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8 Things I’ve Learned Using an iPad for Presentations

I love using my iPad for travel to conferences, and not just because it’s so lightweight and its battery lasts all day. For one thing, with the LTE version I’m not beholden to conference Wi-Fi; while some conferences have good connectivity, I never want to count on it. With the iPad I can nearly always get online.

But the iPad isn’t convenient only for attending conferences. It’s a good tool for presentations, too-or at least an excellent backup for a dedicated computer. I can easily be ready to present if I have a last-minute computer replacement.

Still, I had some things to learn the hard way about using an iPad for presentations. Perhaps I can save you a few steps.

The Basics of Getting Started

Learn the differences between “desktop” keynote and the ipad version.

While I present nearly exclusively from an iPad, I usually build my initial presentation on a Mac. I build all of my presentations in Keynote, and store them in iCloud. I can (and do) make tweaks to a presentation on-site via the iPad version of Keynote, but it always feels as though I’m slightly fighting with the software.

Keynote supports a customizable presenter display in both versions. On the Mac desktop version, you can pick three ways to give yourself that during-the-talk cheat sheet, instructing it to show you the current slide, next slide, and presenter notes. On the iPad, the presenter display options only give you a “two out of three” option, between current slide, next slide, and presenter notes. I begrudgingly pick Next Slide and Presenter Notes, and then I hope the venue has a confidence monitor that shows me what’s on the projector behind me.

Some folks prefer to use Powerpoint or Google Slides. This distills down to religion, and I can confidently state that those people are wrong. Both tools offer iPad versions as well, but I’m not well versed in them. Deckset doesn’t offer an iPad version, and I’ve not had much patience for the swath of custom JavaScript-based presentation tools that render Markdown inside of browsers. I want to like them, but I can’t quite get there yet. As a result, use Keynote; you’ll be happier. As an added bonus, the presentations live in iCloud; with a bit of notice you can grab a copy on someone’s Mac, iPhone, or iPad and be back in business should calamity befall your iPad.

Do be aware that this means that if your presentation requires a demo in a terminal or a web browser, you either get to do some awkward transitions—or accept that presenting from an iPad isn’t right for this talk. I still haven’t found a good way to give my “Terrible Ideas in Git” talk from an iPad due to its live demos…

Invest in a presentation remote

A presentation remote is a necessity, unless you enjoy being trapped behind the podium. I treated myself to a little luxury with the  Logitech Spotlight .

This device does it all. It speaks its own wireless protocol via a USB-A dongle that plugs into most laptops, but the Spotlight also speaks Bluetooth with a great range. Its battery charges using a built-in USB-C port that hides behind the dongle, and a single charge lasts for months.

I freely accept that most folks find the idea of paying $129 for a single-purpose device a bit nutty. Those folks generally don’t give double-digit numbers of presentations a year. A word of caution: Don’t leave it behind at the podium after your talk. It’s expensive enough to buy the first time. Please don’t ask me how I know.

Pay attention to fonts and typefaces

I have a condition I jokingly refer to as “typeface blindness.” I can’t tell the difference between most fonts unless I stare at them and actively work out what I’m seeing. I’m told this is atypical, and whenever I forget this fact I get reminded on Twitter. “Well, that’s the fifth talk so far today that uses Helvetica (the system default)” always makes me facepalm. As a result, I make it a point to not use system default fonts.

Contrary to what many folks believe, you can use custom fonts on iOS, but the process is a bit arcane. Do yourself a favor and drop the $2 for  AnyFont . This magic app streamlines an otherwise incredibly painful process.

Lessons I’ve Learned

I’m conservative here; while you can save money by buying third party adapters, I find that minimizing the risk of screwing up a presentation in front of 400 people is worth the extortionate rate that Apple charges for first party adapters. You’ll want both HDMI and VGA adapters. Both of these are available in Lightning and USB-C flavors, depending upon which generation of iPad you’re using. Note that this is less of a concern with USB-C than it is with Lightning adapters—just make certain you test all of your adapters before you leave home.

Save time; don’t bother looking for DVI adapters. The iPad officially doesn’t support it, Apple doesn’t sell them for Lightning, and I’ve only ever encountered it on the speaking circuit once. Your test a few hours before your talk will validate that you’ll be okay.

You can never be too rich, too thin, or have a big enough battery pack

Grab a beefy battery pack, and you can go days without finding a power outlet. You don’t want to discover that the podium power strip is full, the extension cord is a trip hazard, or that you don’t have the right adapter for the country you’re in when it’s time to give a talk. Having a battery pack that can borderline jump-start a car means you’re fine so long as your iPad battery level is anywhere about roughly 3%. (Too much lower and the tablet won’t boot at all.)

I like Anker products for this, but your mileage may vary. I soundly endorse finding reputable brands. Saving a few bucks on chargers, cables, or batteries that (a) plug into a very expensive electronic device and (b) have a propensity to include “sets the building on fire” in their list of failure modes just never seemed worth the trade-off to me.

Note: If you need to give away something at a booth, don’t use branded USB battery packs or chargers, as swag. At best, they’re cheap and feel flimsy. At worst, something with your logo on it started a fire.

Spend extra for an LTE connection

You can tether your iPad to a mobile device or ride on conference Wi-Fi. However, if you’re presenting frequently it’s worth the extra money to get an iPad version that can speak to the cell networks. Suddenly you no longer care what the conference Wi-Fi password is, whether you remembered to charge your phone, or if the captive portal login page is going to expire and pop up again mid-presentation.

Speaking of which…

Before the presentation, turn on both “Do Not Disturb” and “Airplane Mode”

In presentation mode, Keynote swears that it blocks pop-ups, reminders, incoming calls, and other distractions. To its credit, I’ve never seen it do otherwise.

That said, I always enable Do Not Disturb on my iPad. I put the device in airplane mode. And only then do I plug in the projector. Perhaps I’m paranoid, but you’re also not seeing horrible screenshots from my talks that feature embarrassing notifications, either.

Update nothing before your presentation

If a new iOS version or a Keynote update comes out the same week as your presentation, fine. But resist the upgrade. It can wait a day.

There have been enough regressions in software over the years that I’m extremely hesitant to trust that everything will “just work” an hour before I go on stage.

These are the sometimes-hard-won lessons I’ve learned after spending a year giving talks solely from an iPad.

Corey is the Chief Cloud Economist at The Duckbill Group, where he specializes in helping companies improve their AWS bills by making them smaller and less horrifying. He also hosts the "Screaming in the Cloud" and "AWS Morning Brief" podcasts; and curates "Last Week in AWS," a weekly newsletter summarizing the latest in AWS news, blogs, and tools, sprinkled with snark and thoughtful analysis in roughly equal measure.

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Presenting with the iPad

Get it together

Apple’s $10 Keynote for iOS (   ) can import presentations made in Microsoft PowerPoint (   ) or in Keynote for OS X (   ), but in both cases you’re likely to lose a great deal during the import process. Say goodbye to some fonts, transitions, and builds that aren’t available on the iPad, plus audio and more. (Presenter notes are supported, however, whether created on the iPad or imported from a PowerPoint or Keynote for Mac presentation.) Therefore, when feasible, create your presentation directly on the iPad.

If you do use Keynote on a Mac, be sure to read Apple’s Best practices for creating a presentation on a Mac for use on an iPad , which guides you in selecting compatible templates, fonts, and other features. Once you’ve created your presentation, you need to move it to your iPad. Although the iOS version of Keynote supports iCloud’s Documents in the Cloud feature, which automatically syncs documents on all your iOS devices with Apple’s servers, the Mac version of Keynote still lacks integrated support for this feature. ( OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion will have access to iCloud’s Documents in the Cloud.)

Instead, you must log in to your iCloud account in a Web browser at www.icloud.com , click the iWork icon, click Keynote, and then drag your Keynote document into the browser window. After it uploads, the document will appear automatically in Keynote on your iOS device—but keep in mind that this process doesn’t eliminate the compatibility issues I mentioned a moment ago.

