Create and open presentations in PowerPoint 2016

PowerPoint files are called presentations. Whenever you start a new project in PowerPoint, you will need to create a new presentation that can be completely refreshed or from a template. You will also need to know how to open an existing presentation.

How to create a new presentation

When starting a new project in PowerPoint, you often want to start with a new blank presentation.

1. Select the File tab to go to the Backstage view mode .

2. Select New on the left side of the window, then click Blank Presentation.

3. A new presentation will appear.

How to create new presentations from a template

Template is a pre-designed presentation that you can use to create new content quickly. Templates often include custom formats and designs, so they can save you a lot of time and effort when starting a new project.

1. Click the File tab to access the Backstage view mode , then select New.

2. You can click on the proposed search to find the template or use the search bar to find more specific content. In the example in this article, we will search the keyword table.

3. Choose a template to review.

4. The template preview will appear with additional information on how to use that template.

5. Click Create to use the selected template.

6. A new presentation will appear with the selected template.

It is important to note that not all templates are created by Microsoft. Many templates are created by third-party vendors and even individual users, so some of these templates may work better than others.

How to open an existing presentation

In addition to creating new presentations, you often need to open a previously saved presentation.

1. Select the File tab to go to Backstage view mode , then click Open.

2. Click Browse. Alternatively, you can choose OneDrive to open files stored on your OneDrive.

3. The Open dialog box will appear. Locate and select your presentation, then click Open.

Most features in Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint, aim to save and share documents online. This is done with OneDrive, this is the online storage space for your documents and files. If you want to use OneDrive, make sure you're signed in to PowerPoint with your Microsoft account.

How to pin a presentation

If you regularly work with the same presentation, you can pin it to the Backstage view for easy access.

1. Select the File tab to go to Backstage view mode , then click Open. Your recent presentations will appear.

2. Hover your mouse over the presentation you want to pin, then click the pushpin icon.

3. The presentation will be on the Recent presentations list until it is unpinned. To unpin a presentation, click the pushpin icon again.

Compatibility Mode (Compatibility Mode)

Sometimes you may need to work with presentations that were created in earlier versions of PowerPoint, such as PowerPoint 2003 or PowerPoint 2000. When you open these types of presentations, they will appear in Compatibility (Mode Compatible).

Compatibility Mode will turn off certain features, so you will only be able to access the commands found in the program used to create the presentation. For example, if you open the presentation created in PowerPoint 2003, you can only use the tabs and commands found in PowerPoint 2003.

In the picture below, you can see at the top of the window that the presentation is in Compatibility Mode. This will disable some features in PowerPoint 2016, including newer types of slide transition effects.

To get rid of Compatibility Mode, you need to convert the presentation to the current version. However, if you are collaborating with others and they only have access to the old version of PowerPoint, it is best to leave the presentation at Compatibility Mode so that the format is not changed.

You can review the support page from Microsoft to learn more about what features are disabled in Compatibility Mode.

How to convert presentations

If you want to access all PowerPoint 2016 features, you can convert presentations to 2016 file format.

Note that file conversion can cause some changes to the initial layout of the presentation.

1. Click the File tab to access the Backstage view mode .

2. Locate and select the Convert command .

3. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you want to save the presentation, enter the file name and click Save.

4. The presentation will be converted into the latest file type.

Practice!

1. Open a sample practice presentation here.

2. Note that the presentation is open in Compatibility Mode. Convert it to the 2016 file format. If a dialog box appears asking if you want to close and reopen the file to see the new features, select Yes.

3. In Backstage view , pin a file or folder.

See more:

1. Start with PowerPoint 2016
2. How to create PowePoint color schemes
3. Instructions for using Microsoft Power Point