Looping a PowerPoint presentation means setting it up to continuously play all the slides over and over again until manually stopped. This is useful for unattended presentations at events, tradeshows, or as part of a display.
When to Use a Looping Presentation
There are several situations where creating a seamless, looping PowerPoint slideshow can be effective:
- Trade shows and conventions – Looping presentations can run unattended at booths.
- Museum or venue displays – Let a presentation repeat continuously as part of an exhibit.
- Digital signage – Use looping presentations for menus, announcements, etc.
- Kiosks – Self-running, repeating slideshows work well for directories, wayfinding, etc.
The key is to create slideshows where repetition reinforces key messaging. Also consider situations where you can’t be present to manually advance slides.
How to Loop a Presentation in PowerPoint
Looping a PowerPoint is easy using the “Set Up Slide Show” options. Here are the steps:
1. Open Your Presentation
Start PowerPoint and open the presentation you want to loop. This can be an existing file or a new one.
2. Select “Set Up Slide Show”
Go to the “Slide Show” tab and click the “Set Up Slide Show” button.
3. Check the Loop Option
In the “Set Up Show” dialog box, check the box for “Loop continuously until ‘Esc'” under Show Options.
4. Set Slide Timing
You can set each slide’s display time under the Transitions tab. Set an appropriate duration, such as 15-20 seconds per slide.
5. Test and Save
Test that your presentation loops properly. Make any final edits, then save and close.
Tips for an Effective Looping Presentation
Follow these tips when creating a PowerPoint designed to loop:
- Keep slides simple – Avoid too much text or complex animations that are hard to process quickly.
- Use images – Visuals and graphics are processed faster than text when rapidly looping.
- Add branding – Use logos, colors, etc. to reinforce branding throughout the looping presentation.
- Check order and flow – Review the slide order even if looping, the narrative should still flow logically.
- Use transitions – Add subtle transitions between slides to make the flow between them smooth.
- Check timing – Ensure each slide stays on screen long enough to be viewed but not so long as to be boring.
- Add interactivity – Hyperlinks, videos, or other interactive elements can help engage viewers of a looping presentation.
- Test thoroughly – Double check your looping presentation in Slide Show mode to catch any issues.
Advanced Options for Looping Slideshows
Beyond basic looping, PowerPoint also offers more advanced options:
Loop Sections of Slides
You can choose to only loop certain slides, not the entire show. This works well when you have distinct sections.
To do this:
- In Normal view, select the slides to loop
- Right click and choose “Custom Slide Show”
- Choose “Loop continuously until ‘Esc'”
Use Multiple Monitors
For multi-screen displays, you can loop a different presentation on each monitor by opening multiple PowerPoint instances.
Add Narration or Music
Consider adding pre-recorded audio or background music to your looping presentation. This enhances the experience for viewers.
Export as Video
For more robust looping and display options, export your presentation as a video file instead. Then use standard video players to achieve seamless looping playback.
Present Online
To share your looping presentation online, upload it to a platform like Microsoft Stream or YouTube to embed or share the link.
Conclusion
Looping parts of a presentation or the entire slideshow can be an effective way to display PowerPoints in unattended settings. It takes just a few simple steps to set up a seamless, continuously playing presentation. Follow best practices, do thorough testing, and take advantage of advanced options for even more impact.