If you don’t use iCloud, another way to move the presentation onto your iPad is to open iTunes, select your iPad, click on the Apps tab, and select Keynote. Drag your presentation to the Keynote Documents list. Then open Keynote on your iPad, go to the Document Manager (if it’s not already visible), tap the folder icon in the upper-right corner, and then tap your presentation. Or, if you want the convenience of cloud-based syncing without iCloud, a service called DropDAV ($5 per month) enables Keynote users to connect to Dropbox (   ) via WebDAV.

One note: If you’ve already created a presentation in PowerPoint, also take a look at SlideShark , a free iPad app for viewing and displaying PowerPoint presentations. It’s not perfect, but it does a better job supporting PowerPoint documents than any other iPad app I’ve seen.

Use an external display

If your audience is very small—perhaps you’re showing your portfolio to a potential client or giving your boss a quick demo—you could show your presentation on the iPad itself, albeit without the presenter notes. But you’re more likely to prefer using a projector or other display.

Plug it in One way to do this is to plug a video adapter into your iPad’s Dock connector, and then connect that to your display. You’ll get the best results (and the highest resolution) using a display or projector with either the $39 Apple Digital AV Adapter (for displays with HDMI inputs) or the $29 Apple VGA Adapter (for displays with VGA inputs).

If you’re connecting to a television with neither HDMI nor VGA inputs, you can instead use the $39 Apple Component AV Cable or the $39 Apple Composite AV Cable , as appropriate, although both offer lower resolution than the Digital AV and VGA adapters. Although this wired approach works just fine, it’s difficult to hold your iPad while giving a presentation without the video cable falling out—I speak from personal experience.

Mirror a newer iPad With an iPad 2 or later, either the Digital AV or VGA adapter lets your iPad mirror everything from its internal screen onto the external display, which may be useful if you want your presentation to include demonstrations of other iPad apps or content that’s not within Keynote itself. However, note that on the original iPad, where mirroring is unavailable, Keynote itself produces no external video signal until you tap the Play button (which is probably what you want anyway).

If you prefer to roam across the stage holding your iPad while you speak, you can beam your presentation’s audio and video wirelessly using AirPlay mirroring—provided you have an iPad 2 or later running at least iOS 5. To pull off this trick, you’ll need an AirPlay receiver connected to the projector or display and on the same Wi-Fi network as your iPad. Apple’s $99 Apple TV (   ) can serve this purpose, if you happen to have one handy. Alternatively, assuming a Mac or PC is available, you can install either of two similar utilities: AirServer (Mac version, $15; Windows version, $8) or Squirrels’ Reflection (Mac only, $15). Either of these apps can turn a computer into an AirPlay receiver, no Apple TV required. They even support displaying screens from multiple iOS devices at the same time. Note that the PC version of AirServer currently lacks audio support, but the developer says it’s “coming soon.”

Once your AirPlay receiver is set up, you can mirror your iPad’s display by double-pressing the Home button, swiping the multitasking bar toward the right, and tapping the AirPlay button. Tap the name of the device you want to use for mirroring and then set the Mirroring switch to On.

Control the presentation

Once you tap Play, you can use your iPad to control the presentation as well as provide presenter notes for yourself (a cheat sheet, if you will) that the audience won’t see. To change what’s on the iPad’s screen when using an external display, tap the Layouts icon and then one of the follow buttons: Current (the current build of the slide as shown on the external display), Next (the next build, which may or may not be the next slide), Current and Next (current and next builds side by side), or Current and Notes (current build and any accompanying presenter notes). This final layout is the only one to display presenter notes, but you can supplement it by tapping the button in the upper left corner to display a list of slide thumbnails, which can aid in navigation (tap a thumbnail to jump directly to that slide).

To advance to the next build or slide, tap once anywhere, or swipe toward the left. To go back, swipe toward the right. A nice extra in Keynote for the iPad is a “laser pointer”: Touch and hold on the iPad’s screen to show a red dot, which moves with your finger on the main display. Lift your finger and the dot disappears. This is useful when you want to call attention to a particular area of a slide. To end the presentation (and turn off Keynote’s video output), tap the Close icon.

If your iPad is physically connected to your display—or if you want to be able to move around during your presentation without carrying the iPad with you—you can download Apple’s Keynote Remote app ($1) on your iPhone or iPod touch. Follow the instructions to pair Keynote Remote with your iPad using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and then your iPhone or iPod touch becomes a remote control for Keynote on your iPad, complete with previews of your slides.

Senior contributor Joe Kissell is the senior editor of TidBits and the author of the ebook Take Control of Working with Your iPad .

[Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information about iCloud, AirPlay, and the third-generation iPad.]

iPad 2 family

Features available with Keynote.

Keynote lets you create presentations as groundbreaking as your ideas. So go ahead. Wow people like never before.

Get the updates. Then get in touch.

Stay up to date when people join, edit, or comment in collaborative presentations and easily get in touch with your team using Messages and FaceTime.

Get more done on iPad.

Quickly insert objects, find settings, and get to your favorite tools with the customizable toolbar. And Stage Manager extends multitasking across the big screen when working with multiple apps at the same time. 1

Captivate your audience with dynamic backgrounds.

Make your presentation stand out by adding stunning color and visual interest to your slides. Create motion on a title or closing slide for a bold statement, and keep viewers engaged with subtle movement throughout the presentation. To get started, choose one of three new themes featuring dynamic backgrounds, or customize any of the 18 presets.

Add live video feeds in any slide.

Appear in a window, right on your slides, with a picture-in-picture display in remote presentations, how-to videos, and lectures. Add live video from the built-in camera on Mac, iPad, or iPhone — you can even remove or replace the background for a dramatic effect. Or when presenting on your Mac, include a live feed of your iPhone or iPad screen to show off apps.

Present with your team. Seamlessly.

Say goodbye to saying “Next slide, please.” For slideshows with multiple presenters, you can take turns controlling a single deck — from anywhere — on Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

Outline your presentation. Easier.

With outline mode for iPhone and iPad, you can look at your presentation in a whole new way. Quickly jot down your thoughts, restructure ideas, and move concepts from slide to slide. Then switch to slide view and start designing.

Showcase videos like never before.

Play videos and movies continuously across slides, without the need to start and stop, find where you left off, or edit them into clips. Change the position, size, or rotation, and the video will animate seamlessly. The audio can even fade between slides or adjust when there is dialogue or voiceover.

Turn handwriting into text. Magically.

With iPadOS and Apple Pencil, your handwriting will automatically transform to typed text, so you can get back to what you were doing without interrupting your flow. Jot down a text bullet or scribble a date, and see it quickly turn into text.

Make backgrounds disappear.

Now you can more easily remove backgrounds from supported images — and even live videos — or adjust them to your liking.

Present over video conference. Like a pro.

Keynote for Mac delivers a seamless experience over video conferences. Play a slideshow in its own window so you can access other apps while you present. You can view your presenter notes, current and upcoming slides, and slide navigation in a separate window as well.

Other Key Features

Accessibility descriptions

Add accessibility descriptions to images, image galleries, movies, and audio to help people using assistive technology.

Easily record, edit, and play audio directly on a slide.

Captions and titles that stick with objects

Easily add text to images, videos, and shapes. Your words will automatically stay with objects — if and when you move them.

Color, gradients, and images

Apply a color, gradient, or image to the background of any presentation, to your text, or to any shape.

Custom themes

Create themes to use as a model for new presentations, and access them on any device using iCloud.

Enable Dark Mode to give Keynote a dramatic dark look and emphasize your content.

Add a large, decorative letter to make the beginning of your story or paragraph stand out.

Export your presentation as a movie or an animated GIF to share online.

