 min
- 6. How to Add Simple Tables and Charts in PowerPointDecide when a table or a chart fits your data, insert one in PowerPoint, and clean it up so your audience can read it in seconds.15 min
- 7. How to Present a Slide Show, Use Speaker Notes and Export to PDF in PowerPointStart and control a slide show, write speaker notes that help you instead of repeating the slide, use Presenter View, and print or export the right PDF.15 min
- 8. Beginner Project: Build an 8-Slide Mini Lesson in PowerPointPut every beginner skill together: plan, build, present and export an 8-slide lesson that teaches a useful skill, then score it with a simple rubric.13 min
Intermediate PowerPointIntermediate9 tutorials · about 2 hours
- 1. How to Use Slide Master and Custom Layouts in PowerPointEdit the Slide Master, build reusable custom layouts with placeholders, and organize long decks into sections so you stop fixing slides one by one.15 min
- 2. How to Align, Group, and Layer Objects in PowerPointLine up, space, group, layer, and name objects precisely with Align, guides, the Selection Pane, and Format Painter so slides look clean.15 min
- 3. How to Design Clear Slides in PowerPoint: Hierarchy, Color, Type, and WhitespaceMake slides easy to scan with one message per slide, clear emphasis, a small color palette, a simple type scale, and enough whitespace.15 min
- 4. How to Make Clear, Honest Charts and Data Slides in PowerPointWrite the data takeaway first, pick the right chart, clean up defaults, bring charts in from Excel safely, and avoid misleading visuals.16 min
- 5. How to Use SmartArt, Diagrams, and Icons in PowerPointPick the right diagram for an idea, turn bullets into SmartArt, build cleaner diagrams with shapes and connectors, and make them accessible.15 min
- 6. How to Add Audio, Video, and Narration in PowerPointInsert video and audio, set playback, compress media, record narration, and add captions so your media plays reliably and every learner can follow it.15 min
- 7. How to Use Animations and Transitions in PowerPoint (Without Distracting People)Use entrance, emphasis, and exit effects, the Animation Pane, and simple transitions to reveal ideas in order and focus attention, then test every click.15 min
- 8. How to Review, Check Accessibility, and Share a PowerPoint PresentationUse comments, a final preflight check, the Accessibility Checker, and Document Inspector, then export the right format: PPTX, PDF, video, or a share link.16 min
- 9. PowerPoint Intermediate Capstone: Build a 12-Slide Tutoring Lesson DeckPlan, build, and share a 12-slide tutoring lesson using a custom Slide Master, sections, clean data, a diagram, media, purposeful animation, and an accessibility pass.13 min
Advanced PowerPointAdvanced9 tutorials · about 2 hours
- 1. How to Plan a Presentation Story: Audience, Message and Narrative in PowerPointPlan a deck before you design it: profile the audience, write a one-sentence job, pick a narrative pattern and storyboard titles that make the case.14 min
- 2. How to Build a Custom PowerPoint Template and Design SystemTurn your design decisions into a reusable PowerPoint template: theme colors and fonts, a grid, a named layout library, clean masters and a .potx file.15 min
- 3. How to Crop, Mask and Overlay Images and Use Merge Shapes in PowerPointChoose strong images, crop to a ratio and focus point, keep text readable over photos, build custom graphics with Merge Shapes and make images look like a set.15 min
- 4. How to Use Morph, Animation Triggers and Advanced Timing in PowerPointUse motion to explain: build smooth Morph sequences, name objects so they match, make clickable trigger reveals and polish timing that holds up live.15 min
- 5. How to Build Interactive PowerPoint Presentations With Links, Zoom and Branching QuizzesBuild non-linear decks: menus with hyperlinks, action buttons and Zoom, branching quiz feedback and navigation tested so nobody hits a dead end.15 min
- 6. How to Link Excel Charts to PowerPoint Without Breaking Your DeckChoose between linking, embedding and pasting Excel charts as pictures, manage and repair links, document sources, and ship stable decks.14 min
- 7. How to Record a PowerPoint Lesson and Build Self-Paced DecksRedesign slides for learners without a presenter, record narration slide by slide, export to video, and package a lesson for a website or LMS.13 min
- 8. How to QA and Rehearse a PowerPoint Deck Before You PresentReview a deck in content, visual, technical, and accessibility passes, rehearse with timings and Speaker Coach, and turn findings into a revision plan.13 min
- 9. Advanced Project: Build an 18-Slide Interactive Tutoring Module in PowerPointPlan, design, and QA an 18-slide interactive module with a menu, branching quiz, Morph, and narration that works live or self-paced.11 min
Expert PowerPointExpert9 tutorials · about 2 hours
- 1. How to Build a PowerPoint Template Kit and Layout Library Your Team Can UseTurn a good-looking deck into a template kit: a tested layout library, placeholder rules, sample slides and a one-page guide others can follow.15 min
- 2. How to Automate PowerPoint With VBA, Office Add-ins and PythonDecide which PowerPoint chores are worth automating, then pick the right tool: a VBA macro, an Office JavaScript add-in or a python-pptx script.15 min
- 3. How to Run a PowerPoint Deck Production Workflow for a TeamRun decks through a repeatable pipeline: clear stages, clean version names, the right reviewers, controlled feedback and a folder anyone can pick up.12 min
- 4. How to Set Up PowerPoint Accessibility Standards and Deck Governance for a TeamBuild accessibility into templates, alt text standards and a one-page governance policy, then run a repeatable review that catches what the checker misses.14 min
- 5. How to Structure High-Stakes PowerPoint Decks: Training, Pitch, Executive and Data ReportsMatch deck structure to the genre: training, pitch, executive update, data report or case study, so each deck asks its audience for the right response.13 min
- 6. How to Design Interactive Assessments and Feedback Slides in PowerPointWrite measurable objectives, build practice ladders and feedback slides that teach, and assess real judgment with scenarios, rubrics and portfolios.15 min
- 7. How to Publish a PowerPoint Deck as PDF, Video, Images and Web ContentPick the right output for each audience, export clean PDFs, videos and images, turn slides into web lessons, and keep every published version in sync.15 min
- 8. How to Teach PowerPoint and Give Slide Critique That Improves DecksDiagnose what a learner really needs, demonstrate one skill at a time, give specific feedback, and coach revisions without taking over the deck.14 min
- 9. Expert PowerPoint Capstone: Build a Template Kit, Automation and Coaching SystemPackage a reusable template kit, prove one automation, document governance and publishing, and coach a learner through a mentor-reviewed revision.13 min
Frequently asked questions
Is this PowerPoint course really free?
Yes. Every tutorial and learning path is free to read, with no account, subscription or trial.
How long does it take?
The four levels add up to about 8 hours of reading, plus time to do each practice task in PowerPoint. At 30 minutes a day, most people finish a level in two to three weeks.
Which version of PowerPoint do I need?
The tutorials are written for PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 on Windows, which matches PowerPoint 2024 and 2021 for most steps. Differences for Mac and PowerPoint for the web are pointed out where they matter.
Is PowerPoint for the web enough?
For most of the Basics level, yes. Later levels use features that only the desktop app has, such as Slide Master, recording a slide show and VBA macros.
How do I know which level to start at?
Take the placement check: you fix a messy 7-slide deck in about 45 minutes, then match what you changed to a level.
Do I get a certificate?
No. ArumSoft doesn't issue certificates. Each level ends with a project you can keep for a portfolio, and Microsoft offers the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) exams if you need a credential.