interactive presentation on powerpoint

How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation: An Expert Guide (Free Downloadable Playbook)

Zhun Yee Chew

Are your PowerPoint presentations lacking impact and failing to engage your audience? You’re not alone. I experienced that before. I used to spend hours carefully crafting the perfect PowerPoint presentations only to be met with disinterested faces.

In a world where attention spans are getting shorter, traditional PowerPoint presentations often struggle to hold the interest of the audience. So here’s the hard truth: unless you adapt and embrace interactivity in your PowerPoint presentations, your valuable hard work and content run the risk of getting lost in presentations.

Fret not, as in this comprehensive guide, we will share with you expert tips on how to make an interactive PowerPoint presentation through interactive animations, transitions, hyperlinks, quizzes, games, and many more.

And perhaps the sweetest part of the deal is that you will also have access to a downloadable playbook of 60+ pages with a wealth of tutorials, templates, cheat sheets, resources and tools to elevate your PowerPoint skills from average to extraordinary through interactive PowerPoint presentations.

Are you prepared to impress those who once found your presentation dull? If your answer is a resounding ‘yes,’ then let’s begin.

What is an Interactive Presentation?

What is an interactive powerpoint presentation.

Interactive PowerPoint presentations are simply PowerPoint presentations that are made interactive to convey information in a more dynamic and engaging manner.

Creating an interactive PowerPoint presentation involves deciding if you want to make your slide content interactive or if you want your audience to interact with your slides. 

Interactive PowerPoint presentations can generally be divided into two main dimensions: interaction with slide content through interactive elements and fostering interaction with the audience.

Interaction with Slide Content:

In the first dimension, PowerPoint presentations are made interactive through enhancing the slides content with interactive elements, usually native to PowerPoint. 

We will cover interactive elements including:

• Transitions
• Interactive data visualization
• Annotations. 

They function to enhance slide interactivity through adding movement to static objects, enabling non-linear slides navigation, as well as adding a dynamic touch to data and information presentation. 

Audience Interaction:

In the second dimension, PowerPoint presentations are made interactive through interaction between the presenter and the audience, usually with the help of PowerPoint add-in tools. We will cover: 

• Assessments
• Brainstorming
• Collaborative multimedia uploading

Once you have decided which strategy you would like to use, you can then follow  these step-by-step guide  and the following expert tips to turn your PowerPoint slides into an interactive experience!

Benefits of an Interactive Presentation

The fact that you are still reading this suggests that you don’t need further convincing on the benefits of interactive PowerPoint presentations. 

However, if you do, here are some quick statistics:

68% of individuals hold the belief that interactive presentations have a greater potential for being remembered. Webinar Care

This means that a simple action of making your PowerPoint slides interactive has a profound impact on how your presentation is received by the audience. From our years of experience creating interactive PowerPoint presentations, they generally: 

• Increases  engagement , motivation and knowledge  retention . 
• Result in better  impression  and more impactful messaging being conveyed.
• Allow presenters to better tailor their content or offerings to the audience or clients because they can gather  real-time feedback .
• Open up room for  creative   storytelling  and showcases.

Interactive Puzzle PowerPoint Templates

Master the tricks to turn your PowerPoint into an interactive experience today!

Expert Tips on How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation – Before Presenting

1. add animations, but use them judiciously.

The first and most straightforward way of making your PowerPoint presentations interactive is through adding animations to your slides. However, so many people use PowerPoint animations the wrong way. PowerPoint animations are more than just making bullet points or images appear or fly in during your presentation.

Remember, using animations excessively in your PowerPoint presentation will only reduce the appeal and professionalism of your slides. The key is to use them judiciously and purposefully. Before you hit the “Animations” tab, ask yourself, “Does this animation enhance the message I want to convey to my audience?”  

2. Add 3D PowerPoint Animations Using PowerPoint Native 3D Stock Elements

Did you know that PowerPoint has free animated 3D elements you can use? We recommend you to try them up to instantly upgrade your presentation from ordinary to extraordinary. 

❓ How?  Simply go to Insert > 3D models > stock 3D models > animated models. And you will find a wide range of free 3D models ranging from food and animals to plants and characters, and many more. You can also select different animation scenes by heading to the Animations tab.

3. Add Animations With Triggers for Visual Excitement

You can take your PowerPoint animations up a notch by incorporating combining animations with triggers to create interactive pop-ups with extra information . These on-click pop-ups are valuable when presenting a map or when you want to explore specific aspects of an object or topic in more detail. You can also use these pop-ups as markers to alert the audience to exciting elements within different parts of the slide, as such: 

❓How? To create on-click pop-ups in your PowerPoint slides, first add shapes that will become clickable buttons, one to “open” the pop-up and the other to “close” the pop-up. Then, add text boxes with extra information you want to show, as well as entrance and exit animations. Combine the animations with “triggers” to activate the animations when the open or close buttons are clicked on. 

For a more detailed tutorial on this pop-up animation, download our Interactive PowerPoint Playbook  below. 👇

4. add non-linear slide transition.

A quick way to add interactivity to your PowerPoint slides is by using PowerPoint transitions. The first we want to discuss is PowerPoint Zoom. PowerPoint Zoom enables you to zoom in and out of and navigate to specific sections or slides on click, anytime during your presentation.

To  access the PowerPoint Zoom feature : click on Insert in the  PowerPoint ribbon  >  Zoom  > then choose  Slide ,  Section , or  Summary   Zoom . Each of these PowerPoint Zoom option serves slightly different functions:

• Slide Zoom: zooms into specific slides
• Section zoom: zooms into specific sections
• Summary Zoom: creates a summary slide for the different slides or sections in your PowerPoint presentation for easy navigation.

❓ How? To  set up PowerPoint slide zoom , select the starting slide where you wish to implement the Zoom effect. Next, click  Insert  >  Zoom  >  Slide Zoom . Here, you can pick the specific slide or slides you want to zoom in on. Click the Insert button, and thumbnails of the chosen slides will be added to your current slide.

Alternatively, for a more manual setup process, you can also set up a navigation menu at the beginning of your presentation that allows the audience to jump to different sections or slides using hyperlinks.  Read more in the Hyperlinks section below. 

5. Add PowerPoint Morph

Like PowerPoint Zoom, PowerPoint Morph empowers presenters to create dynamic transitions that elevate the visual storytelling in their presentations. But PowerPoint Morph brings storytelling to a whole new level and adds a layer of intrigue to your slides by simulating object transitions or evolution across slides. It functions similarly to animations but offers a smoother and more organic visual experience, without the need for complex setup steps. 

Personally, we think the outcomes generated by PowerPoint Morph are more professional and polished-looking as compared to traditional animations. And if you are looking for a more advanced-looking presentation, try this 3D morph animation In PowerPoint .

We’d also like to share with you the numerous applications of PowerPoint Morph contributed by our colleagues and PowerPoint professionals at ClassPoint:

• Moving background
• Rotating wheel
• Rotating cogs
• Photo gallery
• Slide Zoom with Morph
• Creative reveal
• Parallax effect
• Continuous slide transition
• Phone frame
• Movie frame

Gain access to free templates for all these PowerPoint Morph applications and effects by downloading our Interactive PowerPoint Playbook. 👇

6. add hyperlinks – they can link to so many more places than just websites.

Much like PowerPoint Zoom, hyperlinks enable presenters to create interactive menus and navigation structures, allowing audiences to jump to specific slides or sections effortlessly. However, while PowerPoint Zoom primarily focuses on creating a visual and interactive overview of content within a single presentation, hyperlinks extend this capability to connect with external resources, web content, or even additional PowerPoint files. 

There are a few ways you could add hyperlinks to your PowerPoint presentation to transform  it into an interactive experience effortlessly: 

4 Ways You Can Add Hyperlinks to PowerPoint: 

• Slide Transition : You can navigate to specific slides in a non-linear manner by simply inserting a hyperlink into your current slide. Head over to Insert > Link > This Document and select the slide you want to link to. You can apply hyperlinks to text, shapes, or pictures. 

• Interactive Navigation Menu : Adding an interactive navigation menu at the beginning of your presentation allows clear navigation between different slides and sections in your presentation. Head over to Insert > Link > This Document and select the slides you want to link to.

• Action Buttons : With hyperlinks, you can also create Action Buttons in your PowerPoint presentations to make your PowerPoint slides behave like interactive web pages, allowing users to navigate, explore, and engage with the content in a dynamic and user-friendly manner. Head over to Insert > Action Buttons and choose from the selection.

• Embedded Content : You can also hyperlink your PowerPoint slides to embedded content like PDFs, spreadsheets, and even web pages. Simply click Insert > Object and select the file you would like to embed in your PowerPoint slides. This way, you can remove the hassle of toggling between various files or windows during your presentation.

Expert Tips on How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation – When Presenting

1. turn your powerpoint slides into interactive quizzes.

The traditional way to add interactive quizzes to PowerPoint is through an unfavorable process of combining complex animations with triggers and hyperlinks. Let’s be honest, it takes an eternity! Even though PowerPoint offers an extensive range of presentation tools, it does not have audience interactivity built at its core. 

The good news is, audience interactivity can actually be effortlessly achieved with the various PowerPoint add-ins as listed below: 

We will get to polls and games in a bit. For now, let’s show you how you can turn your PowerPoint slides into an interactive quiz in a just a few clicks with PowerPoint add-ins like  ClassPoint , which offers a wide range of interactive quizzes from  Short Answer  and  Word Cloud , to Multiple Choice questions.

How to Create An Interactive Quiz in PowerPoint In A Few Clicks

Once you have downloaded ClassPoint, you will have a suite of additional interactive quiz features added to your PowerPoint ribbon. 

To turn  your PowerPoint slide  content into interactive  quizzes, simply  click on any of the interactive quiz features and add them to your slide. Enter PowerPoint Slideshow mode and you can start the quiz immediately. 

2. Run Gradable Assessments inside PowerPoint

With the versatile PowerPoint add-in,  ClassPoint , you can also create assessments and collect real-time responses right inside PowerPoint. This is wonderful news for teachers! All you have to do is set up  interactive Multiple Choice questions  and enable  Quiz Mode . 

ClassPoint’s Quiz Mode introduces an  automatic grading  feature to your Multiple Choice questions within PowerPoint presentations created with ClassPoint. This feature not only automates the grading process but also includes automatic star ratings, the option to select difficulty levels, and provides a quiz summary along with an exportable quiz report, making it the perfect tool for classroom formative assessments in PowerPoint!

3. Incorporate Annotations During Slideshow

Another unique way to interact with your PowerPoint slides is through the use of annotations. With annotations, you as the presenter can interact with your slides to draw your audience’s attention to specific details, highlight key points, and tell a more coherent story. 

There are 3 ways you could use annotations in PowerPoint: 

• PowerPoint Draw Tab:  To utilize the PowerPoint Draw Tab, click on the “Draw” tab in your PowerPoint ribbon and begin annotating anywhere on your slides using built-in features like the pen, highlighter, and Ink to Shape. However, please note that PowerPoint Draw only allows annotation in Edit mode.

• PowerPoint Pen Tools:  Another option for native PowerPoint annotation tools that permit annotation during slideshow mode can be found by clicking the pencil icon located in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen during a presentation. You can use the pen, highlighter, or laser tools to annotate any part of your slides during the presentation.

• ClassPoint  Toolbar:  The ClassPoint toolbar serves as an enhanced, free alternative to PowerPoint’s existing pen tools. It offers a broader range of additional annotation features, including text boxes, shapes, spotlight effects, fully customizable pens and highlighters, and more. This enables you to transform your PowerPoint slides into a creative canvas that will captivate your audience throughout your presentation.

4. Run Ice Breakers and Brainstorming Sessions in PowerPoint

The uses of interactive PowerPoint add-ins like  ClassPoint  are not only limited to teaching and learning. Give your PowerPoint meetings and presentations a strong start with a collaborative and dynamic brainstorming experience.

You can enhance your PowerPoint presentations and turn them into an interactive brainstorming experience by incorporating  Word Cloud  in PowerPoint, inviting participants to instantly contribute ideas, keywords, or concepts. This allows everyone to dynamically visualize emerging trends and interesting ideas.

❓ How? To start a brainstorming session in PowerPoint, click on the “Word Cloud”  button in your PowerPoint ribbon once you have downloaded ClassPoint to add the “Word Cloud” feature in your PowerPoint slides. Then enter PowerPoint slideshow mode to start brainstorming! 

5. Add Draggable Slide Objects (And Why It’s Better than Animations!)

Similar to animations, draggable objects allow you to interact with your slide objects freely during slideshow mode, except than you can do so with full control of where you want the slide elements to go!

This dynamic presentation feature adds an element of visual interest that captures your audience’s attention and can be a valuable tool for explaining complex ideas. Moreover, it has the potential to serve various purposes, such as revealing hidden information or acting as a movable marker to indicate your position on the slide content. You can also use it for group drag-and-drop activities, such as matching, categorizing, sorting, and more. You can either perform these actions yourself to provide a visual explanation or engage your audience by letting them instruct the movement of images and text on the slide.

❓ How? Draggable objects is a unique tool that is possible inside PowerPoint with the use of the add-in ClassPoint. Download ClassPoint, free PowerPoint add-in, the select any shape, image, illustration, or text on your slide to become draggable by clicking on “Draggable Objects” in your PowerPoint ribbon, and toggling “Drag enabled” on the side panel.

In slideshow mode, click on the draggable objects hand from the ClassPoint toolbar at the bottom of your screen to start dragging your slide objects around!