Gorgeous charts

From columns to donut charts, there are many ways to display your data. You can also create an audio representation of your chart using VoiceOver on iOS and iPadOS.

iCloud Drive folder sharing

Add a Keynote presentation to a shared iCloud Drive folder, and automatically start collaborating.

Image background removal

Quickly remove an image’s background to isolate its subject or make unwanted parts of an image transparent.

Image gallery

Add and view a collection of photos on one slide, and include a unique caption per photo.

Interactive presentations

Turn text, text boxes, images, shapes, lines, arrows, videos, and more into links. Then, during a presentation, tap to open web pages or email messages, to jump to other slides, or to exit the slideshow.

Math equations

Add elegance to your mathematical equations using LaTeX or MathML notation.

Offline collaboration

Edit shared presentations while offline, and your changes will automatically upload when your account’s online again.

Paragraph styles

Use paragraph styles to achieve a consistent look throughout your presentation, and to quickly make global changes to your text.

Precise object editing

Use more precise editing controls to fine‑tune the look and placement of your objects.

Reading Mode

Scroll through your presentation, zoom in and out, and interact with it — without accidentally changing anything.

Shapes library

There are over 700 Apple-designed shapes to choose from. You can change the color and size, add text, and even create and save your own shapes.

Trackpad and mouse support on iPad

Use Keynote with Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, or Magic Trackpad for a new way to work with your presentations.

Embed a video from YouTube or Vimeo, then play it right in your presentations, without the need to download or open the video in a media player. 2

See everything that’s new in Keynote

• What’s new in Keynote for iPhone and iPad
• What’s new in Keynote for Mac
• Keynote for iCloud release notes

Additional Resources

• Get Keynote support
• Learn about Microsoft Office compatibility
• Learn about collaboration for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote
• Use Keynote in a video conference app

Keynote User Guides

• Keynote User Guide for Mac
• Keynote User Guide for iPad
• Keynote User Guide for iPhone
• Keynote User Guide for Web

Best presentation apps for iPad and iPhone in 2024

Presentations are a handy tool for students,  teachers , and professionals. Moreover, you can also use them at parties and events because gone are the days of boring slides that fail to retain your audience’s attention. Today, you can quickly create captivating slideshows that communicate your message effectively and engagingly. So, check out these best presentation apps for iPad and iPhone, no matter what kind of project you’re working on in the classroom or the boardroom.

Although Canva is well-known as a graphic design app , it can also help you create spectacular slides for a presentation that will wow your audience. There are tons of professionally designed templates that you can customize according to your needs.

Moreover, you can add your own brand elements like logos and images to create a unified look. The best part is that it is incredibly easy to use, yet gives you impeccable results. You can add your original pictures, illustrations, and text, or choose from the extensive database of design elements that it offers.

Price : Free (In-app Purchases start from $0.99)

2. Google Slides

Creating top-notch presentations with Google Slides is a breeze. It has a highly intuitive user-interface that makes your work easy. Further, the real-time collaboration feature lets you work with your friends and colleagues. You can add and rearrange slides, format text, and shapes with ease.

Further, you can also open and edit PowerPoint slides right from this app. Another notable feature is that it lets you work even offline. So, if you ever find yourself without an internet connection, your work won’t hit a roadblock. Lastly, Google Slides supports several languages, such as English, German, Italian, Japanese, and more.

Price:  Free

3. Microsoft PowerPoint

Across the world, PowerPoint has been synonymous with presentations for decades. In recent years, this tool has come a long way. So what better way to get creative than with this official app from Microsoft. It features a range of powerful and customizable slides and templates that will make you stand out.

Moreover, you can use a new AI tool called Presenter Coach that will help you practice your presentation and get real-time suggestions to adjust your pacing, avoid “umms” and speak confidently. Finally, there is seamless syncing with OneDrive that ensures your projects stay consistent across devices.

Price:  Free (In-app Purchases start from $6.99)

4. Notability

This is a renowned note-taking app for your iPad , but it doubles up as an excellent way to share presentations with others and keep your audience engaged. It has a lot of useful tools like ink, highlighter, text, and audio. If you’re working on a compatible iPad, you can even handwrite and sketch with Apple Pencil to bring your projects to life.

Further, the laser pointer makes it easy to direct attention to specific parts of your work. There’s also a multi-note feature that lets you view another note on your device that stays hidden from the audience whom you are presenting to. Not surprisingly, this is a bestselling paid app on the iPad App Store

Price : $8.99

5. Slideshow Creator

If you want to make a more casual presentation for family gatherings or parties, check out this easy-to-use iPad and iPhone presentation app. It offers various slideshow styles for everything from birthdays and graduation to sports events, invitations, and more.

You simply have to select the style you want, select the photos, videos, and music you want to collate, add text and captions, and then export it into a video that you can share through social media or project on a big screen.

Price : Free (In-app Purchases start from $4.99)

Here’s the app that Apple itself uses to present brilliant creations to the world. It’s the most powerful app to present your ideas on an iPhone or iPad. In addition to all the basic features, there are advanced options like animated charts and cinematic transitions to add that extra flair with ease.

Further, Keynote Live allows you to present a slideshow that your audience can follow on their Apple devices or online on iCloud.com. Finally, with the built-in real-time collaboration feature, it lets you work with your team seamlessly. Thanks to the Keynote for iCloud, even Windows PC users can collaborate.

7. Adobe Spark Video

This one’s a video editor app that also lets you create professional presentations. Within minutes, you can put together compelling video stories replete with professional images that highlight your message. You can even select the soundtrack that you like best, and the app will compile everything with beautiful cinematic motion.

Whether you want to inform, persuade, or inspire, your presentations can make an impact with this app. You can even access, edit, and share your video from a browser using Adobe Spark. All this functionality for free is a pretty sweet deal.

Price:  Free (Spark Subscription Monthly – $9.99)

8. Prezi Viewer

This iOS presentation app makes sure that you outshine everyone else. It’s intuitive and innovative, with stunning animations that draw your audience’s attention to precisely where you want it. You can even access and showcase your work offline if you need to.

When presenting, you don’t need to keep looking behind you because you can see your work on your phone screen too. Moreover, your iPhone or iPad acts as a clicker too! This neat app also supports multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, and Japanese.

Summing Up!

So, when are you making your next presentation with one of these apps? Let us know your favorite in the comments below.

You may also like to read these:

• Best Document Scanner Apps
• How to convert Keynote Presentation to PowerPoint on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• Document Creation Apps
• Best Project Management Apps

🗣️ Readers like you help support iGeeksBlog. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.  Read Disclaimer .

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Presentation Guru

The best presentation apps for iphone and ipad.

In the wake of the demise of Symbian phones, the near death of BlackBerry and the expensive failure called Windows Phone, there are two obvious mobile OS competitors still standing: Android and iOS. As smartphones, tablets and phablets invade the mobile market, it is only a matter of time before desktop operating systems face the prospect of extinction, unless they somehow evolve. In the wake of this shift, it is necessary for presenters to gear up for things to come.

In a previous post we brought you our list of the best presentation apps for Android . This time we have compiled a similar list for iOS devices. The presentation apps listed below are a combination of applications meant to help presenters create, edit, view, present and remotely control presentations using iDevices.

[This article contains affiliate links. For more information, see our disclosures here .]

1) P owerPoint

Maybe it’s my bias being a PC guy or maybe because Apple is too high and mighty to let Keynote evolve with better cross-platform compatibility. Either way, PowerPoint for iOS is number one in our list of the best presentation apps for iPhone and iPad.

Many end users have complained about the need for an Office 365 subscription that is required to use PowerPoint for iOS, considering there have been a plethora of free apps providing PowerPoint support on iDevices even before this app was launched.

However, like all good things in life, it is only natural that PowerPoint for iDevices isn’t exactly free. While you can get the app for free via the App Store and create or edit documents by signing in with a free Microsoft account, to make the app really worth using, you would need to log in using an Office 365 account .

