change presentation format 16 9 powerpoint

Change the size of your slides

Basic steps.

To change the slide size:

Select the Design tab of the toolbar ribbon.

Select Standard (4:3 aspect ratio) or Widescreen (16:9) or Custom Slide Size .

For more about the predefined sizes (including formats like Overhead, A3, A4, Banner, B4, and B5) or your own custom sizing, click a heading below to expand it and see the details .

Detailed steps

Choose the standard or widescreen slide size.

On the Design tab of the Ribbon, locate Slide Size in the Customize group, near the far right end of the toolbar.

Select Slide Size , and then select either Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9) .

When PowerPoint is unable to automatically scale your content, it prompts you with two options:

Maximize : Select this option to increase the size of your slide content when you are scaling to a larger slide size. Choosing this option could result in your content not fitting on the slide.

Ensure Fit : Select this option to decrease the size of your content when scaling to a smaller slide size. This could make your content appear smaller, but you’ll be able to see all content on your slide.

The 16:9 widescreen setting is the default value for new presentations you create. When you change the slide size for a presentation, the size you choose only applies to that presentation.  However, you can make it easy to create a new 4:3 presentation for yourself whenever you want—by defining a custom theme that uses the 4:3 aspect ratio. See the section below named "Make a default size to start from when creating new presentations."

Choose another size, such as A3, B4, or Overhead

Select Slide Size , and then select Custom Slide Size .

In the Slide Size box, click the down arrow next to Slides sized for and select an option. Their dimensions are listed below:

Overhead provides an aspect ratio very close to the standard 4:3 slide size.

There are two options for 16:9 aspect ratios:

On-screen Show (16:9) sets the slide dimensions to 10 in x 5.625 in.

Widescreen sets it to 13.333 in x 7.5 in.

Both of these options are the same aspect ratio so they will look the same in Normal View , since PowerPoint automatically adjusts the zoom level. Widescreen (13.333 in x 7.5 in.) provides more slide surface area for the content, so that is the best choice for presentations. Widescreen won’t fit on an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper without you having to scale it down.

Select OK to accept the dimensions and close the Slide Size dialog box.

Choose custom dimensions (in inches, centimeters, or pixels)

The Slide Size dialog box opens.

In the Slide Size dialog box, ensure the orientation is set the way you want it.

In the Height and Width boxes, PowerPoint accepts measurements in inches , centimeters , or pixels . Type a number followed by a space and then the appropriate abbreviation: in , cm , or px .

PowerPoint then converts measurements, if necessary, to the type of unit your operating system uses.

You can change the unit of measure that is shown in PowerPoint dialog boxes if you like.

Make a default size to start from when creating new presentations

This version of PowerPoint has a default size of 16:9 for new presentation, but you can create a different default for yourself.

Start PowerPoint.

On the File tab of the toolbar ribbon, select New . Then double-click the Blank Presentation to create a new, empty presentation.

Then on the Design tab, click Slide Size and choose the size you want for a default.

(If you want a different default slide size than what's listed there, select Custom Slide Size and then choose your size in the Slide Size dialog box, and then click OK .)

Select Save Current Theme .

Give your theme a name that you'll remember easily and click Save . Don't change the folder that the new theme is to be saved in.

On the Design tab, click the More arrow again in the bottom-right corner of the Themes group. You'll see your newly saved theme under a Custom heading.

Right-click that new custom theme under the Custom heading, and then select Set as Default Theme :

Close PowerPoint. Don't save any files if it prompts you.

Open PowerPoint again. On the File tab of the toolbar ribbon, select New .

The custom theme that you just saved is listed at the top left corner, named Default Theme . The thumbnail image looks like a widescreen slide, but in reality, when you create a new presentation based on that theme, the presentation has the aspect ratio that you've defined for this default theme.

The next time you open PowerPoint, you'll see your default theme in the upper-left of the theme gallery. When you select it, all the slides will be the custom size you chose by default.

Sizing applies to all slides in a presentation

PowerPoint isn't able to resize one slide within a presentation. All slides in a presentation are the same size.

If this is a feature you’d like to request, please send us your feedback to help us prioritize new features in future updates. See  How do I give feedback on Microsoft 365  for more information.

Orientation applies to all slides in a presentation

PowerPoint isn't able to change the page orientation of certain slides. All slides in a presentation have the same page orientation.

Change the page orientation in PowerPoint between landscape and portrait

Use portrait and landscape slide orientation in the same presentation

Reduce the file size of a picture

On the File menu, select Page Setup .

In the Page Setup dialog box, under Slides sized for , select the predefined size you want, or choose Custom and specify the dimensions you want.

Select Slide Size .

Select Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9) .

PowerPoint may prompt you about scaling your content. Choose one of the following options:

Scale: Select this option to decrease or increase the size of your slide content. When scaling to a smaller slide size, this could make your content appear smaller, but you’ll be able to see all content on your slide.

Don't Scale: Select this option to maintain the size of your slide content. Choosing this option could result in your content not fitting on the slide.

Choose Page Setup from the menu that appears.

Page Setup gives you an assortment of predefined slide/page size options. The options and their dimensions are listed below:

In the Slide Size box, click the down arrow next to Slides sized for and select an option.

Widescreen sets the dimensions to 13.333 in x 7.5 in.

Choose custom dimensions (in inches, centimers, or pixels)

Select Slide Size , and then click Page Setup .

The Page Setup dialog box opens.

In the Width and Height boxes, PowerPoint accepts measurements in inches , centimeters , or pixels . Type a number followed by a space and then the appropriate abbreviation: in (inches) or cm (centimeters) or px (pixels).

PowerPoint then converts the measurements, if necessary, to the unit of measurement your operating system uses.

Make a new slide size the default for new presentations

Select Slide Size , and then select Page Setup .

Follow the steps in the prior section to choose the slide size you want.

On the Design tab, click the More arrow below the standard themes.

Click Save Current Theme at the bottom of the window.

Give your theme a name that you'll remember easily and click Save .

On the Design tab, click the More arrow below the standard themes again. You'll see your newly saved theme under Custom .

Right-click your new custom theme, and then click Set as Default Theme .

The next time you open PowerPoint, you'll see your default theme in the upper-left of the theme gallery. When you select it, all the slides will be the size you chose for your default theme.

Some folks have asked about resizing one slide within a presentation. PowerPoint isn't able to do that. All slides in a presentation are the same size.

Some folks have also asked about changing the page orientation of certain slides. PowerPoint isn't able to do that. All slides in a presentation have the same page orientation.

On the Design tab of the toolbar ribbon, click Slide Size in the Customize group.

Click Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9) .

When PowerPoint for the web is unable to automatically scale your content, it prompts you with two options:

The 16:9 widescreen setting is the default value for new presentations you create. When you change the slide size for a presentation, the size you choose only applies to that presentation. 

You can also change the orientation of all the slides in your presentation. See Change the page orientation for instructions.

Choose custom dimensions

In the Width and Height boxes, type a measurement in inches . PowerPoint doesn't accept measurements outside the minimum and maximum shown below:

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How to Change Your PowerPoint Slide Size (16:9 vs. 4:3)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• March 10, 2019

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to change your slide size in PowerPoint.

That way you can create slides for any situation including on-screen presentations, printed documents, posters, postcards, handouts, etc.

First off, the two most used PowerPoint slide sizes are:

• 16:9 ratio  for onscreen presentations and new overhead projectors. This is the default setting for the latest versions of PowerPoint.
• 4:3 ratio  for printing slides on standard 8.5 x 11 pieces of paper as handouts.

When starting with a blank PowerPoint presentation, changing your slide size is super easy and straightforward. If not, there are a few issues you’ll need to deal with, each covered below.

That’s why it’s worth figuring out what slide size you need BEFORE you build your presentation. If you later convert your presentation to a different size, it can be painful!

It’s just like the old carpenter saying, “measure twice and cut once.” In PowerPoint, you’ll want to “ask twice (to double confirm the required size) and build once.”

Changing your PowerPoint slide size does not make your PowerPoint presentation larger or smaller. To reduce your PowerPoint file size, you need to learn how to compress a PowerPoint presentation .

Table of Contents

How to change your powerpoint slide size.

By default, new PowerPoint presentations start in the 16:9 slide size format.

This is the NEW standard for most modern overhead projects and monitors and is recommended for most presentations. That said, you can easily change your slide size to something else.

