PowerPoint Basics
Start 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.
Who it's for
You're new to PowerPoint, you've only edited other people's decks, or you're slow finding commands and want a reliable way to make simple school, work or community presentations.
What you'll build
An 8-slide mini lesson that teaches a useful skill, with a consistent theme, a picture, an icon row, a table or chart, speaker notes and a PDF copy.
What's in this path
- Step 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 read
- Step 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 read
- Step 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 read
- Step 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 read
- Step 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 read
- Step 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 read
- Step 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 read
- Step 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 read
Not sure where to start? Find your level →