PowerPoint for iOS brings the famous desktop presentation to iDevices with support for charts, tables, SmartArt Graphics, animations, transitions, speaker notes, etc. Furthermore, like the desktop editions of PowerPoint 2013 and 2016, PowerPoint for iOS also provides a built-in laser pointer, pen and highlighter. Other options include integration with OneDrive, Dropbox & SharePoint.

With PowerPoint for iOS you not only get all great features of the desktop edition of PowerPoint but you can also wirelessly project a presentation using AirPlay, as well as control your slides using an Apple Watch.

Since PowerPoint is available for a wide variety of platforms like Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and provides cloud based variants in the form of PowerPoint Online and Office 365, it is much easier to use PowerPoint files for presentations. In fact, many third-party services and apps like Google Drive, SlideShark and WPS Office also provide support for PowerPoint files.

However, it is safe to say that native PowerPoint support on iDevices from the official PowerPoint app by Microsoft is the best option for creating, editing and viewing presentations on an iPhone or iPad device.

When it comes to making quality presentations, Keynote is an app that cannot be ignored. While there is no real way of using Keynote on a PC or Android device, it is one of the most commonly used presentation apps for Apple users.

For those who have never used Keynote, it gives a plethora of PowerPoint like features for making presentations using readymade themes, with support for adding charts, tables, shapes, etc. Like PowerPoint, Keynote has also added collaboration features (currently going through the beta stage).

Just like OneDrive for PowerPoint, Keynote too provides cloud integration using iCloud. By all means, Keynote is a powerful presentation and there is no shortage of third-party templates which come with some extraordinary graphics and attention grabbing themes.

Other than Apple devices, the iCloud web app allows creating and editing presentations using an internet browser. This unfortunately is the only option for using Keynote other than on an Apple device. This restricts the scope for using Keynote files for presentations and since we live in a PC world, cross-platform compatibility is still a major hurdle for Keynote users.

That said, Keynote is still one of the best presentation apps for presenters and this is why it’s number 2 on our list for recommended presentation apps for presenters using iPhone & iPad devices.

3) Google Slides

While Google Slides isn’t the kind of app which provides killer features, it is decent enough to get the job done. Google Slides provide support for PowerPoint files and this app by Google has come a long way since Google Drive apps were rebranded a few years back.

If you’re looking for a decent iOS app which is free to use and can help you create, edit and view presentations from popular formats (e.g. PowerPoint & PDF presentations), then Google Slides isn’t a bad option. Lately, Google Slides templates have improved in quality and third-party template providers for this underrated platform have also begun providing high-quality templates . While Google Slides lags far behind PowerPoint, as we discussed in our comparison of Google Slides Vs PowerPoint , this poor man’s PowerPoint still deserves a bit of love.

4) Adobe Spark Video

Adobe is known to produce high-quality applications. Ranging from its high-end apps like PhotoShop, Premiere Pro to the free Adobe Reader that millions of users use to view PDF files; Adobe is a name tied to quality apps. Adobe Spark Video is a little known presentation app that can help you create studio quality video presentations.

Unlike most low-end or mid-ranged Android devices, iPhone and iPad devices tend to be more efficient in offering the kind of hardware which can help record better quality videos. This is perhaps the reason apps like Adobe Spark are usually not available for Android. While an Adobe Spark offering for Android is currently in development, it is likely that it might only work with high-end devices. The point is that iDevices have the kind of hardware that gives an edge in making video presentations. You might make such a presentation or video clip by interviewing people on the streets or by capturing an extraordinary event on your mobile device. Such video clips can add a powerful touch to your presentations and enable you to reach out at a very personal level to win hearts and minds.

Coming to Adobe Spark features; you can create videos with a voice-over using an iDevice, add a soundtrack and let the app do its magic. You can choose from an archive of more than 25,000 images and icons for your visual stories and let Adobe Spark automatically render your videos with cinematic animations to give your video presentations and clips a professional look. You can also choose between various themes, fonts and upload videos online.

5) HaikuDeck

HaikuDeck can be used for making attractive presentation decks via iPhone, iPad or web. You can begin making presentations on an iDevice by logging in using your HaikuDeck account, pick a template and start making slides using all major features you would expect in a good presentation app.

What makes HaikuDeck worth using are the very attractive graphics, availability of a plethora of images, a wide range of useful layouts and the ability to publish your slides online. HaikuDeck is not just a presentation maker but also an app you can use to present presentations in fullscreen mode on iOS devices. Needless to say, you can connect your iDevice to a projector to use HaikuDeck just like Keynote or PowerPoint to present professional presentations.

HaikuDeck has a free and a paid version, with the utility to opt for in-app purchases. But that’s not a bad thing. The high-quality graphics and imagery in premium content (e.g. premium templates) are worth the cost.

6) SlideIdea

SlideIdea is the kind of unique app that can help presenters make their presentations more attention grabbing. The app supports three formats, i.e. PDF, PowerPoint and the app’s very own SLD format. The app comes integrated with OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box & KingSoft Cloud to help you instantly import an existing slide deck for remodeling.

You can either import a slide deck or make one from scratch using some very attractive templates offered by SlideIdea. The editing features are similar to PowerPoint and Keynote, with a vast library of slide elements, support for whiteboard, animations and some handy transitions to switch your slides in style. Furthermore, you can add audio recording and video clips to create Slidecasts, as well as engage your audience using online polls.

SlideIdea is only available for iPad and works with devices running iOS 5.0 or above.

7) Prezi Viewer

It is sad to see that Prezi only has a Prezi Viewer for iDevices. Like its Android counterpart, this app is good for viewing and presenting Prezis. Since you can’t make Prezis on iDevices using an app, Prezi Viewer is only useful for presenters looking to use their iDevices for presenting Prezis.

8. SlideShark

Back in the day, SlideShark was one of the top presentation apps for iOS. However, since the advent for PowerPoint for iOS, its importance has arguably diminished. SlideShark is another app that can be used for viewing and presenting presentations. SlideShark supports uploading, viewing, presenting and sharing PowerPoint presentations while retaining original fonts, animations, colors and graphics. Moreover, there are a number of handy annotation features that can help you annotate slides during a Live presentation.

SlideShark also gives the utility to broadcast presentations online to share them with your audience during a Live presentation. The premium edition of SlideShark also supports PDF files.

9. MyPoint PowerPoint Remote

This is a simple app for remotely controlling PowerPoint slides running on a PC or Mac computer. You will need to install the connector app for your computer, as well as the iOS app for MyPoint PowerPoint Remote on your iDevice.

You can start your SlideShow directly from an iDevice remotely and instantly begin controlling your slides. The app has some advanced premium features that you can opt for, these include annotation tools like a pointer and marker, as well as a timer to time, rehearse and see the elapsed time for your slides.

10) Video Teleprompter

While iDevices have always had some good teleprompter apps, this one is as good as it gets. Video Teleprompter not only allows you to instantly turn your iPhone or iPad device into a teleprompter to read out a script but also enables recording video presentations.

The on-screen teleprompter can play your script and at the same time record your video using your iOS camera to enable you to create a video presentation or podcast.

Video Teleprompter provides good legibility for text that scrolls on your screen and makes it possible for you to face the camera while reading your script as if you are talking to your audience. Hence, it serves the dual purpose of acting as a teleprompter and video recording tool, which makes it perfect for making video presentations or video clips that you might want to include in your slides.

We hope our list of the best presentation apps for iPhone and iPad gave you some useful ideas for making more robust presentations using iDevices. The apps mentioned above can not only be used as standalone presentation apps but you can also use a number of these apps to add something special to your presentations. In fact, you might find it very useful to use some of the above mentioned apps in conjunction to design high-quality slides, video clips and to present them using an iPhone or iPad device.

If you know of an awesome iOS presentation app which you believe should have been included in this list, do share your views with us by leaving a comment below.

