make a powerpoint photo slideshow

Create a photo slideshow in PowerPoint

Bryan Jones

Bryan Jones

I recently created a photo slideshow (using PowerPoint) of my dad’s life-sized chess set sculpture that’s at Facebook (Go Dad!).

I found that PowerPoint was a surprisingly powerful slideshow creation tool.

And once I learned the basics, I was able to create my next slideshow in under 1 minute!

Below is what I learned, as well as some bonus lessons such as adding music, creating a custom title slide, saving the slideshow as YouTube video, and more.

Let’s go ahead and get started!

Video Tutorial

Here is a video that shows the entire process:

And if you want to watch the published version of the slideshow, you can watch it here:

Sculptures are by my dad,  Hardy Jones , and sculpture photos in the source files are courtesy of my good friend Erin Bibeau .

Screenshot and Text Tutorial

The screenshot version of the lessons are below and are organized into these sections:

Create a PowerPoint Slideshow in Under 1 Minute

To watch this section as a YouTube video, click here .

0. Start with a new presentation open in MS Powerpoint.

Note: I’m working in PowerPoint 2016, but the steps are similar for 2013 and 2011.

1. Insert a photo album to your presentation

Go to “insert” → “photo album” → “new photo album”., click on “file disk”., select the photos from your computer.

Note: You can hold down Ctrl while clicking several photos to select them individually

Click “Insert”

Click “create”, 2. add transitions to your slideshow.

Next you want to add transitions to your new photo album.

Click the first slide, then hold Shift while clicking the last slide to select the whole range of slides.

Go to “transitions” → click on the arrow to open up more choices., click on “random”., 3.  set the slides to advance automatically, from the “transitions” tab, check the “advance slide” “after” box., set it to 2 seconds (or whatever you want)., 4.  set the slideshow to loop continuously, go to “slide show” → “set up show”., turn on “loop continuously until ‘esc’”, then click “ok”., 5.  that’s it boom done in under 1 minute.

You’ve created a photo slideshow in PowerPoint in under 1 minute!

You can preview your slideshow with the preview button.

Advanced PowerPoint photo slideshow tips

The lesson above shows you how easy it is to create a photo slideshow in PowerPoint in under a minute.

But if you want to take it to the next level, you should continue reading below.

Advanced Tip 1: Create Custom Title Slide

The default title slide for a slideshow in PowerPoint is just a black slide with a text box.

I’d rather delete it than use the default view.

Or better yet, why not use an image from the slideshow with a text overlay? That’s what I’ll show you how to do below!

To watch this part of the lesson as a YouTube video, click here .

0. Start with the slideshow you created previously.

1. copy and paste a the template slide.

Note: You can download our free template here

The click the slide and using Ctrl + C to copy.

Then go to your own slide show, click on where you want to insert it, and hit Ctrl + V.

2.  Click on the new slide to select it and customize it.

You can change the text as you please.

You can also change the image by right-clicking on the image → “Change Picture”.

Click on “Work offline”.

Then select a photo and click “Open”.

Click on the eye icons next to “text” in the “Selection” pane to hide the text.

Click on the box to select it → right-click → “Format Shape”.

Adjust the transparency depending on how bright or dark your background photo is.

Click on the eye icons for “text” again to show the text and see the effect.

Advanced Tip 2: Add Music

0. start with the slideshow you created in ms powerpoint., 1. insert the music.

Go to “Insert” → “Audio” → “Audio on My PC”.

Select a music file and click “Insert”.

2. Adjust the playback settings

Go to “Playback” → select “Automatically” for “Start” so that the music plays on its own.

Check the box for “Play Across Slides”.

To hide the audio icon on the slide during the show, click on it to select it, then go to “Playback” → “Hide During Show”.

You can loop the music if you want by checking the box for “Loop until Stopped”.  This is optional.

3. Preview what it sounds like by clicking the preview button.

Advanced tip 3: transitions.

To watch the part of the tutorial as a YouTube video, click here.

0. Start with the slide show you created in MS Powerpoint.

1. select a slide to control the transition to  it (from the slide before it)..

Go to “Transitions” → click the arrow for more choices.

Click on the transition style you want (this also previews them so you can see what they look like).

Advanced Tip 4: Image Quality

To watch this part of the tutorial as a YouTube video, click here.

1. Turn off the compression of images

Go to “File” →  “Options”.

Then click on the “Advanced” tab and check the box for “Do not compress images in file”.  (Directly beneath it, leave the “Default resolution” at “High fidelity” for good quality.)  Turning off image compression helps a lot with zoom transitions of photos and when you enlarge photos, so that they don’t look pixelated.

Advanced Tip 5: Scaling Images

To watch this part of the tutorial as a YouTube video, click here .

Scaling photos will allow you to get rid of the empty spaces to the sides, like in the photo beneath.

1. Increase the size of the image to fill the workspace

Drag the image to the left (hold down left click on it) and align its left side with the edge.

Note: You may want to zoom out a little to make the next step easier.