6. Create Playable Games In PowerPoint (Without Animations or Hyperlinks)

Much like interactive quizzes, PowerPoint games add a layer of interactivity and fun to PowerPoint presentations. However, what sets PowerPoint games apart is their ability to introduce competition through gamification. 

Here are  3 ways  you can instantly gamify your PowerPoint slides with  gamification elements :

• Set Up a Point and Reward System : Define how your participants can earn stars and points, and  award stars  to them when they have accomplished a goal during your presentation. 
• Add  Levels and Badges  to PowerPoint : Every game benefits from having levels and badges, and your PowerPoint game is no exception. You can create a simple game within PowerPoint by incorporating  questions  into your slides and defining the points and scores needed to progress to higher levels. When it comes to badges, you have the creative freedom to tailor them to your audience. For example, in an educational setting, badges can be skill-focused, while in a social gathering, they can take the form of fantasy characters that participants aspire to collect
• Add a  Leaderboard  to PowerPoint : Leaderboards are essential to keep track of scores or points during a PowerPoint game. You can of course create a manual leaderboard using PowerPoint’s tables and hyperlinks, but an easier and more straightforward way of implementing a leaderboard in your PowerPoint is using add-ins like  ClassPoint  and  Vevox .

With these fundamentals of gamification in place, you are now ready to create fun and exhilarating games in PowerPoint. 

Here is a full walk-through on  how you can create a PowerPoint game  in a few simple steps. 

If you are an educator, this  free trivia PowerPoint template and these 5 interactive PowerPoint game templates tailored for the classroom will be useful for you.

Expert Tips on How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation – After Presenting

1. run real-time polls in powerpoint.

Think of a memorable presentation you have attended? Did it use live polls? We bet it did! Live polling are especially helpful after a PowerPoint presentation to gather feedback for future improvement.

Traditional poll tools require presenters to switch between tabs during presentation. Thanks to PowerPoint add-ins such as  ClassPoint ,  Mentimeter  and  Poll Everywhere , this is no longer the case. And by eliminating the need to switch between different applications or tabs, the presentation experience becomes more fluid and engaging.

2. From Static to Interactive Data Visualisation

Incorporating interactivity through data visualization after a presentation concludes is a potent strategy for enhancing audience engagement and comprehension. Once the primary content delivery is complete, you can transition into a dynamic display of data or feedback you have gathered from your audience using interactive charts, graphs, or infographics.

This approach empowers your audience to explore the information at their own pace, dig deeper into specific data points, and ensure a two-way communication between the presenter and the audience. Whether it’s zooming in on specific trends, toggling between different data sets, or going through feedback, interactive data visualization encourages active participation and a deeper connection with the presented information. 

We recommend the following 2 ways to display data into your presentation:

• Insert tables, charts and graphs, and add a touch of interactivity through animations.

Below is a list of 10 PowerPoint animations most suitable for different kinds of graphs and charts: 

• Embed a website with data you want to go over. I’m not talking about a link that leaves PowerPoint for your default browser, but an actual embedded browser that loads your websites without leaving PowerPoint! Plus you can insert the page as a picture into your slide and start annotating on it!

Now that you have a collection of strategies and tips at your disposal, you are better prepared to leave your old and dusty PowerPoint toolkit behind and embrace these refreshing ideas. Whether your ultimate aim is to create a captivating classroom experience, deliver a memorable business pitch, or simply wow your friends and peers during  PowerPoint nights , don’t forget to: 

• Add animations, but use them sparingly.
• Make use of non-linear transitions and storytelling. 
• Turn simple transitions into stunning visual experience with PowerPoint Morph.
• Make creative use of polls, quizzes and games. 
• Make your presentation human with Bitmoji.
• Build anticipation with interactive presentation tools like annotations and drag and drop.
• Try out these 160 fun PowerPoint ideas for your next presentation!

To read more about Interactive PowerPoint Presentations, you can download our Interactive PowerPoint Playbook, which includes comprehensive guides, tutorials on various interactive PowerPoint presentation methods, cheat sheets, and a wide range of resources for mastering the art of creating interactive PowerPoint presentations.

About Zhun Yee Chew

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How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

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Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Office

How to Give an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation in 2023

Presenting online is tough, yes. You can’t really connect with your audience. You often don’t even know whether those mute faces listen to you at all.

That’s why it’s important to go the extra mile and make your presentation interactive. 

But that’s easier said than done, right?

Being for 7 years in the game of interactive presenting, I’d like to share some of my tips on how to activate your audience , create meaningful interaction, and facilitate it during your talk.

Get inspired by these (or some of these) tips for delivering a  truly interactive PowerPoint presentation.

• Play music or do some chit-chat while waiting
• Welcome people and properly introduce the topic
• Explain how people can interact with you
• Involve the audience from the very start
• Re-engage your audience every 5-7 minutes
• Use polls to trigger a discussion
• Take advantage of Zoom’s interactive features
• Simplify your slides: One idea/visual per slide
• Play around with virtual backgrounds
• Use breakout sessions for peer-to-peer learning
• Turn tedious numbers into a quiz
• Invite a sidekick
• Run mid-way Q&A sessions
• Give your audience something tangible to leave with
• Run a short feedback survey at the end

1. Play music or do some chit-chat while waiting

Often it takes a couple of minutes before everybody jumps on a call. While you’re waiting for the rest of the crew to join, you can play some music in the background to set the mood and talk to the people who have already tuned in. “Has anyone discovered a good recipe lately?” or, “Did you do anything cool this weekend?”

You can share music during your Zoom call easily by clicking the ‘ Share computer sound ‘ checkbox.

As people are joining, you can also prompt them to turn on their cameras and unmute themselves for the time being, so that you can all see and talk to each other.

💡 Use icebreaker polls to strike up conversations while you’re waiting for others.

2. Welcome people and properly introduce the topic

Once everybody’s aboard, welcome your participants warmly, thank them for joining you, and tell everyone what you will be talking about today. You can even add an agenda slide to your presentation so you map out the whole session to your audience in advance. In the virtual environment, it’s even more important to navigate people through the talk.

3. Explain how people can interact with you

Always check that everyone understands the technical side of things – otherwise, people may not know how to interact with you. Tell them what tools you’re going to use during the presentation and explain how they can use them.

It’s all about setting the right expectations: Do you want your participants to share comments via Zoom or Webex chat? Sure, tell them that. Explain how Webex or Zoom reactions work in case not everyone is familiar with them. If you expect verbal input from your participants, ask them to use the ‘Raise hand’ feature, so you can call on them if they want to contribute.

Are you going to use live polls throughout your presentation? Explain how people can vote in a poll or contribute with their ideas.

4. Involve the audience from the very start

Now that you’ve made it clear to your audience that you want and expect them to actively participate in the upcoming session, it’s time to give it a trial run.

Start a conversation with them right off the bat. For instance, I was recently a guest at an online fireside chat series called ‘Living Online’, run by our former Head of Education and a great moderator, Zuzana.

Before she dived into the topic, she collected insights from the audience. She ran a series of polls, asking people, “How much has the online world changed your life?” or, “What helps you find a balance between the real and the online world?”

This way, she made the talk more about the audience, as opposed to just streaming information one way (while making sure people are familiar with the tech).

5. Re-engage your audience every 5-7 minutes

Keep the momentum and motivate your audience to “talk” to you throughout your presentation. Even if it is just in a non-verbal way.

We recommend using live polls or other forms of interaction every 5-7 minutes to pull people back in and involve them in a conversation.

Prepare several poll questions for your audience beforehand, and spread them out throughout your talk.

Is there a content-heavy part of your presentation that might be tough for your audience to process? At the end of it, use a rating poll to ask your audience how well they understood.

Are you about to propose an argument? Before you do, ask your audience what their viewpoint on the topic is first. (You can use live polls here too.)

Take inspiration from our Head of Internal Comms, Silvia, who – before giving a word to our CEO Peter who’d walk us through September highlights – began by using a word cloud to source highlights from the team.

6. Use polls to trigger a discussion

Live polls are invaluable for collecting real-time input from your audience. You can use that input effectively for starting a discussion.

For example, during our latest strategy meeting with our Brand team, I really needed to know whether the strategy points I presented to my team made sense, and I wanted to build up a discussion around them.

After each of the three presented areas, I ran a rating poll: “On a scale of 1-6, how important is this area in order to achieve our goals?”

When votes came in, I commented on the results and whenever there were votes lower than 6, I asked: “Okay, who put 5/4? Can you please share your thoughts with us?”

This really changed the game for me, because I collected some invaluable insights from my colleagues that would otherwise have remained uncovered. Very often, people don’t share until you nudge them a little.

Read also: 7 Interactive Poll Ideas for Your PowerPoint Presentation

7. Take advantage of interactive features

Encourage your participants to ‘Raise hand’, use emoji reactions, or chat. Your meeting participants are probably not going to use them heavily unless you encourage them to do so.

I often use emoji reactions for fast feedback: I ask people to press thumbs up as an indication that they understand or agree, or to express that they like something with a clapping emoji or the heart symbol.

8. Simplify your slides: One idea/visual per slide

Make sure your slides are visually appealing. When listening to someone speak online, the last thing you want is to read huge bodies of text on slides. So don’t copy-paste the whole script of your speech. Use just one idea, one sentence, one topic, or one number per slide.

Where appropriate, support what you’re saying with an image, a graph, a gif, or even a meme. Do you want to show a video during your presentation? Make sure it’s really short because a video, no matter how entertaining, is yet another piece of content your audience consumes passively.

9. Play around with virtual backgrounds

Using a virtual background when presenting online can save the day if you need to quickly hide a messy kitchen or any trespassing relatives.

But, there’s more to it. You can tie it to the topic of your presentation and thus strengthen the message you’re trying to convey. For example, ever since our CEO Peter used climbing El Capitan as a metaphor for our company strategy, he uses an El Cap photo as his virtual background as a reminder for all of us that we still have a mountain to climb.

Need another great use of a virtual background? Pick a funny picture and use it as an icebreaker. For example, in several meetings, I put up a picture of a naked man chasing a wild boar, and believe me, there’s no better icebreaker !

People usually laugh and ask me why I picked this very image – it’s priceless to start a meeting with a smile on people’s faces!

Read also: 18 Best Virtual Icebreakers For Your Zoom Meetings

10. Use breakout sessions for peer-to-peer learning

This tactic is magic, especially with longer presentation types such as during all-company meetings, workshops, or training.

Propose a discussion topic or a challenge. Give your audience 1-2 minutes to think about it, before splitting them into smaller groups so that they can share their thoughts together and brainstorm solutions.

This is a great interactive exercise that helps you break the monotonous flow of one-way content broadcast and allow for some peer-to-peer learning.

You can also collect the learnings of your audience to include them in the presentation. For example, you can run an open text poll where you collect everybody’s key learnings and then display them on the screen. Let’s say you have asked your audience to discuss your company priorities. Try a word cloud such as: “Submit which priorities you discussed in your group.”

11. Turn tedious numbers into a quiz

Presenting company updates or business results can get quite tedious and your audience may easily start zoning out.

Turn it around and present your numbers in a form of a quiz .

For instance, before you reveal the number, say something like: “Before we look at the numbers, why don’t you guys have a guess at how well we did?” Then run a poll with multiple options and wait for your participants to cast their votes.

You can use this technique on multiple occasions. Our CEO, Peter, usually does this at our end-of-year all-hands meetings when he presents our business results such as revenue, sales, or a number of Slido events.

12. Invite a sidekick

Virtual presenters are superheroes that need to juggle multiple tools. And every Batman needs Robin. Consider inviting another speaker to deliver the presentation with you.

It will freshen up your talk and break the stereotype of only one speaker talking. On top of that, she/he can also help you with technicalities such as keeping an eye on the chat or troubleshooting any technical issues.

You can take turns in presenting the content or even give your presentation in the form of a conversation between the two of you. This way, it’ll be even easier for you to involve your audience in the talk, as they’ll be joining what already feels like an ongoing discussion.

Having a sidekick is invaluable if you’re running a Q&A round at the end of your presentation – they can help you manage questions from the audience.

13. Run mid-way Q&A sessions

Always make sure to leave space for Q&A – answering questions from the audience is one of the most important engagement points. Your participants will have a chance to dive deeper into the topic of your talk, and eventually, learn much more from your presentation.

Don’t wait until the end, but review the questions as they come in and take the most relevant ones continuously throughout your presentation (e.g. after each content block). If there are any outstanding questions, address them in the Q&A round at the end.

For example, during our recent product event , our Project Managers, Juraj Pal, Martin Srna, and Mario Ceselka, ran several Q&A rounds after each product announcement that they made. (Almost 350 questions came in! This is why it’s priceless to have a sidekick.)

They also encouraged people to use upvotes, so the most popular questions can jump to the top and be answered with priority.

14. Give your audience something tangible to leave with

As you move towards the end of your talk, it’s good practice to reiterate the main message of your presentation to give your participants one concrete takeaway to remember.

You can make the ending interactive as well: Ask your audience to think about what they’ve just heard, then run a poll asking your audience: “What are you taking away from this presentation?” or, “What one thing resonated with you the most during this presentation?”

15. Run a short feedback survey at the end

Don’t forget to ask your audience for feedback. We’re always ready to rate our Uber drives or meal deliveries in order to help improve the experience. Why should presentations be any different?

Feedback is the best way for you to learn and find out what you can do better next time. Combine classic star rating with an open text poll so your participants can write more elaborate comments as well.

