How to Customize a PowerPoint Handout Layout

Wait until after your presentation to give the handouts.

Give your audience something to remember you by: a handout of your PowerPoint presentation. With PowerPoint, you can fine tune how the handouts look so that the slides are just the right size and all the correct information is presented. Within PowerPoint, there are several Master Views that give you access to the underlying formatting for that particular way of presenting the slides; the Handout Master View contains all the nitty-gritty details for customizing the layout exactly the way you want it.

Instructions

1. Open the PowerPoint presentation you want to edit. Click on the "View" tab and then click on "Handout Master." A new view opens up that shows you how the handout sheets will be laid out when you print them.

2. Click the "Slides Per Page" button to choose the number of slides that will be printed on each handout. If you want to give some space for people to take notes, choose three slides per page. The slides will be on the left of the page with space for notes on the right.

3. Click the check boxes in the Placeholders section to add or remove the Header, Footer, Date and Page Number areas on the Handout Master. Click in any of those areas on the handout to edit what's in them. For example, you could type your company name in the Header box.

4. Choose a theme or color scheme for the handouts in the "Edit Theme" section. Avoid using too many colors on the handouts and keep to the basic information that needs to be communicated.

5. Click "Close Master View" on the right side of the ribbon when you're done customizing the handout layout. Click "File," then "Print" and then choose "Handouts" from the drop-down menu. Click "Print" and your handouts will be printed with your customized layout.

Tips & Warnings

• The Insert tab is available to you while in the Handout Master View. You can insert a picture, graph or text box if you want to. Click the "Handout Master" tab when you're done using the features on the Insert tab.

References

• Microsoft Office: Print Your Slides or Handouts of Your Presentation
• Microsoft Office: Make Changes to a Handout Master