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How to Show Your PowerPoint 2019 Presentation Online

Powerpoint 2019 for dummies.

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To present a PowerPoint presentation online, just follow these steps:

powerpoint-present-online-icon

1. Click the Present Online button in the Slide Show Ribbon tab.

Doing this brings up the Present Online dialog box, shown here.

powerpoint-present-online-dialog

2. Click Connect.

3. If prompted, enter your Microsoft account username and password.

After you are connected, this dialog box is shown.

powerpoint-presentation-address

4. To send an email to your meeting participants, click Send in Email. Next, complete the email by adding recipients and any other text you want to add and send the email.

Your participants can then click the link to open the presentation in their web browsers.

You can also click Copy Link to copy the presentation link to the clipboard. You can then paste the link into an email to distribute to your meeting participants. Or, you can paste the link directly into the Address box on any web browser to view the presentation.

This starts the presentation. Your participants can follow the presentation in their web browsers, as shown here.

powerpoint-presentation-sharing

About This Article

This article is from the book:.

  • PowerPoint 2019 For Dummies ,

About the book author:

Doug Lowe is a master at demystifying technology. The 50+ technology books he's written include more than 30 For Dummies books, including Networking All-in-One For Dummies. Doug has been managing networks at publishing companies and nonprofit organizations for more than 20 years and is presently IT director for a civil engineering firm.

This article can be found in the category:

  • PowerPoint ,
  • How to Remove Picture Backgrounds in PowerPoint 2019
  • Audio Options in Microsoft PowerPoint 2019
  • How to Share Presentations via the PowerPoint Web App
  • How to Share a PowerPoint 2019 Presentation in the Cloud
  • PowerPoint 2019 Slide Libraries and Ways to Reuse Slides
  • View All Articles From Book

Byte Bite Bit

How to Open PowerPoint in Browser: A Simple Guide

Accessing your presentations quickly and efficiently can be a game-changer, especially when time is of the essence. Opening PowerPoint directly in your browser can save you the time usually spent hunting down files and dealing with software updates.

How to Open PowerPoint in Browser: A Simple Guide

Imagine running late for a meeting but knowing that your presentation is just a few clicks away, right in your browser. No fuss, no muss—just immediate access to all the tools you need. Microsoft PowerPoint Online offers a seamless experience that mimics the desktop version, ensuring you don’t miss out on essential features.

We’ve all been there, fumbling with USB drives or dealing with version mismatches. Using PowerPoint Online eliminates these hassles, offering a synchronized, user-friendly platform. You can create, edit, and present effortlessly, keeping your focus where it belongs—on delivering that killer presentation. Let’s explore how to make this happen.

  • 1.1 Designing Your Slides
  • 1.2 Incorporating Multimedia Elements
  • 1.3 Utilizing PowerPoint Features
  • 2.1 PowerPoint Online and Sharing Options
  • 2.2 Working with PowerPoint on Different Platforms
  • 3.1 Opening PowerPoint Across Devices
  • 3.2 File Formats and Compatibility
  • 4.1 Effective Use of Animations and Transitions
  • 4.2 Leveraging Advanced PowerPoint Tools

Creating Effective Presentations

To craft compelling presentations, we need to focus on slide design, multimedia elements, and the utilization of PowerPoint’s built-in features. Employing these aspects will elevate our presentations from mundane to memorable.

Designing Your Slides

Design is king. The layout and appearance of your slides play a pivotal role. Start by selecting consistent themes and templates to maintain a professional look. Microsoft PowerPoint offers a plethora of these options.

Utilize bulleted lists and tables to present information clearly and concisely.

Element Usage Benefit
Fonts Use legible and professional fonts like Arial or Calibri. Enhances readability and professionalism.
Colors Stick to a cohesive color scheme. Provides visual consistency.

Less is more. Avoid clutter by limiting the amount of text on each slide. White space is your friend as it helps to draw attention to key areas. Remember to use high-quality images, and maintain alignment for a neat and orderly presentation.

Incorporating Multimedia Elements

Adding multimedia can make our presentations more engaging. Embedding images, videos, and animations isn’t just about flash; it’s about clarity and impact.

Firstly, ensure that images are relevant and add value. Use high-resolution photos to avoid a pixelated mess.

<Paste animations—sparingly—to highlight important points without overwhelming the viewer. With videos, brevity is key; keep clips short to maintain interest.

Remember to use built-in PowerPoint tools to trim and format your media elements.

Utilizing PowerPoint Features

Let’s talk about the features that Microsoft PowerPoint brings to the table. For starters, we can create, upload, and view presentations directly in our browser through PowerPoint for the web . This flexibility is a game-changer for remote collaboration.

Make good use of smart art and shapes to visually organize information. Animated transitions between slides can help guide your audience’s attention. Set up slide timings to automate the flow of your presentation, ensuring we stay on track.

Feature Description Usage Tip
Speaker Notes Helps to keep key points handy. Use notes to remember what to say without cluttering slides.
Collaboration Tools Enables real-time editing with team members. Share and edit through OneDrive for seamless teamwork.

Incorporate these features effectively to create a seamless, polished experience for our audience.

Sharing and Collaboration

When working with PowerPoint online, sharing and collaboration become essential tools. We can seamlessly share presentations, allowing others to view, edit, and co-author slideshows in real-time.

PowerPoint Online and Sharing Options

Sharing PowerPoint presentations online is straightforward. We select the Share button on the ribbon and enter the names or email addresses of those we want to share with. For privacy, we can adjust permissions, allowing editing or view-only access.

  • Allow editing : Checked by default.
  • View only : Uncheck the allow editing box.

We can also share using a link, setting permissions for anyone with the link. To enhance collaboration, leaving a note with the share link is handy. Integrations with cloud storage services like OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox, and Box make accessing and sharing presentations even more effortless.

Working with PowerPoint on Different Platforms

Working on different platforms, PowerPoint ensures compatibility. Whether working from a web browser, desktop app, or mobile device, our presentations stay synced through Microsoft 365. PowerPoint for the web, also known as PowerPoint Online, offers tools similar to its desktop counterpart but with a focus on collaboration.

Editing and presenting from any device allows flexibility. We can start a slideshow on our desktop and continue editing on a tablet or smartphone. Integrating with other platforms like Google Slides ensures we aren’t limited to Microsoft environments, offering a broader range of collaboration tools. This seamless experience can even extend to LinkedIn, enhancing our professional engagement.

Accessibility and Compatibility

Accessing and using PowerPoint in a browser has important implications for accessibility and compatibility. Ensuring that files open seamlessly across devices and formats is key for effective presentations.

Opening PowerPoint Across Devices

Opening PowerPoint presentations in a browser lets us work on slides from Windows PCs, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. This cross-device functionality is made possible by services like OneDrive and browser extensions for Chrome and Edge.

With a Microsoft account, we can simply go to Office.com, click PowerPoint, and start creating or editing. Adjustments are saved automatically, eliminating the need for software installation on our computers.

Using the PowerPoint Mobile App or the PowerPoint Viewer also facilitates access, allowing us to view and present slides without downloading heavy software.