Two to three questions will suffice – you don’t want to wear your audience down with too long a survey (plus, you’ll boost the response rate!). Here’s an example that you can use:

• How would you rate today’s presentation? (Rating)
• What did you like most about this presentation? (Open text)
• Is there anything that could be improved? (Open text)

Over to you

Actively involving your audience in your content is key if you want to make your online presentation more interactive and engaging.

Using polls, quizzes, and collecting questions from your audience is one of the easiest ways to create more interaction during your talk.

With Slido for PowerPoint , you can add polls to your presentation and present seamlessly – all from one place. Watch this video to see how Slido for PowerPoint works. Click below to try it.

Add live polls directly to your PowerPoint presentation.

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How do I make a presentation interactive and how does Genially work? Find the answers to all of your slide-related questions here!

What’s an interactive presentation?

Interactive slides contain clickable hotspots, links, buttons, and animations that are activated at the touch of a button. Instead of reading or watching passively, your audience can actively interact with the content.  

Genially’s interaction presentation software allows you to combine text, photos, video clips, audio and other content in one deck. It’s a great way to condense more information into fewer slides. 

If you’re a teacher, you can share multiple materials in one single learning resource. Students can create their own projects using digital media and online maps. For business or training, try embedding spreadsheet data, PDFs, and online content directly in your slides. 

An interactive slide deck is more user-friendly than a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides document. That’s because you can break information down into chunks with pop-ups, labels, voiceovers and annotated infographics.  

The other benefit of interactive content is increased engagement. It’s easier to keep your audience’s attention when they’re actively participating. Try Genially’s presentation software and free slideshow maker to see how it’s better than other presentation websites. You won’t go back to standard presentation apps!

How do you make a clickable slide?

The best way to make slides clickable is to use Genially’s free interactive presentation program. Design your slide then apply an interaction. In a couple of clicks, you can add popup windows, hyperlinks, close-up images, games, animations, multimedia and other content. 

Choose from the library of hotspot buttons and icons to show people what to click on. Go to Presenter View to get a preview and see how your content will appear to your audience.

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How To Make Your PowerPoint Interactive: A Complete Guide

Are your audience being idle throughout your presentation? Do you want to know how to make a PowerPoint interactive?  An interactive presentation will help you to make the inactive audience into active participants. You can use interactive elements to keep your audience engaged. Above all, an interactive PowerPoint presentation will give a dynamic and interesting experience for both the presenter and the audience. Whether you’re presenting in a classroom, a boardroom, or a conference hall, interactive presentations will help to get a better experience.   

 This guide will explain the different aspects of making your PowerPoint presentation interactive. You can learn what makes a PowerPoint presentation interactive, and tips to make the presentation more interactive and engaging. We have covered everything you need to know to make your next presentation a success. 

Table of Contents

• What is an Interactive PowerPoint? 

Advantages of Interactive PowerPoints

• Enhancing Understanding 
• Participation 
• Know Your Audience  
• Setting Clear Goals 
• Use Animations   
• 3D Elements  
• Triggered Animations  
• Non-Linear Slide Navigation  
• PowerPoint Morph Transition  

Live Quizzes

• Running Polls  

Brainstorming Sessions

• Draggable Objects  

Creating Interactive Games

• Gathering Feedback   
• Data Visualization  
• Key Takeaways 
• Tips for Continuous Improvement  

What is an Interactive PowerPoint?

An interactive PowerPoint is a presentation that includes elements that allow audience participation and engagement. It can be animations, live polls, interactive charts, and other features that make the audience an active part of the presentation. Moreover, static presentations and interactive PowerPoints utilize non-linear navigation, allowing the presenter to adapt the flow of the presentation based on audience input and interaction. 

Why Make Your Presentation Interactive?

Interactive presentations help to engage your audience more effectively than traditional presentations. By using interactive elements that promote audience participation, you can keep the audience focused, make the presentation memorable, and create a dynamic and engaging experience. 

How do I make my PowerPoint engaging? To make your PowerPoint engaging, use interactive elements like animations, quizzes, polls, and multimedia to actively involve your audience and maintain their interest throughout the presentation.

Interactive PowerPoints will help you to improve audience engagement in your presentation. You can use polls, quizzes to engage your audience as active rather than passive listeners. This interaction and engagement will lead to better retention and presentation experience. 

Enhancing Understanding

Audience interaction with the presentation will help you make the complex information more understandable. You can use interactive elements like animations and 3D models to illustrate your message more clearly. 

Participation

An interactive PowerPoint presentation also encourages audience participation. You can use discussion prompts which can lead your audience to ask questions to make the environment more collaborative. 

How To Create Interactive PowerPoint – Things to Remember

To make your PowerPoint interactive, include elements such as clickable links, live polls, quizzes, and non-linear navigation that could help in improving audience participation and engagement. Also try the use of animations, 3D models, and games to make your presentation dynamic.  

Know Your Audience

Understanding your audience is the first and most important part of creating an interactive PowerPoint. Customize elements to retain their interest, knowledge levels, and preferences. And that could make your presentation to be the most relevant and engaging for your audience.  

Setting Clear Goals

Next, set the exact goal of the presentation that you need to achieve. No matter what the presentation is about. It could be to educate or entertain, but having a clear goal and objective will help in selecting the most appropriate elements to use in the presentation design to engage your audience. 

How Do You Make an Interactive PowerPoint – Pre-Presentation Tips

How do you add an interactive element to a presentation? To add an interactive element to a presentation, use the help of features like clickable links quizzes, polls, animations with triggers, or non-linear slide navigation in your PowerPoint slides. These elementsengage your audience and enhance their participation throughout the presentation.

Use Animations

Animations can bring your slides to life, but it’s essential to use them wisely. Overusing animations can be distracting and reduce the effectiveness of your presentation. Instead, use animations to highlight key points, illustrate concepts, and maintain audience interest.  

Animations will help you to make your slides more impressive but don’t overload them. Overusing animations will distract the audience. Use animations to highlight key points and showcase concepts, to keep audience retention.   

3D Elements

The use of 3D elements helps to make your presentation visually impressive and interesting, and it could also explain complex ideas in digestive form. It is possible to insert editable 3D models in PowerPoint to provide a more interesting experience for your audience. PowerPoint offers stock 3D elements and also you could use elements from external sources.  

Triggered Animations

Another interesting feature is triggered animations which occur when anyone interacts with a specific element in the presentation. It could be a button, image, or any other. These triggered animations will help you to pop up additional pieces of information, get feedback on quizzes, or navigate into the different sections of the presentation.  

Non-Linear Slide Navigation

Non-linear slide navigation helps you to jump to different slides based on audience input. This could help to make your presentation more flexible and responsive to the audience. Use hyperlinks or action buttons to create a non-linear navigational flow.  

PowerPoint Morph Transition

The Morph transition in PowerPoint helps to create a seamless animation from one slide to another, making it look like objects moving within the same slide itself. This could be used to create engaging visuals and smooth transitions, keeping your audience’s attention. 

How to Create an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation – During Presentation Tips

Live quizzes can be a fun and engaging way to make your presentation more interactive. It can also be used to test your audience’s knowledge and reinforce key points. You can use tools like Kahoot and Mentimeter which can be integrated into your Microsoft PowerPoint to conduct real-time quizzes and display results instantly.  

Running Polls

Polls can gauge audience opinions, collect feedback, and make your presentation more and more interactive. Tools like Slido or Poll Everywhere help to run polls during your presentation and show live results on your slides.  

Brainstorming sessions by using tools like virtual whiteboards and collaborative documents will make your PowerPoint presentation interactive and engaging. Encourage your audience to contribute ideas, discuss topics, and participate in problem-solving activities with the help of these brainstorming sessions.  

Draggable Objects

As PowerPoint doesn’t have a prebuilt feature supporting draggable elements, you can use third-party tools like iSpring Suite to create drag and drop feature in your presentation. 

Games will surely help to make your presentation more engaging and fun. You can add simple games like trivia, puzzles, or interactive stories to keep your audience entertained and involved.  

How To Create an Interactive Presentation – Post-Presentation Tips

Gathering feedback.

Getting feedback after your presentation will help you understand what worked well and what you need to improve. You can use polls and surveys to collect audience opinions and suggestions that could help in delivering your next presentation.  

Data Visualization

Interactive data visualizations allow the audience to explore data and information in more detail. Interactive charts and graphs are the best tools to present your data in a more engaging and informative way. Try them. 

Summary and Best Practices

Key takeaways.

Now you have learned how to make PowerPoint Interactive. Interactive PowerPoint presentations will enhance the audience’s engagement, understanding, and participation. Use interactive elements to create a more dynamic and memorable presentation.  

Tips for Continuous Improvement

• Experiment with Different Tools : Try new interactive tools and features to find what works best for the audience and your presentation.  
• Practice : Always practice well and make sure you are comfortable with all interactive elements and tools before your presentation.  
• Gather Feedback : Collect feedback and use them to continually improve your presentations and make them more effective. 

At SlideBazaar, we help you create engaging and memorable presentations. Choose from our collection of professional templates or opt for our custom design services for a personalized touch. Your presentations deserve to be elevated to new heights, and we’re here to help you achieve just that!

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Blog Marketing 15 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Elevate Engagement

15 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Elevate Engagement

Written by: Krystle Wong Aug 04, 2023

As attention spans continue to shrink, the challenge of engaging audiences in a short timeframe has never been more significant. Let’s face it — grabbing and keeping your audience’s attention can be quite the challenge, especially when time is ticking away. But fear not, I’ve got the perfect solution: interactive presentations!

Believe it or not, creating an interactive presentation is easier than you might think. In this guide, I’ll show you how to effortlessly turn ordinary slides into captivating experiences with 15 interactive presentation ideas that will leave your audience begging for more. From quirky polls and fun games to storytelling adventures and multimedia magic, these ideas will take your presentation game to the next level.

Venngage is a game-changer when it comes to empowering interactive presentations. With just a few clicks, users can customize their favorite presentation templates , add multimedia content and create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact. Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or a newcomer, get started with Venngage to elevate your presentation game to new heights of engagement and creativity.

Click to jump ahead:

What is an interactive presentation?

15 ways to make a presentation interactive, 7 best interactive presentation software, what are some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive presentations, interactive presentation faqs, how to create an interactive presentation with venngage.

An interactive presentation is a dynamic and engaging communication format that involves active participation and collaboration between the presenter and the audience. Unlike traditional presentations where information is delivered in a one-way manner, interactive presentations invite the audience to interact, respond and contribute throughout the session.

Think of it as a two-way street where you and your audience have a friendly chat. It’s like playing a fun game where you ask questions, get live feedback and encourage people to share their thoughts. 

To make a good presentation , you can utilize various tools and techniques such as clickable buttons, polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements to transform your slides into an interactive presentation. Whether you’re presenting in-person or giving a virtual presentation — when people are actively participating, they’re more likely to remember the stuff you’re talking about.

Interactive presentations leave a lasting impression on the audience. By encouraging active participation and feedback, interactive presentations facilitate better understanding and knowledge retention. Here are 15 innovative 5-minute interactive presentation ideas to captivate your audience from start to finish:

1. Ice-breaker questions

Start your presentation with intriguing and thought-provoking questions or a fun icebreaker game. These questions should be designed to pique the audience’s curiosity and encourage them to think about the topic you’ll be covering. By doing so, you create an immediate connection with your audience and set the stage for a more engaged and attentive audience.

For example, if you’re giving a business presentation about management and leadership training, you could ask audience questions such as “What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received, and how has it impacted your career?”

2. Live polling

Incorporate live polls during your presentation using audience response systems or polling apps . This allows you to collect real-time feedback, opinions and insights from active participants. Live polling encourages active participation and involvement, making your presentation feel like a collaborative and interactive experience.

3. Q&A sessions

Encourage the audience to ask questions throughout your presentation, especially for pitch deck presentations . Address these questions in real-time, which fosters a more interactive and dynamic atmosphere. This approach shows that you value the audience’s input and promotes a two-way communication flow.

4. Clickable buttons

Add clickable buttons to your slides, allowing the audience to navigate to specific sections or external resources at their own pace. For example, you could include links to your social media accounts or extra reading materials in your education presentation to give further information about the topic and get your students engaged.

By providing this autonomy, you empower the audience to explore areas of particular interest, creating a more personalized and engaging experience through your interactive slideshow.

5. Storytelling

Incorporate anecdotes or personal stories related to your topic. Storytelling is a powerful way to emotionally connect with your audience, making your presentation more relatable and memorable. A little storytelling along with a set of creative slides draws the audience in and keeps them engaged as they follow the narrative.

6. Interactive charts and graphs

Use interactive charts and graphs that respond to user input to make your presentation interactive. For instance, allow the audience to click on data points to view more detailed information or to change the displayed data series. Creating charts with interactive visuals help the audience interact with the data, fostering better understanding and engagement.

7. Animated infographics

Add animations to your infographics, making them visually dynamic and progressive. Animated infographics reveal information gradually, keeping the audience curious and attentive. This transforms complex data into an easily digestible and engaging format.

Venngage’s extensive library of infographic templates is a powerful tool to visualize data and elevate the interactivity of your presentations. Personalizing the visuals ensures a cohesive and professional look throughout your interactive presentation. The templates are highly customizable, allowing you to adjust colors, fonts, and styles to match your presentation’s theme and branding. 

8. Gamification

Introduce an interactive quiz, puzzles, or challenges related to your presentation content. Gamification adds an element of fun and competition, motivating the audience to participate actively and boosting their learning experience. Here are some gaming presentation templates you could use. 

9. Virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR)

If applicable, leverage VR or AR technologies to provide immersive experiences. These interactive presentation tools transport the audience into a virtual or augmented environment, making your presentation more captivating and memorable.

10. Collaborative whiteboarding

Get your audience involved in your presentation by utilizing digital whiteboards or collaborative tools to brainstorm ideas collectively. This fosters teamwork and creativity, enabling the audience to actively contribute and feel a sense of involvement in the presentation.

11. Hyperlinked text

Keep the information in your slides minimal with a simple presentation and incorporate hyperlinks to direct viewers to relevant websites or blogs , resources, or additional information. This encourages self-exploration and gives the audience the opportunity to delve deeper into topics of interest.

12. Role-playing

Engage the audience in role-playing scenarios to explore different perspectives. Role-playing promotes active learning and helps the audience relate the content to real-life situations, enhancing their understanding and retention.

13. Embedded videos

Include video clips in your slides to provide visual explanations, demonstrations, or interviews. Videos add a dynamic element to your presentation, enriching the content and keeping the audience engaged.

14. Audience-generated content

Encourage the audience to contribute ideas, stories or examples related to your professional presentation . Audience-generated content fosters a sense of ownership and involvement, making the presentation more interactive and personalized.

15. Slide transitions

Use slide transitions to create smooth animations between slides. Well-planned transitions maintain the audience’s interest and keep the presentation slides flowing seamlessly.

Interactive elements aside, enhance your presentation with these guides on how to summarize information for a captivating presentation and how to make a persuasive presentation to captivate your audience. 

If you’re looking to create engaging and interactive presentation slides that captivate your audience, these presentation software options are sure to elevate your game:

Prezi is renowned for its dynamic and non-linear presentation style, enabling users to craft visually stunning and interactive presentations. With an array of templates and animation effects, Prezi enhances audience engagement, making your presentations more captivating and memorable.

2. Mentimeter

Mentimeter serves as an audience response system, empowering real-time interaction during presentations. Users can create interactive polls, quizzes, word clouds and more, allowing the audience to respond using their smartphones or other devices. This fosters active participation and provides valuable feedback instantly.

3. Google Slides

Google Slides is a free cloud-based presentation software that not only offers collaboration features but also enables real-time interactions. It includes add-ons and third-party integrations to further enhance interactivity, making it an excellent choice for collaborative and engaging presentations.

4. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint, a classic presentation software, has evolved to incorporate more interactive features like live captions, real-time collaboration and interactive elements such as quizzes and forms. With its familiar interface and versatile functionalities, PowerPoint remains a reliable choice for interactive presentations.

5. Prezentor

Prezentor caters to sales-oriented presentations focusing on interactive storytelling and data-driven content. It offers analytics to track audience engagement and behavior during presentations, allowing you to fine-tune your approach and keep your audience hooked.

6. Opinion Stage

Opinion Stage is a visual and interactive data collection tool designed to engage and excite audiences whether sitting in a lecture hall, participating in a live Zoom, or watching an on-demand webinar. The Opinion Stage tools are simple and intuitive, making it easy to create attention-grabbing quizzes, surveys, and polls in minutes. A great way to spice up any presentation, encourage audience participation, and collect authentic feedback.

7 . Venngage

Venngage stands out as a versatile design tool that facilitates the creation of interactive infographics, data visualizations and presentations with ease. Offering various interactive elements and animations, Venngage empowers you to craft visually appealing and engaging presentations effortlessly.

With these interactive presentation software options at your disposal, you can unleash your creativity and deliver presentations that leave a lasting impact on your audience. So, go ahead and make your presentations interactive, captivating and memorable!

For more presentation software options, check out this blog on the 12 best presentation software for 2023.

Creating interactive presentations can be a game-changer for engaging your audience and enhancing your presentation skills, but steering clear of common pitfalls is essential. Here are some key mistakes to avoid when crafting your interactive presentations:

1. Overloading with interactivity

While interactivity is fantastic, bombarding your audience with too many interactive elements can backfire. Strive for a balanced approach that enhances engagement without overwhelming your listeners.

2. Ignoring audience relevance

Failing to tailor interactive elements to your audience’s interests and preferences can lead to disconnection. Make sure your interactions resonate with your specific audience for a more meaningful experience.

3. Not testing interactive elements

Skipping thorough testing of interactive features before showtime can spell disaster. Avoid technical glitches by diligently testing all interactive components in advance.

4. Poor timing and pace

Timing is everything, especially with interactive activities. Ensure seamless integration by planning your key points and the timing of your interactive elements carefully.

5. Lack of clear purpose

Every interactive element should serve a purpose and contribute to your presentation’s objectives. Don’t add interactions just for the sake of it — ensure they add value and align with your message.

6. Failing to engage beyond interactivity

While interactive elements are powerful tools, remember that content is king. Combine your interactive features with compelling storytelling and valuable insights to create an immersive and impactful presentation.

Incorporating animated slides into your interactive presentations enhances the overall appeal and interaction, turning an ordinary presentation into an engaging experience. Try it out with one of our animated presentation templates to get started. 

How do you start an interactive presentation?

Begin by grabbing the audience’s attention with an intriguing question or a surprising fact, setting the tone for a dynamic and engaging session.

Which type of presentation is the most interactive?

Workshops and seminars are often the most interactive types of presentations as they encourage active participation, discussions and hands-on activities.

How can interactive presentations enhance audience engagement?

Interactive presentations foster a two-way communication flow, involving the audience through polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements, leading to increased interest, attentiveness and better retention of information.

What are some common interactive elements to include in a presentation?

Common interactive elements include clickable buttons, hyperlinked text, polls, quizzes, interactive charts, multimedia content and audience participation activities.

Can interactive presentations be used for educational purposes?

Absolutely! Interactive presentations are highly effective for educational purposes as they promote active learning, encourage critical thinking, and provide real-time feedback and knowledge exchange opportunities.

Need inspiration on how to give an engaging presentation ? Here are 120+ presentation ideas you could use. 

Venngage makes it easy for anyone to infuse interactivity into their presentations. From clickable buttons and hyperlinked text to interactive infographics and dynamic charts, Venngage offers a diverse range of interactive elements to captivate and engage the audience. Here’s how you can make your presentation more fun and interesting with Venngage:

• Sign up or log in to Venngage to access the platform.
• Choose a presentation template or start with a blank canvas to begin designing your interactive presentation.
• Add and edit slides in the Venngage editor to structure your presentation content effectively.
• Customize the design by selecting themes, fonts, colors and backgrounds to match your style and branding.
• Use interactive elements like buttons, links, pop-ups and hover effects to engage the audience during the presentation.
• Enhance engagement by incorporating interactive media such as videos and audio clips.
• Preview and test your entire presentation to ensure everything works smoothly before presenting it to your audience.
• Save your interactive presentation on Venngage and share it online or download it in various formats for presenting purposes.

Well, I hope these 15 5-minute interactive presentation examples can help unlock a new level of audience engagement for your next presentation. From fun quizzes and interactive storytelling to multimedia magic and gamified challenges, the possibilities are endless. So, don’t be afraid to experiment, tailor the ideas to suit your audience members and let your creativity shine.  

That said, remember to strike a balance and keep the interactivity purposeful and relevant. Some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive slides include overloading the presentation with too many interactive elements and failing to align the interactive elements with the overall presentation goals and content. 

Got it? Great. Now let’s turn that boring presentation around!

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• Presentations

30+ Animated PowerPoint Templates (With Cool Interactive Slides for 2024)

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Your interactive PowerPoint PPT must carry your points to the audience. Whether it's to a small group or a large crowd at a conference, engagement is the key. Try adding cool PowerPoint animations for even more impact.

Each presentation section needs to capture your audience's attention. It helps to add a touch of motion, so your text and graphics come across to your viewers.

Use the right animated PowerPoint template , such as those from Envato Elements. You'll make an amazing animated PowerPoint presentation PPT . It will feel interactive and stylish—without overdoing it.

Let's look at some animated presentation examples! 

30 Top Animated PowerPoint Slideshow Templates (New From Envato Elements for 2024)

We made a selection of some of the best animated PowerPoint slideshow templates. All available on Envato Elements: 

1. Business Animate PowerPoint Presentation

This is an exciting animated PPT template for your next office presentation. Build flat animations that look like infographic videos with no extra apps required. Build all your cool PowerPoint animations with this template.

It's one of the top animated PowerPoint templates!

2. Dark Animated PowerPoint Template

Check out this dynamic PPT animation presentation. It's a sample PowerPoint animation example for multipurpose professional presentations. All elements included are animated smoothly.

This PowerPoint animation template features: 

• 60 animated slides
• unlimited color change
• 16:9 full HD widescreen
• all graphic are resizable and editable
• free fonts used

3. Animatic Creative Agency Moving PowerPoint

Looking for dynamic PowerPoint templates? Animatic is a cool and interactive PPT. All 36 moving slides are brought to life with cool PowerPoint animations.

It's easy to create animated slides template in PowerPoint. You won't need Photoshop or other image editors to customize this template. 

4. Realism Animated PowerPoint Template With Infographics

Want to create animated presentations with infographics? This dynamic PowerPoint template comes with a set of vector illustrations. You'll get 36 slides to add your dynamic content and impress your audience.

Animated PowerPoint templates for free won't offer this much quality.

5. Matrid Business - Animated PowerPoint Template

Matrid is one of the best animated presentation templates. This animated slides template can be used for many types of businesses.

Most dynamic PowerPoint presentations feature animations. Use this animated PPT template to animate your content in no time! Start working with a premium animated slides template like this one. 

6. Experience - Animated Slides Template

Looking for animated PPT template slides? This interactive PowerPoint slideshow template has a lot of pro benefits. It's got over 50+ cool slide designs, handmade infographics, and design layouts.

Use the interactive slide features to add cool, custom PowerPoint animations. This template beats any PowerPoint animations for free download you might find.

7. UNIGRAPH Animated PowerPoint Slides

UNIGRAPH is a template with cool PowerPoint animations. This animated slides template comes with vector elements and creative infographics. Drag and drop images to this interactive PowerPoint presentation template.

You'll also get a full user guide and video tutorial for support. It's one of the best animated PPT templates you'll find online.

8. Animated PowerPoint Infographics

Check out this animated PowerPoint presentation template. You can create animated presentations using a set of abstract infographic elements. Turn your content into timelines and cycle diagrams.

This animated PowerPoint presentation PPT comes with 12 fully animated slides. Choose between light or dark version. Animated PowerPoint templates for free can't beat this one.

9. Spooz - Creative Agency PowerPoint Animated Template

Spooz is a colorful animated PowerPoint template. It's a good choice for a creative agency. All elements in this PowerPoint animation template are editable.

You won't need another software to edit this animated PPT. This interactive PowerPoint template features 30 animated slides. Also choose between dark or light presentation slide background. 

10. Visiko - Animated PowerPoint Template

Visiko is a modern interactive PPT. It comes with five premade color variations. It's one of those interactive PowerPoint templates made for multipurpose presentations.

All elements in hre are editable. The interactive PowerPoint presentation template features:

• 150+ slides with cool PowerPoint transitions
• 5 premade colors
• section break animated slides
• handcrafted infographics
• pixel-perfect illustrations
• picture placeholders
• 5 interactive PPT files

An animated PowerPoint templates for free won't offer this much quality. 

11. Organic Life Animated PowerPoint Slides

Trying to create an organic life interactive PPT? Check out this template with green animated PowerPoint backgrounds. Animated PowerPoint templates like this one are ideal for ecological and organic presentations.

This download features 50 unique animated slides and five color schemes. Animated PowerPoint templates for free can be tempting. But nothing beats customization options this download offers. 

12. Vibes - Art Gallery Dynamic PowerPoint Presentation

Find cool transitions for PowerPoint with this download. Interactive PowerPoint templates like this one offer plenty of customization options. All elements are editable, from shapes to colors.

This animated PowerPoint features 30 animated slides. Choose from three premade color themes to design fun animated presentations. Start creating an interactive PPT.

13. Orange Animated PowerPoint Template

Looking for interactive slides templates? Check out this orange animated business presentation. All elements in animated slideshow templates are easy to edit.

You'll get 100 animated PowerPoint slides to add your content. Create the best animated presentation with this download! This dynamic PowerPoint presentation features:

• all graphics resizable and editable
• documentation PDF

You won't find this in most animated PPT templates for free download!

14. Night Animated PowerPoint Templates

An animated PowerPoint presentation offers multipurpose designs. Work with PowerPoint templates interactive to create dynamic PowerPoint slides.

You'll get 100 animated slides to add your content and images. Plus, all graphics featured are resizable and editable. Work with cool PowerPoint transitions to create the best animated presentation. 

15. Creative Project - Interactive PowerPoint Presentation Template

The best interactive PowerPoint presentations are easy to edit. Creative Project is one of the interactive PowerPoint templates worth checking out.

This template has plenty of professional presentation features like cool PowerPoint animations. It comes with handcrafted infographics and over 70+ unique animated slides. All to help you make a great interactive PowerPoint presentation with ease.

16. Kupat - Cool Animation PowerPoint PPT Template

Make a great interactive PowerPoint presentation with this download. Use this multipurpose set of motion slide designs. Make an animated business presentation in no time.

This animated PPT works in the creative industry, technology, or finance. All the animated slides include cool animations for PowerPoint.

