Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 offers a variety of transitions and animations to make your presentations more dynamic and engaging. Used effectively, these tools can emphasize key points, illustrate processes, and add visual interest to your slides.

An Introduction to Transitions and Animations

Before diving into the specifics, let’s clarify the difference between transitions and animations in PowerPoint:

Transitions are the effects that occur when moving from one slide to the next during a slideshow. They create smooth shifts between slides.

Animations are motion effects applied to elements within a single slide, such as text, shapes, pictures, SmartArt, and charts. They allow objects to enter, exit, move, change, or emphasize.

PowerPoint 2013 provides a wide selection of transitions and animations to choose from. They are located on the Transitions and Animations tabs on the ribbon.

Applying Transitions in PowerPoint 2013

To apply a transition between two slides:

Select the slide you want to apply a transition to in the thumbnail pane or slide sorter view.
On the Transitions tab, click the transition effect you want from the gallery.
Customize the transition direction, sound, duration, or other effect options if desired.

Click Apply to All if you want the same transition for all slides.

PowerPoint 2013 offers three main types of transitions:

Subtle: Simple transitions like fades, wipes and pushes.

Exciting: Flashier transitions with sound effects and dynamic animations.
Dynamic Content: Advanced transitions for photos, charts, SmartArt, and other visuals.

It’s best to use transitions sparingly. Too many can make your presentation seem unprofessional or dated. Stick with subtle transitions to smoothly move between slides without distraction.

Animating Content within Slides

To animate text or objects within a slide:

Select the element(s) you want to animate.
On the Animations tab, pick an animation effect from the different categories.

Set the animation trigger, duration, delay timings, and other effect options.

Animation categories in PowerPoint 2013 include:

Entrance: Effects to make objects appear on slides

Emphasis: Draws attention to objects
Exit: Makes objects disappear off slides
Motion Paths: Moves objects around slides

Use animations thoughtfully to emphasize or illustrate key points. Limit to 1-2 animations per slide, and test them thoroughly to ensure they enhance your content without distracting from it.

Animation Pane

The Animation Pane gives you advanced control over animations. Open it from the Animations tab to view and rearrange all animations on a slide chronologically. You can play them back, change their order, edit timings, and more.

Previewing Animations and Transitions

Don’t forget to preview your transitions and animations prior to presenting:

Use Slide Show view to test the timing and triggers.
Verify transitions and animations display properly on the presentation equipment.
Check animations and transitions work as expected in Presenter View.

Fine tune anything not conveying your message effectively. Remember, animations and transitions should supplement your content rather than compete with it.

Tips for Using Animations and Transitions

Here are some best practices for working with animations and transitions in PowerPoint 2013:

Use subtle transitions between slides to avoid jarring shifts.

Limit animations to 1-2 per slide to avoid overwhelming slides.
Ensure animations emphasize rather than distract from key points.
Set precise animation timing to keep your presentation flow smooth.

Use motion paths appropriately to illustrate processes and relationships.
Preview animations and transitions thoroughly before presenting.

Following these tips will help you prepare truly professional presentations with PowerPoint 2013. Integrating judicious use of its transitions and animations can make your message more impactful and memorable.