Creating an engaging PowerPoint presentation is an art form, and one of the most effective ways to emphasize key points and draw your audience's attention is by using highlighting techniques. Unfortunately, some users don't know how to highlight presentations through various methods.
This article explores various methods to highlight text, images, and objects in PowerPoint to make their presentation stand out and convey their message effectively.
Part 1: Why is highlighting text in PowerPoint important?
Whether you are a student or a business professional, highlighting is an important part of presenting your presentation. It draws your audience’s attention to the right spots and helps them convey the right information.
Even as a presenter, you can stay on track and focus on the points that need more emphasis. In no time, you may even become the best presenter around. It is a great skill to build an outstanding portfolio for yourself.
There are many ways to highlight the important parts in your presentations that you can understand in this article.
Part 2: 5 Creative ideas to highlight presentations in PowerPoint
Now that the importance of highlighting has been discussed, the next question is how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint. There are many ways to do so but do not get overwhelmed by all these strategies. Here are the top 5 ways you can make meaningful highlights in your content.
Idea 1: Using Animated Circles
Everyone has been at a point where they want to draw attention to a specific part of the presentation. Animated circles can help you a lot in this context. It can take your viewer’s attention right where you want it to be.
Step 1: Choose the portion of text or image that you want to highlight in your presentation.
Step 2: Go to the shape icons in the Home menu in the toolbar above. You can use the oval shape to cover the portion.
Step 3: Right-click on the oval and go to the Fill option. Choose no fill from the bottom of the menu.
Step 4: Now, you can go to the outline option and choose the color that suits your needs. You must also visit the Weight section and select 3 pt for maximum clarity.
Step 5: Select the oval and go to the Animation section in the toolbar above. Select Add Animation.
Step 6: Click on the Add Animation button to see a drop-down menu. Here, you can find the More Entrance Effects option. Select that to open a new prompt menu.
Step 7: Here, you can select Wheel and press the OK button when done.
Step 8: Check the preview if it meets your needs. You can also try different styles to find out what can suit your needs the best.
Idea 2: By Adding a Glow Effect
Another effective way to get attention towards your presentations is to add glow to them. A glow effect can draw anyone’s attention and make them drawn towards the important parts of your presentation. Here is how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint with a glow.
Step 1: Add a shape of your choice from the Home section in the menu on the top of PowerPoint.
Step 2: You can resize the image and add text if needed. After that, you can click on the shape to enable the Format menu above.
Step 3: Once you select the shape, you can go to the Shape Effects menu and select Glow.
Step 4: You can choose the glow options from the given menu or visit the options on the bottom to explore more.
Step 5: You can adjust the glow of a shape by going into the Glow Options… Here, you can use important aspects such as size and transparency to ensure that your presentation matches your vision.
Idea 3: Using Animated Arrow
It cannot be easy to point out something with the tip of your finger, especially when you are presenting. You do not want to hinder the projector light or seem disoriented to the viewers. Here is how you can use animated arrows to draw viewers drawn toward your presentation.
Step 1: Start by choosing a piece of text or an image that you want to highlight. Go to the Home tab and select an arrow shape from the images.
Step 2: You can go to the Fill option to choose the appropriate color for your presentation.
Step 3: Once you feel that your arrow is ready for animation, select it and go to the format tab. You can go to the Add Animation section and visit More Motion Paths.
Step 4: Once you are in the Motion options, select Up to keep the arrow moving continuously. You can also choose the auto-reverse option.
Idea 4: Using Custom Animation
Your presentation may require you to add custom animations to your pictures. It is a great way of doing something out of the ordinary and standing out. Here is how you can use custom animations to meet your audience's expectations.
Step 1: Click a text or shape with animation applied to it. Go to the Animation tab and select Effect Options.
Step 2: You can look into the settings of your chosen animation to make it more well-suited to your needs. Once done, press OK to confirm the changes.
Step 3: Once the layered animations have been made, you can use edit points to make the final adjustments. After that, your presentation will be good to go.
Idea 5: Using Word
People can find it tricky to work with different shapes and features to learn how to highlight your presentation in PowerPoint. They can also use Word to add their highlights. Here is how you can do it.
Step 1: You can select the part that you want to figure out how to highlight. Right-click on it and choose the Copy option from the menu.
Step 2: Open a Word file and use the pasting options to paste the excerpt.
Step 3: Find the highlight option from the Home menu above. You can choose any color you want that suits your needs.
Step 4: Once highlighted, you can right-click on the text and copy it.
Step 5: Go back to PowerPoint and click the right button. Explore the paste options and look for Keep Source Formatting. Now, you have a height except in your PowerPoint presentation.
Every discussed way to highlight presentations in PowerPoint has its own pros and cons; some ways can be difficult for users, and others may be hassle-free. It is everyone’s own journey to find the right match.
Part 3: Shortcut to highlight text in PowerPoint?
It is commonly believed that there is no shortcut for users to create highlights in PowerPoint. However, you can use Ctrl+I to enable the highlighting tool when in slideshow mode. This way, you can engage your audience as you go and get rid of additional mouse work.
Part 4: Best Excellent Alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint - WPS Presentation
With more than 494 million users, WPS Office is a reliable productivity partner for many individuals and organizations. It is the first priority for many users who want to learn how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint.
If you look into the meaningful features such as user-friendliness and accessibility, you can agree, like many others, that WPS Presentation is a way more reliable tool than many others. It creates an experience that boosts your productivity.
Here are some features of WPS Presentation you must know.
Slide Designs
Presenter Tools
Auto Save
Template Library
File Sharing
Chart Styles
Generative AI
Pros of WPS Presentation
Here are some of the most effective benefits of the WPS Presentation tool that you must consider.
Rich template store
Lightweight
Support online documents
Safe and stable
Here is how you can download the WPS Presentation for use on your computer
Here are the steps you can follow to download WPS presentation software for free on your devices.
Step 1: Visit wps.com and look for the WPS Presentation software in the items listed.
Step 2: You will see two buttons on the page that can help you download the WPS Presentation on your PC. You can use either option to download the right tools of your operating system.
Step 3: Once you click install, you can see the software being downloaded on your PC. You can visit your downloads to see the progress. This can take up to a few minutes.
FAQS
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint.
Are there any recommended color combinations for highlighting?
There are no set rules for the colors that you must choose while learning how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint. You can do your best by keeping the theme and contrast theory in mind.
It is best to ensure that you do not use any colors that undermine each other, like black text on a yellow background or white text on a dark blue background. Instead, use the ones that complement each other.
Can I remove highlights from my presentation if I change my mind?
You can always have a change of mind during a creative journey. That is why there is always an option for users to remove highlights as per their needs. You can also revert to the automatic settings of PowerPoint whenever needed.
Is it Possible to Highlight in PowerPoint?
Yes, you can easily highlight text in PowerPoint while in SlideShow mode. Just press Ctrl+I in slideshow mode and choose a color. There on, you can use your mouse or touchpad as a cursor to highlight text while presenting.
Best Alternative to Create Highlights –WPS Office
It is not always the easiest thing to learn how to highlight your presentations in Powerpoint. There are so many ways that can overwhelm you. That is why users are always looking for reliable alternatives such as WPS Office.
With more than 1.2 billion downloads and almost 500 million active users, you can also use the WPS Office Presentation feature to create highlights and enjoy many other creative and productive features free of cost.
You can visit wps.com today and download the WPS Presentation for your device today.
