How to Format PowerPoint Slides for Printing

Edited 1 day ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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PowerPoint is a tool that is often used to create presentations for a variety of purposes. However, sometimes you may need to print your slides for handouts, study materials, or distribution. Printing your presentations requires a different approach than displaying them on screen. The main factors to consider include slide size, background color, font, layout, and arrangement. This comprehensive guide will introduce you to every aspect of formatting PowerPoint slides for printing.

1. Determining the slide size

Before you start formatting your slides for printing, it's important to set the correct slide size. By default, PowerPoint uses a widescreen format (16:9), which is ideal for screens but not always suitable for paper. To resize slides for printing, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Design tab on the PowerPoint ribbon.
2. Click Slide Size, which you'll find in the "Customize" group.
3. Choose either Standard (4:3) or set a custom slide size that matches your paper format.
4. Click OK to apply the new slide size to your presentation. If prompted, choose whether to Maximize or Ensure Fit — choosing Ensure Fit is usually better for printing.

2. Adjusting the background

When printing, a plain background is often more practical than a colored background. A busy or dark background can use excessive printer ink and make text harder to read when printing. Here's how to change the background:

1. Go to the Design tab again.
2. Select Format Background from the "Customize" group.
3. Choose a light-colored solid fill, gradient fill, or pattern fill. White or light gray is often a safe choice.
4. Click Apply to All if you want to apply this background to all slides equally.

3. Customization of font styles and sizes

Ensuring readability in print usually requires a larger font than in a screen presentation. Additionally, avoid using highly decorative fonts as they can be difficult to read in print. Simple fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman are often best. Make sure that:

• Use a minimum 11pt font size for body text and at least 20pt font size for headings.
• Keep color contrast high, for example, black text on a white background.
• Use bold font sparingly to emphasize things without overwhelming the reader.

If you want to modify the font style or size:

1. Select the text box you want to change.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. Use the Font group to change the font, size, and style.

4. Selecting the appropriate layout

A layout created for an on-screen presentation may not work properly for printed slides. You may need to choose or create a new slide layout to make sure everything fits properly on paper. Follow these steps:

1. Click the slide you want to change.
2. Go to the Home tab and select Layout.
3. Choose a layout that fits well on paper. For printed slides, less can be more - consider using layouts that promote clean, clear presentations.

5. Selecting the content and number of slides per page

PowerPoint lets you print multiple slides on a single page. This is useful for creating handouts. Depending on the purpose, you may want more slides per page to save paper or fewer slides for better readability. Here's how to set this up:

1. Click File, then choose Print.
2. In the Print Settings, find the Full Page Slides dropdown menu.
3. Select how many slides you want on each page - options include 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, or handouts per slide.

6. Adding headers and footers

Adding headers and footers can add important information, such as slide numbers, dates, or your name and company. This can add a professional look to the printout. To add headers and footers:

1. Go to the Insert tab.
2. Select Header and Footer.
3. In the dialog box, select the elements you want to add to your slide. This can include the slide number, date and time, and footer text.
4. Apply it to all slides or select specific slides to get the header/footer.

7. Color vs. black and white printing

Deciding whether to print in color or black and white depends on your audience and purpose, as well as cost. In many cases, grayscale printing is sufficient and more cost-effective. To choose your print option:

1. Go to File and then Print.
2. In the print settings, locate the color settings.
3. Choose color, grayscale, or pure black and white depending on your needs.

8. Review and test before printing

Before printing, it's always a good idea to review and test your slides. This will help ensure that everything appears as expected and that there are no formatting errors. Consider the following:

• Preview your slides to see how they will look on paper by clicking File and then Print.
• If possible, print a test page to confirm color, readability, and layout.
• Re-view slides that are not displaying correctly and make necessary adjustments.

9. Final step: printing your slides

Once you've double-checked your slides and your settings are correct, it's time to print the slides.

1. Go to File, then Print.
2. Confirm your printer selection at the top of the menu.
3. Click Print to begin printing your slides.

Conclusion

Preparing PowerPoint slides for printing requires careful attention to several important details that differ from preparing slideshows for digital presentations. By adjusting slide sizes, backgrounds, fonts, and layouts, you can enhance the readability of your presentation in print. Remember that it's important to test and review before pressing the print button to ensure that your documents come out as expected. By following this guide, you should be able to effectively print your PowerPoint slides for any handout or physical distribution need.

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