To change your slide size in PowerPoint, simply:

• Navigate to the  Design tab
• Open the  Slide Size  drop down menu
• Select  4:3 ,  16:9  or  Custom Slide Size  (see options below)

When starting with a blank presentation, you are now good to go. You will not have to worry about any of the conversion issues discussed below.

Notice too, how much wider the 16:9 slide size is versus the 4:3 slide size in the picture below. The new size gives you more room for the content on your slides.

When you are converting an existing presentation to a new slide size, you will additionally be given the following prompt:

“You are scaling to a new slide size. Would you like to maximize the size of your content, or scale it down to ensure it will fit on the new slide?

Maximize  leaves all your content as is on your slide, even if it no longer fits on the new slide size that you selected.

Ensure Fit  scales down your content in proportion to the new slide size you have selected. You will only see this option when moving from a larger slide size to a smaller one.

Custom PowerPoint slide sizes

Choosing  Custom  for your slide size gives you additional options to work with. Inside the dialog box you can choose your size on the left and your orientation on the right.

On top of that, you can also input your own custom slide size. However, I recommend using one of the preset PowerPoint dimension options.

• On-screen show (4:3)
• Letter Paper (8.5×11 in)
• A3 Paper (297×420 mm)
• B4 (ISO) Paper (250×353 mm)
• B5 (ISO) Paper (176×250 mm)
• 35mm Slides
• On-screen Show (16:9)
• On-screen show (16:10)

For your orientation options on the right-hand side of the dialog box, you can choose between  Landscape  and  Portrait .

In most situations, you will want one of the default settings. Best practice is  Landscape  for your presentation slides and  Portrait  for your printed notes, handouts and outlines.

Issues when converting 4:3 to the 16:9 slide size in PowerPoint

When converting an existing 4:3 presentation with content into the 16:9 format, you are not given any conversion options. Instead, PowerPoint simply does the conversion for you, which can create several problems.

There are two issues you will face in the new 16:9 slide size.

The first issue is that all the images on your slide master (including company logos) will be stretched to fit the new, larger slide size.

To fix the stretched images, you will need to fix those images (or reinsert them) on your slide master, as if you were creating a PowerPoint template from scratch.

The second issue you will face in the larger 16:9 slide size is that you will have a lot of extra white space on your slides.

While you can leave the space blank, doing so will make your content look weird. Ideally you don’t want a lot of white empty space like that on your slides. Especially since all your font sizes will be so small.

That’s why if you have the time, I recommend resizing your content to fill in the white space. You can do this by either increasing the font size of your content, or adding additional visuals that support your message.

Issues when converting 16:9 to the 4:3 slide size in PowerPoint​

When converting an existing 16:9 presentation to the 4:3 slide size, you are given the option to either  Maximize  or  Ensure Fit  (both covered below).

1. The Maximize option

This option means that the content on your slides will not be resized to fit the 4:3 slide size. The same is true if you move to any smaller slide size.

Maximize Issue #1:  All the images on your slide master (including your company logo) will be distorted.

You might also have issues with other content placeholders, slide backgrounds or anything else that was built on your slide master.  For these issues, you’ll first need to navigate to your Slide Master. Once you are there, you either adjust (or rebuild) your PowerPoint template so that everything fits properly.

Maximize Issue #2:  Your content will not be scaled down to the smaller slide size. Instead, you’ll have overhanging content as pictured above.

For these kinds of spacing issues, you will need to work through your slides to adjust your content.

One recommendation as you move from the larger 16:9 slide size to 4:3, is to break up your slides. Take the contents from one larger slide and break it into two (or even three) separate slides.

Breaking up your content is preferable to just cramming more content on the smaller slide space. Doing so will make your content easier to read when presented on an overhead projector.

2. The Ensure Fit option

This option means that PowerPoint will scale down your content to fit the smaller slide size based on the size you selected.

Ensure Fit Issue #1:  Distorted images, slide backgrounds and anything else that PowerPoint had to automatically resize on your slide master.

To fix these issues, you’ll need to navigate to your slide master and adjust (or rebuild) your template to make everything fit.

Ensure Fit Issue #2:  Your content will be scaled down to fit your new slide size, leaving you with a lot of white space. In addition, all your font sizes will be smaller, making them hard to read.

For small content like this, you’ll need to work through your slides and resize your content accordingly. Keep in mind the people at the back of the room too when choosing a new font style and size.

Saving your custom slide size as a PowerPoint theme

If want to use your own custom slide size for all your future PowerPoint presentations, you can save and set it as a PowerPoint theme.

This is a two-step process as discussed below.

1. Save your custom slide size as a theme

To save your custom slide size (and settings) as your own custom PowerPoint theme, simply:

• Open the M ore options
• Click  Save Current Theme
• Name your Theme (and don’t change the file location it saves to)
• Click  Save

2. Set your custom theme as the default

To set a custom PowerPoint theme as the default for all your future presentations, simply:

• Open the  More options
• Right-click  your custom theme
• Select  Set as Default Presentation
• Close out of PowerPoint (and do not save any presentations if it prompts you)

Once you’ve set your own custom theme as the Default Presentation, it will open every time you start PowerPoint. This saves you from always having to switch your slide sizes.

So that’s how you can change your PowerPoint slide size, either before or after you create your presentation.

And although you are given a lot of flexibility in the slide sizes you can choose from, I recommend using the default slide sizes as used by most people.

It’s also important to remember that switching slide sizes after you have built your presentation can be a total pain. So, to the extent possible, figure out your PowerPoint slide size first before you build out your presentation.

If you enjoyed the depth of this article, you’ll love our PowerPoint training courses and other free resources that you can learn more about here .

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A better way to change your slide sizes in PowerPoint without breaking it.

• October 6, 2021
• Tips and Ticks

An easy way to change slide sizes in PowerPoint presentations to 4:3 (Standard) or 16:9 (Widescreen) formats without breaking your theme and template or stretching your logos and images.

As with most things related to technology, there is more than one way to skin the cat – or in our case to resize PowerPoint presentations. We are going to discuss both the standard way ( as well as why we don’t recommend it ) and the right way, using our FREE PowerPoint resizing tool.

If you ever changed a presentation to Standard or Widescreen sizes in PowerPoint and thought you would likely agree that the outcome was unpredictable and undesirable.

TLDR: If you want to skip the details and go straight to the instructions on how to use our FREE PowerPoint presentation resizing tool to change slide sizes without breaking your slide content then Click Here .

Why the standard solution does not work:

In short, the standard way to resize your PowerPoint changes and breaks your fonts . Using the PowerPoint resize tool also stretches images , graphics, and logos on your slide and Slide Master Layouts.

The best way to explain what is wrong with this method – is to show you. With your presentation open go to the Design Ribbon and click on the Slide Size drop-down menu and select either the Standard(4:3) or Widescreen(16:9) aspect ratios.

You can pick either ‘Maximize’ – which will cause your content to flow over the edges of the screen or ‘Ensure Fit’ which will create empty gaps on either side of your presentation.

Whichever of the two options you select the result is not going to be what you want. Your slide content probably looks broken, logos might be stretched, the theme’s font has changed to Calibri, your corporate colors might have disappeared and your Master Layout’s placeholders are resized disproportionally.

METHOD 1: The standard way, how to change PowerPoint Slide Sizes in Windows 10 or Mac:

Part 1: before you change your powerpoint slide size.

Step 1:   Make sure your presentation is in its original working format.

Step 2:  Save your Theme color scheme.

1) Click on the View Ribbon, 2) then the Slide Master button

3) Click on the Colors drop-down menu and then on the 4) Customize Colors… button at the bottom of the list.

At the bottom of the Colors dialog box give your color scheme a name in the Name field – and call it whatever you want but remember the name because we are going to use that after we resize our template. Click on Save.

Step 3: Save your Theme fonts

1) While still on the Slide Master Ribbon click on the Fonts drop-down menu and then on the Customize Fonts… button at the bottom of the list.

2) In the Name field give your Theme Fonts a name that you will use and click on the Save button. 3) Close the Slide Master Ribbon by clicking on the “Close Master View” button.

Part 2: After you change your slide size

Step 4: Resize your PowerPoint presentation

After you close the Slide Master Ribbon the Design Ribbon should be visible again. Click on the Slide Size drop-down menu and select either the Standard(4:3) or Widescreen(16:9) aspect ratios and select the ‘Ensure Fit’ option ( it is easier to move items around than to also have to resize them especially when converting to a larger slide size ).