Hold down shift and drag the lower right corner to resize it until it completely covers the empty space on the right.  (Holding down shift keeps the image in proportion when resizing it.)

Click on the image and drag it up a bit to position it as you like.

Note: I like to use the thumbnails on the left pane to see what the positioning looks like.

If you’re a perfectionist, you can optionally also crop the overhanging part of the image if you wish by going to “Format” → “Crop”.  It’s not really necessary, though.

2. Consider adding multiple photos for portrait oriented images

The image scaling method above is best suited to landscape pictures.  If you have a portrait picture, you might wish to try using 2 or more pictures instead to cover up the empty spaces.

Advanced Tip 6: Add “Ken Burns” Pan Zoom Effect

A “Ken Burns” effect is adding some motion to the photos in a storytelling slide show.  It’s an in-slide effect, unlike a transition.  In this example, the slide starts zoomed in, then zooms out.

1. Create both a “grow/shrink” and a motion path effect to the image

Go to “Animations” → “Animation Pane”

In the Animation Pane, there are 2 things that need to be set up:  a grow-shrink animation and a motion path.  You then start them at the same time so they both move and grow. (See video linked in show notes on how to do this in detail as this takes some tweaking.)

The image will actually need to be much larger than the viewable area.

To compare the image size to viewable area, go to the Selection Pane and click the eye icon for the picture.  This hides it.

You can now see the viewable area, which is quite small in comparison.

Advanced Tip 7: Add Scrolling Credits

Scrolling credits are the credits you list at the end of the video, auto-scrolling up.

1. Add a background color and a text box

Draw a black rectangle (or any color you wish) using the “Insert”->”Shape”->”Rectangle”

Create a text box with a contrasting color and insert your credits using “Insert”-> “Shape” -> “Textbox”

Move the text box below the entire slide

3. Add a line motion path animation to the text box

Note: Powerpoint actually has its own functionality for setting up credits, but it tends to stop in the middle if the credits are long.  So it’s more reliable just using a the line motion path described below.

Click on the text box to select it.  Then go to “Animations” → click on the arrow to expand the selection of animations.

Select “Lines” under “Motion Paths”.

3. Adjust the animation settings

The line will appear as a small vertical line with a green dot (where it starts) and red dot (where it ends).

You want it to travel up off the screen (scrolling up), so click on the red dot and drag it up above the slide.

Set the duration by going to “Animations” → “Duration”.  The duration will depend on how long your credits are.

Remove the “smooth start” and “smooth end” by going to “Animations” → “Animation Pane”.

In the Animation Pane, click on the arrow for the text box → “Effect Options”.

Set “Smooth start” and “Smooth end” to 0 seconds.  Click OK.

Advanced Tip 8: Save Slideshow As Video

One of the hidden features of PowerPoint is that you can save it out as a video. In my case, I wanted to save it as a video and upload it to YouTube. But you can also use it for other purposes as well.

1. Save your Powerpoint slideshow as a video

Go to “File” → “Save As” → “Browse”.

Under “Save as type”, change it from the default “PowerPoint Presentation” to “MPEG-4 Video”.  (MP4 is a video format that’s compatible with Youtube.)  Click “Save”.

You can track the progress for video conversion at the bottom.  It usually takes a few minutes, but can take longer depending on the length of your video and the speed of your computer.

Once your video is complete, navigate back to the folder where you saved it.

Bonus Templates and Files

If you’ve made it this far, you’re a rockstar and you deserve something special. 🙂

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

Get 3 free slideshow templates:

Get your free download.

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How to Make a Photo Slideshow on PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a powerful tool for presentations, but also for Photo Slideshows. Think of it like the live-still photo frames in Harry Potter . Indeed, they used PowerPoint as the software for that mystical moving frame.

This tutorial will walk you through How to Make A Photo Slideshow .

Go to the tools ribbon and click Insert . From the options under Insert, select Photo Album . Once clicked, a pop-up window will open, displaying all the settings for adjusting your Photo Album.

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

To insert our pictures, click on the button in the upper left corner labeled File/Disk . Select the photos you want to use from your computer. Once selected, the photos will all be displayed on this box labeled Pictures in Album. 

The pictures are all numbered according to the order they are placed in the presentation. They also have boxes placed before them which you can select to adjust using specific settings, such as moving up or down, rotating the image, and changing its brightness and saturation. 

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

For example, I want to move image number two to the first slide. I tick the box and click on the up button. If I want to rotate the image, I can easily use these rotate buttons on the side, and if I want to change the brightness, I also have some tools here for that. Under Album Layout , there are three tools you can use to adjust your slides and images. It has this Picture Layout option, allowing us to place more than one image on a slide as we see fit. 

For example, if I want two images on each slide, I click on this button next to Picture Layout, which will give us a drop-down of options. From there, select the one that says two pictures, and it will automatically arrange the album to have two photos on each slide.

