PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff

Learn PowerPoint 2013 for Windows: Basic Flowcharts

There are many dedicated programs that only do flowcharts, and even Microsoft creates another program called Visio that’s more flowchart savvy than mainstream Microsoft Office programs – even then, we highly recommend that you create your flowcharts within your Office program such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint! Why do we put forth such a recommendation? That’s because Microsoft Office programs already have all the abilities and options you need to create almost any type of flowchart you need.

Learn how to create a quick flowchart in Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Filed Under: PowerPoint 2013
Tagged as: Diagrams, Flowcharts, Graphics, Office 2013, PowerPoint 2013, Tutorials

Learn PowerPoint 2011 for Mac: Working with the Ribbon

The Ribbon made its debut in Office 2011 versions of PowerPoint, and other programs such as Word and Excel — as such, it is a new interface component that replaces the Elements Gallery in Office 2008 for Mac. Although the Ribbon in its default state is sophisticated and easy to use, you can make it work for you even better by learning some cool options, and by also customizing it to some extent, as explained in the following steps.

Learn how to work better with the Ribbon in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac.

Filed Under: PowerPoint 2011
Tagged as: Office for Mac, PowerPoint 2011, Tutorials

Jerky Animations in PowerPoint 2010 and 2013

Do your animations appear a little jerky while playing in PowerPoint 2010 or 2013 compared to how they played in PowerPoint 2007 (all Windows versions)? There could be any number of reasons why the animations may not play smoothly. You may have too many applications using resources in the background, or your graphics system may not be able to cope up.

However, when the same animations play well on PowerPoint 2007, and do not in versions 2010 and 2013 (sometimes, even on the same computer), then, this easy trick may help!

1. First, run PowerPoint 2010 or 2013, and at least in the latter version, press the Esc key to create a blank presentation — otherwise PowerPoint 2013 won’t let you access the File menu! Now, select the File menu and choose Options in the resultant Backstage view.
2. Doing so brings up the PowerPoint Options dialog box. Then, choose the Advanced tab within the sidebar, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 1, below. Scroll down the right pane until you see a section called Display.


Figure 1: PowerPoint Options

If you are on PowerPoint 2010, check the option called Disable hardware graphics acceleration, as shown highlighted in blue within Figure 1, above.

If you are on PowerPoint 2013, also check the option called Disable Slide Show hardware graphics acceleration. If this option is (or options are) already checked, leave them.

Click the OK button to apply these changes. You can now close all instances of PowerPoint.

3. Now, you need to run the Registry Editor and make a small edit. Do remember that it’s wise to back up your Registry before you make any edits. Also, if you are not comfortable with editing your Registry, then, ignore this step altogether. Whatever you do, remember that anything you are doing is at your own risk!

To run the Registry Editor on Windows 7 or 8, click the Windows key on your keyboard to access the Start Menu. Now, type Run to bring up an icon for the Run program. Click this icon so that you see the Run dialog box, as shown in Figure 2, below.


Figure 2: Run dialog box

Now, type in regedit inside the Run dialog box. Click the OK button.

4. You may see the User Account Control window shown in Figure 3, below. Click the Yes button to go ahead and open the Registry Editor.


Figure 3: User Account Control

5. The Registry Editor now opens. If you are using PowerPoint 2013, navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\PowerPoint\Options key, as shown in Figure 4, below.


Figure 4: Registry Editor

If you are using PowerPoint 2010, you will navigate to the similar HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\PowerPoint\Options key.

6. Now select Options in the left-pane, and then right-click and you will see a small menu, as shown in Figure 5, below. Click the New option in this menu to open a sub-menu. Click on the option that says DWORD (32-bit) Value. It’s not necessary that your computer provides this option. In that case, you will see an alternative DWORD Value option; click on that option.


Figure 5: Add a new DWORD Value

7. You will see a new DWORD Value called New Value#1, as shown in Figure 6, below. Click on this value, and type over it to replace the value with DisableSpriteClipping, as shown in Figure 7, below.


Figure 6: Replace existing text…


Figure 7: ..with a new DWORD Value

8. Double-click this value to bring up an Edit dialog as shown in Figure 8. Change the Value data to 1. Exit the Registry Editor.


Figure 8: Edit DWORD Value

Animations in your presentation should now be smoother!

Thanks to several folks who contributed to this post, which brings us to some history.

Someone named Amy first raised this issue in the Comments section of the PowerPoint Blog, and then posted on Microsoft Answers.

Christopher Maloney of Microsoft responded with the solution. And thanks to Steve Rindsberg, PowerPoint MVP who rediscovered this treasure. Thanks thereafter to Glenna Shaw who provided further input on this solution.

Filed Under: PowerPoint All Versions
Tagged as: Animation, PowerPoint 2010, PowerPoint 2013, Troubleshooting

3 Free and Favorite Handwritten Fonts

The problem with handwritten fonts is that most of them are not too readable, especially when you use a smaller text size. We searched through all web resources to find these 3 free, handwritten fonts — enjoy using these fonts in your slides or anywhere else — do remember though that some of these fonts will not travel with your slides — so use only if you are presenting your slides on the same computer where these fonts were installed.

Explore our favorite free handwritten fonts.

Filed Under: Fonts
Tagged as: Fonts, PowerPoint

Handmade Slides: Map Pins for PowerPoint – 09

Slides are virtual – and that makes them great candidates to add all sorts of virtual stuff that looks “real”! Just like these hand crafted “map pin” graphics – these map pins are easy to use. This complete collection that you will find in the downloaded ZIP file contains more than 300 map pins – not only the 10 that are shown on this page. The map pin graphics are already placed in PowerPoint slides you will download – just copy the individual pin you want, and then paste the pin within your own slides that already contain a map. Beyond maps, you can also use these map pins like regular push pins so that a picture, shape, or anything else appears as if it has been pushed onto a surface, board, or wall with a pin!

Download and use these map pins in your slides.

Filed Under: Presentation Bank
Tagged as: Design, Graphics, PowerPoint, Presentation Samples