Adding a chalkboard background to your PowerPoint slides is an excellent way to create more visually interesting and engaging presentations. The handwritten, informal style of a chalkboard background helps presentations feel more conversational and approachable.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn multiple methods for creating chalkboard backgrounds in PowerPoint, using both built-in and custom options.

Why Use a Chalkboard Background?

Here are some of the key benefits of using a chalkboard background in PowerPoint:

Makes presentations feel more casual, approachable and conversational
Provides visual interest and contrast to plain slide backgrounds
Evokes a classroom setting, great for educational presentations

Allows use of chalkboard elements like handwriting, drawings, etc.
Helps presentations stand out from standard PowerPoint templates

Method 1: Use PowerPoint’s Built-In Chalkboard Background

The quickest way to add a chalkboard background is to use one of PowerPoint’s built-in background options:

Step 1) Open your PowerPoint presentation and access the “Design” tab.

Step 2) Click on “Background Styles” and scroll down until you see the chalkboard background options.

Step 3) Select your preferred chalkboard style. There are a few different color and texture variations to choose from.

Step 4) The chalkboard background will now apply automatically to all slides.

The benefit of using PowerPoint’s built-in chalkboard backgrounds is that it only takes a few clicks. However, you are limited to the few predefined chalkboard design options.

Method 2: Create a Custom Chalkboard Background

For more control and customization options, you can create your own chalkboard background from scratch:

Step 1) On the “View” tab, click “Slide Master” to open the slide master view.

Step 2) Insert a rectangle shape to fill the entire slide. Make sure it covers the edges.

Step 3) Apply a dark green fill color to the shape to mimic a chalkboard.

Step 4) Draw 2-3 more white rectangle shapes and position them along the edges to create a “chalk ledge” effect.

Step 5) Right click the slide master and save the background.

Step 6) Close slide master view. The custom chalkboard background now applies to all slides.

This method allows you to fully customize the chalkboard design – you can tweak the colors, add additional elements like chalk drawings, etc.

Method 3: Use a Free Chalkboard PowerPoint Template

If you want an already professionally designed chalkboard background, an easy option is to download a free PowerPoint template:

Step 1) Search online for “free chalkboard PowerPoint templates” and browse until you find one you like.

Step 2) Download the PPTX template file to your computer.

Step 3) Open the template file in PowerPoint. It will contain multiple slide layouts with chalkboard backgrounds, fonts, color schemes, etc.

Step 4) Customize the template by adding your own content.

High-quality templates can save you time designing your presentation from scratch. Just make sure to preview any templates before downloading to ensure they meet your needs.

Enhancing Your Chalkboard Background Further

Here are some optional tips for enhancing your chalkboard background slides even more:

Add handwritten text: Use a handwriting style font to make titles/text appear handwritten on the “chalkboard”.

Insert chalk drawings: Download free chalk clip art online or create your own drawings to overlay on top of the background.
Animate elements: Make it look like text and drawings are being handwritten on the board in real time.
Add chalk smudges: Download chalk smudge graphics to make it look authentic.

Use a chalkboard menu slide: Introduce sections of your presentation using a mock chalkboard menu/agenda.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Adding a creative chalkboard background is an impactful way to increase engagement and reinforce your message. You now have several methods to choose from:

Use PowerPoint’s built-in chalkboard backgrounds for a quick option

Create a fully customized background using shapes and colors
Download professionally designed chalkboard templates

The next step is to start planning out your chalkboard-themed presentation! Think about what key elements you want to include – things like handwritten text, drawings, animations or menu slides.

With the right combination of chalkboard background creativity and meaningful content, your next PowerPoint presentation will be engaging, memorable and impactful!