If you like this, you might also like

How to Present PowerPoint on iPads and iPhones

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Sanat Patel

6th November 2016 at 2:01 am

These are using new platforms to do things the old way. We need insights that take advantage of new paradigms. Presentations that tell a story and engage your audience. Persuade with interactive data visuals easier to create than a powerpoint animation.

25th February 2018 at 10:09 pm

OctaSales is the sales presentation web app for iPad and other tablets. This interactive tool allows in-depth presentations of your sales material: images, videos, documents and notes in a non-linear way. Works both online and off-line (as a regular app) and its easy to integrate to external CRM systems. More information is available at: https://www.octasales.com/

Rosie Hoyland

27th February 2018 at 9:19 am

Thanks for sharing Zoran

31st October 2018 at 10:52 am

Unfortunately SlideShark is going out of business late fall 2018. That is unfortunate – it was the only 3rd party tool for iPads that rendered Powerpoint files correctly.

For the teams that use common cloud storage platforms like Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, Sharepoint etc to manage their files, I’d like to recommend https://CrescendoApp.com as a great and inexpensive alternative to large, complex and expensive platforms like Showpad.

1st November 2018 at 9:09 am

Thanks for the update Marek. We’d urge any readers you have been using SlideShark to check out their FAQ page at https://www.brainshark.com/sites/default/files/slideshark-discontinue-faq.pdf for further explanation.

The Crescendo app is certainly worth looking at.

21st August 2020 at 12:08 pm

Great compilation. I’m Pramod, Product Marketer for Zoho Show. It would be great if you take a look at our new iOS app. You can create and edit the presentations right from your iPhone or iPad. You can also collaborate with peers and present your ideas using an Apple TV. Take a look at this video to get the gist of the product and the features on offer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm3n0k9Q9io

Please consider adding the app to your list, it would be a fine addition and prove to be handy for your viewers.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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A Beginner’s Guide to PowerPoint on the iPad

This is the third in our series of articles about Microsoft Office for the iPad, and the results so far have been decidedly mixed. We found Word to be surprisingly powerful and a good alternative to the desktop version for all but the most hardcore word processors out there. Excel was more of a let down with lots more functionality missing, including many elements that would be notable to even light spreadsheet users. We’re happy to report that PowerPoint is much closer to Word than Excel, and even more than either of those apps, you could use PowerPoint perfectly well on your iPad and never touch the desktop version. In fact, some of the design decisions Microsoft have made might even make you put together better presentations than if you had the complete desktop app at your disposal.

Our Must-Have, Most Used Productivity Apps

We spend an inordinate amount of time sorting through hundreds of apps to find the very best. We put together a short list of our must-have, most-used apps for increasing productivity.

PowerPoint for iOS is free from the App Store and allows you to view PowerPoint files from anywhere. If you want to edit or create presentations from the iPad though, you’re going to need to subscribe to Office 365 , which runs $6.99/month or $70/year for individuals on up to 5 devices. An Office 365 subscription comes with the full Microsoft Office suite of apps as well was 1TB of OneDrive storage, so there is quite a bit of value there.

Whether this is a fair price is a matter we can only leave to you, but the software package on offer, and especially the 1TB of cloud storage that works across iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux, makes this a pretty compelling subscription in our eyes.

Of note, Microsoft only requires iPads over 10.1” to pay up to get editing functionality. If you have a 9.7” iPad, iPad Mini, or even an iPhone, then you can use the full version of PowerPoint (and all other Office apps) without an Office 365 subscription. Apparently productivity starts at 10.1” in Microsoft’s world — not that we’re complaining.

Out of the Box Experience

If you start with PowerPoint on the iPad and want to begin building presentations from scratch, the iPad version gives you everything you need to start creating right away.

There are 25 built-in templates you can start with. While not all of them are great, ones like Parcel, Celestial, Ion, and Mesh are all really nice templates that you can use to create professional-looking presentations. Some of them are more fun and offer a more distinct look, but for many people, simplicity is king and the options here are more than capable of making you look good at your next speaking gig.

As you would expect, each of these 25 templates have an assortment of slide types so you can move between titles, lists, and giant images with a consistent experience for your audience.

And if you were worried about getting your content into these slides, fear not because PowerPoint for iPad has tons of tools around adding animations to elements on your slides, transitions between slides, drawing on and marking up content, and adding things like tables, images, icons, and videos into your slides.

Basically, if you work entirely from the iPad, you’ll have more than enough control over everything to put together a presentation that you can be proud of.

Adding Some Flair

PowerPoint has quite a few tools for customizing the feel of your presentations, and while I’d contend that adding too many effects and transitions to a slide deck can be detrimental, these can of course be used well and the fact that so much is here should allow most people to create exactly what they want.

There are 35 ways you can have items on a slide appear or disappear and 17 different ways you can emphasize specific elements on a slide. And if you like transitions, there are a sweeping 49 options for how you move from one slide to another. Should you use all of these? God no. Does this level of flexibility enable a bunch of cool one-off effects? Oh yes!

And then there are a bunch of different drawing tools you can use to add a little panache. Similar to most markup apps you know and love , there are several drawing tools like pencils, markers, and highlighters, as well as a cool cosmic pen that is just fun. You can make this animate into the slide so you can have custom-looking animations that call out something specific on your slides.

Another thing I really like is a feature called Design Ideas. This is found under the Design tab and you can use it on any slide in your presentation. PowerPoint will look at the content of the slide and give you a few suggestions for alternative styling. For example, I had a basic bulleted list and it suggested this nicer layout for a short list:

One of the things I love about how this is set up in the PowerPoint UI is that none of these effects are visible from the main tabs you’ll use when creating your slides. This breaks up the workflow between content and style. You’ll likely find yourself putting together all your content together across however many slides you need and then going back through it all to add whatever animations and transitions you think you need. Again, since the content of a slide deck is far more important than the flair on top of it, this behavioral encouragement is spot on.

Collaboration

As with Microsoft’s other Office apps, the collaboration features from the desktop and web versions are here and they work great. You can work in real time with anyone else whom you’ve shared the document. You can see their edits in real time and they’ll see yours, no matter the platform they are on.

Comments are supported as well, and you or others can leave comments on certain points of the presentation, and there is even version control so you can go back to potentially dozens of versions of the presentation and restore them (or save them as a new copy).

Giving Your Presentation

The presentation itself is the whole reason for making a slide deck — that experience is rock solid — but might be limited compared to what you have on the desktop.

First off, you can present a presentation you created on the iPad on any device that runs PowerPoint, but if you want to present from an iPad, the easiest way to do so is to plug into the screen you are going to be using via a DisplayPort/HDMI/DVI cable that uses Lightning or USB-C (depending on your iPad). After you’re connected to an external display, you’ll see your slides in all their glory on the external display and the presenter view will appear on the iPad itself.

If you happen to be somewhere that has an AirPlay compatible screen (most likely through an Apple TV), then you can also mirror your screen to the AirPlay device and you’ll get the same effect where the slides show on the AirPlay receiver and the presenter view shows on the iPad.

Whether using wired or wireless connections for the presentation, you can always tap and hold on your iPad screen to bring up a virtual laser pointer to point out whatever you want to highlight on a particular slide. It’s actually pretty slick and more useful than I expected it to be.

PowerPoint as a Good iOS Citizen

Unlike some other companies who take forever to support iOS’s latest and greatest features, Microsoft has done a pretty decent job of keeping up with the times. Using PowerPoint in late 2019 feels like using an app built to use most of iOS’s (and iPadOS’s) latest features.

Pretty much all the main contenders are here: drag and drop works well and lets you drag in your own media straight from things like Files, Photos, or even Safari and drop them into your slides with ease. The UI for this is rather limited, and you don’t quite know what will happen when you drop something like a photo onto a slide, but you can of course resize and reorient objects once they’re on the slide.

PowerPoint also supports split screen, which is very useful for this sort of app as it allows you to have your research on one side of the iPad and your presentation on the other. I constantly find myself bouncing back and forth when putting together a PowerPoint presentation, and this would be a near deal-breaker for me personally.

