Updated

PowerPoint 101:
The Ultimate Guide for
Grade 6 Computer
education Learners
rd
3 Grading
Feeling stuck with PowerPoint? We all have been
there—needing a quick design but not knowing
where to start or feeling overwhelmed by the
endless features. The good news is that once you
learn how to use PowerPoint effectively, it
becomes a powerful tool for creating
presentations that truly stand out.
Millions of users worldwide use Microsoft 365
services, making PowerPoint the presentation
design software with the highest market share. And
with good reason! PowerPoint's features stand out
for its usability and originality.
In this grading, we will cover the key PowerPoint
basics, showing you how to make professional and
eye-catching slides easily. Whether you're just
starting out or looking to improve your skills, by the
end, you'll feel confident creating presentations
that impact any occasion.
Let's see what you're going to learn today with this
PowerPoint Guide:
 What is PowerPoint?
 What are the best uses of PowerPoint?
 PowerPoint Basics: What are the components
of PowerPoint application?
 Mastering PowerPoint: What are the main
features of PowerPoint?
  What are PowerPoint templates and where to
find them?
 Time to practice! How to make a presentation
in PowerPoint?
 Designing in PowerPoint isn’t for you? We have
the solution!

What is PowerPoint?
Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation design
software included in Microsoft 365. This software
allows you to design presentations by combining
text, images, graphics, video, and animation on
slides in a simple and intuitive way.
Over time, PowerPoint has evolved and improved
its accessibility to users. For this reason, it has been
adapted to the main operating systems and
modalities:
 Windows
 MacOS
  iOS
 Android
 PowerPoint Online
Additionally, you can use Word and Excel in this
online version. That way, you can make real-time
changes in the cloud without fearing losing your
files. Sounds great, right?
What are the best uses of PowerPoint?
PowerPoint has a versatile range of uses.
If you're wondering how to use PowerPoint for
different tasks, here’s a list of the things you can
create with this presentation design software:
 Business presentations or Pitch decks.
 Marketing, Sales, and HR plans.
 Project briefs and timelines.
 Inductions to new employees.
 Seminars and educational classes.
 Professional portfolio of photos or designs.
  Presentations of a research summary.
 Presentations for special occasions.
These are just a few examples of the multiple
possibilities this Microsoft software offers. Your
imagination is the only limit!
Stay tuned as we continue with this PowerPoint 101
Guide...

PowerPoint Basics: What are the components of

PowerPoint Workspace?
In order to deeply understand this presentation
design software, you need to recognize its main
components. To master this tool, we must start
with the PowerPoint basics!
A quick note before going any further: when
opening PowerPoint, some of the commands in the
ribbons will look grayish, and they won’t highlight
when you hover the mouse over them.
This happens since some commands need to be
selected to function. For example, if you want to
change the color of a text, you first need to select it.
That being said, let's start with this Guide for
PowerPoint beginners:
PowerPoint Main Window
The first aspect to learn is PowerPoint Main
Window. To facilitate the explanation, we've
organized its main elements with numbers from 1
to 10:
PowerPoint Window: Main components
The main components of PowerPoint window are
the following:
1. Quick Access Toolbar: This toolbar allows you to
customize commands so that you have them at
hand. To do so, you only have to select it and go to
"More commands."
2. Title Bar: This bar shows the name of your file
and other "Suggested options," like Slide Master
View. The options you get will vary depending on
how you use the commands.
3. File Tab: You’ll see the Home Menu (PowerPoint
backstage) by selecting this tab. There you can
create a new presentation, save it, print it, export it,
and many other options.
4. The Ribbon: It’s where PowerPoint tabs and tools
are. These tools can also be called "commands" or
“features”.
5. More Button or Down Arrow: These arrows
allow you to view more tools or layout options.
6. Slides Pane: This pane shows your slides in
thumbnail size. Right-clicking each slide allows you
to perform more actions. It's perfect for PowerPoint
beginners!
7. Slide: It’s PowerPoint's blank canvas and the
frame that will be seen when presenting the file.
8. Placeholders: They are the dotted boxes that
store your content.
9. Status Bar: This bar allows you to view the slide
number, grammatical errors, speaker notes, and
comments on your file.
10. Zoom: It allows you to enlarge or minimize your
PowerPoint workspace. The range is 10 to 400%.
PowerPoint Tabs
The PowerPoint tabs are the control desk of your
presentation. Since PowerPoint's features are too
many, they're organized in tabs.
You can switch between tabs as you need. Once you
click on a tab, it will open its ribbon, and there,
you'll be able to see all the tools related to that
particular category.
This PowerPoint tutorial for beginners will give you
an overview of all PowerPoint tabs. Here you have
them:
 Home Tab
 Insert Tab
 Design Tab
 Transitions Tab
 Animations Tab
 Slide Show Tab
  Review Tab
 View Tab
 Recording Tab
 Help Tab
1. Home Tab
The Home tab is the most common tab of
PowerPoint. This is the tab you’ll probably use most
if you’re designing your own presentation deck
from scratch.

