How to Draw on PowerPoint

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Drawing on PowerPoint slides can make presentations more engaging and help communicate ideas more clearly. There are several ways to draw on slides in PowerPoint.

Drawing During a Presentation

You can draw directly on slides during a live presentation for emphasis or to illustrate concepts. Here’s how:

In PowerPoint 2019/365:

  • On the Slide Show tab, click From Beginning or From Current Slide.
  • In the toolbar at the bottom, click Pen, then select a pen or highlighter.
  • Draw on the slide using your mouse or touchscreen.
  • Click the Eraser to remove drawings.

In Older Versions:

  • On the Slide Show tab, click From Beginning.
  • Select the Pen and Laser Pointer button.
  • Draw on the slide with your mouse.

Use different color pens and highlighters to emphasize key points. Erase drawings after making your point so they don’t distract.

Drawing While Creating Slides

You can also draw shapes, diagrams, and illustrations while building your PowerPoint deck:

Drawing Shapes

  • On the Insert tab, click Shapes.
  • Select a shape and drag to draw it on the slide.
  • Format shapes with options on the Format tab.

Freeform Drawing

In PowerPoint 2019/365:

  • On the Draw tab, select a pen or highlighter.
  • Draw on the slide freely using a mouse, touchscreen, or pen device.

In Older Versions:

  • On the Review tab, click Start Inking.
  • Draw freely using a touchscreen and pen.

Use the Eraser to fix mistakes.

Tips for Drawing in PowerPoint

  • Use gridlines and guides for clean, precise drawings.
  • Group related objects to move/format them together.
  • Layer objects to control overlap and depth.
  • Practice first on a scrap slide to test drawing sensitivity.
  • Use page color or background images for context.
  • Organize drawings on separate slides or slide layers.

Advanced Drawing Techniques

You can create complex graphics and diagrams using PowerPoint’s advanced drawing tools:

  • Edit Points – Reshape predefined shapes by manipulating their edit points.
  • Connectors – Link shapes to create flowcharts and org charts.
  • Lock Aspect Ratio – Draw proportional shapes and diagrams.
  • Alignment & Distribution Tools – Line up objects precisely.

Practice is key for mastering these techniques. Start simple.

Animating Drawings

Bring your drawings to life with animations:

  • Ink Replay – Record pen strokes to replay as an animation.
  • Motion Paths – Animate object movements.
  • Morph Transition – Transform shapes.

See PowerPoint’s Transitions and Animations tabs.

Exporting Drawings

To reuse drawings in other apps:

  • Save as Images – Export slides or objects as JPG, PNG, GIF, etc.
  • Copy/Paste – Copy objects and paste to another Office app as images.

This preserves image quality better than directly embedding PowerPoint slides.

Summary

  • Draw on slides during presentations or while authoring.
  • Use basic shapes, freeform drawing, and precision tools.
  • Animate drawings to increase engagement.
  • Export drawings for use in other applications.

With some creativity and practice, you can create amazing graphics, diagrams, and illustrations using PowerPoint’s extensive drawing and animation tools. The possibilities are endless!

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