File Formats and Compatibility

Compatibility begins with understanding the various file formats such as PPT, PPTX, and PDF. We can open these formats seamlessly in browsers, thanks to tools like PowerPoint for the Web. This ensures no loss of functionality or appearance when transitioning between devices.

PowerPoint for the Web supports diverse formats and collaborates well with alternatives like Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice Impress. Google Drive can also be used to store and open PowerPoint files without compatibility issues.

Downloading presentations in multiple formats directly from the browser is another perk. We can save our work as a PDF or back it up as a PPTX file, ensuring broader accessibility and security across different operating systems and devices.

Advanced PowerPoint Techniques

Mastering advanced techniques in PowerPoint can elevate our presentations from good to spectacular. Let’s explore how effective animations and tools can make our slides more dynamic and engaging.

Effective Use of Animations and Transitions

Animations and transitions breathe life into static slides. Properly used, they guide the audience’s attention and underscore key points. However, it’s crucial to strike a balance; excessive use can be distracting.

  • Types of Animations: We can use Entrance , Emphasis , Exit , and Motion Path animations. For instance, Entrance animations introduce content, while Exit animations help gracefully fade out elements.
  • Duration and Timing: Adjusting the duration and delay ensures we control the flow. Quick animations keep the pace lively, but slower ones can emphasize crucial points.
  • Transitions Between Slides: Transitions add polish. Options like Fade or Push can make the change from one slide to the next seamless.

Leveraging Advanced PowerPoint Tools

Utilizing advanced tools in PowerPoint, especially with a Microsoft 365 subscription, can significantly boost our presentation’s impact.

  • PowerPoint Designer: This AI-driven tool offers layout suggestions that enhance visual appeal. When we add content, it automatically generates design ideas.
  • Ink and Multimedia: We can annotate slides in real-time using the Ink tool. Embedding multimedia elements like videos and audio can also enrich our presentations.
  • Collaboration and Sharing: The integration with Microsoft 365 allows us to collaborate in real-time. We can share a link, set permissions, and even use comments for feedback.

These techniques and tools not only improve aesthetics but also make our presentations more interactive and effective.

Related posts:

  • How to Do Hanging Indent on PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Formatting Guide
  • How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Add a Video to PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Tutorial
  • How to Add Speaker Notes in PowerPoint for Effective Presentations
  • How to Add Music to PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide for Seamless Presentations
  • How to Curve Text in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Record a PowerPoint Presentation: Step-by-Step Guide for Professionals
  • How to Crop a Picture into a Circle in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Copy a Slide from One PowerPoint to Another: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Save PowerPoint as Video: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
  • How to Make a Picture a Circle in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Print Notes in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide

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PowerPoint for the web

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PowerPoint for the web (formerly PowerPoint Web App) extends your Microsoft PowerPoint experience to the web browser, where you can work with presentations directly on the website where the presentation is stored. Microsoft 365 customers with Microsoft 365 for the web can view, create, and edit files on the go.

The PowerPoint Editor is a web front-end component that creates a browser-based editing surface, which lets users work on documents without losing fidelity.

If you select the Open in PowerPoint button on the PowerPoint for the web toolbar, the presentation opens in the PowerPoint desktop app (if Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 or later is installed on the computer).

Learn how to download and install Office using Microsoft 365 for business on a PC .

Alignment, bullets, numbers

With PowerPoint for the web, you can change paragraph alignment, apply bullets or numbering, and change the level of bulleted or numbered text. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Apply basic transitions and animations

Choose from a gallery of animation and transition effects. PowerPoint for the web supports eight transitions and 37 animations. Additional animations and transitions not supported by PowerPoint for the web are preserved in the presentation and displayed in the slide show, but they can't be modified in PowerPoint for the web. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Apply rich formatting to text, shapes, and pictures

Not available in PowerPoint for the web. Advanced formatting features, such as more colors, gradients, eyedropper, effects, and styles, are available in the PowerPoint desktop app. With PowerPoint for the web, you can add a text box or choose from a gallery of shapes and apply styles, which define fill, outline, and shadow effects.

Apply themes and theme variants

Choose from a gallery of built-in themes and variants when you add a new slide to the presentation. Themes not supported by PowerPoint for the web are preserved in the presentation, but the ability to modify themes is not available in PowerPoint for the web. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Office add-ins

PowerPoint for the web only supports content add-ins for Office. Content add-ins integrate web-based features as content that can be shown in line with a presentation. Learn more about types of add-ins for Office .

Arrange objects

Move, resize, rotate, or order shapes and text boxes in layers, back-to-front in PowerPoint for the web. Ungroup shapes to work with them individually. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Broadcast slide show

The PowerPoint desktop app is required to broadcast a slide show to a remote audience through PowerPoint for the web. Viewers can watch lives presentations through PowerPoint for the web, regardless of whether they have the PowerPoint desktop app installed. Learn more about broadcast slide show .

With PowerPoint for the web, you can cut, copy, and paste content in a presentation. A user can copy and paste text between Microsoft 365 for the web programs, as well as between Microsoft 365 for the web and the Microsoft Office desktop apps on the computer. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Create and manage slides

Add, reorder, duplicate, hide, and delete slides in PowerPoint for the web. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Create custom animation

PowerPoint for the web includes a gallery of animation effects. Animations not supported by PowerPoint for the web are preserved in the presentation and displayed in the slide show, but they can't be modified in PowerPoint for the web. To create custom animations, you'll need the PowerPoint desktop app installed on your computer. Learn more about creating custom animations with PowerPoint 2013 desktop app .

Design tools, advanced

Not available in PowerPoint for the web. Advanced design features, such creating slide masters and modifying layouts, are only available in the PowerPoint desktop app. With PowerPoint for the web, you can use your own template file as the basis for creating new files or choose from a predefined list of themes.

Dropbox is a file hosting service that offers cloud storage, file synchronization, personal cloud, and client software.

Embed presentation on web or blog page

With PowerPoint for the web, you can embed presentations on websites or blogs so that anyone can view your information even if they don't have the Microsoft PowerPoint desktop app. Embedded viewers show animations, transitions, and audio/video—the same as full fidelity reading view. Learn more about embedding presentations on a web or blog page .

Font downloading and formatting

The font service is a CDN based solution to ensure Office applications are able to render documents and presentations in full fidelity by downloading the required fonts to the local machine.

When sharing PowerPoint presentations with recipients via PowerPoint for the web, only use the fonts detailed in the cloud fonts list here . Why? These fonts are available in the cloud and are downloaded as needed and installed on our servers. Other fonts, including locally installed fonts not on this list and embedded fonts, will not be installed on our servers and will be replaced with fallback fonts, resulting in content reflow and formatting issues.

PowerPoint for the web lets you apply bold, italics, underline, font, size, and color to text. You can also use the Format Painter to copy the format of entire shapes.

To use your organization’s custom font on PowerPoint for the web, upload your font as an Organization Asset Library .

