1. Introduction

Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation software that helps you create slideshows for teaching, business, or public speaking. Each presentation is made up of slides — pages that contain text, images, videos, charts, and animations.

Goal: To learn how to create, manage, save, and organize presentations efficiently using templates, themes, and cloud storage.

2. Creating a New Presentation

2.1 From a Blank Presentation

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Click on Blank Presentation on the start screen.
3. You’ll see a blank slide with a title and subtitle box ready for you.

Shortcut: Press Ctrl + N to instantly create a new blank presentation.

2.2 From Templates

Templates are ready-made presentation layouts designed for specific purposes, such as business plans, lessons, or reports.

1. On the Home screen, click More Templates.
2. In the search bar, type a keyword like “Business Plan” or “Education”.
3. Select your desired template → Click Create.

2.3 Using Themes

A Theme controls the overall design of your presentation — including font style, colors, and background.

1. Go to the Design tab on the ribbon.
2. Hover over different themes to preview them live.
3. Click your preferred theme to apply it to all slides.

Shortcut: You can quickly apply a theme by right-clicking on it and choosing Apply to All Slides.

3. Opening, Saving, and Managing Presentations

3.1 Opening an Existing Presentation

1. Click File → Open.
2. Select This PC or Browse to find your file.
3. Click Open.

Shortcut: Press Ctrl + O to open a file directly.

3.2 Saving Your Work

Saving ensures that your progress is not lost. PowerPoint saves files with the extension .pptx.

1. Click File → Save.
2. Choose a location (e.g., Documents or OneDrive).
3. Enter a file name → Click Save.

Shortcut: Press Ctrl + S to save quickly.

3.3 Save As (Renaming or Changing Format)

1. Click File → Save As.
2. Choose where to save (OneDrive or local folder).
3. Select a new file name or format such as:
   • .pptx – Standard PowerPoint Presentation
   • .pdf – Read-only document
   • .ppsx – Presentation show (auto starts slideshow)
4. Click Save.

Shortcut: Press F12 to open the Save As dialog instantly.

3.4 Autosave and OneDrive

The Autosave feature automatically saves your work every few seconds to prevent loss, especially when working on OneDrive (Microsoft’s cloud storage).

1. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
2. Save your file on OneDrive.
3. Toggle the Autosave switch (top-left corner of the window) to On.

4. File Recovery and Versions

4.1 Recovering Unsaved Files

If PowerPoint crashes or your PC shuts down unexpectedly:

1. Open PowerPoint.
2. Click File → Info → Manage Presentation.
3. Select Recover Unsaved Presentations.
4. Choose your file → Click Open → then Save As.

Tip: PowerPoint automatically keeps a temporary backup every few minutes.

4.2 Managing Versions

PowerPoint saves multiple versions of a presentation, especially when using OneDrive or SharePoint.

1. Go to File → Info.
2. Click Version History.
3. View or restore any previous version if needed.

5. Folder & Cloud Storage Best Practices

• Create separate folders for each project (e.g., “Marketing_Presentations” or “School_Lectures”).
• Name files clearly (e.g., Lesson1_IntroductionToAI.pptx).
• Backup your work both on OneDrive and an external drive.
• Use version numbers (e.g., ProjectPlan_v2.pptx) for tracking edits.
• Enable AutoSave and File History on Windows for safety.

6. Quick Summary & Shortcuts

• Ctrl + N → New Presentation
• Ctrl + O → Open Presentation
• Ctrl + S → Save
• F12 → Save As
• Ctrl + Z → Undo
• Ctrl + Y → Redo
• Alt + F → Open File menu