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

Under Picture, Layout is an option to change the Frame Shape . Clicking on the small V-shaped button shows us a drop-down of the frame options you can choose to reshape your images. I chose a rounded rectangle for this presentation.

We also have the option to select the theme for our slides. Once clicked, it will open a window showing a folder with all the themes we can use. For simplicity’s sake, we will use the default one.

For our final presentation, I wanted our slides to only have one picture on each slide, so I went back to Picture Layout and selected 1 Picture . Now that it’s back to this format give each image a caption below. 

Go to Picture Options and click on the box that says Captions Below All Pictures . The images will be captioned with their default image names, but you can edit them once you have created the Photo Album.

Other options on this window include Insert text, with a button labeled New Text Box . It adds a textbox with a box you can check on to move up and down the order of slides and other adjustments. 

We also have this box that says All Pictures Black and White , which, as its name suggests, will turn all the pictures black and white. 

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

Now that I have adjusted my Picture Album, let’s click on create, and voila!

First, we are greeted by our initial slide, which has a default title of Photo Album and a subtitle that cites the author, which by default is the name of your computer. 

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

We can easily edit this by clicking on the text box and typing in the title and name of your choice.

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

Now for the image slides, a text box displaying their default names is found beneath each picture. You can also easily change these by clicking on the text box and editing the name to your liking. 

If you are not satisfied with the format of your slides, you can go back to the Insert tab and click Photo Album, where you can choose the Edit Photo Album button to reopen the pop-up window and readjust your presentation. Once satisfied, click Update,  and you’re all set.

Now that you have the basics of your Photo Album, you can add some animations, transitions, and other cosmetics to make your presentation awesome. 

I made this Photo Album as simple as possible to show you the basics. Now it’s time to check out what our Photo Album looks like as a slide show presentation.

This is how the presentation would look if we chose the two pictures in one slide option under Picture Layout.

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

For more spectacular tips on utilizing PowerPoint, follow us on YouTube or read about How to Use Slide Master and How to Add Pop-Up Text to your presentations.

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How to Create a Photo Slideshow with PowerPoint

Last Updated: February 6, 2023 References

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 57 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 909,175 times. Learn more...

With so many fun and accessible ways to take photos, there is no wonder why everyone is so photo-happy these days. As easy as it may be to stock up on photos, it can be a challenge to keep them organized. One great way to keep your photos in a convenient place, that is easy to access when you want to reminisce on special memories, is by uploading them into PowerPoint. By doing this, you can create a slideshow that is a fun-filled way to back up the memories in your life.

Creating Photo Slideshows for PC Computers

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Creating Photo Slideshows for Mac Computers

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make a powerpoint photo slideshow

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How to Make a Slideshow on PowerPoint

Whether for work or private, use slideshows to get your message across

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

In This Article

Jump to a Section

Before You Begin

When you're ready to present your PowerPoint slides to others, look no further than PowerPoint's slideshow feature. Use this tool for all kinds of slides, but those containing photos work best for most viewers.

Instructions in this article apply to PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 , PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, PowerPoint 2010, and PowerPoint for Mac.

Before you create slides for your slideshow presentation, decide how long to make the slideshow, how it should flow, and the pictures you’ll use.

With PowerPoint's Photo Album , select the pictures and PowerPoint creates the basic slideshow. Fill your slides with informative text and harmonizing background music, then turn your collection of slides into a self-running photo slideshow with music that can play as a video or be stored on a CD.

When you’re ready to make a photo slideshow with music, PowerPoint gets you up and running quickly. To get started, select Insert > Photo Album > New Photo Album .

Here’s how to add and format pictures for the slideshow using the Photo Album:

Add pictures

Select File/Disk and select the images you want in the picture slideshow.

Enhance photos

Place a checkmark next to the picture you want to enhance and change the orientation, contrast, and brightness. You’ll see the changes in the Preview window.

Add text boxes

To add a slide for text, select the image in the album list you want the text to follow and select New Text Box .

Rearrange slides

 Place a checkmark next to the picture you want to move and select the Move Up or Move Down arrows.

Choose a picture layout

 Select the Picture layout down arrow and choose how you want the pictures to appear in the slideshow.

Frame the pictures

 Select the Frame shape down arrow and choose a frame style. You’ll see a preview in the Album Layout area. This option will not be selectable if the picture layout Fit to slide is enabled.

Select Create when you’re finished.

Your photo slideshow is created in a new file. Add text to the slides and change the look of each slide.

How to Play Music During the Slideshow

Play music in the background during your slideshow to offer an audio counterpoint to all the visuals. The background music starts automatically with the slideshow and plays during all the slides.

To add background music to your presentation, select Insert > Audio > Audio on My PC , choose a music file, then select OK .

The audio icon appears in the middle of the current slide. To move it, drag it to a different place on the slide. When the audio icon is selected, the Playback tab appears. Select Play in Background and make changes to the audio file . Here are some suggestions.

How to Set up the Slideshow

Once your slides are finished, it’s time to set up the slideshow. Start by deciding whether to show the slideshow in a window or full screen.