It allows you to add new slides and change the text

characteristics: font, size, boldness, underlining,
alignment, etc. If you've ever used Microsoft Word,
these features will be familiar to you.
You will also find commands to edit the
characteristics of the geometric shapes you insert.
These include fill color, line color, and shape effects,
among others.
2. Insert Tab
The Insert tab is exactly what its name suggests.
This ribbon contains all the options for adding a
new element to your PowerPoint presentation.

You can insert a picture, some geometric shapes,

icons, or WordArt graphics, among other things.
This tab is really helpful for PowerPoint beginners!
For example, if you have a lot of data in PowerPoint,
you could add a chart or diagram to show your
information in a more visual way. You can also
embed videos or music into PowerPoint really
easily.
 PowerPoint tip for beginners: To be able to
write text on your slides, you need a text box.
So, if you're designing your presentation from
scratch, remember to go first to the Insert tab
and add a text box to start writing.

3. Design Tab
If you are one of those people who enjoy choosing
the design of a PowerPoint presentation, this tab
will be your favorite.

The Design tab offers a wide range of premade

designs, which will allow you to create more
polished slides. Even better, this ribbon allows you
to adjust the color palette and change the overall
style of your PowerPoint deck.
The PowerPoint interface, as this basic PowerPoint
Tutorial, is really intuitive. We believe that you
won't have any problem with this tab!
4. Transitions Tab
Using transitions in PowerPoint is a dynamic way to
move from one slide to the next during a
presentation. This feature is PowerPoint's stamp,
so don't miss it!
Some PowerPoint transitions are really classic, like
wiping the old slide to present the new one. Others
are somewhat over the top, like the “Vortex” or the
“Airplane” effect.
If you click on each kind of transition, you’ll see a
preview of how it would look when presented.
Really cool, right?
5. Animations Tab
In case you want to add special effects for certain
elements in your slides, the Animations tab in
PowerPoint will interest you.

Like the Transitions tab, you will find various

animation effects in this ribbon. It's a matter of
trying and choosing the best one according to your
needs!
6. Slide Show Tab
As its name says, the Slide Show tab is
about presenting your slides. We really like that it
gives you several options to show up your
presentation!

Considering that you're a PowerPoint beginner,

you're not likely to use the Slide Show tab very
much.
But if you're curious about this command, you must
read our article: How to Make a PowerPoint
Slideshow that Runs Automatically?
7. Review Tab
The Review tab is not often used by PowerPoint
beginners either.
However, if your job is related to writing or if you
work at an international company, this tool can be
extremely useful!

With this tab, you can check the slide's spelling,

translate the text in real-time, and add comments
to your slides. This last function can be helpful to
give feedback to a colleague.
8. View Tab
This View tab allows you to change the view of your
PowerPoint slides and make handouts from them,
among other things.

As you can see, the majority of its commands are

really specific. So you won't have any issues while
designing; test and see!
In this section, our favorite command for
PowerPoint beginners is Slide Master. Explore
more about this tool in our guide!
9. Recording Tab
In the last versions of this design presentation
software, PowerPoint added the Recording tab. As
its name says, it allows you to record all your
presentation slides.
This ribbon has advanced commands, so the most
common action for a PowerPoint beginner is to take
a screenshot or record the screen sequentially.
10. Help Tab
Finally, there’s the Help tab. If you have any
problems or questions about using PowerPoint, you
can go here to find a solution.
In the latest versions, Windows has added a “Show
Training” option. You can click this command to
practice the PowerPoint basics since it will
download training templates.

