If you're aiming to create visually-appealing presentations that make your data insights truly stand out, having the latest version of PowerPoint is essential. With each update, Microsoft PowerPoint introduces advanced features and improvements designed to elevate your presentation experience and make creating compelling visuals easier. Whether you've already downloaded PowerPoint or are looking to get the latest version, this article will guide you through everything you need to know about accessing, downloading, and using the newest version of PowerPoint to its full potential.
Microsoft 365 PowerPoint
Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based application designed for creating, editing, and delivering professional presentations. The 365 PowerPoint offers many features and capabilities to help users design visually appealing slides, incorporate multimedia elements, and deliver impactful presentations. You can create eye-catching presentations with 365 PowerPoint to make your audience a fan of your analysis.
Features of Office 365 PowerPoint
It has a decent and user-friendly interface that anyone can get along with it easily.
You can create amazing presentations using customization options, including themes, templates, fonts, colours, animations, and transitions.
It supports real-time collaboration meaning that multiple people can work on the same document simultaneously.
It seamlessly integrates with OneDrive, allowing users to access and edit their presentations from anywhere, on any device.
You can create highly engaging and interactive presentations with Office 365 because it supports the integration of various multimedia elements, including images, videos, audio files, and charts.
Like Office PowerPoint 2021, it also offers Presenter View, allowing presenters to see their notes, upcoming slides, and timers while delivering a presentation.
Pros
Regular updates and new features
Cloud Storage support
Collaboration
Cross-Platform compatibility
User-Friendly interface
Cons
Subscription-based
Requires Internet
How to Download and Use Microsoft 365 PowerPoint?
Microsoft Office 365 is a subscription-based service and you must pay a monthly subscription to use it. Follow the below-mentioned steps to get started.
1. Visit the official Microsoft 365 website (www.microsoft365.com) in a web browser.
2. Click on the "Get started" or "Buy now" button to purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription if you haven't already.
3. Choose a plan to suit your requirements. Click on Buy now.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions and enter the payment details. You will be able to download Microsoft 365 on your PC.
Price
Microsoft Office 365 price starts from $6.99/month and may cost you up to $22/month, depending upon the plan.
PowerPoint Becomes More Expressive with Microsoft 365 Copilot
PowerPoint users can now create dynamic and captivating presentations effortlessly using AI, thanks to the integration of Microsoft 365 Copilot. By understanding natural language commands, Copilot assists users in turning their ideas into beautifully designed presentations, making the creation process more enjoyable and expressive.
Office 2021 PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint 2021 is a one-time buy software, and it is the latest edition that allows you to create compelling content with the addition of features including co-authoring, Ink Replay, improved slide show recording, new stock media from the Office Premium Creative Content collection and new Draw tab additions such as Point Eraser, Ruler, and Lasso. In contrast to the 2019 edition, it has innovative features you will get after you update the current 2019 version. The most distinctive features of PowerPoint 2021 are listed below.
Features of Office 2021 PowerPoint
The latest version offers Co-authoring feature allowing your team to open and work on the same PowerPoint presentation. This is called co-authoring. When you co-author, you can see each other's changes quickly.
This feature has improved comments that work exactly like Google Docs comments.
It has new refresh tabs in the ribbon with a clean, clear style with monoline iconography, a neutral colour palette, and softer window corners.
The enhanced record slide show supports presenter video recording, ink recording, and laser pointer recording.
It comes with an Office Premium Creative Content collection with various content, including a curated library of stock images, icons, and more.
You can directly save your file to Google Drive, OneDrive, or SharePoint, and all your data will be updated as you make changes.
Pros
Co-Authoring
Improved Modern comments
Microsoft Search Supported
Improved stock media
Cons
Paid application
Limited to one device
How to Download and Use PowerPoint 2021?
To install PowerPoint 2021 on your PC, you must buy the software since it is a paid application. Follow the below-mentioned steps to get your job done.
1. On your browser, visit ,”https://www.microsoft.com/en-ww/microsoft-365/powerpoint”.
2. You will see two different options, one is to Buy the software right now and the other one is to Try for Free.
3. Hover your mouse cursor on either option and it will display the version you are interested in.
4. Click on your desired version of PowerPoint 2021. It will take you to another window.
5. Click on Buy Now.
6. Confirm your plan and add the payment details. That’s it, this way you can buy PowerPoint 2021 on Windows.
Price
The Home & Student version costs $149.9/year, Home & Business costs $249.99/year, and Professional costs $439.99/year.
Difference between Office 2021 (PowerPoint) & Microsoft 365 (PowerPoint)
Both these applications are products of Microsoft, but there are major differences between these two. Please refer to the below table to find out the difference between PowerPoint 2021 and Office 365.
