PowerPoint Slide Show Settings
Every presentation runs according to settings defined in the Set Up Show dialog. Access it via Slide Show → Set Up Slide Show. This dialog is the control panel for the entire show's behaviour — it deserves review before every important presentation.
Show Type Options
Presented by a speaker (full screen) is the default — the presenter controls advancement manually, full screen on the display. Browsed by an individual (window) runs the presentation inside a scrollable window rather than full screen, useful for self-study decks shared digitally. Browsed at a kiosk (full screen) locks the presentation in full-screen loop mode — the audience cannot exit, and clicking blank areas does nothing. Kiosk mode works for trade show displays, museum exhibits, or reception screen content.
Loop Until Escaped
Ticking Loop continuously until Esc makes the presentation restart automatically from slide 1 after reaching the last slide. Combine this with automatic slide timings (set via Rehearse Timings or the Transitions tab) for a fully autonomous looping show. This is the standard setup for unattended display screens in lobbies, retail environments, and waiting areas.
Show Without Narration or Animation
These two checkboxes suppress embedded audio narration and all animation effects respectively. Useful during rehearsals when you want to review slide content without sitting through animations, or when presenting in an environment where audio is disruptive. The narration and animations remain in the file — these settings only suppress them during playback.
Recording a Slide Show
Click Slide Show → Record Slide Show to open the recording studio interface. This full-screen recording mode captures your slide advancement timing, audio narration from your microphone, and optionally your webcam video in a picture-in-picture overlay. The result embeds narration directly into the presentation — each slide stores its own audio segment that plays automatically when the slide appears.
Recording enables fully autonomous presentations for online learning, product demonstrations, and recorded conference talks. Distribute the .pptx file or export as MP4 video for sharing on any platform.
In Record Slide Show, you do not need to record the entire deck in one session. Navigate to any slide, click the record button, and record only that slide's narration. Previously recorded slides retain their audio. This targeted re-recording is essential for updating a single slide's content without redoing the entire presentation narration.
Hidden Slides
Right-click any slide thumbnail and choose Hide Slide — a strikethrough appears on the slide number. Hidden slides are excluded from normal playback but remain in the file. During a presentation, press the slide number on the keyboard followed by Enter to jump to a hidden slide directly. Use hidden slides for backup data, extended answers to anticipated questions, or alternative versions of a slide for different audiences.
Starting the Show from Any Slide
Press F5 to start from slide 1. Press Shift + F5 to start from the currently selected slide. Right-click any thumbnail and choose Start Slide Show from Here for the same result. During a running show, type a slide number and press Enter to jump directly to that slide — a fast navigation technique experienced presenters use regularly.
If your presentation is designed at 16:9 widescreen (1920×1080) but the projector runs at 4:3 (1024×768), black bars appear on the sides or content gets cropped. Check the venue projector's native resolution before finalising slide dimensions under Design → Slide Size. Designing at the projector's native resolution eliminates all scaling artefacts.