The one major iPadOS feature this doesn’t currently support is multi-window. iPadOS 13 enabled apps to have multiple documents open at once and PowerPoint does not support this at all. This is a less egregious omission since most people tend to work on one presentation at a time, but sometimes you might want to reference another presentation that you’ve created or are comparing your slides to ones someone else made.

Overall, PowerPoint strikes a good balance of being unmistakably Microsoft without feeling like a Windows app on the iPad.

Apple Keynote and Google Slides

While PowerPoint is the undisputed standard for presentations, the options from Apple and Google are also compelling and have the distinct advantage of each being completely free. Without getting too much into the weeds here, the short overviews of each of these competitors are:

Apple Keynote lets you more easily create great-looking slides with modern, elegant templates. The app also feels more finely tuned to iPadOS’s UI is a very smooth experience from start to finish. Collaboration is a big issue though if you are not working with others on iPads or Macs. And even if you are, the collaborative editing capabilities are far less robust than what Microsoft has in PowerPoint.

Google Slides is a very minimal presentation tool, but it gets the job done. If your needs are very basic and you value a cloud-based solution with great real-time collaborate editing, then Slides can serve your needs very well. But if you want to have a little more style in your deck, then you’re going to be left wanting here. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s certainly not the best in class.

In short, if you value compatibility and collaboration, PowerPoint is the clear winner. If you value great design in your slides and a delightful iPadOS experience, Keynote is king. And if you just want what is on the web and included in your Google account, then Slides will be okay for you, but you’re probably not going to fall in love with it.

Ultimately, many of us don’t have a choice in the apps we use to give presentations. These usually happen at work and the company has some standard in place for creating presentations, so the choice has been made for you already. If you have any say at all in what presentation software to use, then we think PowerPoint is a great way to make them on the iPad.

With a rich set of tools to make everything from basic to wild and flashy presentations possible, it’s bolstered by a robust set of collaboration features as well as the simple fact that it’s the de-facto standard across most of the business world. You’ll probably have little-to-no friction in making this work for you and your business.

If you are working solo or there really isn’t any need to use one app or another, then Keynote is a very compelling alternative, and is the feather in iWork’s cap. it’s an excellent app that makes is dead simple to create professional-looking presentations with very little effort. Oh yeah, and it’s completely free! Not everyone will love this, but it’s definitely something to consider using if you’re not totally sold on PowerPoint.

How to Set Up a Presentation Using Your iPhone or iPad

Table of Contents

These days, we’re more reliant than ever on mobile devices for productivity and connectivity, even in work scenarios like conferences and seminars. It’s easy and convenient to power your presentations with an iPhone or iPad, but you might not know how to connect to an external display.

We’ll explain how to mirror a small screen to a more prominent display such as a smart TV, projector or monitor, whether you’re prepping for a presentation in a smart office or streaming content at home.

To share a presentation with a broader remote audience, consider uploading your presentation to YouTube .

How to give presentations from your iPhone or iPad

Bring your mobile presentation to life by connecting your iOS device to an external display. Several technologies can power mobile presentations on a larger screen, including AirPlay, which allows streaming and screen mirroring.

We’ll explain how sending your presentation to an external display works for the most common devices you’ll encounter.

1. Send an iOS presentation to an Apple TV.

Mirroring your presentation from an iPad or iPhone to an Apple TV is straightforward. Here’s how it works:

• Power on your Apple TV. Make sure it’s on the same Wi-Fi network as your iOS device.
• On your iOS device, load the presentation or content you want to share to the Apple TV.
• Tap the AirPlay icon . (It looks like a rectangular screen with a triangle at the bottom.)
• Choose your Apple TV .
• Your content will begin. To stop streaming, tap the AirPlay icon in the app you’re streaming from.

Consider accepting Apple Pay as a payment source for your business. Apple Pay is a mobile payment method that customers like using and often cite as their ideal payment method.

2. Send an iOS presentation to a smart TV.

If you have an internet-enabled smart TV, you have a few options, depending on your TV model.

AirPlay 2-compatible smart TVs

If you have an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV, such as select Samsung models, LG TVs and Roku TVs, the process is nearly the same as using AirPlay with an Apple TV:

• On your AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV, go to Settings > General > Apple AirPlay Settings and enable AirPlay .
• Tap the AirPlay icon .
• Select your AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
• Play your presentation or content.

Smart TVs that aren’t AirPlay 2-compatible

If your internet-connected smart TV isn’t AirPlay compatible, consider a third-party mirroring app like AllCast. AllCast is an iOS app that wirelessly streams your phone’s content to an external monitor. Here’s how it works:

• Download AllCast from the App Store on your iOS device.
• Launch AllCast and tap the broadcast icon . It will find compatible devices on your network.
• Select your smart TV.

AllCast is also compatible with Roku devices, Amazon Fire TV devices, Apple TV, Microsoft Xbox consoles, and smart TVs from Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and more. While AllCast is free to download and use, in-app purchases allow you to remove ads and unlock features.

The Apple App store has 3.6 million apps available for download as of 2022, with Google’s Play Store offering 2.8 million. Explore our list of the best iPhone apps for business users .

3. Send an iOS presentation to a Mac.

If you want to send your iOS presentation to a larger Mac, the process is simple.

• Make sure your iOS device and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network.
• On your iOS device, open the Control Center.
• Tap Screen Mirroring .
• Select your Mac.
• You may see an AirPlay passcode on your Mac screen. If so, enter the code on your iOS device.

4. Send an iOS presentation to a non-smart TV or projector.

Working with an old-school TV or a projector that doesn’t connect to the internet? Not a problem. Use a connector or adapter to achieve the same effect as mirroring.

Connect to a monitor with an adapter.

If you have access to a monitor and you don’t want to connect wirelessly, opt for an old-fashioned cable adapter. Apple sells a Lightning digital AV adapter with an additional power port (so you can charge your iPhone or iPad while you present from it).

At $49, Apple’s adapter is pricey for a one-off presentation, but if you travel a lot, the purchase could be worthwhile. Using Wi-Fi across various venues can be a gamble. If you’re presenting to clients, you may not want to roll the dice.

Connect to a projector with an adapter.

Many modern projectors have proprietary apps to connect to wirelessly from mobile devices, but they vary drastically in quality, availability and compatibility. If you want to be certain of your ability to connect to a specific projector, an adapter is an excellent option.

Newer projectors typically have HDMI and VGA ports. If you have a choice, opt for an HDMI adapter because it’ll be more versatile. If you need to connect to an older projector, you will probably have to connect using a VGA adapter; Apple sells one (also priced at $49) with an added charging port, so you don’t run out of juice.

There is almost always a way to connect an iPad or iPhone to an external display, though it might involve Apple-branded hardware or a stand-alone app.

FAQs about sending an iOS presentation to an external display

If you’re having trouble connecting your iPad or iPhone to a monitor or have other questions about creating a great presentation, you’ll find commonly asked questions below.

What is screen mirroring?

Screen mirroring is the process of displaying the contents of a device like an iPad or iPhone on another device, such as a television, external monitor or projector. Screen mirroring is sometimes confused with screencasting, which is the process of recording everything happening on your screen.

Why do people use screen mirroring?

Screen mirroring is helpful anytime you want to share small-screen content on a big screen. People use screen mirroring in both personal and professional settings, including watching entertainment and running through presentations.

Can you screen mirror without Wi-Fi?

The only way to screen mirror without Wi-Fi is to use a cable connection or adapter. Screen mirroring apps won’t work if you can’t access Wi-Fi. In fact, if you’re using a screen mirroring app, the device you’re mirroring from and the device you’re mirroring to have to be on the same Wi-Fi network.

One significant benefit of buying an HDMI adapter is that you no longer need to worry about Wi-Fi access when mirroring – you can plug in the cord and get started.

What are the best iPad apps for creating presentations?