To set up the slideshow, select Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show and choose one of the following:

Select OK when you’re finished.

How to Add Timings to Each Slide in the Slideshow

Now it’s time to decide how long each slide will appear in the slideshow. To begin, select Slide Show > Rehearse Timings . The slideshow displays in full screen with a Recording toolbar and a timer.

While timing your presentation, use the Recording toolbar to advance through the presentation.

Select Next (arrow pointing to the right) to go to the next slide when the desired timing has been reached.

Select Pause to start and stop the timing.

Select Repeat to restart recording the time for the selected slide.

When you’re finished and have set the time for the last slide, close the Recording toolbar.

Select Yes to keep the recorded slide timings.

How to Edit Timings on a Slide

If you need to increase or decrease the time for your slideshow, change how long slides appear during the slideshow.

To change the timing for a slide:

Select View > Slide Sorter .

Select Transitions .

Select a slide.

In the Advance Slide After text box, enter how long the slide should appear in the slideshow before proceeding to the next slide, then press Enter .

The new timing applies to the slide.

How to Create a PowerPoint Video Slideshow

The easiest way to distribute and play your slideshow is in video format. This way, anyone can view your slideshow no matter what computer or device they use.

To convert a slideshow into a video:

Save the file.

Select File > Export .

Select Create a Video .

To force a smaller file size, select the Full HD drop-down list and choose a lower quality.

Select Create Video .

Select the destination folder and give the video a descriptive file name.

Select Save . It may take a few minutes to process the file and create the video.

How to Save a Slideshow to a CD or Other Removeable Media

To create a presentation that can be watched on any computer and can be stored on a CD or other removable media:

Select Package Presentation for CD > Package for CD .

Type a name for the CD.

Select Copy to Folder or Copy to CD and follow the on-screen directions.

When you’re finished, select Close .

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How to make a great photo slideshow

A picture tells a thousand words, so show off your pictures with a photo slideshow and tell your story.

How to make a great photo slideshow

A photo slideshow is one of the best ways to show off your pictures, whether it's your latest snaps from a holiday abroad, memories of your little ones growing up, or even your big day of wedding celebrations. It might seem daunting trying to create a photo gallery on your home computer, but have no fear because you can easily create a wonderful photo gallery with Microsoft PowerPoint.

Of course if you want to make something even fancier and add effects to your images, or edit them then you should check out the best photo slideshow software (opens in new tab) . And if you don't want to deal with the hassle of creating it yourself, or you'd prefer a physical photo album then you can turn to the best photo books (opens in new tab) .

Getting started

PowerPoint comes with an inbuilt slideshow creator called photo album, which saves a lot of time and effort in putting a slideshow together. With this feature, you don't need to keep inserting pictures into individual slides. This can be a lot of work, especially if you have lots of pictures you want to include in the album.

Below is a simple step-by-step guide you can follow to create your own slideshow. But, before you start, you want to move all of the photos you plan to use into one folder. This will shave off a lot of time and make your work much easier.

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint

Open Microsoft PowerPoint and create a new presentation. Click the Insert button and choose Photo Album. The dropdown menu that appears has two options: "New Photo Album" and "Edit Photo Album." Unless you want to edit an existing slideshow, click  "New Photo Album."

2. A dialogue box will pop up

Click the "File/Disk" button. This should open Windows Explorer, allowing you to navigate to the folder you will be choosing your pictures from.

3. Insert your pictures

Hopefully, you already have a folder containing all the needed pictures. If not, simply create a folder on your computer and copy all your photos into it. Navigate to this folder and start selecting specific pictures. You can hold down the "Ctrl" key on your keyboard and click to select pictures that are not contiguous (i.e., separated). Hold down the "Shift" key to quickly select pictures in a continuous line. If you need all the pictures in a folder, simply press "Ctrl+A."

Once you have all the pictures ready, click "Insert" to go back to the dialogue box. A list form shows all the selected photos. A small box on the right shows you a preview of the picture you have selected.

4. Removing unwanted images (Optional)

Use the arrows shown to cycle a selected picture either up and down. Click "Remove" to get rid of a selected picture.

5. Editing your picture gallery

Near the bottom of the dialogue box, there are a few options you can choose to modify your photo slideshow. Picture Layout allows you to choose what number of pictures show in a single slide and what shape the picture frame will be. You can also leave these options in their default mode.

6. Save your picture gallery

Click "Create" if you are satisfied with the pictures you've selected. This generates a presentation. You can then click on the slideshow tab to preview your photo slideshow.

All that remains now is to save the presentation and share it. You can also save and send it via email within PowerPoint. However, before you send it, see if you can make a few more improvements to your slideshow. Specifically, the theme. Click on the design tab and pick out a theme that pleases you and goes well with your photos.