Step 5: Reselect your Theme color and Theme font

With the Design Ribbon still active click the Variants drop-down menu, then color and select the Color Theme you saved earlier, and then do the same for your fonts.

Step 6a: Fix stretched images – Method 1

Here is a quick hack to fix stretched graphics and images.

1) Right-Click on the stretched image and select “Size and Position” to open the Size and Position Task Pane. You will notice the Scale Height and the Scale Width are different, for example; Scale Height might be 99% and Scale Width might be 74%.

2) All you need to do to fix your image is press the up or down arrow on either the Width or Height and voila, your image is no longer stretched. If that doesn’t work then make sure Lock Aspect Ratio is checked.

Step 6b: Fix stretched images – Method 2

Another way to resize your images is to reset your images. To do this you simply select your image and then from the Picture Format Ribbon select the Reset Picture drop-down menu and select Reset Picture & Size button.

Step 7: Move placeholders, content,  and images into their new position.

The last thing to do is move items such as placeholders and images around on your presentation to make them fit better.

METHOD 2: The better way, to change your slide dimensions:

Step 1:  Go to our FREE resize tool Go to our FREE PowerPoint resize tool and Upload your PowerPoint file: www.knockoutprezo.com/resize-powerpoint

Step 2: Select a file location and select your PowerPoint document

Step3: Select whether you want to resize to Standard or Widescreen sizes. Once you make your selection the file will upload, convert the PPTX and then then the download will start automatically.

• PowerPoint won’t stretch your images and graphics
• No more missing colors
• Your theme fonts stay as it was ( Header and Body fonts )
• Your layouts stay in their original location which is a lot more predictable and easier to work with.

Step 3: Move placeholders, content, and images into their new position.

More PowerPoint Fixes

If you are interested, we also have two other PowerPoint Fixing tools, they are:

• Replace and fix my PowerPoint fonts – ( Find Out More )
• Change and fix my PowerPoint authoring language across all slides and Master Layouts – ( Find out more )

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2 Responses

Unfortunately, the resizing tool did not work for my use case. It simply overlayed a different slide deck formatting, but didn’t change any configurations, which made the deck useless. I like the thought for this tool though, as reformatting slides is a huge pain and time drain.

Do you mind me asking about your feedback about our resize tool. I didn’t quite understand your feedback.

Essentially what the tool does is that it resizes the deck without breaking, stretching etc the presentation assets, HOWEVER the user still needs to adjust the elements of the presentation. Did you go from 16×9 to standard or the other way around? There isn’t a way for the software to tell if you want an element aligning to the left, middle or right of the slide for example.

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How to Change Slide Size or Dimensions in PowerPoint

Change PowerPoint Slide Size (Widescreen, Standard or Custom)

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated September 7, 2023

Applies to: Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® 2016, 2019, 2021 and 365 (Windows)

You can change the slide size or aspect ratio of a PowerPoint presentation in all versions. The default slide size or dimensions in 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 or 365 is widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio). You can also enter a custom slide size if you prefer (including entering slide size in pixels). The best time to set slide size is when you first set up your PowerPoint presentation before you add any content. If you change the size later in the process, you may have to deal with distorted pictures and you may also need to adjust the position and size of various objects on slides in Normal View and in the slide master(s) and layouts in Slide Master View.

The most common slide sizes or aspect ratios are typically used as follows:

• Widescreen or 16:9 aspect ratio is frequently used for onscreen presentations using a projector, monitor or a widescreen TV. Older projectors used the standard aspect ratio but most new projectors are designed for widescreen.
• Standard or 4:3 aspect ratio is often used if slides are intended to be printed on letter size paper.

Slide size changes affect the entire presentation. You cannot change slide size for single slides.

You should never change slide size just before running a presentation as you may not be satisfied with the results. If you already have a presentation with images and other content, it's also a good idea to change slide size on a copy of the presentation so you can keep the original deck and slide size.

Note: Some Ribbon tabs may appear with slightly different names if you are working with PowerPoint 365 and have a smaller screen or different display settings. Buttons on the Ribbon may appear as icons only and are also affected by screen size and display settings.

Recommended article: How to Reduce the Size of PowerPoint Presentations (10 Ways to Compress Your PowerPoint Decks)

Do you want to learn more about PowerPoint?  Check out our virtual classroom or live classroom  PowerPoint courses >

Regardless of the version of PowerPoint you use, you should go through your slides after you change slide size to be sure you are satisfied with the results. Be sure to check the slide master(s) and layouts in Slide Master View as well.

Change slide size to widescreen or standard

To change slide size to widescreen or standard size:

• In Normal View, click the Design tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Slide Size in the Customize group. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Widescreen, Standard or another option from the drop-down menu. A dialog box appears with options to maximize content or scale to fit (this dialog appears only if you are moving from a larger to a smaller slide size).
• Select the desired option.

Slide Size appears on the Design tab in the Ribbon:

The following dialog box appears in PowerPoint to maximize content or scale to fit only when you change slide size to a smaller size (such as widescreen to standard):

If you select Maximize, the slide content will not be resized when you change to the smaller slide size.

If you select Ensure Fit, PowerPoint will scale your content to fit the smaller slide size.

Change slide size to a custom size

You can use custom slide sizes. Simply choose options from the Slides sized for drop-down menu in the dialog box (such as A4 paper size) or enter custom dimensions.

To change slide size to a custom size:

• Choose Custom Slide Size from the drop-down menu. A dialog box appears.
• Select an option from the Slides sized for drop-down menu or enter the desired slide size in the Height and Width boxes.
• A dialog box appears with options to maximize content or scale to fit (this dialog appears only if you are moving from a larger to a smaller slide size).

Note that the measurement system in PowerPoint dialog boxes is based on your system settings. If you would like to change the measurement system, check out our article on How to Change the Measurement System in PowerPoint.

The following dialog box appears when you select Slide Size and then Custom Slide Size:

You can create posters in PowerPoint by entering a custom slide size such as 36 inches wide by 56 inches high or 91.44 cm wide by 142.24 cm high. The maximum slide size in PowerPoint is 56 inches or 142.24 cm. As a best practice, set the slide size before adding content to the poster.

Many PowerPoint users are not aware that you can enter slide size in pixels (simply enter the measurement with px beside the number). This is useful in a number of situations such as using PowerPoint to create social media posts. If you enter slide size in pixels (such as 200px), when you tab to another box or close the dialog box, PowerPoint changes the pixels to the equivalent in the current measurement system.

Deal with issues when changing slide size

When changing slide size in existing presentations with content, 4 common issues occur:

• Pictures may be distorted as PowerPoint tries to adjust images to fit slide size. Images on slides in Normal View will be affected as well as images on the slide master(s) and layouts. If pictures are distorted, you will need to either manually resize each image or delete them and insert them again.
• Objects such as placeholders and shapes that have been created in PowerPoint are not in the position you'd like. You may need to move objects or reset one or more slides (on the Home tab in the Ribbon, click Reset in the Slides group).
• Extra space is created if you change to a larger slide size. You may need to move or resize objects and adjust the slide master(s) or layouts in Slide Master View.
• If you have changed to a smaller slide size, you may need to increase font size for placeholders and text boxes.

Dimension differences between different slide sizes

In PowerPoint 2013 and later versions, widescreen (16:9) format measurements are different and are set to 13.33 inches wide by 7.5 inches high or 33.867 cm wide by 19.05 cm high. This matches the height of the 4:3 format.

Avoid issues when changing slide size

To avoid issues in PowerPoint related to slide size, you should:

• Try to set slide size as a first step after you create a presentation and before you have entered any content. In 2013 and later versions, the default is widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio).
• If you have changed slide size in a presentation with content, review your slides to be sure you are satisfied with the results. You should also check the slide master(s) and layouts in Slide Master View.
• Never change slide size just before running a presentation as you may not be pleased with the results and you won't have time to fix your slide deck.
• If you have created a presentation with content, make a copy of the presentation first and change slide size on the copy.

Keep in mind that widescreen is normally used for on screen presentations and standard is often used for printed presentations.

This article was first published on October 6, 2019 and has been updated for clarity and content.

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Blog > PowerPoint change format (16:9 ↔ 4:3)

PowerPoint change format (16:9 ↔ 4:3)

07.21.20   •  #presentationtips.

There are basically two types of formats in PowerPoint - which slide size you should use in which situation, you can find out in the following article.

