Get to know Microsoft’s presentation software
Updated March 05, 2020
Microsoft PowerPoint is a slide show presentation program originally developed by Forthought, Inc. for Macintosh computers in 1987 and purchased by Microsoft in 1990. Microsoft has released several updated versions, each one offering more features and better technology than the previous one. The latest version of Microsoft PowerPoint is available in Microsoft 365.
Need PowerPoint?
Jolie Ballew
Presentation software is the easiest way to create and show the types of slides you’ve likely seen in a meeting or class.
There are several free options including LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice, and SlideDog. However, if you are collaborating on the presentation with others, integrating other Microsoft programs (like Microsoft Word), or want your presentation to be seen by anyone in the world, you should buy and use Microsoft PowerPoint. If integration with other Microsoft programs isn’t important, Google’s G Suite offers a presentation program that allows for great collaboration with other people.
When it comes to Microsoft PowerPoint, it also comes with all the features you need to create presentations. You can start with a blank layout like this, or choose from a variety of preconfigured layouts (called templates). A template is a file that has already been created with various styles and themes applied. This option provides an easy way to start a presentation with just one click.
You can also insert photos and videos from your computer and the Internet, draw shapes, and create and insert all kinds of graphics. Among other things, there are ways to switch between slides as you present and animate the elements on each slide.
What is a PowerPoint presentation?
A birthday presentation.
Jolie Ballew
A PowerPoint presentation is a set of slides that you create either from scratch or from a template that contains information you want to share. Often you show the presentation to other people in an office environment, e.g. B. at a sales meeting, but you can also create slideshows for weddings and birthdays.
When you present the presentation to your audience, the PowerPoint slides take up the entire presentation screen.
Already have Microsoft PowerPoint?
Jolie Ballew
Many (but not all) Windows computers come with Microsoft Office. This means you may already have a version of Microsoft PowerPoint.
To check if Microsoft PowerPoint is installed on your Windows device:
To find out if you have a version of PowerPoint on your Mac, look for it in the viewfinder sidebar, sous Requests or click the magnifying glass in the upper-right corner of your Mac screen and type power point in the search field that appears.
Where to get Microsoft PowerPoint
Jolie Ballew
You can buy PowerPoint in two different ways:
Keep in mind that Microsoft 365 is a monthly subscription, while you only pay once for the Office suite.
If you don’t create presentations but just want to see what others have created, you can view PowerPoint online for free.
Some employers, colleges, and universities offer Microsoft 365 to their employees and students for free.
The history of PowerPoint
PowerPoint 2016.
Jolie Ballew
There have been many versions of the Microsoft Office suite over the years. The cheapest suites contained only the most basic applications (often Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). The most expensive suites included some or all applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, SharePoint, Exchange, Skype, etc.). These suites had names like “Home and Student” or “Personal” or “Professional”. .
PowerPoint is included no matter what version of the Microsoft Office suite you’re looking at.
Here are current Microsoft Office suites that also include PowerPoint:
- PowerPoint Online (or PowerPoint 365) is available and regularly updated in Microsoft 365.
- PowerPoint 2019 is available in Office 2019.
- PowerPoint 2016 is available in Office 2016.
- PowerPoint 2013 was available in Office 2013.
- PowerPoint 2010 was available in Office 2010.
- PowerPoint 2007 was included with Office 2007.
- PowerPoint 2003 was included with Office 2003.
- PowerPoint 2002 was included with Office XP.
PowerPoint is also available for the Macintosh computer line, as well as for smartphones and tablets.