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make a powerpoint photo slideshow

How to Create PowerPoint Photo Slideshow on Mac and Windows PC

make a powerpoint photo slideshow

If you want to preserve and cherish precious moments from your wedding, birthday celebration, Christmas party and other pastime activities, you need to have a program that can transform your pictures into a fantastic slideshow. Microsoft PowerPoint software lets you make slideshows from photos and access them anytime you want to reminisce on your special moments.

The program comes with an inbuilt slideshow creator known as "photo album." It can save you a lot of time and effort when you decide to make PowerPoint photo slideshows since you don’t have to insert pictures into individual slides. In this article, we show you how to create PowerPoint picture slideshows in no time, as well as how to use the best photo slideshow maker.

The Best Tool to Create Picture Slideshow - Filmora Video Editor

Filmora Video Editor is a perfect slideshow maker that can help you transform not only pictures but also videos and audio recordings into an excellent, mind-blowing, slideshow with music. The Hollywood-like slideshows can then be easily shared on Mac, YouTube, Facebook, TV and Apple devices.

The program offers limitless options for creating customized slideshows. You’ll be able to utilize different types of clip art, add texts to pictures, adjust brightness, crop photos, add intro & credit, use filter & effect function, play an intro in your videos and audios, etc. You’ll also have the freedom to use colorful & rich templates to make your slideshow look awesome.

Key features:

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Create Picture Slideshow With Filmora Video Editor

Step 1.  launch the software.

Download and install the program. Once the installation is process is completed, run the program by double-clicking its icon. You’ll then see the main interface which looks like the image below.

launch iskysoft slideshow maker for mac

Step 2. Import photos

The program uses an excellent “Media Browser” that can be turned on or off by clicking its icon. It allows you to import media files to your project with ease. After adding media files to the storyboard, arrange them by dragging and dropping specific slides. If you would like to remove a media file, just drag it out of the program, and it will be deleted.

Step 3. Change Styles

When videos/photos are imported to the project, random themes/styles are automatically applied. These can either be kept or changed at any time. If you would like change the existing style, mouse over a style and select the setting icon that appears. You can then add a new style to your photo/video slide by dragging and dropping a desired style in order to replace the existing one.

set slideshow styles

Step 4. Edit Pictures

Simply right-click a picture to access the edition dialogue or click the “Edit” button after selecting an item for similar options. The photo editing window has three panels, “Caption,” “Crop,” and “Filter.”

i. Add Captions: Select a caption template and note that you can preview it even before you start editing the texts. The caption you added on your screen will then turn to animated immediately. Enter the editing mode by clicking the texts.

ii. Crop Photos: Select your desired aspect ratio and then adjust it on the preview window. Click “Apply” to confirm the adjusted ratio, or go back to the main window by selecting the “Return” option.

iii. Apply Effects: Choose from over 15 filter effects and enhance your pictures instantly.

edit slideshow

Step 5. Add Music to Picture Slideshow

When you add music, several buttons will appear on the audio bar. Click the “Play” button to preview your music or select the scissors to cut your desired portion. You can also add voiceovers to the picture slideshow by clicking the “Voiceover” button located under the preview window.

edit slideshow

Step 6. Preview the Share Your Picture Slideshow

Check the photo slideshow from start to end, and if it makes you happy, go to the “Share” menu located at the top of the program interface, then select how you want to share it with others. Alternatively, you can click the “Share” button located in the middle left-hand side to access the “share options.”

You are free to upload your picture slideshow to YouTube and Facebook, export to iTunes library for easy management, watch the slideshow on iPhone, iPod, Apple TV or iPad or burn it to DVD with the help of the built-in DVD burning tool, iDVD or DVD Creator for Mac.

How to Create Picture Slideshow in PowerPoint for Windows

Open Microsoft PowerPoint, select the “Insert” button and then choose “Photo Album.” Open the Photo Album settings menu by clicking the “New Photo Album” from the drop down options.

create powerpoint for windows 01

In the new window, select the “File/Disk” button located just above the “Insert Text” option. Windows Explorer will be opened, enabling you to navigate to the specific folder from where you can choose the pictures to use in the slideshow. You can choose multiple images simultaneously by holding the “Ctrl” key as you select them with your mouse.

create powerpoint for windows 02

After selecting all photos, they will be listed in the “Pictures in album” box. You are free to rearrange them, adjust their brightness or contrast values, rotate and preview them.

create powerpoint for windows 03

The options at the bottom of the window, under the “Album Layout” lets you choose the total number of photos to have on each slide as well as select a frame/border to decorate each of them. You can also select a theme for your picture slideshow from here, but you can’t preview the results.

create powerpoint for windows 05

The “Picture Options” lets you set all your photos to black and white, and then insert a caption below them. Note that this caption is just a file name, and if you want to customize it, you’ll have to edit each one of them manually.

create powerpoint for windows 04

Save the PowerPoint picture slideshow to your hard drive and share it by email. You can also use the built-in “Save & Send” feature to automatically save and share the PowerPoint photo slideshow to the associated email address.