Usually the organizers of the event will tell you which format you should use. However, if this is not the case, you should definitely ask specifically, because although it is possible to convert the slides into the other format, but then, shapes will be distorted, lines are divided into several and in general, it takes a lot of time and patience to redesign the slides. Therefore, it is better to find out about it in advance.

Change the slide format

You can easily switch between these two formats. Just go to the Design tab and click on Slide Size . There you can choose the format you want.

Now you can select how the contents of your existing slides will be resized to portrait format. There are two options available:

Images and content are scaled to fill the whole slide. Attention: it's possible that images get cut off on left and right!

Images and content are fitted so that they are fully visible.

Differences between the formats

This format was the most common until the 2010 PowerPoint version, because most computer monitors in use until then also had this aspect ratio and could therefore display the slides full screen in presentation mode. All projectors are capable of displaying slides in this format at full size. Moreover, a printed slide fits on a DIN-A4 sheet.

16:9 format (widescreen)

This format is now displayed full screen on almost all computer monitors. However, a widescreen slide is larger than DIN A4. This must be taken into account when printing.

When should you use which type?

Smartphones and tablets.

It is now possible to create and view PowerPoint presentations on smartphones or iPads. However, on mobile devices these are displayed in 16:9 format, on iPads in 4:3.

Low room height

Assuming, you will present in a hall with a large audience and low ceiling height, it is difficult for those sitting in the back row to follow the presentation, because the people in the front rows block the view. Therefore, it is essential to use a widescreen format, i.e. 16:9, so that everyone can read the PowerPoint.

In case of doubt

In our opinion, in case of doubt, because you are not familiar with the technical conditions, you should choose the 16:9 format. Almost all projectors, beamers and screens can display this format and it is also set as default by PowerPoint itself.

The decision for one of the two slide formats 4:3 or 16:9 can only be made with knowledge of the conditions under which you will be presenting. If in doubt, you should give preference to 16.9. Since the conversion of the slides from one format to the other can be time-consuming, it is better if, you make this decision in good time.

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

How can change the slide format in PowerPoint?

You can easily switch between the 16:9 and 4:3 format. Just go to the Design tab in PowerPoint and click on Slide Size . There you can choose the slide size you want.

Can I change 16:9 slides to 4:3 format in PowerPoint?

Yes, you can change the size afterwards. Go to the Design tab in PowerPoint and click on Slide Size . There you can switch to the desired format.

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About the author.

Philipp Angerer

Philipp is a creative supporter at SlideLizard in marketing and design. There he uses his imagination and provides creative freshness, also in blog articles.

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How to change slide size in PowerPoint

• March 25, 2021

Trying to change slide size in PowerPoint presentations? PowerPoint lets you choose between a couple of standard slide sizes, plus a custom size option. In this hints and tips blog post we provide a guide to:

• The different slide sizes in PowerPoint 16:9, 4:3 and custom sizes
• How to change a PowerPoint slide size
• How to change the orientation of PowerPoint slides from landscape to portrait
• A workaround to change selected slides to portrait for printing

Where to change slide size in PowerPoint?

From the PowerPoint Design tab on the ribbon, select the Slide Size feature button. You can find the slide size feature button on the far right end of the ribbon - refer to the screenshot below.

The three slide size options of standard, widescreen and custom will display, as shown in the screenshot below.

What are the PowerPoint slide size options?

PowerPoint offers three different slide sizes. What's the difference 4:3 vs 16:9 PowerPoint slide sizes? The Standard 4:3 and Widescreen 16:9 both have the same slide width , but have different slide heights:

• PowerPoint Standard (4:3) Slide Size: This is the original PowerPoint slide size. The standard screen size is easy to print and works well on older style pull down projector screens (when the screen shape is closer to a square than the newer widescreen layout). Powerpoint 4:3 dimensions are 10 in x 7.5 in (which is 33.867 cm x 19.05 cm). Standard PowerPoint slide size pixels = 1024 px x 768px
• PowerPoint Widescreen (16:9) Slide Size: The PowerPoint 16:9 widescreen option was a later addition but is now the default value in PowerPoint for new presentations. Widescreen is more commonly used now because the size is well suited for presenting on digital screens (typically shaped like elongated rectangles similar to a current TV screen). Powerpoint 16:9 dimensions are 10 in x 5.625 in (33.867 cm x 14.288 cm). Widescreen size 16:9 size ppt dimensions pixels = 1920 px x 1080 px
• On-screen show (4:3)
• Letter Paper (8.5x11in)
• Ledger Paper (11x17in)
• A3 Paper (297x420mm)
• A4 Paper (210x297mm)
• B4 (ISO) Paper (250x353mm)
• B5 (ISO) Paper (176x250mm)
• 35mm slides
• On-screen Show (16:9)
• On-screen show (16:10)

You can either select from one of the many options in the drop down list, or you can directly key in your preferred Width and Height for your PowerPoint presentation. As soon as you key in width and/ or height values, the drop down menu will update to show the Custom option.

Note that when you are entering a custom slide size, you have the option to specify your PowerPoint size in pixels (e.g. specify pixels for width and height). You can do this by typing in your preferred height and width in pixels using px at the end. The minimum width or height in pixels for PowerPoint slides is 120 px and the maximum width or height is 720 px. When you specify pixel size of PowerPoint slides, PowerPoint will convert the pixels automatically to your default unit of measurement (e.g. either cm or in).

You can then select the Orientation of PowerPoint slides. You have the option of Portrait or Landscape orientation - by default PowerPoint displays in Landscape format. You can select the orientation separately for the slides and the Notes, Handouts & Outline.

What PowerPoint slide size should I use?

Before the popularity of larger monitors, the 4:3 slide size in PowerPoint was the more commonly used option. 4:3 slide size is smaller and better suited to older PC monitors and older pull down projection screens.

However large monitors have now become commonplace both for use in offices and for presentation in meeting rooms. As a result - 16:9 PowerPoint slide size would now be considered the default. The 16:9 slide size is wider than the 4:3, which gives you a bit more space to work with when creating slides, especially consulting style layouts with charts or images beside text.

If you are presenting to a large audience, and/or if you are submitting slides that are being consolidated into a larger presentation, it's worth checking with the coordinator or location AV team for any guidance (for example some theatres may have screen setups which benefit from custom presentation sizes).

Can I resize selected slides in a PowerPoint presentation?

No - the PowerPoint resize option is applied to all slides in your presentation. You cannot change size of selected slides in your PowerPoint presentation.

Does PowerPoint auto resize content if slide size changes?

If you select to change the slide size for an existing presentation, PowerPoint will display a slide scaling popup menu. The menu will give you the following options for scaling your slides:

• Maximise : The maximize size scaling option in PowerPoint will make the content larger, but it may spill over the edges of your slide.
• Ensure Fit: The ensure fit scaling option in PowerPoint ensures that all content remains visible on the slide, however the content may shrink to ensure that it fits.

It's a good idea to review your content after completing the change of PowerPoint slide sizes - even if you select the ensure fit option you may need to adjust the content on some slides.

Can I change orientation of PowerPoint slides from Portrait to Landscape?

Trying to work out how to change PowerPoint to portrait layout? You can change the orientation of your PowerPoint slides from Landscape to Portrait for the entire presentation, (you cannot change only selected slides in a presentation). To change orientation of PowerPoint slides:

As per the steps above, from the PowerPoint Design tab on the ribbon, select the Slide Size feature button (on the far right end of the ribbon).

The three slide size options will display, as shown in the screenshot below. Irrespective of what size layout you want this time, you need to select the Custom Slide Size option from the PowerPoint ribbon.

From the Slide Size popup menu on the PowerPoint ribbon, you have the option to select Portrait or Landscape mode. You can select the orientation display without modifying your slide size if you already have the correct slide size selected.

You can change the orientation for both your PowerPoint slides and handouts. Note that changing the orientation e.g. from Landscape to Portrait does not automatically adjust your PowerPoint template (your logos will likely appear distorted and the title page of your presentation will look squished). You need to adjust your PowerPoint template separately. If you are changing orientation only for a single PowerPoint presentation, you can do this via your presentation's Slide Master. Or if you plan on creating multiple presentations in the new orientation, its worth spending the extra time to create a new .potx template file, suited to the new orientation.

Can you have different orientation slides in a PowerPoint? presentation?