There are many excellent presentation tools for all platforms. Keynote  is Apple’s answer to PowerPoint, and it’s a go-to among professionals who use Apple devices because it’s a free download from the App Store. You can also use PowerPoint on Apple devices via the PowerPoint mobile app. If you want to try something different,  Google Slides  is the current black horse in the presentation software arena, and it’s also available through Apple’s App Store.

iPad business uses include remote desktop access, on-the-go presentations and access to Microsoft Office mobile apps.

Do I need an adapter to connect my iPad to my TV?

If you have Apple mobile devices and want to share content with a broader audience, an adapter is an excellent option. An adapter’s main advantage is allowing you to connect to nearly any external monitor. Adapters are helpful for people who want to mirror to an older TV or monitor without internet connectivity, as well as anyone who frequently hosts presentations in places without open Wi-Fi networks or smart monitors.

Can you screen mirror with an Android device?

Yes. Android and iOS both support business uses , such as screen mirroring for presentations. You can mirror your Android, PC or Google device on an external screen or projector with a built-in app, Bluetooth, a third-party app or an HDMI adapter. If you go down the app and Bluetooth route, ensure that your mobile device and the external monitor are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Mona Bushnell contributed to the writing and research in this article.

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Can I do a PowerPoint presentation using an iPad?

By: Author Shrot Katewa

I love my iPad, and If you are like me, you would want to carry it wherever you go. It is compact, light and allows me to get things done that can’t be done using my phone due to its small size! In fact, it is so convenient that it makes me wonder if I could replace my laptop with an iPad even for my client meetings? 

But, can I create a PowerPoint presentation using an iPad? Yes, you can create a PowerPoint presentation using an iPad. In fact, iPad has a bunch of different apps that allow you to run PowerPoint presentations on it. iPad’s built-in Keynote presentation software also allows you to view the PPT files. You can also install Microsoft PowerPoint to run, edit and create a PowerPoint presentations from scratch on iPad just as you run it on a laptop!

Running a PowerPoint presentation on your iPad is actually a lot easier than you think. There are, however, a few things you should be aware of. Let’s get into the details of the workings of a PowerPoint presentation on an iPad.

How to put a PowerPoint presentation on an iPad?

Sometimes, you may already have a PPT file that was shared by your colleague or a client. However, many a times, it is you who has to create a PowerPoint presentation that dazzles your audience! Creating a presentation that holds our audiences’ attention is hard. We wrote a post that covers the steps that you should be taking while creating a PowerPoint presentation. We’ve broken it down to a step-by-step process that is designed to help you with creating a presentation. (Link – www.owlscape.in/what-are-the-steps-to-create-a-powerpoint-presentation )

If you have already created a presentation using a laptop or any other computer, you’ll first need to transfer it to your iPad. There are multiple ways you could do this. I would like to share my top 3 favourite method as they are free, doesn’t take too much time, and are easy to carry out as it doesn’t require any technical expertise.

1. Transfer the PPT file to your iPad using your email

This is probably the easiest of all the three options. In all likelihood, you may already have received a PPT file from your colleagues through an email. In this case, all you need to do is simply open your email account on your iPad, click on the email that contains the PowerPoint file, and download it.

2. Transfer the PPT file to your iPad using a cloud storage service

Another quick and easy option is using a cloud storage services. There are plenty of cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and even iCloud. Most of these services offer at least a few GBs of free data storage. Simply upload your PPT file from your computer. Then, login to your cloud storage service on your iPad and download the PPT file on your iPad.

3. Transfer the PPT file to your iPad using WhatsApp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHShrP6cR88

Video on how to login to WhatsApp on your iPad

Another great way to download the file directly to your iPad is by using WhatsApp. While WhatsApp is a great way to stay in touch with you friends, it is also great to share files. You can ask your colleague to send the file to you over WhatsApp. All you need to do is simply log in to your WhatsApp account on your iPad, open your colleague’s chat message, and download the file.

What is the best app for PowerPoint presentation on iPad?

In our experience, Microsoft PowerPoint is by far one of the best apps to work with PPT presentations on iPad. You can easily download and use, and if you have an Office365 subscription, it allows you access to additional functionalities which come in handy especially if you plan to edit files on-the-go on your iPad. PowerPoint presentation has been the brainchild of Microsoft, and it has been the leader by a long stretch when it comes to the presentation software.

With Microsoft PowerPoint, not only do you resolve the compatibility issues of the PPT files with software, you also get an interface you are familiar with. You can be absolutely sure that PPT file will look exactly as it is intended to when using Microsoft PowerPoint on iPad.

You can download the Microsoft PowerPoint app for your iPad from the App Store.

Is Microsoft PowerPoint app FREE for iPad?

Microsoft PowerPoint app is FREE to download and use on an iPad. Microsoft realise that the future of technology is more towards smartphones and tablets. Thus, they have a strong focus on providing access to user files on-the-go. Although you can edit PowerPoint presentations on-the-go, if you wish to get advanced functionalities, you may want to get an Office365 subscription. Having said that, most of your basic editing needs are covered in the base version of the app.

Are there any other apps for PowerPoint presentation on iPad?

Absolutely! There are several other applications that you can use to open and edit a PowerPoint presentation on iPad. All the other applications have their pros and cons. We have listed down the top 3 alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint on iPad. They are in no order to preference.

Keynote is the native software that offers an office suite on Mac and iOS devices including iPad. It has been built from the ground up for iPad and iPhone devices. Needless to say, it is one of the most powerful software when working with presentations.

While Keynote allows you to view, open and edit a PowerPoint file, the overall functionalities are different. We’ve also seen that the look and feel of the PPT file does change when using it on Keynote. However, the changes are not major and if you are only planning to view the major contents of the PPT file on your iPad, Keynote is effective.

2. Google Slides

The best part about Google Slides is that it allows real-time collaboration on projects with its online office suite. This is great especially when your team is not based in the same location as you are.

Google Slides is also compatible with PPT files. It allows you or open, view and edit PowerPoint files on your iPad. Google Slides is FREE . All you need is a Google account to start using it.

3. WPS Office

Image credit – Mr. Phone

WPS stands for Writer (W), Presentation (P), Spreadsheets (S). It is our favourite alternative to Microsoft Office suite. It has been designed with Microsoft Office users in mind. Thus, the look and feel of WPS Office has striking similarities to that of MIcrosoft Office. For all the Microsoft Office users, WPS Office makes you surprisingly feel just at home.

If you are looking to a cheaper/free alternative to Microsoft Office suite that looks and feels just like MS Office, in our experience WPS Office by far the best option for you. It was designed with Microsoft Office users in mind. It was originally launched for Windows, however, WPS Office suite 2019 version has been expanded to both Linux and Mac users as well.

WPS Office is now also available for Mac and iOS users. You can download WPS Office directly from the App Store or visit the download section on their website . WPS Office is FREE to use although simply signing up for an account with them gives you access to premium feature for 1 year.

What equipment will I need to do a PowerPoint presentation using an iPad?

What makes the iPad really powerful is that it allows you to connect to a projector and project the presentation on a bigger screen. This comes in really handy as this negates the need to carry any laptop. Alternatively, if you consider laptop to be your first choice, instead of carrying an additional spare laptop, you can keep an iPad device as a backup just in case your laptop fails to work. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Z6VGNlxbc

Video on how you can connect your iPad to a projector

There are multiple ways to connect your iPad to a Projector. Two of the most common ways are – 

• HDMI connection
• VGA connection 

For both the connections, you will need to buy an additional connector cable that allows you to connect the two devices.

Our personal preference is to use the VGA connector. Main reason for this is the fact that a VGA connector allows the sound to be played from the iPad itself as opposed to a HDMI connector. In an HDMI connection for an iPad, the sound is played through your projector. Another reason for preference of a VGA connector over an HDMI connector is that it is more widely available as a default connection option to the projector in most corporate offices. However, connector preference comes down to a personal choice.