create powerpoint for windows 05

When done configuring the "Photo Album" options, select the “Create” button and then PowerPoint will create a presentation with all your “selected pictures.” Choose a theme for your slideshow by clicking the “Design” tab and selecting one from the drop-down menu.

create powerpoint for windows 05

How to Create Picture Slideshow in PowerPoint for Mac

Search for the Automator using “Spotlight.”

create powerpoint for mac 01

Select File +New + Application.

create powerpoint for mac 02

Type “ask for finder items” in the search window and then drag it to the workflow stage.

create powerpoint for mac 03

The next window will appear like the one shown below. Check the “Allow multiple selections” option.

create powerpoint for mac 05

Clear search window and on the left, click the “Presentation” option and then select “Create PowerPoint slideshow.” Drag the item to the stage.

create powerpoint for mac 04

Go to File and then save Automator file to the desktop.

create powerpoint for mac 05

Open the Automator file.

create powerpoint for mac 05

Locate the pictures you want to import into PowerPoint. For a shortcut, you can use the “Command + A” keys to select all.

create powerpoint for mac 05

Your PowerPoint picture slideshow will then be generated automatically.

create powerpoint for mac 05

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Create and share a photo album

A PowerPoint photo album is a presentation that you can create to display your personal or business photographs. You can either download PowerPoint Photo Album Templates from Office.com, or you can create your own.

A PowerPoint photo album is a presentation that you can create to display your personal or business photographs. If you want to create your photo album from a pre-made template, you can search for one in the search box labeled Search for online templates and themes and choose whichever one you like.

Sample photo album

Figure: Sample photo album with 4 photos on a slide

Start creating your photo album by adding pictures

Go to Insert and click the arrow under Photo Album , then New Photo Album .

In the Photo Album dialog box, under Insert picture from , click File/Disk .

In the Insert New Pictures dialog box, locate and click the folder that contains the picture that you want to insert, and then click Insert .

If you want to change the order in which the pictures are displayed, under Pictures in album , click the file name of the picture that you want to move, and then use the arrow buttons to move it up or down in the list.

In the Photo Album dialog box, click Create .

More things you can do with photo albums

Select a heading below to open it and see the detailed instructions.

Add captions to pictures

When you add captions, you type text that describes each picture in your photo album.

Open the photo album presentation.

On the Insert tab, in the Images group ( Illustrations in PowerPoint 2007), click the arrow under Photo Album , and then click Edit Photo Album .

Under Picture Options , select the Captions below ALL pictures check box.

If the Captions below ALL pictures check box is grayed out or unavailable, you must first specify a layout for the pictures in the photo album.

To specify a layout for your pictures, under Album Layout , in the Picture layout list, select the layout that you want.

Add a caption to a picture

Click Update .

By default, PowerPoint uses the picture file name as a placeholder for the caption text.

In Normal view, click the caption text placeholder, and then type a caption that describes the picture.

Change the look of a picture

On the Insert tab, in the Images group, click the arrow under Photo Album , and then click Edit Photo Album .

In the Edit Photo Album dialog box, do one or more of the following:

To display all the pictures in your photo album in black and white, under Picture Options , select the ALL pictures black and white check box.

To change the layout of your pictures, under Album Layout , in the Picture layout list, select the layout that you want.

To frame your pictures, under Album Layout , in the Frame shape list, select a frame shape that looks good with all of the pictures in your photo album.

To select a theme for your photo album, under Album Layout , next to Theme , click Browse , and then in the Choose Theme dialog box, locate the theme that you want to use.

To rotate, increase or decrease the brightness, or increase or decrease the contrast of a picture, in the Pictures in album list, click the picture that you want, and then do the following:

Share your photo album with others

There are a few different ways you can share your photo album with others.

Turn your presentation into a video

Email your presentation to others

Remove a picture from a photo album

Click Insert > Photo Album > Edit Photo Album .

Remove a picture from a photo album

Under Pictures in album , select the picture, and then click Remove .

When creating your photo album in PowerPoint, you can add effects that include attention-getting slide transitions, colorful backgrounds and themes, specific layouts, and more to your photo albums.

After you have added the pictures to your album, you can add captions, adjust the order and layout, add frames around the pictures, and even apply a theme to further customize the look of your album.

PowerPoint pre-built photo album template

Figure: PowerPoint pre-built photo album template

If you don't want to create your own photo album, you can find free, pre-made photo album templates on Office Online .

Add a picture from a file or disk

On the Insert tab, in the Images group, click the arrow under Photo Album , and then click New Photo Album .

In the Insert New Pictures dialog box, locate the folder that contains the picture that you want to insert, and then click Insert .

Add a caption

Change the appearance of a picture.

Open the photo album presentation containing the picture that you want to change.

To learn more about using themes, see Apply a theme to add color and style to your presentation .

To add a text box (which provides spacing between your photo album pictures), under Pictures in album , click the picture that you want to add a text box, and then click New Text Box .

