PowerPoint Options (Advanced)

Editing options

When selecting, automatically select entire word     Select this check box to select the entire word when you click a word, or clear this check box to select an individual letter in a word when you click a word.

Allow text to be dragged and dropped     Select this check box to move or copy text within a presentation or from PowerPoint to another Microsoft Office program by dragging the text, or clear this check box to prevent dragging text to move or copy it.

Automatically switch keyboard to match language of surrounding text     Select this check box when you are working with text in different languages. PowerPoint automatically detects the language in which the insertion point is placed, and switches to the correct keyboard language.

Do not automatically hyperlink screenshot    (PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions) When you use Insert > Screenshot and capture an image from the Internet Explorer web browser, PowerPoint can make the image a hyperlink that points to the web page that you take the screenshot of. Select this option if you don't want such images hyperlinked.

Maximum number of undos     On the Quick Access Toolbar, the Undo command allows you to undo one or more of the recent changes that you made to your presentation. In this box, enter the number of times that you can click Undo to undo your changes at any particular time.

Cut, copy, and paste

Use smart cut and paste     Select this check box if you want PowerPoint to adjust the spacing of words and objects that you paste into your presentation. Smart cut and paste ensures that pasted content does not run up against other words or objects that appear before or after the content that you paste. Clear this check box if you do not want PowerPoint to automatically adjust the spacing of words or objects.

Show Paste Options buttons     Select this check box to show the Paste Options buttons, or clear this check box to hide the Paste Options buttons. The Paste Options buttons appear alongside text that you paste. By using these buttons, you can quickly choose between keeping the source formatting or pasting text only.

Pen

(The pen option is only available in PowerPoint 2016 and newer versions.)

Use pen to select and interact with content by default     If you don't want to automatically be in inking mode when Office detects your active pen or stylus, select this check box to use your pen to select objects by default.

Image size and quality

These options area available in PowerPoint 2010 and newer versions.)

Options that you set in this section are only applicable to the presentation file that you have open at the time.

Discard editing data     If you have cropped a picture or made other changes to the picture, such as applying an artistic effect or changing the brightness, contrast, or sharpness of a picture, information to reverse those changes is stored in your file. You can reduce the size of your file by deleting this editing data. Checking this option will reduce your document size, but if you want to undo your edits, you will need to reinsert the picture into your document if you want to undo any changes you have made. For more information, see Reduce the file size of a picture.

Do not compress images in file     Compressing images in a file saves space, but it reduces the picture quality. If picture quality is more important to you than file size, select this check box. . To compress an individual picture or set other picture quality or resolution options, see Reduce the file size of a picture.

Default resolution / Set default target output to    PPI (pixels per inch) is a measure of image resolution. The higher the PPI value, the richer the image. High fidelity resolution preserves picture quality, but may increase the file size of your presentation.

Chart options

These options area available in PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions.)

Properties follow chart data point for all new presentations     Select this check box to have custom formatting and chart data labels follow data points as they move or change in the chart. This setting applies to all presentations created hereafter.

Properties follow chart data point for current presentation     Select this check box to have custom formatting and chart data labels follow data points as they move or change in the chart. This setting only applies to the current presentation.

Display

Show this number of recent documents/presentations     Enter the number of recently opened or edited presentations that you want to appear in the Recent Documents list.

• To view the Recent Presentations list in PowerPoint 2013 or newer versions, Click File > Open.

• To view the Recent Presentations list in PowerPoint 2010, Click File > Recent.

Quickly access this number of Recent Presentations     (PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions) A quick-access list of recent presentations appears at the bottom left of the window, after the Options command, as shown in the following image, labeled 1.

Show this number of unpinned Recent Folders     (PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions) A quick-access list of recent folders appears on the Recent tab in the Open dialog, as shown in the following image, labeled 2. Specify the number of folders you want listed there, when you select a particular source, such as OneDrive or This PC..

Show shortcut keys in ScreenTips     Select this check box to show the keyboard shortcuts in all ScreenTips, or clear this check box to hide the keyboard shortcuts in all ScreenTips.

Show vertical ruler     Select this check box to show the vertical ruler, or clear this check box to hide the vertical ruler. The vertical ruler is a bar that appears alongside your PowerPoint presentation and that you can use to measure and align objects.

