16 min read

Adding Text

Click placeholders. Home → Font group for size and bold. Add a text box when you need free text.

Type in Placeholders First

Always click inside a placeholder before you type. Placeholders inherit the theme font and size. For slide 2 (Welcome), type in the body placeholder: We are delighted to welcome you to Main Hall and Sports Block. Tours run from 10:00-14:00. Dr. Helen Marsh will speak at 10:30 in the Main Hall.

The title should stand out on the Main Hall projector. 1 Triple-click the title placeholder text on slide 2. 2 Click Home \to Font \to Font Size and increase to about 32 pt if it looks small. 3 Click Bold (or press Ctrl+B / Cmd+B). 4 Expected result: The welcome title is larger and bold.

Not every line of text needs a layout placeholder. A text box sits anywhere on the slide. 1 Click Insert \to Text \to Text Box . 2 Drag on the slide where the caption should sit. 3 Type Sports Block — new astroturf pitch opened September 2025 . 4 Expected result: A free text box caption appears below or beside the photo area.

Text on slides should work for every visitor — including people at the back of the Main Hall and those using assistive technology: Size: body bullets at 24 pt or larger for parent audiences; titles 28 pt+ Contrast: dark text on light backgrounds (or a dark theme variant with light text) Plain language: short lines; expand acronyms on first use (e.g. SEND — Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Slide titles: every slide except the title slide should have a unique title — screen readers use titles to navigate Avoid ALL CAPS for whole sentences — they are harder to read and sound like shouting on screen readers.

If a placeholder tempts you to paste a whole paragraph from the Word handbook, stop. Follow the 6\times6 rule : about six lines, about six words per line. Move the full paragraph to speaker notes instead. Click the dotted placeholder first, then type. Text typed before selecting a placeholder can land on the wrong layer.

Select text first, then use Home \to Font \to Font Size . Design \to Themes changes the whole deck, not one selection. File \to Info shows file properties. Slide Show \to From Beginning presents — it does not format text.

Example — Format selected text: To change font size, select the text, then Home \to Font \to Font Size . Themes on the Design tab apply presentation-wide; the Home tab formats whatever you have selected.

Practice

Where do you change font size for selected text?

Add a Text Box for Captions

Not every line of text needs a layout placeholder. A text box sits anywhere on the slide. 1 Click Insert \to Text \to Text Box . 2 Drag on the slide where the caption should sit. 3 Type Sports Block — new astroturf pitch opened September 2025 . 4 Expected result: A free text box caption appears below or beside the photo area.

Accessibility Tips for Text

Text on slides should work for every visitor — including people at the back of the Main Hall and those using assistive technology: Size: body bullets at 24 pt or larger for parent audiences; titles 28 pt+ Contrast: dark text on light backgrounds (or a dark theme variant with light text) Plain language: short lines; expand acronyms on first use (e.g. SEND — Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Slide titles: every slide except the title slide should have a unique title — screen readers use titles to navigate Avoid ALL CAPS for whole sentences — they are harder to read and sound like shouting on screen readers.

Keep Slides Short

If a placeholder tempts you to paste a whole paragraph from the Word handbook, stop. Follow the 6\times6 rule : about six lines, about six words per line. Move the full paragraph to speaker notes instead. Click the dotted placeholder first, then type. Text typed before selecting a placeholder can land on the wrong layer.

Where to Change Font Size

Select text first, then use Home \to Font \to Font Size . Design \to Themes changes the whole deck, not one selection. File \to Info shows file properties. Slide Show \to From Beginning presents — it does not format text.

Example — Format selected text: To change font size, select the text, then Home \to Font \to Font Size . Themes on the Design tab apply presentation-wide; the Home tab formats whatever you have selected.

Practice

Where do you change font size for selected text?