PowerPoint Tutorial: How to Edit a Document

Microsoft PowerPoint offers great flexibility in formatting, style, design and animation of digital presentations. Familiarizing yourself with the editing tools available in PowerPoint will allow you to take full advantage of its many options.

Editing Text

Edit letters or entire words by first selecting the text box you want to change. Place the cursor at the location of the needed change. Use the "Backspace" key to remove text to the left of the cursor and the "Delete" key to remove text to the right of the cursor. Use the keyboard to insert letters at the point of the cursor.

Formatting Text

Format text by first highlighting the letters, words or phrases you want to change. Then click the "Format" heading from the toolbar at the top of the screen and select "Font" to choose a formatting option. From here, you can change the text color, font, size, spacing and more.

Pictures

Edit a picture by first selecting the picture box you want to change. Move the picture by clicking and dragging it to the desired placement on the slide. Change the picture size by selecting an anchor at any corner of the image and dragging it in or out to make it larger or smaller. For other formatting options, right-click the image and select "Format Picture."

Backgrounds

Change the background of a slide by selecting "Background" from the "Format" heading on the toolbar at the top of the screen. When the "Background" window opens, click the down arrow to access formatting options. Change the background color by selecting one of the options in the drop-down window or select "More Colors" for other choices. Select "Fill Effects" to use an image or other formats for your slide background.

Transitions

Change the way one slide replaces another by clicking "Slide Show" from the toolbar at the top of the screen and selecting "Slide Transitions." This will open a window on the right side of your screen. From here, you can select the type of transition, the speed of the transition and whether it will be automatic or click-initiated.

Considerations

Save a backup copy of your file under a different name if you are not familiar with editing a PowerPoint document.

If you make a change you do not like or did not intend to make, use the "Undo" command under the "Edit" heading on the toolbar at the top of the screen.

Spend time experimenting with all of the features available in PowerPoint to get the most value from your software.

References

• Microsoft PowerPoint Help