To rotate, increase or decrease the brightness, or increase or decrease the contrast of a picture, in the Pictures in album list, click the picture that you want to rotate, and then do the following:

Share your album with others

Package a presentation for CD or USB flash drive

Create a self-running presentation

Send it as an attachment in email

Print your slides

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make a powerpoint photo slideshow

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How to Add a Slideshow in PowerPoint

Liza Brown

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

A slideshow view fills the entire computer screen, much like a real slide show. The presentation is exhibited in full-screen mode, as the audience will see it. Graphics, timings, videos, animated elements, and transition effects get displayed in the same way they appear on stage. PowerPoint is an excellent tool for preparing presentations on the fly, whether for a seminar, classroom, lecture hall, conference, or even a contract pitch. With PowerPoint software, you can never go wrong. We'll show you how to do a slideshow presentation in this post, even if you're a complete novice who has never used it before.

In this article

Part 1 how to add slideshow in powerpoint.

Below are the steps on how to prepare a slideshow in PowerPoint

Step 1: Open New

Click on open new presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Open New

Step 2: Add Photo

Add a new photo album to your presentation.

Add photo

Step 3: Add Transition

Customize your presentation by adding transitions and effects to your slideshow.

Add Transition

Step 4: Advanced Settings

Set the slides to advance automatically.

Advance Settings

Step 5: Set Slideshow Loop

To make the slideshow loop continuously, go to the " set up" group on the "slide show" tap and check the box next to "Loop continuously until Esc ."Then click OK. The slide will start from the beginning after displaying the last slide.

Set Slideshow loop

Now, your slideshow has been created and is ready for viewing.

Part 2 How to Prepare Slideshows in PowerPoint.

Learning  how to do a slideshow in PowerPoint  is a relatively simple process that anyone can accomplish. 

Ready to make a   slideshow? Let us get you started.

Step 1: Create New Presentation

● Go to your browser and click on the PowerPoint icon.

● When PowerPoint opens, go to the upper left-hand corner and choose "File," then "New," listed under "File."

● Choose "New Presentation" from the drop-down menu, which will create a new slide show for you to begin uploading photos to.

Create New Presentation

Step 2: Save PowerPoint

Go to the top right-hand side of the presentation screen and click on the flash drive icon. After that, you'll be able to name your presentation and pick where to save it.

Remember to save your presentation after something that will remind you of the images in the File. This act will make it easier for you to find them later.

Save PowerPoint

Step 3: Name the Page

Consider a title and type it in the box. Your title page can include a name, date, or image.

Choose an image-friendly arrangement, such as a slide with a title box and an image box, a slide with only an image box, or even a blank slide.

Name the Page

Step 4: Add Slides

You can choose from a variety of slide layouts and visuals. You can select "New Slide" from either "Home" or "Insert." You may also right-click any slide in the left-hand panel and select "New Slide." [1]

Add Slides

Step 5: Import Images

You have the option add one or multiple pictures to each slide. It's all up to you. Double-click inside the picture box (or select Insert > Picture > From File from the Insert menu) and click OK.

Import Images

Step 6: Rearrange the Photo

You will find it easier to decide the optimum order for the slides if you use the slide sorter.

Bear the bottom of the image pane, and look for the "Slide Sorter" button. Then, using your mouse, drag the slides to their preferred locations.

Rearrange photo

Step 7: Add Transitions

Transitions are essential for tying the presentation together and allowing it to flow smoothly from one image to the next. Go to the "Transitions" tab at the top of the bar and experiment with the various possibilities.

Add Transition

Step 8: Add a Background. 

If the white space around the edges of your photographs bothers you, right-click on any slide, choose "Format Background," and then adjust the background fill. You may change the hue, direction, and transparency of a solid fill, a gradient fill, etc. To make your slides look more professional,

Add Background

Step 9: Save your PowerPoint

Before exiting, save your show once you've finished adding photos and graphics. If you named and saved your presentation at the start, all you have to do now is click the flash drive icon in the upper left corner.

Save PowerPoint

Now your Powerpoint is ready to be displayed, and you can also view your slideshow automatically. Read the next part for details.

Part 3 How to Play Slideshow in PowerPoint Automatically

Before you can play a slideshow automatically , you have to make sure to save the presentation.

This is  how to play a slideshow automatically in PowerPoint.  Follow these simple steps, and your slideshow will auto-play when you double-click it.

Step 1: Save File and Visit More Option

After creating your slideshow, select file," save as," or "save as a copy." Click on More options.

Step 2: Save in Desired Folder

Reach the folder where you want to save your presentation.

Step 3: Name your Presentation

Type a name for your presentation in the file name box

Step 4: Select Format

Select PowerPoint slideshow under the Save as type. This indicates what format you want to save your presentation as.

Save the File as a .ppsx file. After saving, double click the File, and it will open up as a slideshow.

Select Format

Now, you can automatically play your slideshow on PowerPoint.