17. Minimal Animated PowerPoint Slides

These dynamic PowerPoint slides include infographics to present your content. These PowerPoint animated slides come with thin line cycle elements for infographics.

You'll get 18 animated slides with this interactive PowerPoint template. All slides come with an animated presentation slide background available in 50 XML colors themes.

18. Strategic Roadmap Animated PowerPoint Templates

Create an animated PowerPoint presentation to present your strategic roadmap. Interactive PowerPoint templates like this are a great way to get started. The download includes 30 animated slides that you can edit and fill out with your content.

All vectors objects included are fully editable. Create a dynamic PowerPoint presentation with this easy to edit template. You won't get as many great features with animated PowerPoint templates for free.

19. Neuomorphic Animated PowerPoint Presentation

Looking for minimal animated PowerPoint backgrounds? Check out these neuomorphic interactive presentation templates.

These animated PowerPoint slides come with modern infographics. You'll get 18 animated slides to create the best interactive PowerPoint presentations. Get creative with these PowerPoint animated slides! 

20. Poly Animated PowerPoint Slides

Poly is one of the best animated presentation examples. It's an easy to edit animated business presentation template. All elements in this template are smoothly animated.

You'll get 60 animated slides to work with. Insert your content into this interactive PowerPoint template. Work with cool transitions for PowerPoint to create the best animated presentation! 

21. Artifex Animated PowerPoint Presentation Template

Work with one of the dynamic PowerPoint templates. This download helps you create a cool animated presentations . It also works if you're looking for PowerPoint video templates.

This download includes 50 animated slides. You'll also find isometric illustrations and maps. You're one step away from creating the best interactive PowerPoint presentations. 

22. Marketing Plan 2.0 Interactive PowerPoint Template

Present your next marketing plan with interactive PowerPoint templates like Marketing Plan 2.0. It comes with 30+ animated PowerPoint slides. Also includes 10 premade color themes for you to choose from.

Most premium interactive slides templates offer light or dark presentation slide background options. This one is no exception. Make the best PowerPoint animated slides for an animated business presentation.

23. SOKA - Dynamic PowerPoint Presentation

SOKA is one of the best interactive PowerPoint templates available. You'll get 65+ animated slides to add your content. These moving PowerPoint animated slides are created with a fresh and modern look.

Also included 100+ vectors and device mockups. It's a better choice than most animated PPT templates available for free download. Start working with these dynamic PowerPoint slides! 

24. BAZZ Interactive PowerPoint Presentation Template

BAZZ is one of the best animated presentation examples you'll find online. It comes with cool transitions for PowerPoint to present your content. You'll get over 100 animated slides with infographics and cool photo layouts.

Upgrade from animated PowerPoint templates for free. BAZZ is easy to edit and ready to create the best interactive PowerPoint presentations.

25. Zappier - Multipurpose Interactive PowerPoint Template

Get started with interactive presentation templates like this one. Add your content into these modern PowerPoint animated slides. It's an interactive PPT suitable for finance, pitch decks or business plans.

All elements are editable, from shapes to colors. This download features 30 unique animated PowerPoint slides. Choose from three premade color themes and add images into placeholders. 

26. Flowcharts Animated PowerPoint Presentation

Create a business interactive PPT with cool transitions for PowerPoint. This template is a great way to get started. You'll get a moving PowerPoint with 20 animated slides.

Work with one of the best interactive PowerPoint templates. Show your process with illustrations and PowerPoint moving slides. Plus, all objects are PowerPoint vector shapes you can edit. 

27. Arrow Diagrams Animated PowerPoint Presentation

What's better than PowerPoint templates interactive arrow diagrams? Make the best animated presentation with this template. You'll get impressive charts and visuals to present marketing concepts.

Work with 50 PowerPoint animated slides designed by professionals. All objects are vectors and are fully editable. Plus, you'll get an icon pack with 3000+ icons!

28. Epic Animated Business Presentation Template

Epic is one of the coolest interactive PowerPoint templates. It's perfect for an animated business presentation. Animated slideshow templates like this one are easy to edit.

This download includes 100 animated PowerPoint slides for you to choose from. Create modern, simple and clean PowerPoint animated slides! This is hard to find in creative animated PowerPoint templates for free. 

29. Animated PowerPoint Infographics Set 01

Looking for infographic animated slideshow templates? Check out these animated PowerPoint slides. It includes cycle, timelines, pyramid and other abstract elements.

Add your content into 18 animated slides to create the best animated presentation. Choose between light and dark themes. Edit all vector shapes to match your style. 

You won't regret choosing this over animated PowerPoint PPT templates for free download.

30. Studio Minimal Presentation PowerPoint Template

Searching for creative animated PowerPoint templates for free? Premium PowerPoint animation templates are a better investment. For example, check out these minimal PowerPoint animated slides.

This download features:

• 120 animated PowerPoint slides
• +4000 line and simple vector icons
• easy to change the color themes
• picture placeholders ready

 You'll love the premium design that animated PPT templates free download lack.

31. Animated Text Section PowerPoint Template

Here's one of the top options! This animated PPT has a fun and dynamic design. It's eye-catching and refreshing, featuring:

• 20 modern slide designs
• unique motion slide
• handmade infographics
• easy to edit elements
• a help guide

32. Boxy Animated PowerPoint Template

If you're looking for a modern and clean PPT, look no further! All the 60 unique moving slides feature beautiful animations. There are high-quality graphics that you can fully edit!

Moreover, you can change the colors as you please. The template uses free fonts and comes with a product manual. Animated PowerPoint templates for free can't compete!

33. Lines Animated PowerPoint Infographics

As one of the best PowerPoint templates with animation, this one keeps it simple. It comes with several diagrams, charts, and graphs. Because of that, it's ideal for presenting data in an interesting way.

Featuring 18 animated slides, 50 color themes, and a dark presentation slide background version. It's super easy to edit, since all the objects are grouped vector shapes.

The Best Animated PowerPoint Templates on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use)

Free animated PowerPoint templates might be tempting. But remember, you get what you pay for . Premium PowerPoint animation templates offer more than any PowerPoint animation free download.

Find thousands of the best premium animated PowerPoint presentation templates on Envato Elements. Each has hundreds of creative options. Plus, it's a great offer: download as many as you want for one low price !

Animated PPT Templates

How to Quickly Customize Interactive PowerPoint PPT Slide Animations

We've explored some of the best animated PowerPoint templates from Envato. These powerful PPT animation designs help you look your best. But you may be wondering why you should use them.

Why not use free PowerPoint templates with animation? The answer: style and time . Sure, you can build your own interactive PowerPoint from scratch.

But it takes a long time. And it won't look as good as interactive PowerPoint presentations made by experts.

Follow along! Download and open the Animated PowerPoint Template  from Envato Elements.

Let's get started:

1. The Intro Slide

Why not start at the beginning? Impress your audience with stunning PowerPoint animation examples.

Start by selecting a slide with an eye-catching design. Then type your text into the placeholders.

As you can see, the intro slide has a variety of text placeholders. The first step is to add in your own text. Do that by highlighting any block of existing text, and then typing over it.

With the text highlighted, find the Font section on the  Home  tab. There, you can add effects like bold and italics, while changing font sizes and styles too.

To build a PPT animation deck, check out your animation options. Find those on the Animations  tab. Keep in mind, templates like this are pre-animated.

You don't have to add these effects from scratch! That's a powerful feature not found in a PowerPoint animation free download.

To view the pre-built animations, click on the  Animation Pane  button. A sidebar will open, listing the effects on the slide. In this case, you'll see a list of seven effects. 

The 0 beside each indicates that all effects exist as a group. With one highlighted, you'll see the start trigger set to  After Previous . These two indicators say that all seven effects will automatically play in sequence.

Click Preview and watch the slide animate. 

2. The Infographic Slide

These are illustrations that help explain ideas. Animation brings them to life.

Infographics help explain your ideas. You won't find the best ones in animated PPT templates free download options.

Consider a slide like this. Notice the individual ideas shown in the nodes on each side of the slide. Chances are you might want to talk through these in sequence.

Having them all appear on the slide at once might not be the best option. Like the intro slide, this one is pre-animated.

But remember, you don't have to use every animation exactly as included! With PPT and premium templates, you still have ultimate creative control.

Back on the  Animation Pane , look at the list of animations. One (Picture 4) is the illustration in the center of the slides. The  Group  sections are the individual nodes. 

Suppose you want to have the illustration appear. Then you want to trigger each node manually. To do that, click on Group 5, then on the Start dropdown.

Change the setting from  After Previous to On Click . You'll see the 0 turn into a 1, indicating your new sequence. Repeat this for the other groups. 

When you're finished, go to the  Slide Show  tab and click  Play from Current Slide . The illustration will appear first, and from there you can click once to advance to each node in sequence. This is the perfect way to control the speed and pace of your narrative.

3. The Image Slide

Last but not least is the image slide. As you can see, it's got some text, along with an image. 

Again, let's return to the  Animation pane. Click on the photo animation, Picture 3, and notice the effect the template uses. It's a simple  Fly In , one of the most common animations in the world.

For your purposes, you might want something with a little more pizazz. On the left side of the  Animations tab, click the dropdown right below. You'll see a menu featuring dozens of cool, flashy options.

Browse through them, clicking each thumbnail to apply the effect. Notice that PowerPoint previews each animation on the image. This instant-preview capability helps you dial in on the perfect choice for you.

Premium animated PowerPoint templates offer the best of both worlds. You save precious time and energy by avoiding building slides from scratch. Make every slide work perfectly for you!

Looking for more interactive PowerPoint ideas? Check our full PPT animation tutorial:

Why Use Animations in Your PowerPoint Presentations?

Use animation to pace your delivery and enhance your presentations. You do this by adding transitions between slides or revealing elements.

Use animation to power the momentum of your delivery. It adds excitement as your ideas are revealed.

See this basic example of PowerPoint templates with animation. It was created using the Epic Animated PowerPoint Template :

Always keep this question in mind: will your use of animation interest your audience? Animations must feel seamlessly intertwined with your presentation. 

You should use PowerPoint animations when:

• Dynamic Style Fit . Animations should fit the style of your presentation. Make your presentation to feel modern with smooth transitions between slides.
• Bullet Points in Motion . You've got a set of bullet points or data graphics to pace the reveal of. Keep the audience focused on one concept at a time.
• Interactive PPT File . Distribute your presentation as a file the viewer can interact with. Export your PowerPoint as an interactive presentation.

Then share it via email, Dropbox, or online. Animations are easy to overdo and can take some time to work with. But they're a great differentiator to make your dynamic PowerPoint presentation stand out.

Let’s look at a few tips for using animations well. You'll also find some PowerPoint animation examples.

5 Quick Tips on Using Animations Well in PowerPoint

Want to learn more on how to make interactive PowerPoints? Go over these tips:

1. Keep Your Animations Simple

Animations needed be complex. Apply your animations consistently throughout your dynamic PowerPoint presentation.

It’s not a good idea to add a whole lot of different animation to your presentation. That's more likely to distract your audience and come off as unprofessional.

The Experience Animation template features simple animations and few key elements.

PowerPoint offers a ton of animation effect options. It’s best to stick with simple ones, like Appear or Fade. Even subtle animations can have a noticeable effect.

2. Apply Animations to Your Main Points

You don’t need to animate every element in your interactive PowerPoint presentation. It’s often best to apply animation to just a few limited elements in your presentation. That way they stand out.

Cull through your presentation and look for the top points you’re aiming to make. These are the best place to start adding cool PowerPoint animations.

This animated PPT template features slides with animations on key points.

3. Control Your Timing of Delivery

Animation is a great tool to pace the timing of your presentation with. Use slide transitions or animations on individual elements in your PowerPoint presentation.

Use quick transitions and fast effects at less than a half-second duration. Use a template like the Creative Project template . It comes with snappy slide transitions and easy animations on elements. It's designed to make quick presentations with.

Creative Project template uses effects to deliver key points. It's an animated PPT template.

Discover more helpful PowerPoint animation tips:

4.  Include Your PowerPoint Branding

No matter which animated PPT template you choose, don't miss this tip.  Branding matters . That might mean updating it to include your logo, brand colors, and more.

5. Focus on Animation Sequencing

Interactive PowerPoint presentations make strong use of animation. When you use PowerPoint animation templates, motion is just the start.  Sequencing  is just as important.

Setting the order of cool PowerPoint transitions helps you tell your story. Learn to put your PPT animations in order with the help of this tutorial:

5 Cool Animation PowerPoint Presentation Trends for 2024

Animated presentation templates puts you ahead of the pack in 2024. Discover the top trends for an interactive PowerPoint this year:

1. Make Data Move

Animated PowerPoint templates are about more than just transitions. This trend is about applying this dynamic movement to your charts and graphs. Moving infographics and pie charts can highlight the numbers even more.

2. Color Gradients

Use text, numbers, or custom shapes as image masks for a distinct visual flair. It's one of the best ways to make your PPT animation stand out. PowerPoint ideas for extra points here.

3. Unique Image Masks

The design world as a whole is obsessed with gradients this year. So why not apply them to your PowerPoint animation examples in 2024? Choose colors that complement your brand and the tone of your interactive PowerPoint.

4. Relevant Icons

This is a subtle trend, but a helpful one to know. Add icons that relate to your content. It makes your PowerPoint animation examples stand out even more.

It also shows your audience that you pay attention to the smallest of details.

5. Minimal Design

Modern animated presentation templates in 2024 will follow minimal design rules. Make sure you use them yourself. Limit the number of elements on each slide.