Full fidelity reading view

View presentations as they were intended to be seen—showing animations, transitions, and audio/video.

Full ink support

Ink can't be inserted in PowerPoint for the web, but PowerPoint for the web displays them as expected.

Full selection of animations and transitions

PowerPoint for the web supports eight transitions and 37 animations. For a larger selection, use the PowerPoint desktop app.

Headers and footers

Headers and footers, including date and slide numbers, can't be inserted, edited, or deleted in PowerPoint for the web, but PowerPoint for the web displays them as expected. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Insert, edit, and follow hyperlinks. Bookmark links work, but can't be edited in PowerPoint for the web.

Insert online video

Video and audio content plays in Reading view and Slide Show, with a file size limit of 100 MB. Online video can be inserted from YouTube, and media controls can be resized, moved, and deleted in PowerPoint for the web. But to insert audio and video other than YouTube, you need the Microsoft PowerPoint desktop app.

Integration with Excel for charts

Not available in PowerPoint for the web. With PowerPoint for the web, you can view Excel charts in an existing presentation, but you can't edit or insert an Excel chart in a presentation using PowerPoint for the web. Learn more about copying an Excel chart to PowerPoint .

Navigation - slide sorter

Slide sorter view, which gives you a view of your slides in thumbnail form, makes it easy to sort and organize your slides. You can use slide sorter view to organize your slides, add sections, and sort slides into different categories.

Offline viewing and authoring

PowerPoint for the web is launched from a web browser and relies on an internet connection. To access presentations offline, Microsoft PowerPoint desktop app must be installed on your computer and used to view and edit slides.

Picture cropping

Improve the framing of a subject in a picture with the cropping tool. Simply click one of the cropping handles at the edge of the picture and drag it until you achieve the picture you want.

With PowerPoint for the web, you can insert pictures stored on your computer, or insert pictures from Bing Images. You can move, resize, and crop pictures, and apply a number of picture styles. More sophisticated features for working with pictures, such as applying effects, are not available in PowerPoint for the web. You can't create screenshots in PowerPoint for the web, but screenshots that are in a presentation display as pictures in PowerPoint for the web. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Present online through Skype for Business or the Office Presentation Service

Not available in PowerPoint for the web. Microsoft PowerPoint desktop app lets you deliver your presentations using the Office Presentation Service, a free, public service that allows others to follow along in their web browser. Learn more about Office Presentation Service .

Presenter view

Not available in PowerPoint for the web. Only Microsoft PowerPoint desktop app allows a presenter a behind-the-scene control of the presentation flow, notes, annotations, and zooming tools. PowerPoint for the web does not support these features.

Print to PDF

With PowerPoint for the web, you can print your presentation to a PDF reader, where all the layout and formatting of your slides will print the way you expect. Learn more about basic tasks you can do using PowerPoint for the web .

Proofing tools

You can check spelling and set the proofing language, using the built-in dictionary with PowerPoint for the web. But PowerPoint for the web does not use a custom dictionary and does not include translation or a thesaurus.

Real-time co-authoring

Multiple authors can work simultaneously in PowerPoint for the web and PowerPoint 2016. Real-time presence helps you see where your co-authors are working in the presentation so that you don't create conflicts as you edit, and you can see changes as they're being made. PowerPoint 2013 supports simultaneous editing, but there is no presence indication, and changes can't be seen by multiple authors until the document is saved. For more information about real-time co-authoring in PowerPoint, see Work together on PowerPoint presentations .

Reviewer tools, advanced

Not available in PowerPoint for the web. Advanced reviewer features, such as merge conflicts and compare presentations, are only available in the PowerPoint desktop app. With PowerPoint for the web, you can view, add, edit, or delete comments.

Rights management: Apply and consume IRM and password protection

Not available in PowerPoint for the web. PowerPoint for the web displays presentations that are protected with Information Rights Management (IRM). However, these presentations can't be edited in the browser, and you can't create IRM-protected presentations in PowerPoint for the web. PowerPoint for the web can't open presentations that are digitally signed or encrypted with a password.

Run slide show

With PowerPoint for the web, you can run your presentation with just a web browser and an internet connection. Learn more about basic tasks you can do using PowerPoint for the web .

Save as or Download a copy

PowerPoint for the web saves your work every time you make a change. There is no Save command. You can download a copy, but you must have the Microsoft PowerPoint desktop app to edit a local copy.

Word Art and charts can't be inserted in PowerPoint for the web, but PowerPoint for the web displays them as expected. In Editing view, edit and format text. If you want to apply text effects to Word Art, you'll need the Microsoft PowerPoint desktop app.

If your presentation is saved in a SharePoint document library, then your presentation is online and you can share it by sending a link instead of an email attachment. People with proper permissions can view it in their web browser or mobile device. Learn more about sharing a presentation .

PowerPoint for the web plays slide shows in a full-screen window. Press the spacebar to advance the slides. Slide animations play, but only Fade and Wipe transitions between slides are supported. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

You can insert SmartArt, switch to a different layout or color scheme, apply SmartArt styles, and edit text with PowerPoint for the web. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

Table creation, editing, and formatting

Tables can be created and edited in PowerPoint for the web, and PowerPoint for the web supports most table functions. For advanced functions, such as merging and splitting cells, use the PowerPoint desktop app. Learn more about the differences between using a presentation in the browser versus the PowerPoint desktop app .

When you need to accomplish something in PowerPoint for the web but don't know how, you can use the Tell Me search feature to quickly find what you're looking for. Tell Me understands what you're trying to accomplish and helps you do it faster by making suggestions.

Undo and redo

Undo (Ctrl + Z) and redo (Ctrl + Y) an infinite number of recent actions during the current editing session in the active presentation. If the editing session times out or if you switch to Reading View for more than 30 seconds, the undo history is reset. Learn more about keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint for the web .

View and add comments

If your files are stored on SharePoint Online or OneDrive for Business, you can add, edit, or delete comments.

If your files are stored on OneDrive, you can add, edit, or delete comments while in Editing View, and you can view and update comments while in Reading View.

View and edit slide notes

With PowerPoint for the web, notes for each slide can be displayed or hidden. You can also add notes in Edit mode.

WYSIWYG viewing

Edit your presentation in a form closely resembling its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product.

Feature availability

To view feature availability across plans, standalone options, and on-premises solutions, see Microsoft 365 for the web service description .

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How to Use Microsoft's Free PowerPoint Viewers

Use PowerPoint on the web or mobile app to view, create, and print PowerPoint files for free

which program opens a powerpoint 2019 presentation in a browser

  • Emporia State University
  • PowerPoint Online

PowerPoint Mobile Apps

Other free powerpoint viewers, what to know.

  • PowerPoint Online is Microsoft's free stripped-down, web-based version of PowerPoint.
  • Another way to get PowerPoint free is with the mobile app.
  • Some non-Microsoft programs also support PowerPoint files, like LibreOffice and Google Slides.

This article explains all the different ways you can create, share, edit, print, and open PowerPoint files for free, without ever installing PowerPoint to your computer.

Instructions in this article apply to desktop and mobile users on basically any platform.