Trying to add a vertical slide in PowerPoint, but keep the rest of the presentation horizontal? Unfortunately it's not possible to have a combination of Portrait and landscape slide orientations in a single PowerPoint presentation. But there is a workaround if you are printing rather than online presenting your PowerPoint presentation.

If you are preparing a PowerPoint presentation that will be printed, a workaround to include different orientation pages in PowerPoint is to create a slide master layout with the orientation on its side. This is a way to rotate PowerPoint slides to Portrait without changing all slides. Refer to the screenshot below for an example.

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How to change the PowerPoint Slide Size: All you need to know

It’s always a good idea to know how to change Slide Size in PowerPoint, as you might have to adapt your presentation to different devices. Did you know that the default size of a PowerPoint slide depends on the version of the program you’re using? That’s another reason why the same content can look different on various devices, so it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for surprises and learn to scale your presentation properly in Microsoft PowerPoint. This tutorial illustrates how to change the PowerPoint Slide Size to match the screen of any device, using Windows 10, your iPhone, or Mac:

Skip to chapter

First things first: about powerpoint slide dimensions, how to change the powerpoint slide size in windows 10, how to change slide size in powerpoint on your mac, how to change slide size in powerpoint on your iphone, which powerpoint slide size did you end up using.

NOTE: This guide applies to Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 and 2019. If you’re not sure about your PowerPoint version, read What version of PowerPoint do I have? . You can download PowerPoint straight from Microsoft , but you must own the Microsoft Office suite or have an Office 365 subscription to use it. This tutorial covers only Windows 10, iOS, and macOS, because the option to change the PowerPoint Slide Size is not available on Android.

You’ve done your research, practiced your speech, and spent time adding visual aids for your audience. However, it can all be ruined if you created a presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint 2019, whose default slide size is Widescreen (16:9) , and you now have to use an old projector with the Standard (4:3) size. Your slides look different from what you originally intended and need to be adjusted to fit the screen you’re currently using.

To avoid any mismatches that might result in your pages being cut off on the edges or framed by black bars in Microsoft PowerPoint, change Slide Size as soon as you know where and how you’ll deliver your presentation. Unfortunately, not everyone knows which PowerPoint Slide Size is best in each situation. If you’re in doubt, you can always rely on the two most common PowerPoint slide dimensions:

• Standard (4:3) – the default PPT Slide Size in PowerPoint 2010 and previous versions. Works best on older screens with low resolutions, old projectors, online presentation sharing platforms like SlideShare , and iPads.
• Widescreen (16:9) – the default in Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 and newer. Works best on new screens with a wide aspect ratio (HDTVs, Smart TVs, LCDs, 4K monitors), new or HD projectors, Microsoft Surface devices, and online platforms like YouTube or Vimeo. Most laptops use a 16:9 aspect ratio, with the exception of MacBook’s 16:10 aspect ratio.

Common PPT Slide Size options

These are the only two settings available on iPhones. However, Microsoft PowerPoint offers you more Slide Size options in Windows 10 and macOS, such as Letter Paper or A4 Paper , which are better suited for printing your presentation. On top of that, if you want to optimize everything as much as possible, you can input a custom PPT Slide Size in inches, centimeters, or pixels, as you’re about to see in this guide.

IMPORTANT: It’s best to change Slide Size in PowerPoint before designing your presentation, to create a perfect canvas for your ideas. If you change the size of a PowerPoint slide after adding content to it, the elements and images you included might appear distorted and need further adjustments, so the sooner you find out the aspect ratio or resolution of the device you’re using for your presentation, the better.

Open the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation you want to work with or start a new project. To change the PowerPoint slide dimensions, first access the Design tab on the app’s ribbon. Then, you can find the Slide Size button in the Customize section on the right.

Change size of PowerPoint slide from the Design tab

Depending on your screen and the size of the PowerPoint window, the option might be hidden. If you can’t see the button, press Customize to reveal it, and then click or tap on Slide Size .

Press the PowerPoint Slide Size button

This opens a dropdown menu with three available options:

In PowerPoint, change Slide Size using one of these three options

• Standard (4:3) - click or tap on this option to get slides of 10 x 7.5 inches or 25.4 x 19.05 cm.
• Widescreen (16:9) - press to get slides of 13.33 x 7.5 inches or 33.867 x 19.05 cm.
• Custom Slide Size - access this option if you are looking for something different than the two commonly used settings we discussed.

Choosing the last option opens the Slide Size pop-up window, where you can select a custom size to work with or change other slide aspects, like their orientation.

The PowerPoint Slide Size pop-up in Windows 10

While you can use the options on the right of the window to tweak the Orientation options, the settings related to the size of a PowerPoint slide are on the left side of the Slide Size pop-up. Click or tap the “Slides sized for:” field to access a dropdown menu with other presets you can use for your PowerPoint slide dimensions.

Change size of PowerPoint slide with one of the preset options

To modify the Width and Height fields, use the arrow buttons next to them or write the specific values you prefer into each box. When you change slide size in PowerPoint, you can use pixels, inches, or centimeters by typing px , in , or cm accordingly, next to the value you want.

Enter a custom value to change the PowerPoint slide size

Once you are done choosing the slide size, click OK in the Slide Size window. In Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 and newer, you get a pop-up window and can choose how to change the slide size. This only happens when scaling down to a smaller Slide Size - e.g., from Widescreen to Standard . There are two available options:

Decide what happens with the content when you change Slide Size in PowerPoint

• Maximize - click or tap on either of the two Maximize buttons to leave the contents of your slides as they are, without resizing them. If there is a lot of information on a slide, some elements might not fit anymore and bleed out.
• Ensure Fit - reduces the size of your texts or images to fit the smaller slide size. While your content is not cut out, it does scale down in proportion to the new selected size.

The new slide size is immediately applied to your PowerPoint presentation.

TIP: If you are going to hold your presentation on a Windows device, read our tutorial listing 7 ways to find out your screen resolution to find the right size for your slides.

The options to change PowerPoint Slide Size on your Mac are similar to the ones in Windows. Access the Design tab and click on the Slide Size option on the right.

Click the PowerPoint Slide Size button on the macOS Catalina version

You also get a dropdown menu with three available options on the macOS version of PowerPoint:

Change the size of a PowerPoint slide by choosing one of the three options available on your Mac

• Standard (4:3) – click on this option if you want slides of 10 x 7.5 inches or 25.4 x 19.05 cm.
• Widescreen (16:9) – clicking on this setting gets you slides of 13.33 x 7.5 inches or 33.867 x 19.05 cm.
• Page Setup – lets you define a custom size (preset or custom) if the previous common sizes are not what you want for your presentation. Clicking on it opens the Page Setup pop-up seen below.

Change the PPT Slide Size from the Page Setup pop-up on macOS Catalina

The size options in the Page Setup pop-up are identical to the ones found in Windows. Scroll up to the previous chapter to learn more about the preset values in the “Slide(s) sized for” dropdown menu or the custom ones you can insert in the Width and Height fields using inches ( in ), centimeters ( cm ), or pixels ( px ).

When you are done, click OK, and you get a different pop-up, asking you how to handle your content. If you choose to Scale , PowerPoint tries to fit everything into the new scale size, reducing your content size if needed. Clicking the Don’t Scale button keeps elements at their original sizes, even if they no longer fit correctly.

Decide to scale or keep your original content when resizing your PowerPoint slides

The new Slide Size is immediately applied to the presentation, with slide content being resized or cut if needed, according to your preferences.

On your iPhone’s slightly more basic version of PowerPoint, change slide size by accessing the Design options, which house the setting on iOS as well. The steps you need to follow are, however, not as straightforward on these devices. First, tap on the More button in the lower-right corner. Its icon looks like three horizontal dots.

Press on the three horizontal dots icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen on iPhone

You can now see and edit the PowerPoint tab you’re in. Tap on the Home button to see other available options.

Press Home to change the PowerPoint tabs on your iPhone

This opens a dropdown menu, where you can finally find the Design tab. Press on it.

Tap the PowerPoint Design tab on your iPhone

Tap on the Slide Size button listed in the Design screen.

Press the PowerPoint Slide Size button shown on the iPhone

There are only two options available, and we covered them at length in the first chapter of this guide. Tap on the Slide Size you want, and it is immediately applied.

Choose a PowerPoint Slide Size from the two options available on your iPhone

TIP: If you need to know the aspect ratio of an iOS device, read our tutorial listing 3 ways to find the screen resolution of your iPhone or iPad .

