How To Add Live Web Pages To A PowerPoint Slide

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Adding live web pages to PowerPoint slides can be a great way to enhance presentations. Whether you want to showcase a website, display frequently updated data, or simply avoid switching between browser windows, embedding web content directly into your slides has many benefits.

In this article, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process for adding live web pages to PowerPoint, covering everything you need to know.

Benefits of Adding Live Websites to PowerPoint

Here are some of the key reasons why you may want to embed live web pages in your PowerPoint presentations:

  • Demonstrate websites and web-based tools: Easily showcase websites, web apps, interactive maps and more without toggling browser windows.
  • Display dynamic, updating content: Insert data visualizations, stock tickers, social media feeds and other frequently refreshed content.
  • Simplify presentation delivery: Keep your audience focused on your slideshow instead of minimizing and reopening browser tabs.
  • Annotate web content: Use PowerPoint tools to highlight, draw and add notes to web content.
  • Works offline: Web content gets cached for offline access after initial load.

Step 1: Install a PowerPoint Add-in

PowerPoint doesn’t have native support for embedding live websites, so the first step is to install an add-in that enables this functionality. Here are some top options:

ClassPoint: Free add-in with a full-featured web browser plus annotation tools.

LiveWeb: Basic web embedding from Microsoft Office Store.

Web Viewer: Another free Microsoft add-in, but only works with HTTPS sites.

Once installed, the add-in will appear under the Insert tab for easy access while authoring slides.

Step 2: Add a Web Object to Your Slide

With the PowerPoint add-in enabled, you can now insert web pages directly into slides:

  1. Navigate to the slide where you want to embed web content.
  2. On the Insert tab, click the add-in’s icon (it may say Web Object, Browser etc. depending on the add-in).
  3. In the dialog box, paste the full URL of the web page you want to display.
  4. Resize and position the web object as needed on your slide.

Repeat this process to add multiple web pages across different slides.

Step 3: Link Websites to Allow Clicking

For the full interactive experience, make sure to also insert hyperlinks on the web objects:

  1. Right-click on the embedded web page and select Hyperlink.
  2. Choose Place in This Document and pick the same web page from the list.

Now when presenting your slides and clicking these web objects, the sites will open live within the slideshow!

Step 4: Set Web Objects to Refresh Automatically

Some add-ins give you the option to enable auto-refreshing for web objects so content stays up-to-date:

  1. Right-click the embedded web page.
  2. Check the box for Auto-Refresh.
  3. Choose a refresh rate from the dropdown menu (e.g. every 60 seconds).

With auto-refresh enabled, things like live dashboards, social media feeds and stock tickers will update automatically!

Step 5: Practice and Present Your Slideshow!

The final step is practicing your presentation in Slideshow view to ensure the embedded web content appears and functions as expected:

  • Do hyperlinks open sites within the slideshow?
  • Does auto-refresh work properly for dynamic sites?
  • Is content sized appropriately and easy to view?

Make any final tweaks needed for optimization. When ready, present confidently knowing your embedded web pages will function smoothly!

Conclusion

Adding live websites and web apps directly into PowerPoint is simple with just a small add-in installation. With dynamic content seamlessly embedded into your presentation, both you and your audience can stay focused without distracting tab switching.

Give your next PowerPoint presentation an interactive edge by following the steps above to import functional, updating web pages. Your audience is sure to be impressed!

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