We want to conclude this section of our article by

saying that, as a PowerPoint beginner, you must
recognize the objective of each PowerPoint tab to
master the software.
The next objective is to dominate its most
important features. We’re here to make it possible!
Mastering PowerPoint: What are the main
features of PowerPoint?
This section is for you if you're ready to explore
PowerPoint's tools in more depth.
As you may know, 24Slides specializes in creating
outstanding presentations for any Design Project.
So, we asked one of our experts about her favorite
PowerPoint features, and we're excited to share
them with you!
Carmen Navarrete, Graphic Designer at 24Slides,
highlighted the following features that will make
your presentations stand out from the crowd:
PowerPoint Feature #1: Crop to Shape
This first PowerPoint feature is simple but effective!
Let's see how to use it:
 First, choose an image you want to cut and
insert it into your workspace.
 Once inserted, select it with the mouse.
 Go to the "Picture Format" tab.
 Press the arrow of the "Crop" button (right side
of the screen).
  Select "Crop to Shape."
 Choose your favorite shape and customize your
PowerPoint presentation!

PowerPoint Feature #2: Merge Shapes

If you don't like any figure enough, you can create
one from scratch!
This is possible thanks to the "Merge Shapes"
option. Follow these steps to unleash your
creativity:
 First, choose an image you want to cut.
 Check the list of PowerPoint shapes (Insert tab
> Shapes).
 Choose two or three figures you want to merge
(they can be the same figure).
 Select the figures you are going to merge (see
the image).
 Once selected, go to the "Shape Format" tab.
 Press the "Merge Shapes" option and the type
of merge you want (test and choose!).
 A new figure will appear, and you must fill it
with the image from the first step.
 Stay on the Shape Format tab and go to "Shape
Fill" (button in the middle of the ribbon).
 Select "Picture Fill" and browse for your image.
 Select the image to fill your new figure, and
that's it!

 PowerPoint tip for beginners: When your

merged figure is ready, paste the image to the
background of your slide to achieve a better
 result. This way, you can use your image as a
canvas and see if both elements fit well.
PowerPoint Feature #3: Insert Icons
This PowerPoint feature is quite easy to follow for
PowerPoint beginners!
Just follow these steps:
 Go to the Insert tab.
 Select the "Icons" option.
 A Microsoft 365 library will open, where you
can search for the required icon.
 Now, you must insert it into your presentation
and adapt it to your design.
 If you have an active Microsoft 365
subscription, you'll have access to a larger
number of icons in PowerPoint.
  PowerPoint tip for beginners: If you want to
learn more about icons in PowerPoint, read our
article on How to Use Icons to Make Amazing
PowerPoint Presentations.
PowerPoint Feature #4: Insert SmartArt
PowerPoint's SmartArt is one of the most popular
and accessible tools to dominate while learning
about PowerPoint basics.
To use it in your slide deck, you must:
 Go to the Insert tab.
 Select SmartArt.
  See all SmartArt categories and choose your
favorite based on your needs.
 Add the text you have prepared and adapt it to
your presentation.

We want to give you some ideas to master this

SmartArt tool in PowerPoint: you can make
timelines, flowcharts, and even a Venn diagram in
just a few seconds. Try and see!
PowerPoint Feature #5: Remove Background
If you don't know how to use Photoshop and want
to remove the background from an image, in this
PowerPoint 101 Guide, we show you how:
 First choose the image you want to remove the
background from.
 Insert the image in the PowerPoint workspace.
 Select the image and go to the "Picture Format"
tab.
 Select "Remove Background" (first option on
the left).
 You can keep and remove parts of the image
with the first two tools of the ribbon (see
image).
 Keep in mind that all the sections highlighted in
purple will be deleted.
 We recommend zooming in to keep or remove
parts of the image with more detail.
 Once you're done, press the "Keep Changes"
button.
 Finally, adapt the new image to your
PowerPoint presentation.
  PowerPoint tip for beginners: Choose a high-
contrast photo or image for best results. In
other words, the outline of the person or object
you want to cut out must have clear edges and
cannot blend with the image's background
color.
PowerPoint Feature #6: Add Speaker Notes
The latest PowerPoint feature is a command you
can use to prepare your speech before presenting
to an audience.
Learning how to add speaker notes in PowerPoint is
simple:
  Select the slide that needs some notes.
 Usually, there is a footer below the slide, but if
not, you will have to activate it.
 Go to the View tab and select "Notes."
 The Speaker Notes section will appear, and you
can add whatever you want!