Microsoft PowerPoint Online

PowerPoint Online is the web version of PowerPoint and my absolute first pick when I need to edit a PPTX file online. It doesn't have all the features as the desktop edition but it still lets you edit existing files, create new ones, share presentations with others, and print off presentations. And all of this works from a browser, so there's nothing to download or install.

This version of PowerPoint is available if you have a Microsoft account (any email address that ends with hotmail.com, outlook.com, live.com , or msn.com ) or a Microsoft 365 work or school account.

The easiest way to view or edit an existing PowerPoint file online is to drag it from your computer and drop it directly on the PowerPoint Online web page, or use the Upload link on that page. You can also save it to your OneDrive account.

PowerPoint Online is compatible with all versions of PowerPoint. You can save a presentation from PowerPoint Online back to your computer in a number of file formats, including images, PDF, PPTX, and ODP.

Microsoft also provides PowerPoint to mobile users. There's an app for Android, iPhone, iPad, and Windows 11/10 devices (mobile, PC, and Surface Hub). The Microsoft 365 app for Android and iOS also includes PowerPoint, along with Word and Excel.

Download For:

Similar to the online PowerPoint viewer, the app has you log in with your Microsoft account so that you can access all the files from your OneDrive account, the ones that are stored on your device, and PowerPoint files saved in other cloud storage services (like Dropbox, Box, and several others).

You can edit directly from the app and use the menu from an open slideshow to save as a new title and to print it off.

The two options described above are Microsoft's free methods for opening PowerPoint files, but third-party programs can be used, too.

Unless you're interested in the Microsoft 365 free trial which lets you have PowerPoint for a limited time only, check out our lists of free online presentation makers and free Microsoft 365 alternatives for some additional choices that won't cost you a dime.

You might be relieved at the variety that's available, especially if you're looking for a way to open and edit PowerPoint files in a program that doesn't resemble Microsoft's software so much.

Microsoft used to let you open slideshows without PowerPoint with their free viewer tool , but it was restricted to viewing only and is no longer available from their website.

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How to Open PowerPoint from Browser to App: Expert Guide

Trish Dixon

Are you trying to figure out how to open a PowerPoint presentation from your web browser directly in the PowerPoint desktop application? In this article, we’ll walk you through the simple steps to seamlessly transition from viewing a PowerPoint file online to editing it in the full-featured Microsoft PowerPoint program on your computer. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to open PowerPoint files from your browser in the desktop app.

Why Open a PowerPoint from Browser to App?

There are a few key reasons why you might want to open a PowerPoint presentation from your web browser in the desktop PowerPoint application:

  • More editing features and tools: The browser-based version of PowerPoint, while convenient, has limitations compared to the desktop app. The desktop PowerPoint provides more advanced editing capabilities, animations, transitions, and design options.
  • Work offline: If you need to work on a presentation without an internet connection, opening it in the PowerPoint app allows you to edit your slides offline.
  • Integration with other Office apps: The desktop version of PowerPoint integrates smoothly with other Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel, making it easier to incorporate content across programs.
  • Custom templates and add-ins: Any custom templates, themes, or add-ins you have installed will only be accessible in the desktop PowerPoint application, not the web browser version.

Prerequisites to Open a PowerPoint from Browser to App

Before we get into the steps to open a PowerPoint from browser to app, make sure you have the following:

  • Microsoft PowerPoint installed: You’ll need to have the desktop version of Microsoft PowerPoint installed on your computer. PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft Office suite, which includes other productivity apps like Word and Excel.
  • Microsoft account: To open files from the web version of PowerPoint in the desktop app, you’ll need to be signed in with the same Microsoft account in both your web browser and the PowerPoint desktop application.
  • OneDrive or SharePoint: The PowerPoint file you want to open should be saved in your OneDrive or a SharePoint library. This enables a connected experience between the web and desktop versions of PowerPoint.

Step-by-Step Guide: Open PowerPoint from Browser to App

Follow these steps to open a PowerPoint presentation from your browser in the desktop app:

Step 1: Open the PowerPoint File in Your Web Browser

Navigate to the PowerPoint file you want to open in your web browser. You can do this by going to your OneDrive or SharePoint where the file is located and clicking on the presentation to open it in PowerPoint for the web.

Step 2: Click on the “Edit in Desktop App” Button

Once the PowerPoint file is open in your browser, look for the “Edit in Desktop App” button. This is usually located in the menu bar at the top of the screen, to the right of other options like “Share” and “Comments.”

Click on the “Edit in Desktop App” button. This will prompt your browser to open the file in the Microsoft PowerPoint desktop application.

Step 3: Allow Browser to Open PowerPoint

Depending on your browser settings, you may see a pop-up asking if you want to allow your browser to open PowerPoint. Click “Allow” or “Open Microsoft PowerPoint” to proceed. This gives your browser permission to open the file in the desktop application.

If you don’t see a pop-up, the file should automatically open in the PowerPoint desktop app.

Step 4: Sign in to PowerPoint (If Prompted)

If you’re not already signed in to the PowerPoint desktop app with your Microsoft account, you may be prompted to sign in when the file opens. Use the same Microsoft account that you’re signed in with in your browser.

Signing in ensures your file syncs properly between the web and desktop versions of PowerPoint.

Step 5: Edit Your PowerPoint in the Desktop App

Congratulations! Your PowerPoint file should now be open in the desktop PowerPoint application. You can edit, format, and work on your presentation as needed using all the features and tools of the full PowerPoint program.

Any changes you make will automatically sync to the cloud version of your presentation in OneDrive or SharePoint, so you can easily access the updated file from your web browser later if needed.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you run into issues opening your PowerPoint from browser to app, try these troubleshooting tips:

  • Check your internet connection: Make sure you have a stable internet connection, as opening a file from the browser in the desktop app requires transmitting data between the two.
  • Clear your browser cache: If the “Edit in Desktop App” button isn’t appearing or working properly, try clearing your browser cache and refreshing the page.
  • Update PowerPoint: Using an outdated version of PowerPoint can sometimes cause compatibility issues. Check that you have the latest updates installed for Microsoft Office.
  • Verify Microsoft account: Double-check that you’re signed in with the same Microsoft account in both your browser and PowerPoint desktop app. Mismatched accounts can prevent files from opening properly.
  • Ensure file is in the cloud: To open a PowerPoint from browser to app, the file must be saved in OneDrive or SharePoint online storage. If your presentation is saved only locally on your computer, you won’t be able to open it from the browser in PowerPoint.
IssueSolution
“Edit in Desktop App” not shownClear browser cache and refresh page. Make sure PowerPoint is updated.
File not opening in PowerPointCheck internet connection. Verify signed in with same Microsoft account.
Changes not syncingEnsure file is saved in OneDrive/SharePoint, not locally. Check connectivity.