Features |
Office 2021 |
Microsoft 365 |
Feature Updates |
Not Included |
Included |
Multi-Device Support |
Limited to one device |
Multiple devices |
Smartphone Support |
No |
Yes |
Online Storage |
No |
1TB per user |
Technical Support |
Only initial support |
Ongoing Support |
Price |
One Time Payment |
Monthly subscription |
Although Office 2021 PowerPoint and Microsoft 365 PowerPoint are feature-rich, a one-time purchase of Office 2021 PowerPoint or a Microsoft 365 PowerPoint subscription requires a significant fee. Are you looking for the best alternative to PowerPoint for free?
Best Free Alternative to PowerPoint - WPS Office Presentation
Many people don’t want to pay for software, especially when there are free alternatives in the market. WPS Office Presentation is an excellent free alternative to PowerPoint that offers a comprehensive set of tools for creating, editing, and presenting professional presentations. You get extensive formatting options, including font styles, colours, and layout adjustments, allowing you to create a customized, eye-catching presentation.
Features of WPS Office Presentation
Compatible with Multiple Formats
WPS Office Presentation is compatible with different formats, including formats used in MS Office PowerPoint. This compatibility ensures you can seamlessly open, edit, and save presentations in PowerPoint formats without any formatting issues or data loss.
Smaller for Easy Sharing
While creating a presentation with WPS Office Presentation, you should always be satisfied with its size. The software is designed in a way that keeps the size of the presentation minimal so that it is easy to share. This is particularly beneficial when you must send your presentations via email or upload them to cloud storage platforms.
Free and Beautiful Design
If you can’t find a designer within you, don’t worry WPS Presentation tool has a wide range of free and visually appealing designs with a range of pre-designed templates, themes, and graphic elements. You can create professional-looking presentations with these templates saving your time and energy. There are hundreds and thousands of free and paid templates in the WPS Template Store.
Convert Files Between PPT and PDF
One noticeable feature of WPS Presentation is the ability to convert PPT into PDF. It is convenient, especially in those cases where the receiver of the presentation doesn’t have PowerPoint in their systems. It also ensures that the content, formatting, and layout of your presentation are preserved, regardless of the device or operating system used to view it.
AI-powered Generator
Similar to Microsoft Copilot, WPS AI is based on a large language model. It can generate the script for presentation according to the requirements you provide. It also suggests slide templates that match the presentation's topic and provides recommendations for colors, images, styles, and personalized templates. This feature helps users create visually appealing presentations effortlessly.
How to Create a PowerPoint in WPS Presentation?
Creating an eye-catching presentation is not everyone’s cup of tea, so it is wise to use pre-defined templates to make your presentation stand out among the rest.
1. Open WPS Office on your PC.
2. Click on Templates, and it will take you to another tab having templates for different softwares.
3. Click on the Presentation to filter out your required templates.
4. Select a template from the store and click on Free Use.
5. It will take some time to prepare, so be patient. Once loaded, start editing the template as per your requirement.
6. Once done with editing, click on Menu and then hover your mouse cursor on Save As. You can see multiple options that you can save your presentation in.
7. Choose your desired format, rename your file, and assign the proper storage address and you are done.
How to check the PowerPoint version I have?
Unlike the previous versions of PowerPoint, you can not check the version of PowerPoint from the loading screen. However, to check the version of PowerPoint, follow the below-mentioned method.
1. Open a blank presentation.
2. Click on File and click on the second last option - Account.
3. You can see the current version of your Office.
How to update to the latest version of PowerPoint?
If you are looking to update PowerPoint manually, follow the below-mentioned steps.
1. Open a blank presentation.
2. Go to file and then click on Account.
3. On the right side, you can see the Updates Option; click on it.
4. You will find different options, including checking for updates. Click on it, and it will automatically search for updates, and if any are available, it will be downloaded.
FAQs
Do you have to renew Microsoft Office every year?
Yes, Office 365 does expire if you don't renew your subscription. If you don't renew your subscription, you will lose access to all the Office apps and services that are included in your subscription. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.
Does PowerPoint keep versions?
Open the file you want to view. Click the title of your file and select Version History. Select a version to open it. If you want to restore the previous version you've opened, select Restore.
Summary
Creating an impactful presentation requires a high-end tool, and Microsoft PowerPoint 2021 has no match. It lets you create stunning presentations with its advanced tools. One decent alternative to PowerPoint is Microsoft Office 365, which you can use to create stunning presentations. A common problem with these softwares is that both these are paid applications. One is a single-time purchase, while the other one is subscription based.
This is where WPS Office Presentation acts like a blessing in disguise because it is free and it has almost identical features. Moreover, it has dedicated template stores having thousands of pre–defined templates. If you don’t want to pay money and still want to create an appealing presentation, then WPS Office Presentation is the best choice.