 PowerPoint tip for beginners: In case you want

to practice your entire presentation and have a
lot of notes, go to the View tab and select
"Notes Page" (fourth command). You'll be able
to see all your Speaker Notes faster!
PowerPoint Feature #7: PowerPoint Translator
If you've ever wondered how to translate your
PowerPoint Slides, we'll explain the step-by-step
here:
 Go to the Review tab.
 Select the text you want to translate.
 Press the “Translate” button.
 A panel will open on the right side of the
screen.
 Choose the language you need, and you'll see
the translation in real time.
 If you press Insert, the text will change to the
new translation!
PowerPoint Feature #8: Screen Recording
The process of recording your screen in PowerPoint
is straightforward and intuitive. Let's see:
 Go to the “Record” or “Recording” tab.
 Press the "Record Slide Show" button or the
“From Beginning” button (depending on your
PPT version).
 A new window will open.
 Select the red record button and start
recording!
 When you're done, select “Export.”
 By default, the video will be 1080 px. If you
want to lower the video quality, go to
"Customize export."
 Name the video, save it to a folder and that's it!
As you may have noticed, this software has endless
PowerPoint design options for beginners. We
encourage you to try and test each functionality!
However, we're clear that PowerPoint has different
features, so it can be hard to know where to start.
That's why understanding PowerPoint basics is
crucial if you truly want to master this software.
Our PowerPoint 101 Guide continues; stay tuned to
discover more great stuff about this Microsoft
software. Keep reading!
What are PowerPoint templates and where to find
them?
A PowerPoint template is a pre-made design that
you can use for your own means, and that will save
you a lot of time.
Templates in PowerPoint are a great resource for
designing since all the structure is already done,
and you only have to update the content. We can
tell you they're the perfect resource for PowerPoint
beginners!
They can be incredibly specific. For example, there
are templates for a SWOT analysis or a complete
Marketing report. Otherwise, templates can also be
very general, with several slides with a similar
design.
If you struggle with the artistic part of designing
presentations, downloading PowerPoint templates
will be a life changer!
How to download PowerPoint templates for free?
If you didn't know, 24Slides has an extensive
repository of PowerPoint templates. But how to
obtain them? It's really simple:
 First, create an account on our Free Templates
Website with the button “Register” (that way,
you can download everything without
problems!).
 Think about the graphics you need and the ideal
structure for your presentation deck (you can
also change the color palette later!).
  You can download it in PowerPoint format (or,
if you prefer, Google Slides format, which is also
available in our repository).
 Edit and change everything you need for your
PowerPoint presentation!
At 24Slides, our designers specialize in creating
business and corporate PowerPoint presentations.
However, you’ll also find a variety of other
templates on our website, including data templates,
timelines, roadmaps, matrices, diagrams, and more.
Keep in mind that a well-designed PowerPoint deck
helps you communicate stronger messages to your
audience. Don't waste this opportunity to make
your presentation shine!
If you want to learn more about how to master
PowerPoint, do not miss the last section. We'll show
you some PowerPoint basics from the software
itself!
Time to practice! How to make a presentation in
PowerPoint?
A PowerPoint 101 Guide wouldn't be that useful
with no examples. So, if you enjoy the step-by-step
guides, this section is for you.
Now we want to show you how to make a simple
PowerPoint presentation. But first, here are some
tips to be more efficient in the process:
 Be clear about what type of
presentation you're going to create (is it
corporate, playful, or more creative?).
 Make a draft with the most important
information you need to add and, thus,
generate a good structure in your presentation.
 Get inspired by examples on the internet, but
adapt them to your needs and audience.
  If you will create a business presentation, keep
in mind your brand identity.
 Make sure your PowerPoint works, you may
need to update to the latest version or pay for
the subscription.
Step 1: Make a draft to structure your presentation
As we said before, writing a draft or script of your
content will be vital to start on the right foot as a
PowerPoint beginner.
This advice is so important that we choose it as the
first step to learning how to make a PowerPoint
presentation. Remember: Planning is key!

Regarding the process of planning, we share some

good practices:
  If your presentation will be very long, write
down all subtitles and content in a Word
document. This will help you organize your
ideas and give a correct sequence to your
narrative. In addition to avoiding redundancies
in the message you want to communicate.
 If your presentation will use many visual
resources, we recommend choosing high-
quality images. This will help you have a starting
graphic base. Some good free image
repositories are Freepick, Unsplash, and Adobe
Stock.
 If your presentation is based on data, have all
your results summarized or your most relevant
conclusions at hand. The idea of making a
PowerPoint presentation is to show your
information in the simplest way possible for
your audience.
Step 2: Create a new document in PowerPoint
Once you check that all the functions are working
fine with the software, please open it and go to the
File tab. If you've ever used Word or Excel, you'll
probably find this Home Menu familiar.
In short, this is the main page of PowerPoint, where
you can create a new presentation or open an older
one. Let's see:

In order to follow this part of our PowerPoint

Tutorial correctly, take into consideration the
following points:
 On the lower side of the screen, you'll find your
recently opened PowerPoint files. This option is
great for saving some time.
  If you don't find the presentation you're looking
for, click on the “Open” option at the left bar
and find older files.
 Don't forget to save your presentation with a
relatable name so you won't lose sight of it!
Step 3: Choose the perfect design for your
presentation
With your information ready in a draft, it's time to
choose the design of your PowerPoint slide deck.
You must imagine that the available design options
are endless!
For practical reasons, you have three options
regarding the design:
 Start a design from scratch (very difficult for a
PowerPoint beginner).
 Choose an established PowerPoint design or
layout.
 Download a PowerPoint template and modify
some details.
Don't worry if you don't know how to continue! In
this PowerPoint 101 class, we're going to explain
step-by-step how to design with an established
PowerPoint design or layout:
How do you set a default design in PowerPoint?
 First, go to the Design tab.
 Open the list of options by clicking on the third
arrow.
 Choose the design you like the most for your
PowerPoint presentation.
If you want to explore more PowerPoint designs,
there is a way to research online. For that, you only
need to:
 Go to the File tab (first tab, next to the Home
tab).
 Select "More themes" (see image).

 Use the search engine and write the keyword

you want (it can be related to your business or
it can be a color).
 Check the list of PowerPoint themes and choose
your favorite.
  Wait a few minutes while it loads and keep
designing in PowerPoint!

How do you change the layout of one slide in

PowerPoint?
In this PowerPoint 101 Guide, you will also learn
how to configure the layout of each slide.
Keep in mind that to have a high-impact
presentation, you must adapt your slides' design to
the type of content you'll add. And using layouts is
perfect for this purpose.
To change the layout type in PowerPoint, follow
these steps:
  Right-click on the slide you want to change.
 Select the "Layout" option.
 You will find more than ten layout models.
 Choose the one that best suits your content.
 Repeat these steps for each slide (if you wish or
require).

How do you customize your slides in PowerPoint?

The design process in this PowerPoint 101 Guide
doesn't stop there.
You also can customize your presentation's color
palette, font style, background format, and
graphics effects.
Just go to:
 Design tab > Variants.
 Select Colors, Fonts, Effects, or Background
Styles (as you need).
 If you're inspired and want to create your own
background in PowerPoint, select Background
Styles > Format Background.
 Finally, customize your slides as you want!

Step 4: Add all your information to your

presentation
Now, it's time to add all your information to your
slides. If your script is long, take your time to copy
each part of it.
In this PowerPoint Tutorial, we're going to show
how our design is going so far. We design at your
side!

Step 5: Add transitions or animations to your

presentation
The stamp of PowerPoint is its transitions and
animations! Naturally, our PowerPoint 101 has
considered these essential commands.
If you want to add them to your presentation and
make your speech more fluid, follow these steps:
 Go to the tabs section of PowerPoint.
 Select "Transitions" or "Animations" and try
your favorite effects.
 Remember that if you select Transitions, these
will modify the entire slide, while Animations
can be added to each element individually.
When choosing one Animation, you can eliminate it
if you aren't 100% convinced. You only need to:
 Select the Animation number that appears on
the corner.
 Press the "Delete" or "Backspace" button on
your keyboard.
 Choose another Animation in PowerPoint if you
want!
This “PowerPoint for dummies” is full of tips and
tricks! So here is one more: Don't
overuse transitions or animations in PowerPoint;
they can make your presentation slower and
unprofessional. Use this tool in a subtle way!
Step 6: Refine the final details
As always, every final product must be reviewed.
Especially if you're learning the PowerPoint
fundamentals with us.
We recommend reviewing each slide of your
PowerPoint presentation one final time. In this
process, you will be able to:
  Add icons if your presentation requires it.
 Change any image or illustration if they don't
convince you.
 Change transitions or animations.
 Customize your presentation's color palette.
 Proofread your slides' text or add more
information.
 Add speaker notes to your presentation.

Step 7: Slideshow your presentation

When your presentation is finished, it's essential to
know how to make a PowerPoint slideshow. This
way, you can see your slides from the exact same
perspective your audience will see them.
To slideshow your presentation in
PowerPoint, follow these simple steps for
PowerPoint beginners:
 Position yourself on your first slide.
 Go to the bottom right of the software.
 Select the "Slide Show" button (see image).
 Have a look at your presentation by clicking on
each slide or pressing the right arrow of your
keyboard.
 To go out from the Slide Show mode, you have
to press the ESC key.
Now you can present your slides like an expert!