Benefits of the PowerPoint Desktop App

While the browser-based version of PowerPoint is useful for quick edits and collaboration, the desktop app offers several advantages:

  • Robust editing tools: The desktop PowerPoint app provides a comprehensive set of editing, formatting, and design tools to create professional-grade presentations.
  • Advanced animations and transitions: With the desktop app, you can apply sophisticated animations and transitions to your slides that aren’t available in the web version.
  • Better performance: PowerPoint for desktop typically runs faster and smoother than the web app, especially when working with large, complex presentations.
  • Offline access: You can work on presentations offline in the PowerPoint desktop app, making it convenient to be productive without an internet connection.

Collaborating with PowerPoint

Whether you’re working in PowerPoint for the web or the desktop app, you can easily collaborate with others on your presentations. Here are a few ways to collaborate effectively:

  • Share your presentation: Click the “Share” button to generate a link you can send to others, allowing them to view or edit your presentation.
  • Co-author in real-time: Multiple people can work on the same presentation simultaneously. Changes sync automatically, so everyone sees updates in real-time.
  • Add comments: Use comments to provide feedback, ask questions, or discuss specific parts of your presentation with your collaborators.
  • Track changes: PowerPoint keeps a record of edits made by each person, allowing you to see who made what changes and when.

By combining the strengths of PowerPoint for the web and the desktop app, you can create impressive presentations and collaborate seamlessly with your team.

Opening a PowerPoint file from your web browser in the PowerPoint desktop application is a straightforward process that can greatly enhance your productivity and the design of your presentations. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should now be able to easily transition from working on a presentation online to editing it in the full-featured desktop version of PowerPoint.

Remember, the key benefits of editing in the PowerPoint desktop app include:

  • Access to advanced editing tools and features
  • Ability to work offline
  • Improved performance, especially with large files
  • Integration with other Microsoft Office applications

Whenever you need the extra capabilities of the desktop app, simply click that “Edit in Desktop App” button in your browser to open your presentation in PowerPoint. With the seamless syncing between the web and desktop versions, you can enjoy the best of both worlds and create stunning, impactful presentations.

What is the difference between PowerPoint for the web and the desktop app?

PowerPoint for the web is a browser-based version of PowerPoint that allows you to view, edit, and collaborate on presentations online. The PowerPoint desktop app is a full-featured software application installed on your computer, offering more advanced editing tools, animations, and offline access.

Why would I want to open a PowerPoint file from the browser in the desktop app?

Opening a PowerPoint file from the browser in the desktop app allows you to access more advanced editing features, work offline, and integrate with other Microsoft Office applications. It’s useful when you need to make complex edits or work on a presentation without an internet connection.

What do I need to open a PowerPoint from the browser in the desktop app?

To open a PowerPoint from the browser in the desktop app, you need to have Microsoft PowerPoint installed on your computer, be signed in with the same Microsoft account in both your browser and the desktop app, and have the PowerPoint file saved in your OneDrive or a SharePoint library.

How do I open a PowerPoint from the browser in the desktop app?

To open a PowerPoint from the browser in the desktop app, open the file in PowerPoint for the web, click on the “Edit in Desktop App” button, allow your browser to open the file in PowerPoint, and sign in to the desktop app with your Microsoft account if prompted.

What should I do if the “Edit in Desktop App” button isn’t shown or working?

If the “Edit in Desktop App” button isn’t appearing or working properly, try clearing your browser cache, refreshing the page, and ensuring you have the latest version of PowerPoint installed. Also, double-check that you’re signed in with the same Microsoft account in both your browser and the desktop app.

Can I collaborate with others on a presentation in the PowerPoint desktop app?

Yes, you can collaborate with others on a presentation in the PowerPoint desktop app. Share your presentation, co-author in real-time, add comments, and track changes to work effectively with your team. Changes made in the desktop app will sync automatically with the online version in OneDrive or SharePoint.

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PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 cheat sheet

Are you getting the most from powerpoint 2016 and 2019 for windows learn about the key features in microsoft’s powerful presentation app..

Computerworld Cheat Sheet > Microsoft > PowerPoint [2016 / 2019]

Need to create and share a presentation? If so, you probably turn to the most popular presentation application in the world, PowerPoint, one of the core apps that make up Microsoft’s Office suite.

Microsoft sells Office under two models: Individuals and businesses can pay for the software license up front and own it forever (what the company calls the “perpetual” version of the suite), or they can purchase an Office 365 or Microsoft 365 subscription, which means they have access to the software for only as long as they keep paying the subscription fee.

When you purchase a perpetual version of the suite — say, Office 2016 or Office 2019 — its applications will never get new features, whereas apps in an Office 365/Microsoft 365 subscription are continually updated with new features. (For more details, see “ What are the differences between Microsoft Office 2019 and Office 365? ”)

This cheat sheet gets you up to speed on the features that were introduced in PowerPoint 2016 and PowerPoint 2019, the perpetual-license versions of PowerPoint included with Office 2016 and Office 2019, respectively. In Office 365/Microsoft 365, PowerPoint has all those features, plus several more. See our separate PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 cheat sheet to see all its latest features.

Most of the tips in this article apply to both PowerPoint 2016 and PowerPoint 2019 for Windows. Near the end are tips for PowerPoint 2019 only, and then we wrap up with handy keyboard shortcuts for both versions.

Share this story: IT folks, we hope you’ll pass this guide on to your users to help them learn to get the most from PowerPoint 2016 and 2019.

Use the Ribbon

The Ribbon interface in PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 hasn’t changed much compared to earlier versions. Because the Ribbon has been included in Office suite applications since Office 2007, we assume you’re familiar with how it works. If you need a refresher, see our PowerPoint 2010 cheat sheet .

As in PowerPoint 2013, the Ribbon in PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 has a flattened look that’s cleaner and less cluttered than in PowerPoint 2010 and 2007. The newer Ribbon is smaller than it was in PowerPoint 2013, the title bar is red rather than white, and the text for the Ribbon tabs (File, Home, Insert and so on) is a mix of upper- and lowercase rather than all caps. But it still works in the same way, and you’ll find most of the commands in the same locations as in PowerPoint 2013.

powerpoint2016 2019 01 ribbon home tab

The Ribbon hasn’t changed a great deal from PowerPoint 2013. (Click image to enlarge it.)

To find out which commands live on which tabs on the Ribbon, download our PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 Ribbon quick reference . Also see the nifty new Tell Me feature described below. 

As in previous versions of PowerPoint, if you want the commands underneath the tabs on the Ribbon to go away, press Ctrl-F1. To make them reappear, press Ctrl-F1 again. (Note that the Ribbon tabs — File, Home, Insert and so on — stay visible.)

You’ve got other options for displaying the Ribbon as well. To get to them, click the Ribbon Display Options icon at the top right of the screen, just to the left of the icons for minimizing and maximizing PowerPoint. A drop-down menu appears with these three options:

  • Auto-hide Ribbon: This hides the entire Ribbon, both the tabs and commands underneath them. To show the Ribbon again, click at the top of PowerPoint.
  • Show Tabs: This shows the tabs but hides the commands underneath them. It’s the same as pressing Ctrl-F1. To display the commands underneath the tabs when they’re hidden, press Ctrl-F1, click a tab, or click the Ribbon display icon and select “Show Tabs and Commands.”
  • Show Tabs and Commands: Selecting this shows both tabs and commands.

