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How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint

You want to make the screen go black during a PowerPoint presentation. There are several ways to do this. If you are using a newer version of PowerPoint, simply press 'B' during the presentation to make your screen go dark. If you want to...
Method 1 of 2:

Pressing "B"

  1. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 1How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 1
    Press B during the presentation. If you are using a recent version of PowerPoint, this shortcut should make your screen black. This hotkey can come in handy when you want to:
    1. Pause your presentation to gain the full attention of your audience.
    2. Talk about something that is not relevant to the slide that is being viewed.
    3. Show a blank screen at the beginning or ending of your presentation.
  2. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 2How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 2
    Start the presentation. First, open your PowerPoint presentation. Click on the icon for presentation mode – or go to View Slideshow. You can also press f5 to view the show.
  3. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 3How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 3
    Press the B key. When you would like the screen to go black, simply press the 'B' key on your keyboard. If you have a newer version of PowerPoint, this hotkey should make the screen immediately go dark.
  4. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 4How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 4
    To return to the presentation, press the 'B' key again. To make the screen go white, simply press the 'W' key. Press it again to return to the presentation.
Method 2 of 2:

Adding a Black Slide

  1. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 5How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 5
    Try simply adding a black slide. This is an easy way to build a black screen directly into your presentation. This way, you don't have to worry about pressing the B button – you can plan for a dark screen when you want the audience to focus on your words, and then click onward to the next slide when you're ready to proceed. You can do this by adding a blank slide with a plain black background, or you can make the words fade out to black before you move on to the next slide.
  2. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 6How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 6
    Find the Layout button and click on Blank. This will delete any default Textboxes from your slide. In case there is still some default design showing up on your slide click on Design > Background > Hide Background Graphics.
  3. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 7How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 7
    Make the background black. Click on Design > Background Styles. Then, select the Black Screen option. Alternately: Click Format Background > Fill > Solid Fill > Color. Select the color black from the list of Theme Colors. Then, click Apply to blacken the background of this particular slide.
    1. If you'd like to give every slide a black background, then click Apply to All.
  4. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 8How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 8
    Save the File. Go to File, then Save As. Choose an easy-to-find location to save this Powerpoint file, and give it a name that you won't forget.
    1. It's important to save your presentation after making major changes: in case your computer dies, there is a power outage, or you simply forget to save your work.
  5. How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 9How to Make a Computer Screen Go Black With PowerPoint Picture 9
    Review the presentation. Before you try to present this PowerPoint to a group of people, make sure that the screen goes black when you want it to go black. Click on the Slideshow icon on the bottom right-hand corner or the Slideshow – From the Beginning option on the panel at the top of the screen.
    1. Your computer screen should now look completely black except for a small set of pointer arrows in the bottom left corner. Unfortunately nothing can be done about that but from a distance they are not too visible.
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