Disable hardware graphics acceleration     (PowerPoint 2010 and newer versions) Using hardware graphics acceleration increases the performance speed when you are playing your presentation. Selecting this check box turns off the use of that graphics acceleration. For more information, see Tips for improving audio and video playback and compatibility.

Disable Slide Show hardware graphics acceleration     (PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions) If you are using transitions between slides and they are not behaving as expected (that is, you see flashing black screens instead of the transitions you've chosen) try selecting this check box.

Automatically extend display when presenting on a laptop or tablet     (PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions) To turn off using presenter view, clear this check box. By default, PowerPoint uses presenter view for slide shows. This mode "extends" the computer's desktop, creating two separate monitors on the presenter's computer. One monitor is the built-in screen on the presenter's laptop or tablet. The other monitor is the display device, or projector, attached to the presenter's laptop or tablet.

Show presence flags for selected items     (PowerPoint 2016 and newer versions) This option takes effect when you are working on a shared presentation with others. If you select an item that someone else is editing a small flag appears indicating who is currently editing that item.

Open all documents using this view     Select an option from the list to specify that all presentations open in a specific view each time that you start PowerPoint.

Slide Show

Show menu on right mouse click     Select this check box to show a shortcut menu when you right-click a slide in Slide Show view, or clear this check box to prevent the shortcut menu from showing.

Show popup toolbar     Select this check box to show a toolbar at the bottom of a full screen presentation that allows you to navigate between slides and apply annotations to your presentation, or clear this check box to hide the toolbar.

Prompt to keep ink annotations when exiting     Select this check box to be prompted to save your changes when you draw on or highlight slides during a presentation, or clear this check box to exit without being prompted to save your ink annotations.

End with black slide     Select this check box to insert a black slide at the end of your presentation, or clear this check box to end your presentation without a black slide. If you clear this check box, the last thing your audience sees is the last slide in your presentation, rather than a black slide.

Print

Print in background     Select this check box to work in PowerPoint while you print your presentation (printing can slow the response time in PowerPoint), or clear this check box to turn off background printing when you want rapid response time while you work in PowerPoint.

Print TrueType fonts as graphics     Select this check box to turn your fonts into vector graphics so that your fonts will be printed clearly and at any size (or scale), or clear this check box if the print quality or scalability is not important to you.

Print inserted objects at printer resolution     Select this check box when you want quality printouts of inserted objects, such as pie charts or tables, or clear this check box to ignore distorted or vertically stretched objects when printing.

High quality     Select this check box when you want to see improvements in your print jobs such as increased resolution, blended transparent graphics, or printed soft shadows. By selecting this option, you get the best possible output, but printing may take longer.

Align transparent graphics at printer resolution     Select this check box to ensure that your transparent content lines up properly with all other content. By selecting this option, PowerPoint uses the printer's resolution to print, which can slow down performance if the printer has a very high resolution.

Print slide numbers on handouts     (Only in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, beginning with version 1810) By default, slide numbers appear below slide thumbnail images on printed handout pages. Turn this feature on or off by selecting or clearing this check box. 

When printing this document

When printing this document     In this list, select the presentation that you want to apply settings to, and then click one of the following:

• Use the most recently used print settings     To print the presentation according to the options that you used previously in the Print dialog box, click this button.

• Use the following print settings     To choose new print settings for the presentation, click this button, and then do the following:

  • Print what     In this list, select what you want to print.

  • Color/grayscale     In this list, select the setting that you want. For information about printing in color, grayscale, or black and white, see Print your handouts, notes, or slides.

  • Print hidden slides     Select this check box to print slides that you have previously hidden, or clear this check box to print only slides that are not hidden. For information about why you would want to hide a slide and how to hide a slide, see Hide or show a slide.

  • Scale to fit paper     Select this check box to scale the contents of a slide, handout, or notes page to fit the paper size that you are printing on, or clear this check box to print the default font and object sizes on the default paper size.

  • Frame slides     Select this check box to add a border-like frame around each slide, or clear this check box if you do not want a frame around each slide.

General

Provide feedback with sound    (PowerPoint 2010–2016 only) Select this check box to make a sound when an error appears, or clear this check box if you do not want to hear a sound when an error appears.

Show add-in user interface errors     If you are a developer, select this check box to show errors in your user interface customization code, or clear this check box to hide the errors.

Show customer-submitted Office.com content    (PowerPoint 2010 only) Select this option to see templates and images created by customers in addition to the content provided by Microsoft Office.