Part 4 How to Add Sound to a PowerPoint Slideshow

Sounds make your PowerPoint presentation more lively. Sound helps to widen your audience's attention span. If you want your presentation to have sound:

Open your presentation and click the slide to which you want to add a sound. Then, visit the Insert tab, click on the Media group, and select the arrow under Audio.

Now, from the list displayed, click Audio from File. Locate the Audio you want to use and then select the audio clip you want.

Finally, click Insert.

Your audio icon and controls will appear on the slide.

Add Sound

Part 5 How to View Slide Show in PowerPoint

Viewing an already created slideshow in PowerPoint is easy. Following these steps below, you will be able to do it without stress.

Step 1: Open your PowerPoint presentation.

Open and go to the bottom of the PowerPoint window and click on the view slideshow command.

Step 2: Visit the More Options Tab

Navigate to the slideshow tab on the ribbon to access even more options.

Step 3: Start your Presentation

You can start the presentation from here and view the current slide.

How to View Slideshow

Thus, that is how you can video slideshow in Microsoft PowerPoint

Now, we will move on to adding sound to your Slideshow to make it more attractive.

Part 6 How to Add Audio to a Slideshow

You can add audio, music, narration, and soundbites to your PowerPoint presentation. But to record and hear any audio, the computer you are using must have a sound card, microphone, and speakers.

To add audio from your computer:

Step 1: Select insert

Select audio on your computer.

Select Insert

Step 2: Select Desired Audio

An insert audio dialog box will pop up. Select the desired audio file and click insert.

Select Desired Audio

To record audio

Step 1: Select Record Audio

Select insert>Audio> record audio

Select Record Audio

Step 2: Name Audio

Type in the name you want your audio file to be saved as.

Name Audio

Step 3: Start Recording

Select the record and start speaking.

Start Recording

Step 4: Review Recordings

Select a stop and then play to listen to and review your recording.

Review Recordings

If you arent satisfied, you can select a record to re-record your audio or click OK if you are satisfied.

To place the audio at your desired location in the slide, select and drag the audio icon to where you want it. If you're going to use numerous audio per slide, it is better to put the voice icon in the same place on the slide to be easily discoverable.

Note that you must enable a microphone on your device to start recording audio.

● Bonus Tip with Wondershare Filmora Video Editor

Filmora

If you are looking to present your message to a large audience using slideshows, Filmora software has covered you. Whether you're a professional at making slideshows or a beginner who wants to try it out for the first time, it has an easy-to-use interface. 

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

For macOS 10.12 or later

● Filmora software also creates photo and video slideshows and can add music, texts, filters, different transition effects, and even animation to your slideshow. 

● Many tools can help you create these kinds of videos, and Filmora is one of the best in them with its latest upgrade. 

● Its ready-to-use templates and unique features, like split-screen, freeze-frame, etc., make it one of the best slideshow makers. 

● The Filmora software has the flexibility to suit whatever kind of slideshow you want to make, whether it is a photo slideshow or video slideshow.

● Ending Thoughts →

● Many people use PowerPoint cause of its simplicity, flexible function, easy sharing and conversion, reliability, and vast template library. So, after going through this, you would know  how to add slides in PowerPoint  and many more. 

● Thus, we believe creating a slideshow in PowerPoint is now a bit easier with this guide to walk you through it. 

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COMMENTS

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    Learn how to easily and quickly create a photo slideshow in PowerPoint. #powerpoint #learnpowerpoint ***Consider supporting Technology for

  2. How to make PowerPoint Photo Slideshow

    Learn how to create a photo slideshow in Microsoft PowerPoint in this tutorial video. See step-by-step how to import photos, how to make

  3. Create a photo slideshow in PowerPoint

    Create slideshow in under 1 minute · Create a custom title slide · Add music · Set slide transitions · Improve image quality · Scale images to the edge of the slides

  4. How to Make a Photo Slideshow on PowerPoint

    Go to the tools ribbon and click Insert. From the options under Insert, select Photo Album. Once clicked, a pop-up window will open, displaying

  5. How to Create a Photo Slideshow with PowerPoint

    To do this, click on the PowerPoint icon on your browser. When PowerPoint opens, click on "File" near the top, left-hand corner and then click on "New" listed

  6. How to Make a Slideshow on PowerPoint

    Add pictures. Select File/Disk and select the images you want in the picture slideshow. · Enhance photos · Add text boxes · Rearrange slides.

  7. How to make a great photo slideshow

    Open Microsoft PowerPoint and create a new presentation. Click the Insert button and choose Photo Album. The dropdown menu that appears has two

  8. How to Create PowerPoint Photo Slideshow on Mac and Windows PC

    The Best Tool to Create Picture Slideshow - Filmora Video Editor · Step 1. Launch the Software · Step 2. Import photos · Step 3. Change Styles.

  9. Create and share a photo album

    A PowerPoint photo album is a presentation that you can create to display your personal or business photographs. If you want to create your photo album from

  10. How to Add Slideshow in PowerPoint

    Click on open new presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint. ... Add a new photo album to your presentation. ... Customize your presentation by adding transitions and