If you must regularly create and send PowerPoint presentations at work, it may not be possible to choose the perfect size, as you can’t control the devices your audience is using. The best you can do is use our guidelines to ensure the content is optimized for most viewers. If you show a PPT or PPTX project to a larger audience, make sure to review your slides, test your file in advance on the exact device you plan to use, and leave time for any adjustments.

We tend to stick with the common PowerPoint slide sizes, which are good enough for most devices we come across. What about you? Which PowerPoint Slide Size did you select? Did you find it necessary to create a custom one, or did you end up using the preset ones? Tell us your story in the comments.

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Correct PowerPoint Aspect Ratio: 4:3 or 16:9

Nov 16, 2015 | Articles , How-To

During the day I had a business meeting and when I arrived back at the hotel in the evening, I immediately noticed that the professional video playback was replaced by a simple PowerPoint slideshow. The presentation welcomed a specific company to the bar of the hotel, for a kind of reception or celebration of something. The contrast between that initial video and now this PowerPoint presentation, could not have been bigger.

• First of all was this PowerPoint, that was set up like so many people do with PowerPoint. They use PowerPoint like Microsoft Word. Start with an empty white sheet, add a title, add some text as bullets and optionally, insert a picture to the right of it. 70% of the PowerPoint presentations are built like that.
• The second problem that I noticed, was a professional earthquake. The slideshow was set up as a standard size of 4:3 on a wide screen 16:9 television screen. You recognize this problem when you see those black bars at the left and at the right of the slideshow, in order to equally center the slideshow on the larger screen or resolution.

The first problem can be fixed by investing in a professional PowerPoint design agency or freelancer. Let them set up a PowerPoint template with your logo, a given font, your style and so on. Force everyone in your company to start with this template. It is so much easier to start off with a good template. Don’t trust yourself with the promise that the white presentation will be enhanced later on when you have time. Don’t fool yourself. The second problem can be easily fixed. When you start with a new presentation, you will first have to know; what is the aspect ratio of the device where I will show my slideshow or presentation? When you don’t know the aspect ratio, don’t start with the presentation. Changing the aspect ratio after the design of the presentation, could easily ruin your design. There are two commonly used aspect ratio’s:

• Wide screen aspect ratio, or 16:9 screens. Since a year of 5, almost all computer screens are wide screens, with the resolution aspect ratio of a television screen. The current HD computer screens have a resolution of 1920 pixels in width by 1080 pixels in height.

PowerPoint followed this evolution. From the beginning, a new PowerPoint presentation was created with a 4:3 slide setup. Since PowerPoint 2013, a new presentation is now created with 16:9 slides. So when people are still using PowerPoint 2010 nowadays, they tend to always create 4:3 presentations, for playback on the recent 16:9 television screens. People still use PowerPoint 2010 while you can’t buy 4:3 monitors anymore. This results in the slide show aspect ratio problem, as I experienced at this hotel. So as an AV professional, let me teach the 2 things that the user should know before start typing the first words on the slides . Both are related to the device where the user will run the slideshow:

• Check the orientation of the screen. Most common orientation is landscape like a television screen. But there are exceptions; at shopping malls, airports and exhibition halls, the user often see television screens in portrait mode.
• Know the resolution of the playback device and see if it is a standard monitor or wide-screen monitor.

When the user knew the orientation and size of the playback device, the user can start with the presentation. In PowerPoint, click File , New , Blank Presentation from the menu. Then click the  Design tab and click on the Slide Size button.

Here the user can choose between a portrait or landscape orientation and set the width in pixels or inches or centimeters. Now with these correct settings, you can add slides and add your messages. Remember not to start with those empty white slides like in a Microsoft Word document and be creative. Good luck…

10 Ways to Optimize PowerPoint for Information Screens

Common mistake: wrong aspect ratio used at information screens

10 Comments

Sorry, but this is no solution because placed images, like company logos, become distorted!

That is completely correct Michael. Doing this action on an existing presentation, has an influence on the images. That is also stipulated in the article that you always know upfront the orientation and the resolution of the final output device BEFORE you start a presentation. When you don’t know the resolution, then you best have to create a 4:3 and a similar 16:9 presentation, to serve both most important aspect ratios.

That is some inspirational stuff. Never knew that opinions could be this varied. Be certain to keep writing.

Our client requires full-size landscape hard-copy handouts on letter-size paper (8-1/2″ x 11″) which of course is 4:3 in addition to 16:9 presentation slides. So we prepare both aspects for them and bill accordingly!

Thanks fot this post.It’s a helpful information for professional presentations desigency. wwww.powerpoint.geek

Thanks for this post. It’s a helpful information for professional presentations.

iDealshare VideoGo also works great to convert 4:3 to 16:9 by Click “Setting…” -> Advanced ->Aspect Ratio where you can directly overwrite the original 4:3 aspect ratio to 16:9 or directly select 16:9 as the final aspect ratio.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention!

longrifle, not true, 11 x 8.25 is 4:3, if you insert an 11 x 8.5 background on a standard ppt deck, it will not fit.

Sorry but I can’t reproduce what you are saying here. And your valid email address is needed for a dialog so that you get notifications:-)

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Scott Hanselman

How to: convert a powerpoint presentation from 4:3 ratio to 16:9 without distorted or stretched images.

It always sucks to show up to a conference with a slide deck that looks lovely with lots of pictures and evocative hipster stock photography all nicely formatted for a 4:3 ratio (1024x768 pixels is common) and then find out their projectors are 16x9 and run something like 1280x720 pixels.

Nobody wants to be THIS stretchy guy:

It is true that some people have a genetic inability to see that 4:3 content has been uncomfortably stretched to fit a 16:9 screen. We have a name for these people. They are called "Bad People.™"*

As an aside, there are few sadder technical things than 4:3 content stretched across an expensive 16:9 widescreen HDTV. From electronic stores to hotel lobbies, airport status displays to café menus. Make it stop.

What's the easiest way to convert your 4:3 slide deck to 16:9 in a pitch and still have your images look nice? There' s a number of ways on the internet but they all involve "math" and "ratios" and "thought." Nonsense. Too hard. Here's what I do.

Step 0 - Switch to 16:9 and see bad images.

Click Design | Page Setup and switch from 4:3 to 16:9. Other folks say to enter in custom numbers and do multiplication. Hang in there, this is easier.

At this point, all your images WILL be stretched out.

Step 1 - Fix image ratios without messing up their sizes

Here's the trick. Right click on an image and select Size and Position. From this dialog, click in the Height box. Now, just click up once and down once. As long as the Lock Aspect Ratio checkbox is checked, just changing the scale by 1 step and then switching back will fix your image. You can do it with your keyboard even faster.

Here's trick #2. You don't need to close the Size and Position dialog. It's modeless. You can leave it open and go from slide to slide quickly changing your images. Just click the image, click Height, then up/down, then do another image. Repeat until it's all done. It'll take just a few seconds per slide.

This trick will fix all your image ratios, but expect to do one more pass to make sure that you're using all the space afforded by this new widescreen layout. Regardless of how you images are sized you might want to make some tweaks to the layout and spacing of your text and images.

How to you switch your slides from 16:9 to 4:3? Exactly the same steps except adjust the ratio in Step 0.

Hope this helps someone.

* They aren't really bad people. They are good people with bad presentations. Relax. It's a blog post.

About Scott

Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in any way.

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• Set your presentation slide size to a widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio

Updated on Jun 05, 2019

In order to create optimal video content, you need to consider how it will be watched after production. Typically, projectors operate at a 4:3 ratio (though this is changing), so the default slide size reflects this ratio. However, most video playback devices are now in a widescreen format, which is a 16:9 ratio. In general, we recommend using the 16:9 ratio for video production.

In this guide:

Examples of different content production ratios on different devices

4:3 ratio vs 16:9 ratio in powerpoint.

• How to change your slide ratio

How to Change your Display Ratio

You can make Powerpoint work for you, instead of against you. The default ratio for a Powerpoint presentation is 4:3. However, the default ratio of widescreen video is 16:9. (You can see how the outline is shaped more like a square in the 4:3 example versus the more rectangle in the 16:9 ratio example.

Change your slide size at the beginning - you can do it at any time, but changing it once content has been created and designed can be finicky and time consuming.

• Make sure you are on the Design tab.
• Select on the "Page Set Up" button.
• Use the drop down "Slides sized for:" to change your ratio from the default (4:3) to widescreen (16:9).
• Scroll for the 16:9 option.
• Select on okay.

