Using the status bar commands
Changing the presentation view is also possible via the view icons located on the status bar. This bar also contains the Notes and Comments buttons that allow you to display these options on the screen. All the views, as discussed previously, excluding the Outline view, are visible along the status bar. To the right of the status bar, we will also find the zoom buttons and the Fit slide to current window button:
Figure 5.30 – The status bar options
Setting presentation zoom options
Using view and zoom options 147
The default slide zoom is set at 66% when opening or creating new presentations. To change this setting, use one of the following options:
- Use the status bar zoom slider to increase or decrease the presentation slide size within the PowerPoint environment or, alternatively, click on the minus (–) and plus (+) signs to adjust, as illustrated in the following screenshot:
Figure 5.31 – The Zoom Out button
- Click on the zoom percentage indicator on the status bar to access the zoom options, which you can adjust according to your requirements.
- The Percent text area enables you to type a custom value to zoom, as illustrated in the following screenshot:
Figure 5.32 – The zoom percentage dialog box
Alternatively, use the View tab to access the Zoom group on the ribbon. Click on the Zoom icon to launch the Zoom dialog box.
- You can also visit the View tab and select Fit to Window from the Zoom group, as illustrated in the following screenshot:
Figure 5.33 – The Fit to Window button on the View tab
You have learned to navigate and apply different view options in PowerPoint 2021. Let’s now look at how to navigate between open presentations in the next topic.
Switching between multiple presentations
Navigating between presentations is achieved using more than one method. Let’s have a look at these methods below:
- Click to select Open | Browse.
- Click to select the first presentation file.
- Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click on the second file, then on the next, and then release the Ctrl key. Note that the Shift key also works here, as well as clicking on the checkbox to the left of the filename.
-
Right-click over the highlighted files and then choose Open, or click on the Open
button at the bottom of the dialog box:
Figure 5.34 – Opening more than one file simultaneously
- The selected files will open in Microsoft PowerPoint – one on top of another.
- We can use the Alt + Tab shortcut keys to navigate from one open application to another on the desktop, or click on the View tab on the ribbon.
- Navigate to the Switch Windows drop-down option and click on the arrow, as illustrated in the following screenshot:
Figure 5.35 – The Switch Windows drop-down list
- A list of open presentations will appear as a drop-down list.
- Click on the presentation that you wish to make the active one.
Alternatively, you can follow these steps. If you position your mouse over the PowerPoint application icon on a Windows desktop, a list of open PowerPoint presentations (in small separate windows) will be displayed just above the taskbar.
Figure 5.36 – Open presentations on a Windows 11 desktop
Now that you have finished this chapter, you have the skills to personalize the PowerPoint 2021 backstage view and set various options.
Summary
In addition to being able to set various options from backstage, you have also acquired the skills to navigate the interface and perform basic tasks, which include the creation, saving, printing, and viewing of presentations in PowerPoint 2021. We covered new features such as Presenter Coach (Speaker Coach), Stock Images, Transparency, Link to this Slide, Ink Replay, and Immersive Reader in this chapter and will visit even more over the next few PowerPoint chapters.
In the next chapter, we will use predefined options to give slides a particular look and feel. In addition to covering how to set up presentations, you will be able to order a sequence of slides, apply a presentation theme and slide layout, and reuse slides. You will also learn how to work with tables and charts that make data much easier to present and explain, adding to the impact of a presentation. We will also investigate the new drawing and Auto Fix features.
