Ever thought PowerPoint was just for dull slides and bullet points? Think again! With Microsoft PowerPoint Training, you can unlock a treasure trove of creative tools that turn your presentations into works of art. The Features of PowerPoint go way beyond the basics, offering clever tricks to dazzle your audience. Whether pitching to clients or teaching a class, these hidden gems can make your slides pop. Ready to ditch the boring and embrace the brilliant? Let’s explore some artistic features that’ll have everyone asking, “How did you do that?”
Table of Contents
- Unlock the Creative Side of PowerPoint
- Conclusion
Unlock the Creative Side of PowerPoint
Below are the most artistic, underused features that can take your presentation design to a whole new level:
Morph: Create Seamless Visual Transitions
Morph is one of PowerPoint most impressive tools for adding motion without complexity. Instead of traditional transitions between slides, Morph creates smooth animations by automatically tracking how objects move, resize, or change colour.
This is especially useful when showing change over time or process steps. A duplicated slide with minor adjustments can become a fluid visual story, perfect for showcasing data flows or concept progression.
Draw Tab: Add a Personal Touch to Your Slides
The Draw tab lets you hand-draw directly on your slides using a mouse, stylus, or touchscreen. You can choose from pens, highlighters, and even pressure-sensitive tools.
This feature is ideal for live presentations, where quick sketches or annotations can enhance clarity. For example, an SAP project manager can quickly illustrate a system component or note a stakeholder’s question in real time. It brings a more dynamic, interactive feel to your sessions.
Artistic Effects: Transform Images Without Leaving PowerPoint
Many people don’t realise PowerPoint includes built-in artistic filters for images. You can stylise your visuals with just a few clicks, from pencil sketches to blurred glass effects.
These tools are particularly useful when you want a consistent aesthetic or need to tone down an image, so it doesn’t overpower your slide. Instead of editing your images elsewhere, you can handle it all within the platform.
Transparency and Gradients: Control the Visual Flow
Using transparency can help tone down images or backgrounds to keep the audience focused on your message. Combine that with gradient fills, and you can create subtle, branded backgrounds that are both clean and professional.
This level of control is valuable when layering text and visuals. You can avoid clutter and make key content stand out without overwhelming the viewer.
Design Ideas: AI-Powered Layout Suggestions
Design Ideas is PowerPoint built-in assistant, using artificial intelligence to suggest alternative slide layouts. Simply enter content, and the tool generates visually appealing designs tailored to your input.
This feature is particularly useful for those with limited design experience or when you’re short of time. It helps ensure consistency while offering layout variations you may not have considered.
Zoom: Make Presentations More Interactive
Zoom lets you create a single summary slide that acts like a menu, allowing you to jump to specific sections during your presentation. This format is more flexible than the typical linear slide format and makes your content feel more interactive.
This is ideal for training sessions or stakeholder meetings where discussions may move differently. Instead of flipping back and forth manually, Zoom lets you navigate seamlessly based on audience needs.
SmartArt: Visualise Information Instantly
SmartArt is a quick way to turn text into diagrams. You can choose from dozens of layout types, including cycles, hierarchies, and flowcharts, and then customise them with colours and animations.
This tool is great for breaking down complex information, especially in environments where clarity is essential. Project updates, workflows, and comparisons are easily digested through visual formats.
Crop to Shape: Go Beyond Rectangles
PowerPoint allows you to crop images into different shapes—such as circles, triangles, arrows, or stars—without needing external design tools. This simple tweak can add a fresh, modern touch to your layout.
Using shaped images is an easy way to break visual monotony and highlight specific elements in your presentation. It adds interest without adding complexity.
Export as Video: Repurpose Slides for Other Media
PowerPoint lets you export your entire presentation as a video, including transitions, timings, and voiceovers. This makes it easy to reuse your content for training, online tutorials, or asynchronous communication.
Whether preparing learning material or sending updates to global teams, this feature turns your presentation into a professional-looking video in minutes.
Icon Library: Clean, Scalable Visuals Built In
PowerPoint includes many icons covering business, analytics, and technology categories. These icons are vector-based, so they scale cleanly and match your colour scheme.
Replacing cluttered images or long text with simple icons can drastically improve your slides’ readability. Icons help convey ideas quickly and give your presentation a modern, minimalist look.
Conclusion
PowerPoint is often underestimated in terms of design capabilities, but its artistic features can make your slides far more engaging. From Morph and Zoom to SmartArt and Draw tools, these hidden gems give you creative control without needing specialist software. The Knowledge Academy offers free resources that reveal the full power of PowerPoint, whether you’re an experienced presenter or just starting.