Your slide should change sizes based on your selection.

You can easily switch back and forth depending on what your task and goals are - however, this bears some testing as templates and images can stretch unexpectedly.

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PowerPoint-format – 16:9 or 16:10?

Are you using the PowerPoint format 16:9 or 16:10 for your presentations? In this article, we will show you the advantages of both the 16:9 and 16:10 formats. Each aspect ratio has its own advantages and is more suitable for certain uses than others. We also show you how to change your PowerPoint format and how this can affect your presentation.

16:10 is better suited for Office documents

Most people no longer have to ask themselves whether they should use the 4:3 or 16:9 image format. They are considering whether the 16:10 format offers more advantages than 16:9 in MS Office applications like PowerPoint or Word. Essentially, the only difference between the two formats is that one is higher than the other. It is interesting to note that MacBooks have been using the 16:10 monitor for years, and recently Dell has also launched a 16:10 notebook model. This could lead to a 16:10 trend in monitors.

Advantages: 16:9 especially suites film and video content

Since the 1990s, the 16:9 format has become a big trend on TV and laptop screens. In contrast to the previous 4:3 aspect ratio, the 16:9 version is much wider and everyone immediately recognizes that it is more modern. Furthermore, the 16:9 widescreen format is currently the standard for many display resolutions.

For film or video, the 16:9 format is the most common ratio. Videos are just more pleasant to watch in this format. You know it mainly from cinema screens, where it was first used.

PowerPoint slides are also set to the widescreen 16:9 format by default, since this width offers plenty of space on a slide in landscape format. This format is ideal, for example, if you want to save and play a PowerPoint presentation as a video.

16:10 is especially popular at offices

The 16:10 aspect ratio offers more height. When working with MS Office applications, you quickly notice that 16:9 monitors are often not high enough vertically to display all content on a page. Since you need more height for Word documents or Excel spreadsheets, for example, the 16:10 format is particularly appropriate for business applications. For this reason, many PC monitors use the 16:10 aspect ratio.

A concrete example showing the benefit of the 16:10 format on a 24 inch monitor (1920×1200 pixels): two full-size A4 pages fit side-by-side on the screen. That saves you scrolling and allows you to view your document in its entirety. With Excel spreadsheets, the 16:10 resolution offers space for more lines at a glance.

When it comes to PowerPoint presentations, consider what device you use for creation and presentation. If you mainly present on 16:10 devices, you should create your PowerPoint presentation in that format. In the following sections, we show you how you can easily change your PowerPoint format with 5 simple clicks.

Distorted PowerPoint layout due to wrong slide format

You have probably noticed in some of your PowerPoint presentations that your slides do not fill the screen completely. This is due to the different aspect ratios of the PowerPoint presentation and the device on which it is created/opened. The most common problem is the following unevenness in the view:

• black stripes on the upper and lower edge of the presentation
• slides are displayed in a reduced size
• content is stretched or compressed
• slides are cut off

Since PowerPoint 2013, slides default to 16:9 format. But many monitors and MacBooks display in 16:10. So you have to decide on an aspect ratio for your PowerPoint layouts. Always remember the aspect ratio of the device on which you want to create and open your PowerPoint presentation.

The right slide format for your PowerPoint presentation:

• 4:3 is ideal for presentations on iPads and also for old monitors or projector
• 16:9 is the common aspect ratio of most modern notebooks and is also standard for PowerPoint
• 16:10 is best for presentations on MacBooks and office monitors

Also, find out when you should use the PowerPoint format 16:9 or 4:3.

How to change your PowerPoint aspect ratio from 16:9 to 16:10

2020: five new models in 16:10

16:10 is less common on displays, but MacBooks do use that format. Some other manufacturers are towards higher screens in 2020. The latest examples are the office monitor from Dell (P2421) and Acer with their new Spin 3 model. 

Typical resolutions of some popular screen sizes are: 

• 19-inch screen (standard ratio): 1280 x 1024 pixels
• 20-inch screen (standard ratio): 1600 x 1200 pixels
• 22-inch screen (widescreen): 1680 x 1050 pixels
• 24-inch screen (widescreen): 1900 x 1200 pixels

Trend: easier working with MS Office applications

Since the 16:9 aspect ratio still predominates on office monitors, you cannot go wrong with it for now. The emerging trend toward 16:10 screens is still in its infancy. If you work a lot with office applications and want to improve your skills in this area, the trend toward 16:10 offers you some advantages to think about.

Did you know that you can work efficiently with Microsoft Office applications such as PowerPoint or Word even on a large scale? The Office add-ins from empower ® offer you a wide range of possibilities. The empower® Brand Control solution , for example, enables you to automate complex positioning with over 50 practical layout tools. You and your employees will never have to worry about adhering to the corporate design again, as you can lay all that work into our Office add-in's hands.

We know our customers’ use cases. Presentations saved in an old format should be converted into a new one. A simple format adjustment often leads to the above-mentioned unsightly display errors. In this case, the empower ®  Design Check intelligently updates to the new format without the need for extensive formatting. The function for this is the empower ® Layout Switcher. See how it works in this video: 

Could our Office solution spark your curiosity? Contact us! Our experts are looking forward to working with you to find the perfect solution to boost productivity in your company!

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Laura M. Foley Design

Cheat Death by PowerPoint!

What size should my slides be, 16:9 or 4:3?

July 3, 2017 by Laura Foley 2 Comments

Deciding on a slide format used to be easy when there was only one choice. Nowadays, you can choose between 4:3 format or 16:9. What do these numbers mean and which size should you choose for your presentations?

What the numbers mean

The above notation is called the “aspect ratio,” or the ratio of the width to the height of the slide. In the 4:3 aspect ratio, the dimensions are 1024 x 768 pixels (10.67″ x 8″); the height is 3/4 of the width. Back in the Ye Olde Days of PowerPoint, it was your only choice. Why? Because that’s the aspect ratio of actual slides, pictured above, television screens, and early computer monitors.

When high-definition screens came on the scene in the early 2000s, they were built in a 16:10 aspect ratio. But as more and more high-definition screens were manufactured, it became clear that screens with a 16:9 aspect ratio were cheaper to manufacture. So the 16:9 aspect ratio (1920 x 1080 pixels or 13.3″ x 7.5″) became the new standard.

What size should you choose?

From boardrooms to computer monitors to smartphone screens, 16:9 is the default screen aspect ratio so that’s the slide size I always go with. The 16:9 format gives you a lot of slide real estate to play around with! The legacy 4:3 aspect ratio, while still used, creates smaller slides and doesn’t look that great on newer screens.

How do you change an old 4:3 deck to the new 16:9 format?

Oh, this is super-fun to do and you’re a lucky duck if it becomes your job.

To resize your slides go to the Design tab on the ribbon and select Slide Size/Widescreen on the right side of the screen.

After you select the new size, this window will appear:

Now you’re faced with either everything on the slides being stretched out or squished to fill the space. Oh boy! Either way, after you make your selection you’ll need to go through the presentation slide by slide to ensure that everything looks good. This can be fairly straightforward if the creator of the presentation stayed within the template or a real pain in the rear if he/she didn’t. But do go through the deck to ensure that everything looks right.

If you’re a production artist that charges by the hour, reformatting an organization’s slides from 4:3 to 16:9 could be a nice little gig for you!

Other slide sizes for special events

Now, the 16:9 format is great for everyday use but what if you’re designing a presentation for an event? Last year, I was designing slides for a corporate conference where the setup included multiple, massive screens. For that event, the slides measured 52″ x 17″ and had a “leave this space blank” area on the bottom. Each event is different, so if you’re working on slides like these you need to become friends with the AV folks and find out what size slides they recommend for optimal viewing on that particular setup. The last thing you want to see on a gigantic stage are distorted graphics!

Bottom line

Unless you’re told otherwise, use the 16:9 format. You get a lot more space on each slide for your visuals and it’s really the way things are going.

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Why change from 4:3 to 16:9 format?

Since PowerPoint 2013, the 16:9 widescreen format has become the standard for presentations. However, 4:3 slides still circulate within many companies. Read on to learn how to convert to 16:9.

What is the advantage of 16:9 vs. 4:3?

