Printing your PowerPoint may be a little difficult if you are not familiar with the options. Worry no more! In this blog, I will depict how you can print your slides with just a few easy steps. I will also some some tips for getting the best results.
Why Print PowerPoint Presentations?
It’s nice to have a hard copy of what you’re presenting sometimes. It helps with the following areas:
- Distribution of a handout to the audience
- Review some of the notes before a presentation
- It keeps a physical record of the work
Printing your slides in the right format can make all the difference, especially when you want to share them with your team or when you want to keep things tidy and have a clean reference. Let’s walk through how easily you can print your PowerPoint presentations!
Step-by-Step Guide to Printing PowerPoint Presentations
1. Open Your PowerPoint File
Open the PowerPoint file that you have to print. Double-click your file and once opened, you are ready to go.
2. Open the Print Menu
To open the print options, follow these steps:
- Go to the File tab located in the top-left corner.
- Click on the Print option from the drop-down menu.
You will be led to the print preview page. On this page, you can view all of your options for customizing. It’s here where you are supposed to select how you want your slides printed.
3. Choose a Printer
On the Print menu, you will be asked to choose a printer; If you have installed more than one printer, go with the dropdown under the printer you want to print.
If you do not have a physical printer or prefer to save your presentation as a PDF file, you will want to select the Print to PDF option. This comes in handy when sharing your slides digitally, or when you want a format for quick printing.
4. Select What to Print
This is where things begin to get interesting. Depending on how you would like your presentation printed, you have several options:
- Full Page Slides: Prints one slide per page. Good for when you want your full-size slides.
- Handouts: This feature enables you to print multiple slides on one page and up to nine at a time. It saves paper and gives you nicely readable handouts.
- Notes Pages: It will print the slide along with any speaker notes you have added. Good for reviewing your notes as you practice your speech.
- Outline: This will print the text only from your slides. You can use this to create an overview or summary of your content.
Choose one of these to help you now!
5. Change the Number of Copies and Pages
If you want to print only a portion of your slides, use the slide numbers in the Pages area. For example, if you wanted to print slides 1-5, you would input “1-5”
Click the Number of Copies you have. If you are printing for a large group you can multiply the count here.
6. Specify Your Layout and Color Preference
Now you need to decide whether you wish to print your slides in color or black and white. Down in the Color drop-down menu, you will choose one of these:
- Color: Prints in full color
- Grayscale: Prints slides in shades of gray; not in color but not purely black and white either.
- Pure Black and White: Best for text-only, minimalist slides.
You can also set the paper orientation, landscape or portrait, through the Printer Properties option.
7. Preview and Print
When you are satisfied with the layout, take time to review your print preview. When you are satisfied, click Print.
A Few Extra Tips for Better Results
- First, print a test page: This way, you’re always positive that everything will be fine if you need to print a big batch of something without wasting your ink and paper.
- Think about Paper Type: If you are going to be presenting formally, you would want something of high quality to make your printouts look just the right kind of professional.
If you are using Google Slides instead of PowerPoint, don’t forget to check out my blog “How to print presentations in Google“ Slides for a step-by-step guide. It’s just as easy!
Bonus Tip: More Presentation Hacks
The art of printing your PowerPoint slides is only one part. To take your whole presentation game to the next level, we have a dedicated Tips & Tricks page to check out for more fantastic hacks and expert tips on how best to work your way through to the perfect presentations, making your working life easier and faster.
Let’s Wind Up
You don’t have to go through tricky phases to print your PowerPoint presentations. With such easy steps, you are guaranteed to be ready with all your slides, handouts, or speaker notes in no time! Keeping a physical copy on hand is always good whether presenting to the group or even as your own record of hard work.
So the next time you prepare for an excellent presentation, refer to that guide. And of course, you would not want to miss some nugget of gold from other sites, our blog on Google Slides, and tips page, for instance, to further level up your presentation skills!
