18 min read

The PowerPoint Interface

Name the title bar, Ribbon, slide pane, workspace, notes pane, and status bar. Switch views.

The PowerPoint Window

Before you add Open Day slides, learn where commands and thumbnails live. The Ribbon holds tabs with commands. The slide pane lists every slide. The workspace shows the slide you are editing. James Okonkwo navigates by tab name during a busy rehearsal — Home for new slides, Insert for photos, Design for themes.

Commands live on the Ribbon. Slides are listed in the slide pane.

James Okonkwo uses these paths most often: Task Ribbon path Add slide 2 Welcome Home \to New Slide \to Title and Content Insert sports photo Insert \to Pictures \to This Device Apply theme Design \to Themes Reorder slides Status bar \to Slide Sorter, then drag thumbnails Type speaker notes Normal view \to Notes pane below workspace Start show Slide Show \to From Beginning (or F5) The Quick Access Toolbar (top left) can hold Save and Undo — right-click any Ribbon button \to Add to Quick Access Toolbar .

Task	Ribbon path
Add slide 2 Welcome	Home → New Slide → Title and Content
Insert sports photo	Insert → Pictures → This Device
Apply theme	Design → Themes
Reorder slides	Status bar → Slide Sorter, then drag thumbnails
Type speaker notes	Normal view → Notes pane below workspace
Start show	Slide Show → From Beginning (or F5)

Switch views from the status bar (bottom right) or View tab: View When to use it Normal Build slides — edit text, layouts, and notes Slide Sorter Reorder the whole deck at once Reading Review slides in the window without editing Slide Show Present full screen to an audience Normal is for editing. Slide Sorter is for reordering. Slide Show is for presenting — you cannot type into placeholders while full screen. Press Esc to exit Slide Show, then edit in Normal view.

View	When to use it
Normal	Build slides — edit text, layouts, and notes
Slide Sorter	Reorder the whole deck at once
Reading	Review slides in the window without editing
Slide Show	Present full screen to an audience

You edit in Normal view and reorder in Slide Sorter view. 1 Click Normal on the status bar — thumbnails on the left, one large slide in the centre. 2 Click Slide Sorter on the status bar — all slides appear as thumbnails in a grid. 3 Drag thumbnails to reorder tour slides before Contact. 4 Click Normal again to return to editing.

Dr. Helen Marsh skims the deck the night before Open Day without entering full-screen Slide Show. 1 Click View on the Ribbon. 2 Click Reading View . 3 Use arrow keys or clicks to advance through slides. 4 Click Normal on the status bar when you are ready to edit again. In Normal view, drag the divider between the slide pane and workspace wider if you need to read long slide titles while editing.

Example — Insert a picture: Pictures are on the Insert tab, not Home or Design. Insert \to Pictures \to This Device adds a photo from your computer. Home \to New Slide adds a page; Design \to Themes changes colours.

Practice

Swipe or use the arrows to move between questions.

1 / 2

Where do you click to insert a picture on a slide?

Select the correct Ribbon path.

You want to drag slide 7 before slide 5. Which view is fastest?

The PowerPoint Window

Before you add Open Day slides, learn where commands and thumbnails live. The Ribbon holds tabs with commands. The slide pane lists every slide. The workspace shows the slide you are editing. James Okonkwo navigates by tab name during a busy rehearsal — Home for new slides, Insert for photos, Design for themes.

Main Window Parts

Commands live on the Ribbon. Slides are listed in the slide pane.

Ribbon Paths You Will Use on Open Day

James Okonkwo uses these paths most often: Task Ribbon path Add slide 2 Welcome Home \to New Slide \to Title and Content Insert sports photo Insert \to Pictures \to This Device Apply theme Design \to Themes Reorder slides Status bar \to Slide Sorter, then drag thumbnails Type speaker notes Normal view \to Notes pane below workspace Start show Slide Show \to From Beginning (or F5) The Quick Access Toolbar (top left) can hold Save and Undo — right-click any Ribbon button \to Add to Quick Access Toolbar .

Task	Ribbon path
Add slide 2 Welcome	Home → New Slide → Title and Content
Insert sports photo	Insert → Pictures → This Device
Apply theme	Design → Themes
Reorder slides	Status bar → Slide Sorter, then drag thumbnails
Type speaker notes	Normal view → Notes pane below workspace
Start show	Slide Show → From Beginning (or F5)

Four Common Views

Switch views from the status bar (bottom right) or View tab: View When to use it Normal Build slides — edit text, layouts, and notes Slide Sorter Reorder the whole deck at once Reading Review slides in the window without editing Slide Show Present full screen to an audience Normal is for editing. Slide Sorter is for reordering. Slide Show is for presenting — you cannot type into placeholders while full screen. Press Esc to exit Slide Show, then edit in Normal view.

View	When to use it
Normal	Build slides — edit text, layouts, and notes
Slide Sorter	Reorder the whole deck at once
Reading	Review slides in the window without editing
Slide Show	Present full screen to an audience

Switch Between Normal and Slide Sorter

You edit in Normal view and reorder in Slide Sorter view. 1 Click Normal on the status bar — thumbnails on the left, one large slide in the centre. 2 Click Slide Sorter on the status bar — all slides appear as thumbnails in a grid. 3 Drag thumbnails to reorder tour slides before Contact. 4 Click Normal again to return to editing.

Reading View for a Quick Preview

Dr. Helen Marsh skims the deck the night before Open Day without entering full-screen Slide Show. 1 Click View on the Ribbon. 2 Click Reading View . 3 Use arrow keys or clicks to advance through slides. 4 Click Normal on the status bar when you are ready to edit again. In Normal view, drag the divider between the slide pane and workspace wider if you need to read long slide titles while editing.

Example — Insert a picture: Pictures are on the Insert tab, not Home or Design. Insert \to Pictures \to This Device adds a photo from your computer. Home \to New Slide adds a page; Design \to Themes changes colours.

Practice

Swipe or use the arrows to move between questions.

1 / 2

Where do you click to insert a picture on a slide?

Select the correct Ribbon path.

You want to drag slide 7 before slide 5. Which view is fastest?