Keep space between images and text boxes, and apply your animations wisely.

More Top Options for Premium PowerPoint Templates

PowerPoint templates are the secret sauce loved by pro presenters. Building an interactive PowerPoint presentation is easier than you think. Save time and work with better PPT animations.

Check out even more options for the best PowerPoint templates. You might even find more PowerPoint animation examples!

Common PowerPoint Template Questions Answered (FAQ)

As you learn how to create interactive PowerPoint presentations, you might have questions. It's OK to get stuck while working with animated PowerPoint templates.

Let's answer five key questions in this section:

1. What Are the Right Dimensions for PowerPoint?

The worst-case scenario is leaving black bars on the edge of the screen. This happens when you don't size your presentation to the presentation screen.

Learn how to set your PowerPoint presentation with this tutorial:

2. What's the Best Way to Show Data in PowerPoint?

Whatever you do, don't overwhelm an audience with data-heavy tables on slides!

Instead, turn to PowerPoint charts and graphs. Combine the animated PowerPoint templates you saw with data to create great presentations. Learn more in our tutorial below:

3. Can You Use Custom Fonts in PowerPoint?

Graphic design has evolved ever since we moved beyond the built-in system fonts. Now, custom fonts give you unlimited options to create advanced presentations.

Learn more in this tutorial. Many of our favorite interactive PowerPoint templates include custom font options. Read more below.

4. Can You Work With Other Presentation Formats?

Maybe you're coming from another platform as you start using PowerPoint. You might be switching from macOS and using Keynote presentations. But don't worry, you can migrate your favorite presentations easily!

Learn to convert Keynote, another leading presentation software, to PowerPoint:

5. Is PowerPoint Free to Use?

The answer is that PowerPoint  can be  free to use. Microsoft continues to beef up its online options, making PowerPoint an affordable alternative.

Learn more about the browser-based version of PowerPoint in this tutorial:

Learn More About How to Use Animations in PowerPoint

Check out these helpful Envato Tuts+ PowerPoint tutorials . Learn how to how to create animation in PowerPoint. Learn how to add animations to create interactive PowerPoint slideshows and more:

Learn How to Make Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Grab our eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . Download for free with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

It'll help walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to deliver a powerful pitch.

Grab a Great Animated PPT Template Now!

You need a dynamic PowerPoint presentation design for your next presentation. Craft it with attention to detail. Include modern design elements like animated slides and interactive graphics.

Top animated PowerPoint templates have the right amount of dynamic motion. That helps you capture your audience’s attention.

Don't fall into the trap with animated PowerPoint templates for free. Most of these don't offer many features. 

Try out the all-inclusive option on Envato Elements for PPT animation presentation templates. Get unlimited creative template downloads for one low price.

Editorial Note: This post has  been updated with contributions from Brenda Barron , Andrew Childress , Maria Villanueva , Nathan Umoh , Janila Castañeda , and Renata Martin Intriago . Brenda, Andrew, and Nathan are freelance instructors for Envato Tuts+. Maria is Associate Editor of the Tuts+ Design channel. Janila is Associate Editor of the Tuts+ Business channel. Renata is a staff writer with Envato Tuts+.

Making an Interactive Presentation in PowerPoint

This article is an ultimate guide on how to make an interactive online presentation using MS PowerPoint. Here you will find detailed step-by-step instructions to creating interface elements make the presentation truly interactive.

In a previous post we looked at the interface elements the BBC website uses to sketch workable interface outline for an interactive online presentation . Now we’ll give you step-by-step instructions on how to make an interactive online presentation in MS PowerPoint we developed using this sketch.

• Navigation tools properties
• Navigation tools layout

How to Create an Interactive Presentation Tab Bar Using MS PowerPoint

How to create an interactive presentation navigation bar.

• Highlight an Interactive Presentation Active Topic

How to Create an Interactive Presentation Pagination Bar

• Highlight an Active Slide on the Pagination Bar

Do I Need an Interactive Presentation Homepage in PowerPoint

How to create an interactive presentation buttons, how to disable powerpoint default slide advancing, quizzes in an interactive presentation excellent.

Below we will only talk about the technical aspects of implementing an interactive presentation interface using MS PowerPoint. And we deliberately do not talk about design.

Everything about colors saturation and compatibility, images transparency, frames styles, rounded corners, etc. we left for you. You can handle it, we are sure!

Navigation Tools Properties

If you think about what properties an interactive presentation navigation tools should have, then you will quickly come to the following conclusions:

• They must not distract the viewer from the subject of the presentation.
• switch between topics,
• move from the current slide to the next or previous,
• understand which topic is active and
• understand which slide of the current topic is active.

Understanding these properties will help us to develop the layout of the presentation slide.

Navigation Tools Layout

We will divide presentation slide into three parts: upper, lower and central, to use as follows:

• The tab bar will be located at the upper part. Using it the viewer will be able to switch from topic to topic.
• from the active presentation slide to the next or previous presentation slide and
• from the active slide of current topic to the next or previous slide of current topic
• We’ll reserve the central part for the presentation content and will no longer mention it in this article.

Now we can start designing the interface elements: tab bar and navigation buttons 2-a . They should be located on each slide. This is absolutely obvious. This means our interactive presentation can not do without PowerPoint Slide Master.

So, let’s go! Launch your MS PowerPoint program and start by creating a blank document. This blank sheet will turn into an outstanding interactive online presentation soon, don’t doubt!

Go to the View tab and click the Slide Master icon in Master View group to access the Slide Master. In the left-hand pane, scroll up to the top, larger thumbnail and click it. Whatever you place on this master will appear on every slide of your interactive presentation, no matter which layout it uses. This is exactly what we need, isn’t it?

Now is the time to choose a color scheme for your presentation. Subsequently, it can be easily changed if you deem necessary. We chose the Grayscale scheme.

To create a tab bar, you need to thoroughly design the first tab.

• Go to Insert tab and click the Shapes button in Illustrations group. The drop down menu will appear. Select Rectangle shape in the Rectangles option.
• Draw the tab. Then select the fill color White, Background 2 and remove the line around the tab using the Shape Format pane. Select the tab and write any title, for example “Title 01”. You will change it later.
• Copy your tab and then paste it as many times as it is planned to be in the tab bar plus two additional ones.
• Move the two additional tabs to the bottom of the slide. We use them to make navigation buttons later.
• Align the remaining tabs vertically and distribute them horizontally end-to-end with each other without gaps.

All of this tabs will become a full-fledged tab bar when we attach hyperlinks. In the meantime, just move them to the top of the slide.

The navigation bar should contain buttons for moving from the active presentation slide to the next or previous slide as described in 2-a .

• the first align to the left and write on it “Previous”
• and the second align to the right edge and write on it “Next”.
• select both shapes simultaneously and on the Format Shape pane select the Offset Diagonal Bottom Right shadow or any other.

• press Ctrl+K or go to the Insert menu and click Hyperlink button in the Links group;
• in the Link To pane of the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, choose Place in This Document ;
• in the Select a place in this document pane, choose the Previous Slide .
• Click OK to create the hyperlink
• and repeat the steps above for the Next button.

As a result the navigation bar will look like two buttons aligned on the slide edges and an empty space between them in which we’ll place the pagination bar of the active topic later.

How to Highlight an Interactive Presentation Active Topic

Go to the View tab and click the Normal button in the Presentation View group to return to the normal view and create all your slides.

People like to know where they are in the presentation, so it’s a good idea to highlight the active topic to help them to relate it with the presentation wholeness. You just need to change the background color and add a border around the tab. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

• Go to Slide Master and select the current topic tab.
• Link the topic tab to the current topic first slide.
• Copy the current topic tab.
• Return to Normal View and paste the tab you copied above the current tab.
• Change the fill color to Solid fill White Background 1 and line from No line to Solid line using the Format Shape pane.
• Copy the tab you made and paste it into each slide of the current topic.

The pagination bar is a useful interactive presentation interface element for themes consisting a lot of slides. Use it! It will help viewers more understand where they are relative to the start or finish of the topic.

The pagination bar should contain buttons for moving from the active slide of current topic to the next or previous slide as described in 2-b . Below we will give step-by-step instructions on how to make a pagination bar with image thumbnails. We assume you have prepared thumbnail images of the same size in advance.

How to Create the Pagination Bar Step-by-Step

• Select the first slide of the current topic.
• Draw two rectangular shapes proportional to your thumbnails: the first should be slightly smaller than the second.
• Open the Selection pane and name the smaller shape as Image and the larger one as Link.
• Fill as Solid fill , Transparency as 100%, Line as No Line for shape named Link;
• Fill as No fill , Line as No Line for shape named Image;

• Press the Ctrl key, select both shapes, merge them and name as NavButton.
• Copy the NavButton button using Ctrl-C and paste as many times as the number of slides in the topic using Ctrl-V.
• Distribute horizontally the buttons you made and align them vertically as the Previous and Next buttons.
• Number the NavButton buttons as NavButton01, NavButton02, etc.

• select the shape named Image;
• set the Fill option as Picture or texture fill using the Format Shape pane and then paste the prepared picture using the File… button;
• select the shape named Link, press Ctrl-K and link it by a hyperlink to the corresponding topic slide as described here .
• Copy the pagination bar you made and paste it on each slide of the current topic.

That’s all! If you study the pagination bar layout with thumbnails then you can easily do something else, for example the simple slides numbering, as shown in the picture below.

How to Highlight an Active Slide on the Pagination Bar

It is very simple! To highlight the active slide button on the Pagination Bar you need:

• Select the slide on which you want to highlight the active slide button.
• Then select the NavButton button of the active slide on the Pagination Bar.
• Then find and select the shape named Link of the NavButton button on the Selection pane.
• And finaly set the Line option value of this shape as Solid line .

As a result, the frame will appear around the active button. This is enough to highlight it among the other buttons, is not it?

A homepage is a useful but optional element of an interactive presentation. If you are going to talk about how you feed a puppy, then most likely you can do without a homepage.

In other cases, using the homepage will allow you to show the general structure of the interactive presentation and provide short explanations for its topics. Thus, you will help the viewer to get a general idea of presentation essence and understand what path it will have to go through its contents even before the start of the presentation.

This post on how to make an interactive presentation using MS PowerPoint will be incomplete if do not say anything about buttons.

A button is such a magical contraption which we’re click and suddenly find ourselves in some other place. (Wow, what an excellent definition, right?) This “teleportation” is caused by the hyperlink hidden inside the button.

Simple buttons, like these, look familiar, right?

We call them simple because they consist of a single shape. Using the shape properties a simple button can be assigned text, image, shadow and much more. We already wrote above how to create a simple button , how to add an image to it and how to attach a hyperlink to it.

Below we gave an example of the more complex button. It consists of several shapes which listed on Selection pane.

The hyperlink is attached to a transparent shape located on top of the other shapes. That is the small trick.

Not a rocket science, isn’t it?

We need the interactive presentation always responds correctly to the viewer’s clicks, ish’t it?

In PowerPoint defaults a left mouse click queues the next slide. This means that if the viewer clicks past a button or a hyperlink accidentally, PowerPoint will change the slide to the next. For an interactive presentation this actions is not acceptable, right?

To avoid this problem, go to the Transitions tab and disable the On Mouse Click checkbox in the Timing group. This will make the presentation respond to clicks of buttons or links and not respond to any other clicks.

Concluding this article it is worth mentioning the capabilities of MS PowerPoint to organizing interactive quizzes.

Quizzes are a convenient tool allows you to change the direction of your interactive presentation depending on the your viewers awareness. Using quizzes you get the opportunity to create an interactive online presentation with an individual approach for each viewer. What could be better?

Read our PowerPoint Triggers: Making Interactive Presentation article to learn how to design a personalized interactive online presentation for your audience.

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How to Create an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation

content creator

Helen Colman See full bio →

PowerPoint presentations are one of the most popular educational resources nowadays. Having been so for quite some time, they might look a bit old-fashioned and not as engaging as we would like. However, there’s a surefire way to make them much more dynamic – create interactive slides.

In this article, you’ll learn what interactive elements you can add to your PPT presentation, how to do this in PowerPoint step by step, and how to keep the audience’s attention by making the learning experience even more exciting and interactive with iSpring Suite. Let’s get started.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Interactive?

3 Ideas for Interactive PowerPoint Presentations

An Easier Way to Create Interactive Learning Materials

There are many ways to make your presentation interactive. Some require only PowerPoint functionalities, while others require a different tool or a PPT add-in. Here are some of the most common ways to add interactivity to your PPT slides:

• PowerPoint triggers and animations
• Multimedia: visual content, audio files, web pages, and videos
• Interactive software simulations
• Mini games  
• eLearning interactions
• Interactive quizzes
• Interactive role-play simulations

3 Ideas for Making Presentations Interactive with PowerPoint

PowerPoint lets you create lots of learning content that will keep your audience engaged, by using functionalities like on-click interactions, pop-up menus, and tests with branching scenarios. Here we’ll show you how to do that and ways to make this process even easier and more effective.

Check out a demo that includes some of these content types:

Follow our step-by-step guides to create one of these content types for your interactive presentation.

Idea #1: PowerPoint triggers for on-click interactions

One of the ways to make your slide interactive is to add a clickable button (trigger) that activates something. For example, it can launch one or more animations simultaneously. See how it works below:

To build such on-click interaction, you’ll need to add animations. Follow these steps:

1. Pick a background image, insert it into your PPT slide, and stretch it so that it fills the slide completely.

2. Add an object that will become the clickable button. This can be an image or a simple shape.

3. Select this object on the slide and click on Format → Selection Pane . Double-click the highlighted object and rename it to Open button .