So, is it worth it???

We started this article wondering whether we could do a PowerPoint presentation using an iPad, and whether we could carry an iPad to our meetings instead of a laptop. With the availability of Microsoft PowerPoint application for iPad and several other alternatives to open a PPT file on iPad, as well as the possibility to connect the iPad to a projector, we can safely conclude that an iPad can be used as a replacement to a laptop while meeting clients!

Psst… please share!

If you enjoyed reading the article, please leave us a comment below and share this with you network. This acts as a great motivation for us to keep creating useful content for your folks!

Can You Create a PowerPoint on an iPad? Here’s How!

Creating a PowerPoint on an iPad is simple! All you need is to download the PowerPoint app from the App Store, sign in with your Microsoft account, and you can start creating your presentation right away. It’s an efficient way to work on your slides whether you’re on the go or don’t have access to a computer.

After you complete your PowerPoint, you can easily present it directly from your iPad, share it with others, or transfer it to your computer for further editing.

Introduction

In the world of presentations, PowerPoint has been a long-standing favorite. Its user-friendly interface and robust features make it the go-to choice for professionals, educators, and students alike. But what if you don’t have access to a computer? Can you still whip up a compelling presentation? Absolutely! Thanks to the technological advancements of tablets like the iPad, creating a PowerPoint presentation is not only possible but also incredibly convenient.

The iPad, with its portability and intuitive touch screen, offers a unique way to create and edit presentations. This is particularly relevant for those who are always on the move or simply prefer the tactile interaction that tablets provide. In this article, we’ll explore how to create a PowerPoint presentation on an iPad, why it’s a useful skill, and who stands to benefit from this knowledge. Whether you’re a student preparing for a class project, a business professional crafting a pitch, or a teacher planning your next lesson, mastering PowerPoint on the iPad will elevate your presentation game.

Step by Step Tutorial: Creating a PowerPoint on an iPad

Before we dive into the steps, let’s clarify what we’ll achieve. By following these instructions, you’ll be able to create a fully-functional PowerPoint presentation on your iPad, complete with text, images, and various slide designs.

Step 1: Download the PowerPoint App

First things first, download the PowerPoint app from the App Store.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed the PowerPoint app, you’re ready to get started. The app is free, but for full functionality, you might need an Office 365 subscription.

Step 2: Sign in to Your Microsoft Account

Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft account.

Signing in allows you to access your saved presentations and utilize the full range of PowerPoint’s features. If you don’t have an account, you can create one easily within the app.

Step 3: Create a New Presentation

Select ‘New Presentation’ to start creating your slides.

Here, you’ll choose from a variety of templates or start with a blank slide. Templates can give you a head start with pre-designed layouts and color schemes.

Step 4: Add Content to Your Slides

Tap on the slide to add text, insert images, or create shapes.

Using the toolbar at the top, you can customize your fonts, add bullet points, and more. Playing around with these features will help you create a more visually engaging presentation.

Step 5: Save and Share Your Presentation

Once you’re satisfied, save your presentation and share it as needed.

You can save your presentation to the iPad, to OneDrive, or to another cloud service. Sharing options include email, a link, or exporting it in a format like PDF.

Additional Information

Creating a PowerPoint on an iPad is a breeze once you get the hang of it. But there are a couple of tips that can make your experience even smoother. For instance, pairing your iPad with a keyboard can speed up your typing and make editing text less fiddly. Also, practicing with different gestures can help you discover shortcuts for a more efficient workflow.

Remember, while the iPad version of PowerPoint is robust, it might not have every single feature that the desktop version has. But for most users, the convenience and mobility it offers can outweigh those minor limitations. And guess what? If you’re presenting directly from your iPad, you can also use your device as a remote control, swiping through slides with a mere touch or click. This can be a game-changer for a seamless presentation experience.

• Download the PowerPoint app from the App Store.
• Sign in with your Microsoft account.
• Create a new presentation.
• Add content to your slides.
• Save and share your presentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i edit a powerpoint on an ipad.

Yes, you can edit PowerPoint presentations on an iPad using the PowerPoint app.

Do I need a Microsoft subscription to use PowerPoint on an iPad?

You can use the PowerPoint app for free, but for full functionality, a subscription might be necessary.

Can I print my PowerPoint from an iPad?

Absolutely, as long as you have a compatible printer.

Will my PowerPoint look the same on an iPad as on a computer?

Mostly yes, although there may be some minor differences due to the app’s features.

Can I use Presenter View on an iPad?

Yes, Presenter View is available on the PowerPoint iPad app.

A PowerPoint presentation can make or break your pitch, project, or lesson. And being able to create one on an iPad not only adds convenience to your process but also ensures you’re never caught off guard without your slides at hand. With just a few taps and swipes, you can craft a professional and engaging presentation from wherever you are.

So next time you’re away from your computer but need to prep for that big meeting or class, remember that your iPad is more than up to the task. Happy presenting!

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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Video: Run a slideshow in PowerPoint for iPad

Other tutorial videos for PowerPoint for iPad:

Open files from the cloud . Open files from OneDrive for Business (for your work or school stuff), OneDrive.com (for your personal stuff), or from a Dropbox account.

Open email attachments . Open, edit, and send back email attachments using PowerPoint for iPad.

How saving works in PowerPoint for iPad . PowerPoint for iPad automatically saves your work every time you make even a small change. In most cases, you don’t have to do anything at all to save your document. Watch this training video to learn about AutoSave.

Type in PowerPoint for iPad . Typing in PowerPoint for iPad can be tricky at first, especially if you’re used to a physical keyboard. This training video shows you some typing tips.

Select stuff in PowerPoint for iPad . Select text and pictures expertly with your finger in PowerPoint for iPad. This training video helps you move from the mouse to the touchscreen.

How to print in PowerPoint for iPad . You tap the File button to print in PowerPoint for iPad. Watch this video to learn how. At this time, you can only print to an AirPrint compatible printer.

Run a slideshow in PowerPoint for iPad. (You are here!) There are some special finger gestures you can use to advance, go back, and end a slideshow. You can even use a laser pointer and ink pen, with the touch of your finger.

Projecting your slideshow to a screen . If you want to project a slideshow from your iPad to a screen or TV, then watch this video. It will show you how to hook up an adaptor. You can also use AirPlay.

Looking for more training?

Check out the training course for Excel for iPad.

Check out training courses for the rest of the Office programs .

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Use FaceTime or other videoconferencing apps instead of Keynote Live

To share a Keynote presentation live over the internet, use FaceTime or another videoconferencing app instead of Keynote Live, which is no longer available.

For the best experience when sharing a Keynote presentation in a videoconference, update to the latest version of the Keynote app and to the latest version of macOS, iOS, or iPadOS on your device.

Share your Keynote presentation with FaceTime

With FaceTime, you can use screen sharing to share your presentation and include presenter audio and video alongside your slides. You can present to others in both standard and group FaceTime calls. Invite participants within FaceTime or generate and send a shareable link to invite others to a call.

Click the Keynote window you want to share, then click the Share This Window button. The presenter display is automatically hidden from other participants on the call.

On iPhone or iPad

Start your FaceTime call.

Switch to Keynote , then open the presentation you want to share.

Generate and send a shareable link

You can generate and send a shareable link to invite others to your FaceTime call, like with email or Messages.

Share a link to a FaceTime call on Mac

Create a link to a FaceTime call on iPhone

Create a link to a FaceTime call on iPad

Share your Keynote presentation with other apps

Other videoconferencing apps like Zoom and WebEx support screen sharing on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You may need to initiate a screen sharing session before starting playback in Keynote. If you are presenting in a window on Mac, the presenter display is hidden from other participants.

For more information on sharing your screen through a third-party video conferencing app, see the documentation that comes with the app you’re using.

Use Keynote to present remotely in a video conference

Use SharePlay to share screens in FaceTime on Mac

Share your screen in FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad

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