And if for some reason that nice red color on the title bar is just too much for you, you can turn it white or gray. (In PowerPoint 2019, there’s also a black option.) To do it, select File > Options > General . In the “Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office” section, click the down arrow next to Office Theme, and select Dark Gray or White (or Black) from the drop-down menu. To make the title bar red again, instead choose the “Colorful” option from the drop-down list. Just above the Office Theme menu is an Office Background drop-down menu — here you can choose to display a pattern such as a circuit board or circles and stripes in the title bar.

powerpoint2016 2019 02 options theme

You can change PowerPoint’s red title bar to gray, white, or (in Office 2019) black. (Click image to enlarge it.)

There’s a very useful change in what Microsoft calls the backstage area that appears when you click File on the Ribbon: If you click Open, Save a Copy, Save or Save As from the menu on the left, you can see the cloud-based services you’ve connected to your Office account, such as SharePoint and OneDrive. Each location displays its associated email address underneath it. This is quite helpful if you use a cloud service with more than one account, such as if you have one OneDrive account for personal use and another one for business. You’ll be able to see at a glance which is which.

You can also easily add new cloud-based services. From the screen that shows you your online locations, click “Add a Place,” and choose which service to add. Note, though, that you’re limited to SharePoint and OneDrive.

powerpoint2016 2019 03 save as add place

The backstage area (under the File tab) shows which cloud-based services you’ve connected to your Office account and lets you connect to additional ones. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Use Tell Me to accomplish tasks quickly

PowerPoint is so chock-full of powerful features that it can be tough to remember where to find them all. Microsoft has made it easier with a feature in PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 called Tell Me, which puts even buried tools or those you rarely use in easy reach.

To use it, click the “Tell me what you want to do” text to the right of the Ribbon tabs. (Those who prefer keyboard shortcuts can instead press Alt-Q.) Then type in a task you want to do, such as “change handout orientation.” You’ll get a menu showing potential matches for the task.

In this instance, the top result is a Handout Orientation listing that when clicked gives you two options — one to set the orientation to horizontal and the other to vertical. Just click the one you want to use. If you’d like more information about your task, the last two items that appear in the Tell Me menu let you select from related Help topics or search for your phrase using Smart Lookup. (More on Smart Lookup below.)

powerpoint2016 2019 04 tell me

The Tell Me feature makes it easy to perform just about any task. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Even if you consider yourself a PowerPoint pro, give Tell Me a try. It’ll save you lots of time and is much more efficient than hunting through the Ribbon to find a command. It also remembers the features you’ve previously clicked on in the box, so when you click in it, you first see a list of previous tasks you’ve searched for. That makes sure that tasks that you frequently perform are always within easy reach, while at the same time making tasks you rarely do easily accessible.

Try Smart Lookup for online research

If you do research to gather information for presentations, you’ll want to check out another feature, Smart Lookup. It lets you do online research from right within PowerPoint while you’re working on a presentation, so there’s no need to fire up your browser, search the web, and then copy the information to your presentation.

To use Smart Lookup, right-click a word or group of words and select Smart Lookup from the menu that appears. PowerPoint then uses Bing to do a web search on the word or phrase and displays definitions, any related Wikipedia entries, and other results from the web in the Smart Lookup pane that appears on the right. If you just want a definition of the word, click the Define tab in the pane.

powerpoint2016 2019 05 smart lookup

Smart Lookup lets you do web research from right within PowerPoint. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Smart Lookup has been getting smarter over time. When the feature first launched, it wasn’t very good at finding specific, timely information such as the current inflation rate in the United States. It was much better at finding more general information, such as a biography of the artificial intelligence pioneer Arthur Samuel. But Microsoft has done a lot of work on it, and it now works well when finding granular information as well.

Keep in mind that in order to use Smart Lookup in PowerPoint or any other Office app, you might first need to enable Microsoft’s intelligent services feature, which collects your search terms and some content from your presentations and other documents. (If you’re concerned about privacy, you’ll need to decide whether the privacy hit is worth the convenience of doing research from right within the app.) If you haven’t enabled it, you’ll see a screen when you click Smart Lookup asking you to turn it on. Once you do so, it will be turned on across all your Office applications.

Collaborate live

The most important feature that launched with PowerPoint 2016 for those who work with others is live collaboration that lets people work on presentations together from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. To do it, you must be logged into your Microsoft or Office 365 account, and the presentation must be stored in OneDrive, OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online.

However, while Office 365 subscribers or anyone using PowerPoint Online can see the changes that other users of those versions make to a shared presentation in real time as they happen, PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 users have to save their presentations periodically to see and share changes. So while it is live collaboration, it’s not real-time visibility into that collaboration. Still, it does allow you to work with others on the same presentation at the same time.

To collaborate on a presentation, open it, then click the Share icon in the upper-right part of the screen. If you haven’t yet saved your file in OneDrive, OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online, you’ll be prompted to do so.

Clicking the Share button opens the Share pane on the right-hand side of the screen. Think of the pane as command central for collaboration. At the top of the pane, type in the email addresses of the people with whom you want to collaborate on the presentation, separated by commas. As you type, PowerPoint looks through your address book and displays the matches it finds; click the person you want to invite. If you’re on a corporate network, you can click the address book on the right to search through your corporate email address book. If a person isn’t in your address book, type in the complete email address.

powerpoint2016 2019 06 share pane

Selecting people with whom to collaborate via the Share pane. (Click image to enlarge it.)

After you enter the addresses, select either “Can edit” or “Can view” in the drop-down to allow collaborators full editing or read-only privileges. (If you want to assign different rights to different users, send separate emails, or you can change any collaborator’s permissions later by right-clicking their name in the Share pane.) Type a message in the text box if you want. When you’re done, click Share. An email is sent out to everyone with whom you’ve shared the file, showing a button that they can click to open the presentation.

powerpoint2016 2019 07 share email

Your collaborators get an email message like this when you share a document. (Click image to enlarge it.)

There’s another way to share a file stored in a personal OneDrive for collaboration: At the bottom of the Share pane, click “Get a sharing link,” and from the screen that appears, choose “Create an edit link” if you want to create a link to the file that will allow people to edit the file, or “Create a view-only link” if you want to create a link that will allow them to view the file only. Then create an email using any email program, copy the link and send it.

When your recipients get the email invitation from you, they click a button or link to open the presentation, which opens in PowerPoint Online in a web browser rather than in the PowerPoint desktop client. At this point, they can view the presentation but not edit it. Users who aren’t signed into a Microsoft account will see an Edit in Browser button; once they click that, they can start editing in their browser window. Logged in users will see an Edit Presentation menu, from which they can choose Edit in PowerPoint to open the file in the client version of PowerPoint, or Edit in Browser to work in the free web version.

The web version isn’t as fully featured as the client version — for instance, there aren’t as many transitions and animations, you can’t record your screen from inside PowerPoint, and you can’t give slideshows or use several other features. But for basic editing, it works fine.