4. Create two new slide objects (and rename them): a text box and another button. This button will close the pop-up.

5. Open the Selection Pane and select the Open and Close buttons, along with the textbox . Simply hold down the Left Ctrl key and click each of the needed items:

Now go to Animations → Add Animation → Entrance: Fade and then Add Animation → Exit: Fade .

7. To see the entire list of animations on this slide, click on Animation Pane . Here’s how it should look:

8. Now it’s time to set up triggers. Select the Entrance animations for the Close button and the textbox, then click on  Trigger → On Click of and select the Open button shape. What this will do: when the Open button is clicked, the textbox and the Close button will appear.

9. Now repeat the previous step but trigger the exit animations of the same objects by clicking on Close button . Once this has been done, you should see the following in the Animation Pane :

10. There’s one minor thing left to do: when you click the Open button, it should disappear, and when you hit the Close button, it should appear again. How do you make this happen? Simply move the Open button animations under corresponding triggers like this:

And that’s it, your interaction is ready. If you want to enhance the pop-up with visuals, like an image or another textbox, follow the same process and add their animations to the existing triggers.

Idea #2: Single-slide interaction with pop-ups

This second idea expands on the previous one: you can add several slide buttons that will activate pop-ups on the screen. Here’s what it looks like:

To design this type of interaction, you’ll need to create the interaction from the previous idea (or build a new one by following our guide) and then follow the steps below:

1. Create a set of objects for the second pop-up. If you need the same buttons, simply select an object you created earlier, then hold down Left Ctrl and drag it to a different position on the slide – and you’ll get an identical copy. You can also repeat this step with other objects.

2. Then, open Selection Pane and rename the new objects.

3. Now, animate the second pop-up. Press and hold Left Ctrl , then select objects in Selection Pane and add two sets of Fade animations:

4. Trigger the new animations using the same logic from the previous idea. Once finished, Animation Pane should look like this:

5. Your interaction is almost ready. All you still need to do is fix this issue:

As you can see, two pop-ups can now be opened at the same time and it doesn’t look good. To fix this, you need to set your animations so that when you click on “Open button 1,” the second pop-up button disappears, and vice versa. And make them appear again when either of the “Close buttons” is clicked. Here’s what your animation pane should look like:

Now, your interaction should work like this:

And that’s it, your interaction with several pop-up menus is ready!

Idea #3: A quiz with branching scenarios

Another way to make your slides interactive is to add a quiz with clickable answer options. You can also make the test progress differently for each student, depending on the option they select: if the answer is correct, they proceed to the next question; if not, they go to the info slide to dive deeper into the topic. Or you can make it so that a learner receives feedback after each answered question.

Below, you’ll learn the basics of building quizzes and branching scenarios in PowerPoint, which you can further use for creating all sorts of tests – the essentials are the same.

1. Create the title page of the quiz. Add a background image, then type the title of your quiz and its description.

2. Move on to the next slide to add a question and answer options. For the answer options, you can simply use text blocks ( Insert → Text Box ) or shapes ( Insert → Shapes ). You can also add an image if you wish.

Add other question and answer slides for your test in the same way.

3. Create the correct answer slide after your first question. Add a congratulatory message, such as: “Well done!” or “That’s correct!” or “Correct!” Below the message, add a button that will take the learner to the next question.

4. Create the incorrect answer slide. Repeat the same process as in the previous step but add a different text (and an image, if you use them).

If you want to make knowledge checks even more insightful for learners, you can provide them with feedback on each incorrect answer.

Add correct and incorrect answer slides after each question slide.

5. Set navigation for your quiz. Link the correct and incorrect answer options to the relevant feedback slides. Click on the answer text box, then go to the Insert tab and select Hyperlink . In the opened window, select Place in This Document and select the necessary slide.

Then add a hyperlink to the button on the feedback slides. You’ll need to do the same for each slide because feedback slides should lead to a new question every time.

Once you’ve finished setting up navigation, your quiz is ready. If you want to learn more about this topic, read our article on how to make a quiz in PowerPoint .

PowerPoint isn’t designed for creating interactive slides. Yes, it’s possible to do this, but it requires a great deal of time and effort. So if you’re planning to develop such educational content regularly, consider using one of the 23 best PowerPoint add-ins . Some of them, like iSpring Suite , are built for this sort of task and empower you to create better content in less time.

iSpring Suite works as a PowerPoint add-in and provides you with templates and smart functions for designing advanced learning content quickly and easily. You can design interactions, quizzes, educational simulations, and many other content types. Then, you can upload them to your learning management system (LMS) or your online storage (iSpring Cloud) and share them with your learners.

Let’s see how to make your slides interactive using iSpring Suite. Download a 14-day free iSpring Suite trial and follow the steps below to put theory into practice.

Interactions

Open the iSpring Suite tab and go to Interactions. There are 14 interaction templates, such as an FAQ, a timeline, and a diagram. Select one of them, fill it with texts and multimedia, and that’s it – your interaction is ready!

Watch this video to see the interaction development process from A-Z.

And here’s an example of an interaction created in iSpring Suite. It took us only 2 minutes to design it, while a similar interaction in PowerPoint took us at least an hour to create because we had to set up all of the triggers, animations, etc.

Just as with interactions, iSpring Suite has 14 ready-made question templates that you only need to fill with text and multimedia.

Here’s how. Open iSpring Suite, then go to Quizzes and click on Graded Quiz . Then, select a question type and fill it with information. If you wish, you can also add advanced settings, like time limits, the number of attempts allowed, and others.

See the entire routine in our tutorial video:

There’s no need to add separate feedback slides because feedback is already built into each question slide. You can customize it and add reinforcement information.

By the way, even if you don’t have an LMS, you can still share the test with your learners and track their progress – iSpring Suite has a special online storage space for that and the tool will email you the quiz results of your learners.

Here’s an example of a quiz created with iSpring Suite:

Role-play simulations

Role-plays scenarios or educational simulations are one of the most engaging educational activities in online learning. While most interactive tools require programming to create this content type, iSpring Suite enables you to create educational sims easily – even if you have no IT background.

Simply go to Role-Play and click on New Role-Play . Select New Scene . Pick a character and a background image from the library of ready-made content. Add texts. Then repeat the process with other scenes, connect them by dragging an arrow from one scene to another, and that’s it! Your sim is ready.

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, read our in-depth article on role-plays , their types with examples, and a guide and tips on creating them. It’s written by Clark Aldrich, the world’s most experienced designer of educational simulations.

And here’s an example of a role-play that Clark Aldrich created with iSpring Suite:

Now, let’s recap some highlights from this article. Here are the key takeaways.

Can you make a PowerPoint presentation interactive?

Yes, you can add interactive elements to your PPT presentation either by using PowerPoint alone or with additional tools, like iSpring Suite.

What are the interactive features of PowerPoint?

PowerPoint lets you create triggers and animations that make your presentation more interactive.

How do I make my PowerPoint presentation more engaging?

Consider adding interactions, quizzes, triggers, and animations to your presentation to make it more dynamic, engaging, and participatory.

So, these are several ways you can create engaging presentations with PowerPoint only and with other tools (check out this list of the 12 best interactive presentation software tools ). If you want to save time and effort while creating much more engaging and interactive presentations, courses, and assessments, check out iSpring Suite .

Get started with iSpring Suite for free during a 14-day trial period.

Also read:   How to Convert PowerPoint to MP4 Video on Windows & macOS

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Content creator

Helen Colman

She enjoys combining in-depth research with expert knowledge of the industry. If you have eLearning insights that you’d like to share, please get in touch .

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Blog > Interactive PowerPoint presentations in class

Interactive PowerPoint presentations in class

03.08.2023   •  #powerpoint #tips.

Presentations can be a great way to make your lessons exciting and informative and to informative and to better communicate information to your students. Many students do not feel engaged and integrated enough with normal presentations. To increase the attention span and arouse enthusiasm, interactive elements such as quizzes, word clouds or feedback rounds can help, to significantly increase learning success.

Common problems that arise during presentations in class

Presentations are a central element of the learning process, but they often involve challenges that need to be overcome. We have highlighted four common problems that often accompany presentations in class:

1. Lack of interaction

Standard PowerPoint presentations offer limited opportunities for audience interaction and engagement. They lack features to gather feedback or answer questions in real time and respond to requests.

2. Student passivity

Students are often forced into a passive role when the focus is only on the slides and the presenter simply delivers them in a heavy-handed manner.

3. Time managementt

Creating good presentations can take a lot of time and can be a difficult task for some.

4. Information Overload

Too much information at once, without a break can overwhelm and scare away younger students in particular. It's hard to focus on what's important and grasp the key messages.

4 ideas for interactive presentations in classes

Interactive presentations demonstrably increase learning success and retention. This is also confirmed by a study of the Keele University . The results here show very clearly to what extent involving the audience increases attention as well as knowledge transfer. It was found that the grades of the participants improved by 3.7%, as well as and the failure rate was reduced by 4.4% over the whole school year. were reduced.

1. Interactive classroom engagement

Students can ask questions anonymously and provide interactive feedback. This encourages active participation in the classroom and creates an open learning environment. Teachers could respond spontaneously to questions or interesting discussion points and customize lessons.

Here are some ways to better engage students in the classroom:

• Voting on the desired teaching material : Teachers can include an interactive survey where students choose from a variety of topics they would like to learn more about in class. This allows students to help shape the lesson and contribute their interests.
• Surveys in which subject areas the students need more support : Teachers can start a survey to identify areas where students are having difficulty or need more explanation. This can help to tailor the lessons to the needs of the students.
• Anonymous questions about ambiguities in specific subject areas : For example, students can use SlideLizard to anonymously ask questions about topics they didn't fully understand. These questions can then be discussed in class to clarify misunderstandings and deepen understanding.

2. Brainstorming and unleashing creativity

Interactive slides enable teachers and students to collaboratively brainstorming sessions into the presentation, and to create a presentation. The feature allows ideas to be collected and structured on virtual pinboards. and structure them. The result is an interactive collaboration that unleashes creativity and promotes the exchange of ideas. encourages.

Here are some ideas on how to incorporate brainstorming in the classroom:

• Brainstorming for possible solutions : When addressing complex problems or challenges, teachers can ask students to brainstorm different solutions together on an interactive slide. This encourages teamwork and creative thinking.
• Collection of ideas for projects : Teachers can use an interactive slide where students can collect creative ideas for upcoming projects. These ideas can then be discussed and developed together.
• Solutions for social challenges : Students can brainstorm and discuss ideas for addressing real-world social problems such as poverty, inequality, or pollution.

3. Learning with quizzes

Interactive quizzes are a highlight of PowerPoint presentations. Teachers can check what students have already learned in a playful way and track the learning success. The students in turn experience a motivating sense of achievement when they answer the quiz questions correctly. This makes the learning process not only entertaining, but also effective.

Here are some concrete ideas for how teachers can use quizzes in a meaningful way in the classroom:

• Short knowledge tests during the presentation : Teachers can include a short quiz after each section of a presentation to ensure that students understand the key concepts before moving on to the next section.
• Preparation for exams : Teachers can create more comprehensive quizzes that cover the entire subject matter and help students prepare for upcoming exams.
• Continuous knowledge checks : Teachers can create regular, short quizzes to ensure that knowledge learned builds and deepens consistently over time.

4. Flexibility in teaching through discussions

Additional slides can also be used or set aside to be be flexible to the needs of the students. Teachers can react spontaneously to respond spontaneously to questions or interesting discussion points and individually.

Here are some ways teachers can use discussions to engage students more fully in the classroom:

• Small group discussions : Teachers can divide students into small groups and have them discuss on different slides. Each group can then present their findings or conclusions.
• Feedback and reflexion : After a presentation or lecture, teachers can ask questions on a slide that encourage students to reflect on what they have heard. These questions can then be discussed together.
• Visualize discussions as a word cloud : The students' contributions and thoughts from a discussion can be visualized on a slide as a word cloud. Frequently mentioned words are displayed larger, which draws the focus to dominant topics or trends. This provides a visual summary of the discussion and encourages analysis of the most important aspects.

Tips: Create interactive presentations

One tool that can help you create interactive presentations is SlideLizard. SlideLizard offers a wide range of interactive features, such as word clouds, polls, quizzes or feedback rounds for your teaching. You can integrate the interactive slides directly into your PowerPoint presentation and the results of polls or word clouds during the lesson are automatically visualized in real time. Learn more about interactive teaching with SlideLizard here.

Using interactive PowerPoint presentations with SlideLizard allows teachers to take teaching to a new level and overcome these problems. By combining word clouds, quizzes, interactive feedback sessions, and brainstorming sessions, SlideLizard creates an inspiring learning environment where students can actively participate in the classroom and unlock their potential. Let's use this creative and innovative approach to unleash the potential of visual connection and take teaching in schools to a new level. Learning can be so much fun!

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About the author.

Annika Fachberger

Annika is dedicated to graphics and videos. At SlideLizard she supports the design team with her creative ideas.

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Formal communication.

formal communication should be used for speeches or at work

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When an event consist of both virtual and in-person parts, this is called a hybrid event. This type of event is popular as it combines the benefits of both online and live events.

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PowerPoint: Creating a Self-Running, Interactive Presentation

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Instructor: David Rivers

PowerPoint isn’t just for static, click-by-click presentations. This powerful software enables users to create self-running, interactive presentations that can be useful in a variety of scenarios: product demos for meetings or trade show booths; school research projects; or even slideshows for family and friends. In this concise course, David Rivers shows you how to create your own self-running PowerPoint presentation quickly and easily while incorporating interactive elements that can provide your audience specified levels of control.

