The Slide Master view in PowerPoint 2013 is an incredibly useful feature for customizing and standardizing the design of your presentations. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to use Slide Master view effectively.
What is Slide Master View?
The Slide Master view allows you to edit the slide master, which is the top slide that stores information about the theme and layouts in your presentation. This includes elements like:
- Background color/image
- Fonts
- Theme colors
- Effects
- Slide layouts
- Positioning of placeholders
Any changes made to the slide master will apply to all slides in your presentation that use that master.
You can also edit individual slide layouts in Slide Master view. Slide layouts determine the positioning and size of content placeholders on the slide. Modifying a layout will change any slides using that specific layout.
Why Use Slide Master View?
Here are some of the most common uses of Slide Master view:
- Quickly modify theme fonts, colors, and effects – You can customize the look and feel of your entire presentation without editing each slide individually.
- Create new slide layouts – Design completely new layouts with custom placeholder positions/sizes. Great for making unique presentations.
- Add reusable slide elements – Place company logos, imagery, text boxes, and more that automatically appear on every slide.
- Change slide size/orientation – Convert all slides from landscape to portrait or vice versa in just a few clicks.
In summary, Slide Master view enables you to make global changes and create consistent, professionally designed presentations with very little effort.
How to Access Slide Master View
Accessing Slide Master view is simple:
- Open your PowerPoint presentation
- Click on the View tab
- Click Slide Master in the Presentation Views group
The slide master will appear at the top of the left-side pane, with individual layouts shown below it.
Editing the Slide Master and Layouts
When you enter Slide Master view, the Slide Master tab will appear in the ribbon. Use this tab to:
- Change the slide master background
- Modify theme colors and fonts
- Show/hide slide numbers, date, footer placeholders
- Insert reusable text boxes, images, etc.
To edit individual layouts, click on the layout thumbnail and use the controls on the Slide Master tab to:
- Delete layouts
- Rename layouts
- Insert new content placeholders
- Resize/reposition placeholders
Feel free to customize the layouts extensively to meet your specific needs.
Tips for Using Slide Master Effectively
Keep these tips in mind when working with masters/layouts:
- Use naming conventions for custom layouts so they are easy to identify
- Delete unused layouts to prevent clutter
- Be consistent with font choices, colors, and effects
- Don’t overcrowd the slide master or layouts
- Check for accessibility issues like color contrast
Converting Slide Size and Orientation
You can quickly change the page setup of slides in your presentation right from the Slide Master view:
- Click Slide Size > Custom Slide Size on the Slide Master tab
- Choose the desired slide size
- Select orientation: portrait or landscape
- Click OK to apply to all slides
Converting orientation can reformat content on existing slides, so review carefully.
Closing Slide Master View
When you finish working in Slide Master view, click the Close Master View button in the top right corner to return to normal editing.
Final Thoughts
The Slide Master view is an incredibly valuable tool for efficiently managing the design of your PowerPoint decks. Take the time to learn it and you’ll reap huge rewards in productivity and consistency.