When one or more collaborators are working in a shared presentation, the Share button will change to reflect the number of people working on it (including you). As mentioned above, you’ll have to save your presentation periodically to see their changes or have them see yours. After you save, your collaborators’ additions appear in your presentation.

powerpoint2016 2019 08 live collaboration

When collaborating in PowerPoint 2016 and 2019, you must save the document to see changes made by others and to share your changes with them. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Be aware that how well real-time collaboration works depends on the strength of your internet connection. On slow or flaky connections, you won’t immediately see edits that other people make and they won’t see yours immediately — there will be a lag. So it’s always best, when possible, to have the strongest connection possible when collaborating.

In addition to seeing each other’s changes to the presentation, you can communicate with your collaborators in other ways. The Share pane shows a list of people who have access to the presentation, with a note underneath their name indicating if they are currently editing the presentation, and if not, whether they have editing or viewing access.

Click or hover your cursor over the icon of anyone working on the presentation, and a screen pops out with the various ways you can contact that person, including text chat, phone and video via Skype (if the person has Skype) and email. That lets you talk or text while you’re working on the presentation together, making collaboration that much more effective.

powerpoint2016 2019 09 contact collaborators

Click the icon of someone working with you on a document to see other ways you can contact that person. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Add new types of charts

Office 2016 debuted six new types of charts you can add to presentations, documents, and spreadsheets: Treemap, Sunburst, Waterfall, Histogram, Pareto, and Box & Whisker. And Office 2019 added two more: Funnel and Map charts. Each provides a unique way to display data visually. See our Excel 2016 and 2019 cheat sheet for details about the new chart types, including what each one looks like and what type of data it’s best suited for.

To insert any of the new chart types (or any other chart) in a presentation, select Insert > Chart and then choose the type of chart to insert. You can also click the chart icon in the area that appears when you create some types of new slide — it’s in the box that also lets you add text, tables, graphics and other content — and then choose a type of chart to insert. Whichever way you choose to add the chart, it appears in your presentation with placeholder data, and a pop-up window appears that looks like a mini Excel spreadsheet. Enter or edit the data, or else click the Edit in Excel button to open it up in Excel and edit it there.

powerpoint2016 2019 10 add chart

When you insert a chart, a window where you can edit the data pops up. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Note that the Pareto chart does not show up when you select Insert > Chart . To insert one, you’ll have to first select Histogram from the list of chart types, and at the top of the screen that appears, select the option to the right, Pareto.

Morph and Zoom your slides in PowerPoint 2019

While most of Office 2019 didn’t see many significant changes from Office 2016, PowerPoint 2019 did get two nifty new features that are not available in PowerPoint 2019: Morph and Zoom.

Morph lets you show motion in transitions and inside slides, but without having to use the Animations tab. To use it, duplicate an existing slide: Select the slide, then, on the Home tab, click the down arrow next to New Slide and select Duplicate Selected Slides.

Then make changes to that duplicate, such as shrinking an element or elements in it, making them bigger, moving them to new locations and/or rotating them. Now select Morph from the Transitions tab, and PowerPoint automatically creates an animated transition between the slides. Onscreen, they look like a single slide morphing.

powerpoint 2019 morph

Morph is a simple way to create animations in PowerPoint 2019. (Click image to enlarge it.)

The other new feature, Zoom, makes it easy to jump around in your presentation, showing your slides in nonsequential order. It does this by creating a kind of visual shortcuts table that lets you quickly zoom from one section to another — handy in case you want to go back to a previous slide or skip over a section of your presentation.

When you’re in a presentation, select Insert > Zoom . You get a choice of three different kinds of Zoom:

  • Summary Zoom: This lets you create a visual summary of your presentation. You select the slides you want included in the summary. Each of those slides becomes the beginning of a section of the presentation. When you’re giving a presentation, you can click a thumbnail on the Summary Zoom slide to go to the beginning slide of a section.
  • Section Zoom: If you’ve already created sections in your presentation, when you choose Section Zoom you’ll see those sections. Choose which you want to put on your Section Zoom slide. Then when you’re giving a presentation, click any thumbnail to jump to that section.
  • Slide Zoom: This lets you jump from a slide to any other slide in the presentation. It’s generally best used for short presentations without many sections. After you click Slide Zoom, you select which slides you want to be able to jump to, and they’ll show up in a Slide Zoom slide. Click any slide to jump to it.

powerpoint2019 12 summary zoom slide

Here’s how to insert a Summary Zoom slide, with thumbnails of your entire presentation. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Other useful PowerPoint 2019 features

PowerPoint 2019 has several other new features, and although they’re not as significant as Zoom or Morph, they’re well worth knowing. Head to Microsoft’s “ What’s new in PowerPoint 2019 ” for the complete list, but here are a few of the best.

Insert 3D models: This visual trick lets you show full three-dimensional details of an object. Select Insert > 3D Models and choose the 3D model you want to insert, either from your computer or from an online Microsoft library. Once it’s inserted, you can tilt or rotate the model any way you want during your presentation.

Text highlighter: Here’s a simple way to draw people’s attention to specific pieces of text: Use the new text highlighter to choose different colors to emphasize different portions of your presentation. It’s the same highlighter that Word has had for some time. To do it, select the text you want to highlight, then choose Home > Text Highlight Color .

Easier background removal: After inserting a picture, you can remove its background as a way to focus more on the photo’s subject or a detail. In earlier versions of PowerPoint you could remove backgrounds but had to use the drawing tools to select and fine-tune the item you wanted to keep; with PowerPoint 2019 the process is more automated. To do it, select the picture whose background you want to remove, then select either Picture Format > Remove Background , or Format > Remove Background in the Ribbon.

Use a Bluetooth-enabled pen to control a presentation: If you’ve got a Bluetooth-enabled pen like the one that comes with a Surface device, you can use its button as a clicker to move to the next slide or a previous one. First pair the pen with your computer. Then go to the Windows Settings app and select Devices > Pen & Windows Ink . Under Pen Shortcuts , check the box next to “Allow apps to override the shortcut button behavior.” A single click will now move to the next slide in a presentation, and holding down the button will move one slide backward in the presentation.

Handy keyboard shortcuts

Using keyboard shortcuts is one of the best ways to accomplish tasks quickly in PowerPoint 2016 and 2019. You can even use them to navigate the Ribbon. For instance, Alt-H takes you to the Home tab, and Alt-G takes you to the Design tab. (For help finding specific commands on the Ribbon, see our PowerPoint 2016 Ribbon and 2019 quick reference .) 

But there are many other keyboard shortcuts to help you accomplish a vast array of tasks in PowerPoint 2016 and 2019. We’ve listed the ones we’ve found the most useful below. Want even more shortcuts? Microsoft’s Office site has comprehensive lists of shortcuts for creating and delivering PowerPoint presentations.

Useful PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts

Don’t forget to download our PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 Ribbon quick reference !

This story was originally published in October 2018 and updated in June 2020 to cover PowerPoint 2019.

