PowerPoint Basics: Slides, Design and Formatting

• The default file extension for a PowerPoint presentation is .pptx.
• A new PowerPoint presentation can be created using Ctrl + N.
• The Slide Show tab contains Slide Show settings.
• Slide Sorter View is used to arrange slides in a sequence.
• The function of the Notes Pane in PowerPoint is to add speaker notes.
• The Slide Master feature is used to ensure consistency across slides.
• A slide can be duplicated by pressing Ctrl + D.
• The same design can be applied to all slides using Slide Master.

Slide Management & Formatting

• A new slide can be inserted in PowerPoint using Ctrl + M.
• The Insert tab contains options for inserting charts, images, and tables.
• A hyperlink can be added in PowerPoint by going to Insert → Hyperlink.
• The background color of a slide can be changed by going to Design → Format Background.
• The function of Slide Layout is to determine the arrangement of content on a slide.
• Font size and style can be changed from the Home tab.
• The "Format Painter" tool copies the formatting of one object to another.

Animations & Transitions

• The Animation Effect feature allows text to appear letter by letter.
• The Animation feature is used to move objects within a slide.
• A transition changes the way one slide moves to another.
• An automatic transition between slides can be set by going to Transitions → Set Timing.
• The "Rehearse Timings" feature allows automatic slide advancement based on recorded time.

Presentation & Slideshow

• A slideshow can be started from the beginning by pressing F5.
• The shortcut key to start a slideshow from the current slide is Shift + F5.
• The Record Slide Show feature records narration and slide timing.
• The .wmv file format is used to save a PowerPoint presentation as a video.
• To print speaker notes with slides, use the Print Notes Pages option.

Advanced Features

• A video can be inserted into a PowerPoint slide by going to Insert → Video.
• Voice narration can be added to a slide by going to Insert → Audio.
• Slide Master allows you to apply a consistent design across slides.
• Action Buttons are used to navigate slides using hyperlinks.
• Two shapes can be merged in PowerPoint by going to Insert → Merge Shapes.

Collaboration & Saving

• OneDrive is a cloud storage service integrated with PowerPoint.
• A presentation can be protected with a password by going to File → Protect Presentation.
• The Compare feature compares two presentations for changes.
• A PowerPoint presentation can be shared online by going to File → Share.
• Saving a PowerPoint as a .pdf converts it into a non-editable format.

Miscellaneous

• Slide order can be changed by dragging and dropping slides in Slide Sorter view.
• Slide Sorter View shows slide thumbnails.
• A PowerPoint presentation can be converted into a handout by going to Export → Create Handouts.
• A slide can be reset to its original layout by right-clicking and selecting Reset Slide.
• The .pptx format is best for preserving a PowerPoint file's design.