To put it bluntly, 4:3 is out! Nowadays, digital devices are almost exclusively designed for widescreen display. The aspect ratio of 16:9 simulates the eye’s field of vision better than 4:3. See for yourself: Focus on a fixed point in the distance and notice how your eyes capture more horizontally than they do vertically. The advantages of widescreen are already well known in film and television – projection screens, for example, have made a huge leap since the 1950s tube TV.

Another big advantage of the widescreen format is in its presentation. You ha ve much more space to display your content in a visually appealing way. Jam-packed 4: 3 slides with countless bullet points have a chance to “breathe” when transferred to widescreen display. Also, the 16:9 format allows high-resolution photos and images to be cropped or resized without losing quality.

16: 9 slides – No problems with the projector!

Every now and then, users say they prefer to create their presentations in 4:3 because they don’t know whether their projector can display the 16:9 format. Almost all modern projectors support widescreen format, and most models 10 years or older have a 16:9 setting.

Out with the old and in with the new

When presenting your idea or company, it’s important to examine whether your presentation is meeting today’s professional standards. Using a 4:3 display can give the audience the impression that you’re behind the times. Instead, think about designing your slides in the cutting-edge 16: 9 format.

Do you still have important presentation templates in 4:3? Our presentation agency has skilled representatives to help you convert your slides into widescreen format. We also offer a wide selection of PowerPoint slides in our shop to help you create new presentations quickly and easily in 16:9 display. Feel free to contact us.

Update to 16:9 now and present in style!

Update 23.02.17.

In response to your questions concerning printing 16:9 on A4 format, we will show you how to optimize your settings for 16:9 slides.  

The print size can be scaled in your PowerPoint print properties, for example, to 110% as shown in the picture. Since most modern printers can print within 5-8 mm margins, you can scale the slides to fit a complete page. The result: more width and less marginal space at the top and bottom. If you bind the pages or put them in a binder, the upper margin is approximately 1cm, making the entire printout much more legible in A4.

By the way, it makes no difference printing in 4:3 format or 16:9. When printing in 4:3, the standard settings for the left and right margins are the same as the top and bottom margins of 16:9.

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I’m Removing Microsoft From My Life: Here’s How

Microsoft 365 now includes a vpn, how you can use onenote to maximize your productivity, quick links, reduce your powerpoint file size, review the master slides, check for macros and add-ins, disable autosave, other options.

There are many reasons why your PowerPoint file is running slowly, and all of them lead to frustration and wasted time. Before you throw your computer out the window, take a look at these tips that will hopefully get you back up and running more smoothly.

It's likely that the main cause of your sluggish PowerPoint file is its size. Since PowerPoint is a presentation designer, you might have lots of images, audio clips, and videos, each increasing the memory the program consumes on your computer. You might have also added many animations and transitions to make your PowerPoint more impressive, but these also add to your file's size. Addressing these will significantly reduce your file size and, thus, quicken the program's processing speed.

The question to ask is whether you need so many images in the first place. Go through your slides and remove any images that don't add any true value to your presentation. If you still find that you have lots of images, consider making them smaller by dragging the corner image handle towards the center of the picture.

Hold Ctrl to select many images on a slide at the same time, and then adjust one of those images to make them all smaller.

A second option is to remove artistic effects from images. It might be tempting to use PowerPoint's built-in picture editor, but adding shadows, reflections, and borders instantly adds kilobytes to your file. To revert the image to its original formatting, first select the image, and then click "Reset Picture" in the Picture Format tab on the ribbon.

Finally, consider compressing your images . While this will reduce their quality, using a lower resolution will mean that PowerPoint won't have to work as hard to display them in both the Normal and Slide Show views. Select an image in your slideshow, and click "Compress Pictures" in the Picture Format tab.

Then, you can either choose to compress the image you selected or all images in your file. If you plan to project your finished presentation onto a screen, 150 PPI is the optimal choice for reducing your file size without lowering the image quality too much.

The other way to compress your images, and all future pictures you add, is to first click File > Options. Then, click "Advanced" in the left-hand menu, and change "Default Resolution" to 150 PPT or 220 PPI in the Image Size And Quality options.

Then, click "OK."

Removing backgrounds and watermarks from your slides will also help to speed up your file.

Audio and Videos

As well as compressing images, you can also compress the media within your presentation, but the method differs slightly. Click File > Info, and choose the "Compress Media" drop-down button. There, click "HD" or "Standard" as alternatives to the Full HD option.

Compressing the media in your presentation will also remove embedded subtitles and alternate audio tracks.

If this doesn't speed up your file, consider removing the media from your PowerPoint file altogether. This doesn't mean you have to lose that feature from your slideshow, however—adding a link to the video or audio, which you can click when delivering your presentation, is a good alternative.

Animations and Transitions

Animations are a good way to emphasize details in your PowerPoint presentation or gradually introduce information step-by-step, and transitions between slides can look professional and slick. However, overusing these features not only distracts your audience and looks tacky, but also reduces your PowerPoint's performance efficiency. Keeping animations and transitions to a minimum, in terms of both quantity and type, will make a big difference. If possible, try to stick to these rules:

• Ask yourself, "Does this make my presentation better?" If the answer is no, don't put it in.
• Use slick effects that last less than one second without you having to change the speed of the animation . Fade and Cut are professional and quick transition effects, and Appear and Fade are optimal entrance animations.
• Use the same transition effect for each slide, and the same animation for each item.
• Try to avoid adding more than one animation to each item, and avoid animating individual words and letters.

You might think that the slides in the thumbnail pane on the left-hand side are the only slides in your file. However, the Slide Master contains hidden information that dictates how your presentation is designed. You can see the master slides by clicking "Slide Master" in the View tab on the ribbon.

First, scroll through the Slide Master, and right-click and delete any of the layouts you don't need.

Second, you might see objects (such as pictures or formatted text) that don't add any value to your PowerPoint. Click the relevant master slides and remove those items.

While useful, macros and add-ins—advanced tools that enable more features and functions—significantly add to your PowerPoint file's workload, and could be the reason it is running slowly.

Macros let you automate a series of commands to execute a task with a single click or keyboard shortcut. To check which macros you have enabled in your PowerPoint, click the "Macros" button in the View tab. This will bring up a dialog box, where you can view, edit, and—importantly—delete any macros.

Even though deleting a macro means you might lose some automation, it will likely speed up your file significantly.

Add-ins are custom tools you can add to PowerPoint that enable you to do more with the program. For example, you can add more customized charts or interactive elements to take your presentation to the next level. However, since you're effectively adding another program to PowerPoint, these affect its performance hugely.

To see whether you have add-ins installed, click the "Add-ins" icon on the Home tab, and any add-ins will show under My Add-ins in the drop-down dialog box.

Then, to remove an add-in, click "More Add-ins."

In the Office Add-ins window, click "My Add-ins," and click the three dots next to whichever add-in you want to delete. Finally, click "Remove."

This will remove the add-in from your Microsoft account, affecting all Office applications compatible with this add-in.

This tip is somewhat of a last resort, as Microsoft 365's AutoSave is a great way to ensure you don't lose your work if something unexpected happens, such as an impromptu update or the dreaded blue screen of death .

However, because AutoSave uploads the latest version of your PowerPoint file to your OneDrive account every few seconds, it's always working in the background and might slow down the program's performance.

Providing you're sure that you'll remember to press Ctrl+S every few minutes to save your work manually, try disabling AutoSave to speed up your file.

If you can't see the AutoSave icon, right-click any of the tabs and click "Show Quick Access Toolbar."

If you still can't see it, click the "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" down arrow, and check "Automatically Save."

Then, click the AutoSave toggle to "Off," and the AutoSave function will stop working away in the background.

Failing all of the above, there are two more options you might explore to work more efficiently in PowerPoint.

Use PowerPoint for the Web

If you're using a low-spec computer, it mightn't be powerful enough to handle PowerPoint's complexities. Using the web-based version of PowerPoint could be your way around this issue, as it doesn't require the use of any software on your PC. What's more, PowerPoint for the web is a slimline version of the desktop app, so it's likely to perform more efficiently on lightweight PCs and tablets.

Clean up Your PC

Have you considered that the issue mightn't be PowerPoint itself? Try opening some other apps, and see whether they also run more slowly than you'd hope. If this is the case, try freeing up some space on your PC . Similarly, if your computer has just installed an update, this might be the cause of your device's sluggish performance, and there are different things you can try to fix this issue.

As well as optimizing your file, you can increase your PowerPoint effectiveness and efficiency by avoiding some of the common mistakes that people make when using the program.

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft 365