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Make an Interactive Quiz on PowerPoint in 30 Secs (Free Templates)

Leah Nguyen • 13 August, 2024 • 4 min read

As the world shifts, PowerPoint presentations will not go anywhere soon as statistics suggest that more than 35 million presentations are presented each day.

With PPT becoming so mundane and boring, with the audience's shortened attention span as a cherry on top, why not spice things up a bit and create an interactive PowerPoint quiz that reels them in and gets them involved?

In this article, our AhaSlides team will guide you through easy and digestible steps on how to make an interactive quiz on PowerPoint , plus customisable templates to save heaps of time🔥

Table of Contents

How to make an interactive quiz on powerpoint.

Forget the complicated setup on PowerPoint that took you a stinking 2-hour and more, there's a much better way to have a quiz out in minutes on PowerPoint - using a quiz maker for PowerPoint.

Step 1: Create a Quiz

• First, head over to AhaSlides and create an account if you haven't already.
• Click "New Presentation" in your AhaSlides dashboard.
• Click the "+" button to add new slides, then choose any type of question from the "Quiz" section. Quiz questions have correct answer(s), scores and leaderboards and a pre-game lobby for everyone to interact.
• Play with colours, fonts, and themes to match your style or brand.

Or use the AhaSlides' AI slides generator to help create quiz questions. Simply add your prompt, then choose within 3 modes: Funnier, Easier or Harder to fine-tune the PPT quiz to your liking.

Step 2: Download Quiz Plugin on PowerPoint

After you are done with these steps, open your PowerPoint, click "Insert" - "Get Add-ins" and add AhaSlides to your PPT add-in collection.

Add the quiz presentation you have created on AhaSlides to PowerPoint.

This quiz will stay on one slide, and you can use keyboard shortcuts to move to the next quiz slide, show the QR code for people to join, and put on quiz celebration effects like confetti to motivate the audience.

Step 3: Run an Interactive Quiz on PowerPoint

After you are done with the set-up, it's time to share your elaborated quiz with the world.

When you present your PowerPoint in slideshow mode, you'll see the join code appear on the top. You can click on the small QR code symbol to make it appear larger so everyone can scan and join on their devices.

🔎Tip: There are keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate the quiz better.

When everyone has appeared in the lobby, you can start your interactive quiz in PowerPoint.

Bonus: Review Your Post-event Quiz Statistics

AhaSlides will save the attendants' activity in your AhaSlides presentation account . After closing the PowerPoint quiz, you can review it and see the submission rate or feedback from the participants. You can also export the report to PDF/Excel for further analysis.

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Free PowerPoint Quiz Templates

Get started quickly with our PowerPoint quiz templates down here. Remember to have the AhaSlides add-in ready in your PPT presentation💪

#1. True or False Quiz

Featuring 4 rounds and over 20 thought-provoking questions covering a wide range of topics, this template is perfect for parties, team-building events, or simply a fun way to test your knowledge.

#2. English Language Lesson Template

Sharpen your students' English skills and get them involved in the lesson from start to finish with this fun English quiz. Use AhaSlides as your PowerPoint quiz maker to download and host it for free.

#3. New Class Icebreakers

Get to know your new class and break the ice among students with these fun icebreaker activities. Insert this interactive quiz on PowerPoint before the lesson starts so everyone can have a blast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make an interactive game in powerpoint.

Yes, you can by following all the simple steps we have stated above: 1 - Get a quiz add-in for PowerPoint, 2 - Design your quiz questions, 3 - Present them while you're on PowerPoint with the participants.

Can you add interactive polls to PowerPoint?

Besides interactive quizzes, AhaSlides also let you add polls to PowerPoint.

Leah Nguyen

Words that convert, stories that stick. I turn complex ideas into engaging narratives - helping audiences learn, remember, and take action.

Tips to Engage with Polls & Trivia

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Create a presentation

Create a presentation in PowerPoint

Create presentations from scratch or start with a professionally designed, fully customizable template from Microsoft Create .

Tip:  If you have Microsoft Copilot it can help you create a presentation, add slides or images, and more. To learn more see  Create a new presentation with Copilot in PowerPoint.

Open PowerPoint.

In the left pane, select New .

Select an option:

To create a presentation from scratch, select Blank Presentation .

To use a prepared design, select one of the templates.

To see tips for using PowerPoint, select Take a Tour , and then select Create , .

Add a slide

In the thumbnails on the left pane, select the slide you want your new slide to follow.

In the  Home tab, in the  Slides  section, select  New Slide .

In the Slides section, select Layout , and then select the layout you want from the menu.

Add and format text

Place the cursor inside a text box, and then type something.

Select the text, and then select one or more options from the Font section of the Home tab, such as  Font , Increase Font Size , Decrease Font Size ,  Bold , Italic , Underline , etc.

To create bulleted or numbered lists, select the text, and then select Bullets or Numbering .

Add a picture, shape, and more

Go to the  Insert  tab.

To add a picture:

In the Images section, select Pictures .

In the Insert Picture From menu, select the source you want.

Browse for the picture you want, select it, and then select Insert .

To add illustrations:

In the Illustrations section, select Shapes , Icons , 3D Models ,  SmartArt , or Chart .

In the dialog box that opens when you click one of the illustration types, select the item you want and follow the prompts to insert it.

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How to Create a Narrated Presentation With Voice Over Using Visme

Written by: Nayomi Chibana

If you've ever taken weeks, even months, to painstakingly prepare for an important presentation, you know how useful it is to have a recording of your memorable delivery to share with others.

Here at Visme , we're excited to tell you that you can easily record your own voice over right within this online presentation design tool .

This allows you not only to create self-running presentations or stand-alone slide decks but also narrated software tutorials, audio presentations and visual stories with narration.

All of these can be easily shared across all social media platforms with just the click of a button or embedded into your own website or blog.

You can also repurpose written content into a narrated presentation, which is one of the best ways to make the most of every marketing dollar you spend. To learn more about repurposing, you can read our post on 11 smart ways to repurpose your content.

To get started, follow this simple step-by-step tutorial on how to create a narrated presentation in Visme by adding a voice over. We'll also help you learn how to add background music to your presentation to make it more dynamic and engaging.

Video: How to Make a Presentation in Visme

The video tutorial below will walk you through the process of creating a presentation in Visme. Keep scrolling for a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to create a narrated presentation.

1 Create a Visme Project

To create a slideshow with voiceover, you'll need to log in to your Visme account and create a new project. If you don't already have an account, you can easily create one here for free.

Enter your name, email and password to register. Once you're inside the dashboard, click on the "+ Create" button on the left-hand side of your screen.

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2 Choose a Presentation Template

Find the perfect template for your next presentation! Browse Now

Click on the "Presentations" tab to view all the customizable templates inside Visme. Pick a presentation template that best fits your content and industry, and click on "Edit."

You can also choose to start with one of our presentation themes. Each theme is packed with hundreds of fully designed slides that you can mix-and-match for your own use.

3 Customize Your Slides

Customize this presentation theme now! Edit and Download

Next, edit and design your presentation using all the graphic assets Visme has to offer, including icons, images, text and interactive elements such as video and maps.

Add charts, maps and data widgets to visualize boring numbers. You can also upload your own images and fonts or embed third-party content, such as surveys, quizzes and polls.

4 Click on Add Audio

Now, open the Media tab in the left-hand panel, and click on "Add Audio".

Visme offers dozens of free audio clips you can attach either to individual slides or set as background music for your entire presentation. If you've subscribed to a paid Visme Plan, you'll have access to all of the free audio files in the library.

To create your voice over slides, you can also upload your own audio file from a voice actor or record your voice over directly in Visme.

5 Attach an Audio File

To attach an audio file to the current slide, click on the gear icon next to it and select "Attach to Current Slide". You can preview each clip by clicking on the Play button next to it.

If you decide to choose another file or want to remove an audio clip from a slide, you can detach it by clicking on the gear again and selecting "Detach."

6 Record Your Voice Over

Here’s how to do a presentation with voice over using Visme.

Record your own audio by clicking on the "Record" option to the top right of the "Add Audio" tab. Once chosen, you will see a red record button appear below your slide.

To start recording your own narration within Visme, simply click on the red button and speak into your microphone. Make sure your microphone is working properly before recording.

You can preview your recording before saving it to the library by clicking on the Play button. Once you're satisfied with your recording, click on "Save to Library."

Your audio will automatically be converted to MP3 format, added to your Audio Library and attached to your current slide. You can then rename it by double clicking on the file name or detach it from the slide by clicking on the gear and selecting "Detach."

7 Customize Audio Settings

If you’re looking to make an audio presentation, the process is super easy. After adding your video to the library, you can customize how it is played.

To customize the way your audio presentation is played, simply click on "Audio Settings" at the top. You'll see options at the bottom to trim your clip or adjust more settings by clicking on the gear icon.

In Visme, you can also customize the time your audio takes to fade in and out. For example, if you want your audio to quickly fade in at the beginning, you can set it for 1 second. Or, if you want your audio to slowly fade out, you can set it for 3 or 4 seconds.

Also, you can set the time at which your audio will begin. If you want your narration to start 5 seconds into your presentation, you type in a value of 5 in the "Start Playing After" setting.

You can also reduce or increase the volume of your audio by inputting any value up to 100%. Finally, you can have the audio loop automatically by enabling the "Loop Audio" setting.

The advantage of having the option to tweak the settings for each individual audio track is that it allows you to customize it according to the content presented on each slide. For example, for slides with long animations, you might want to enable the "Loop Audio" setting.

8 Preview Your Audio

To see if your audio narration or voice over is effectively complementing your visuals, select the "Present" option at the top-right corner of the screen to preview your slides.

9 Add Background Music

Along with your audio narration, you can add background music to your presentation.

Click on "Share" at the top of your screen and select "Advanced Settings" at the bottom-right of the window. Click on the "Sound" tab and then enable the "Background Music" setting.

Here, you'll be able to select your uploaded or recorded audio file from the drop-down menu or choose one of the free audio clips from the library.

10 Publish Your Project

Once you're satisfied with your voice over, you can share your presentation with the world by clicking on the "Share" button at the top and then choosing one of the three options below:

• Publish for Web:  This will publish your Visme project on the web and generate a shareable link, which will enable anyone on the internet to find and access your presentation.
• Share Privately:  This will generate a private link to your Visme project that you can share with specific people.
• Embed:  This will generate an embed code for your presentation that you can add to your web pages or email.

You can also choose to download your narrated presentation as an HTML5  or editable PowerPoint file to present offline or share with a pre-recorded voice over.

Five Tips for Adding a Good Presentation Voice Over

Ready to nail your audio presentation? Here are five useful tips for adding a voice over to your presentation.

Practice Before Recording

This is a critical step when prepping for your presentation voice over. Start with vocal warm and breathing exercises. Then do the initial takes and record them to identify and fix any issues that could hamper your delivery. These activities help warm your vocal cords, ease you into the right voice and ensure excellent delivery.

Use a Good Microphone

When recording your audio, you want to avoid poor production quality. Otherwise, you risk losing your audience's attention. According to Statista , 33% of people said they’ll abandon a video if it had poor audio quality.

Invest in high-quality microphones that produce balanced audio and clear dialog and eliminate background noise. The good news is that you don’t have to blow your budget on a full studio setup with expensive mics. You can find budget-friendly microphones to help provide professional-grade audio quality.

The best part? With a PowerPoint voice over software like Visme, you’re sure to have top-notch audio quality. The software comes with features that take your audio and voiceover recording to a whole new level.

Find a Good Place to Record

Where you record your presentation voice over can make a big difference in your audio output.

Microphones tend to pick up lots of background noises. So even if you don’t have access to a professional studio, find quiet and ambient environments. Also, opt for spaces with less reverberation and echo.

We get it. No place can be entirely silent, but you’ve got to be ingenious. For example, if you’re at home, you can stay away from the windows. You could even drive to a remote location and record in your car. It’s all about thinking outside of the box.

Sound Confident & Relaxed

Speaking with confidence can be a game-changer when it comes to presentations. It creates a great first vocal impression and ensures your audience pays attention to you.

One way to sound confident is to speak in a relaxed voice and moderate pace. Get rid of the tension by engaging in exercises that relieve stress. Then practice repeatedly to get familiar with your content, transitions and visual aids. Where necessary, infuse a bit of humor to lighten the mood and get you more comfortable.

Take Vocal Breaks In Between Slides

During the presentation with voiceover, you need to pause between slides.

This won't appear odd. Rather these pauses will give you a chance to catch your breath, calm down and organize your thoughts. Pausing also helps speakers avoid filler word like um, uh, er, which can make them sound uncertain.

Another upside of pausing is that it allows the audience to think, reflect and take in everything you’ve said.

Create Your Own Narrated Presentation With Visme

Creating a narrated presentation with your own voice over in Visme is super easy. All it takes is a few clicks and your presentation is ready to be shared with the world.

Sign up for a free account today and take it for a test drive.

Have you created an interactive presentation in Visme yet? Don't hesitate to share your best projects with us or tell us about your experience using the Audio Library and Record features.

Just drop us a comment below, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

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About the Author

Nayomi Chibana is a journalist and writer for Visme’s Visual Learning Center. Besides researching trends in visual communication and next-generation storytelling, she’s passionate about data-driven content.