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Microsoft cheat sheets: dive into windows and office apps, microsoft 365: a guide to the updates, microsoft's patch tuesday updates: keeping up with the latest fixes, microsoft 365 explained: office 365, rebranded and expanded, from our editors straight to your inbox.

preston_gralla

Preston Gralla is a contributing editor for Computerworld , a blogger for ITworld, and the author of more than 45 books, including NOOK Tablet: The Missing Manual (O'Reilly 2012) and How the Internet Works (Que, 2006).

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which program opens a powerpoint 2019 presentation in a browser

Use compatibility mode to work with different versions of PowerPoint

Even if you don’t have the latest version of PowerPoint, you can open and work with an older PowerPoint file. If you do have the latest version, compatibility mode makes it possible to work with the older file formats, too. You can also Run Compatibility Checker to ensure that your presentation does not have compatibility issues, and if you no longer need compatibility with earlier versions of PowerPoint, you can convert a presentation to the current file type.

For more information about compatibility mode, see About compatibility mode in PowerPoint .

Turn on compatibility mode

Saving your PowerPoint presentation (.pptx) as an earlier version, such as PowerPoint 97-2003 (.ppt), automatically turns on compatibility mode.

Open a PowerPoint presentation.

On the File tab, click Save As , and then click Browse .

In the Save As dialog box, in the Save as type list, click PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation (*.ppt) .

Click Save .

Note:  After you click Save , you might get a compatibility checker alert like the one below, telling you which features might be lost or degraded when saving the presentation in the earlier version.

which program opens a powerpoint 2019 presentation in a browser

Open the file in an earlier version of PowerPoint.

Note:  To find out which PowerPoint features could change or become unavailable, see PowerPoint 2013 and 2016 features behave differently in earlier versions .

Turn off compatibility mode

To turn off compatibility mode, simply save the presentation in PowerPoint (.pptx) format.

Open the presentation in PowerPoint.

In the Save As dialog box, in the Save as type list, click PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx) .

Run Compatibility Checker

To ensure that your presentation does not have compatibility issues that cause reduced functionality or fidelity in earlier versions of PowerPoint, you can run the Compatibility Checker. The Compatibility Checker finds any potential compatibility issues in your presentation and helps you create a report so that you can resolve them.

Open the presentation that you want to check for compatibility.

Click the File > Info , and then next to Inspect Presentation , click Check for Issues > Check Compatibility .

Note:  To check your presentation for compatibility every time that you save it, in the Microsoft PowerPoint Compatibility Checker dialog box, select the Check compatibility when saving in PowerPoint 97-2003 formats check box.

Convert your presentation to a later version of PowerPoint

If you no longer need to work in compatibility mode because people you work with have upgraded to later version or you want the full functionality of PowerPoint, you can convert a PowerPoint 97–2003 presentation to a file formatted for your version of PowerPoint. Converting saves the presentation as a .pptx file.

In PowerPoint, open the presentation that you want to convert to the most recent PowerPoint format.

The presentation automatically opens in compatibility mode.

Click the File > Info .

Next to Compatibility Mode , click Convert ., and then click Save in the Save As dialog box.

About compatibility mode in PowerPoint

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    To present a PowerPoint presentation online, just follow these steps: 1. Click the Present Online button in the Slide Show Ribbon tab. Doing this brings up the Present Online dialog box, shown here. Showing a presentation online. 2. Click Connect. 3. If prompted, enter your Microsoft account username and password.

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    Opening PowerPoint presentations in a browser lets us work on slides from Windows PCs, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. This cross-device functionality is made possible by services like OneDrive and browser extensions for Chrome and Edge. With a Microsoft account, we can simply go to Office.com, click PowerPoint, and start creating or editing.

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    In this article. PowerPoint for the web (formerly PowerPoint Web App) extends your Microsoft PowerPoint experience to the web browser, where you can work with presentations directly on the website where the presentation is stored. Microsoft 365 customers with Microsoft 365 for the web can view, create, and edit files on the go.

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    PowerPoint Online is Microsoft's free stripped-down, web-based version of PowerPoint. Another way to get PowerPoint free is with the mobile app. Some non-Microsoft programs also support PowerPoint files, like LibreOffice and Google Slides. This article explains all the different ways you can create, share, edit, print, and open PowerPoint files ...

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    Start with Microsoft Copilot. Generate a presentation outline instantly with Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. Expand your ideas. Ask for more information or a new slide on your topic directly through Copilot in PowerPoint. Use a free template. Choose from thousands of customizable templates to kickstart your slideshow.

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    Step 3: Allow Browser to Open PowerPoint. Depending on your browser settings, you may see a pop-up asking if you want to allow your browser to open PowerPoint. Click "Allow" or "Open Microsoft PowerPoint" to proceed. This gives your browser permission to open the file in the desktop application.

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    1. Open the PowerPoint app on your computer. 2. Click on the "File" tab in the top left corner of the app. 3. Click on "Open" and then select "Browse" to locate the PowerPoint file on your computer. 4. If you cannot find the file on your computer, you can try downloading it from Outlook and saving it to your computer before opening it in the app.

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    Use Microsoft 365 for the web to edit and share Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote files using a web browser for free.

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    In Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 you can start using PowerPoint Web App by saving your presentation to your SharePoint library. On the File tab, click Save & Send, and then click Save to Web or Save to SharePoint. Now, your presentation is available to view or present quickly, to edit in the browser, or re-open in PowerPoint.

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    Aspose.Slides PowerPoint Viewer. PowerPoint Reader, PowerPoint Viewer, and PowerPoint Player in a single Aspose.Slides app. Open any PowerPoint and OpenOffice presentation format: PPT, PPTX, ODP. Use the free PowerPoint Web Viewer to open PPT, PPTX online and view PPS, ODP files.; Powerful PowerPoint Viewer is an alternative for Windows 10 PCs, Android smartphones, iPhones, and other devices.

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    Create the slide on which you want to place the website. Switch to the Insert tab and click on Web Page in the LiveWeb section. Under Insert you have new options in PowerPoint. This starts an assistant, the first step of which you can skip. In the next dialog, enter the address of the website.

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    Go to File > Options > Advanced > File Open Preference. Select either Desktop or Browser from the dropdown menu as your preference. In addition to the File menu, you can turn this feature on or off right from the context menu of a One Drive or SharePoint-hosted Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document URL appearing in a Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or ...

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  20. Use compatibility mode to work with different versions of PowerPoint

    Turn on compatibility mode. Saving your PowerPoint presentation (.pptx) as an earlier version, such as PowerPoint 97-2003 (.ppt), automatically turns on compatibility mode. Open a PowerPoint presentation. On the File tab, click Save As, and then click Browse. In the Save As dialog box, in the Save as type list, click PowerPoint 97-2003 ...

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    I would appreciate help to change the default internet browser used by Power Point 2010. Actually, my system default internet browser is Chrome, but Power Point always opens Internet Explorer. I would like to set Chrome to be open from Power Point. Thanks in advance, Cadu. My experience has been that PPT will use the default browser to open ...