Sometimes, PowerPoint feels like the forgotten brother of the Microsoft Office suite. Its usefulness is hard to argue against, but people generally seem more interested in tips for Word and tips for Excel.

Let's change all that by looking at something a surprisingly small number of individuals know how to do: change the size of your slides.

Of course, there's nothing worse than poorly sized slides in a presentation. They look annoying, and they can quickly lay waste to the most meticulously planned exhibition. Keep reading to find out more.

Change Slide Aspect Ratio in PowerPoint

PowerPoint makes it easy to jump between the common 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. Before following this guide, first, make sure you're using the Normal view. Go to View > Normal to check.

All set? Great, now follow these steps:

  1. Using the ribbon, open the Design tab.
  2. On the right-hand side of the ribbon, click Slide Size.
  3. Choose either Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9).

If PowerPoint cannot scale your content, it will offer you two options:

  • Maximize: This will increase the size of your slide's content, but could result in a loss of image.
  • Ensure Fit: This could shrink the size of your content, but will ensure nothing is lost.

Custom Slide Sizes in PowerPoint

If you're planning to use your presentation in a non-standard setting, you might want to create custom slide sizes. Luckily, it's also straightforward:

  1. Using the ribbon, open the Design tab.
  2. On the right-hand side of the ribbon, click Slide Size.
  3. Choose Custom Slide Size.
  4. Enter your preferred proportions in the popup box.
  5. Press OK to save your changes.

Note: If you want a regular size slide that's not 4:3 or 16:9 (for example, Letter, Legal, A4, etc.), you can make your selection in the dropdown box under Slides sized for.

Did you know this was possible? Well, now it's your turn. Share your favorite PowerPoint tips in the comments below.

Image Credit: Christian Bertrand via Shutterstock