powerpoint different page orientation same presentation

Can I change the Orientation of just one slide in PowerPoint?

By: Author Shrot Katewa

There are times when you wish to create only one slide of a different size in a PowerPoint presentation. This means you want to have both portrait and landscape slide sizes in the same presentation. Is it possible to do this? This is a question that had us scratching our heads! We did a lot of tinkering and quite a bit of research and we share what we found in this post. But first, let’s answer the question.

Can you change the orientation of a single slide in the same PowerPoint presentation? You CAN NOT create two slides of different sizes or orientations in the same presentation. Unlike Word, PowerPoint does not have this capability! But you can do a couple of other things.

In the rest of the article, I’ll show you a couple of different methods on how you can change the layout of just one slide in PowerPoint. So, let’s get started!

A Quick Note Before We Begin – if you want to make jaw-dropping presentations, I would recommend using one of these Presentation Designs . The best part is – it is only $16.5 a month, but you get to download and use as many presentation designs as you like! I personally use it from time-to-time, and it makes my task of making beautiful presentations really quick and easy!

What are Portrait and Landscape slide orientation in PowerPoint?

Powerpoint, by design, is made to allow slides to be created in a landscape mode. In this format, the information is mostly created to be read from left to right. This is a natural slide format as it shadows the way our computer screens are designed.

PowerPoint also has a Portrait mode (see image above). This kind of format is higher than it is wider. In the Portrait layout, the information is laid out from top to bottom. It gets its name from the hand-drawn canvas portrait paintings of the yesteryears which were drawn by hand on a canvas of a similar layout.

PowerPoint allows us to efficiently switch between the two slide layout formats. However, the problem is that when you switch between the two layouts, PowerPoint changes all the slides to the chosen layout rather than a single slide.

Is there any work around to show different slide sizes in the same PPT?

PowerPoint is a very powerful tool if it is fully understood. There are several things you can do with PowerPoint which it is not designed to do. For example, you can create social media posts, create videos, business cards, and much more using PowerPoint.

Even so, it is not the perfect application and sometimes you come across a situation where there seems to be no solution. Having a single portrait slide with other landscape slides in PowerPoint is one such issue.

There seem to be only two possible methods to achieve this desired result. Let’s have a look at it.

Method 1 – Embed external links to a slide in Portrait mode

One way to resolve the issue of not being able to insert a single Portrait slide in the middle of a bunch of landscape slides could be using links. Let’s look at a pictorial example. For the sake of this example, we shall denote the presentation in which we need to showcase the portrait slide format as the “Target presentation”.

Step 1 – Create two separate presentations for both layouts and save them

What you need to do is to create two separate PPT presentations. Create your Portrait slide layout separately that you need to put in the target presentation. Therefore, we should have two different presentations as shown in the above image. Make sure to save both presentations before proceeding ahead.

Step 2 – Identify target slide for embedding the portrait layout slide

Add text on a blank slide in your target presentation where you intend to display the portrait format slide. Now, what we need to do is insert a hyperlink. This can be easily done by first inserting the text in the text box.

Then go to the “Insert” tab and click on “Action”. (Please note – these instructions are for Mac) A dialogue box will open up. In the dialogue box, select the second option “Hyperlink to”.

Upon choosing the second option, a dropdown menu will show up. You’ll need to scroll down and select “Other PowerPoint presentation”.

Step 3 – Add the hyperlink to embed the portrait slide 

Browse and open the destination folder in which the portrait presentation is saved. Simply, browse to the location of the destination folder, click on the desired portrait powerpoint file and click “OK”. PowerPoint will then ask you to choose the slide number (if you have more than 1 slides in the PPT). Select the slide number that you wish to display, and click “OK”.

Now you will notice that the text that we have used to link to the portrait file will turn blue and get underlined. This is because it has now become a hyperlink.

Step 4 – Check to verify that the desired result has been achieved

Make the presentation in full screen mode by clicking on the “Slide Show” button on the bottom bar in your target presentation.

When your presentation turns full screen, you just need to hover over the hyperlinked text and click on it.

You’ll notice that the slide in the portrait mode is now visible in your main presentation. One thing you need to be aware of is that the slide is still not present in the target presentation. All we are doing is tricking PowerPoint to open a slide from a different presentation by creating a hyperlink. Thus, every time you need to open the portrait slide, you’ll need to come to this specific slide that contains the hyperlink and click on it. To go back to your target presentation from the portrait slide, simply press escape button on your keyboard denoted by “Esc” (top left corner of the keyboard)

Method 2 – Copy the contents of your Portrait slide, and paste it in your target PPT as an image

Okay, so this second cool little hack is simple and pretty straightforward. In this method, even though we may not be able to change the slide layout of just one slide, we will be able to achieve the desired result. Let’s have a look at how to do it –

Step 1 – Open both PPTs and add a black box that covers the complete slide in the target presentation

As a first step, open both the presentations. In the target presentation, add a blank slide. Next, insert a shape such that it covers the complete landscape slide end-to-end. Remove the border, and make the color of the shape to black. Adding a black shape is an optional step. The purpose of adding this black box is to mimic the background of a presentation in full screen. You’ll see what I mean in just a minute.

Step 2 – Copy contents of the portrait slide and paste it as an image in the target PPT

Open the portrait slide layout that you would like to put on the target presentation. Copy all the contents of that slide and paste it on the desired slide in the target presentation. As soon as you paste the items, scroll to the right bottom corner of the items that you have pasted, and you will notice additional pasting options with a clipboard icon that appears. Click on the small box with a clipboard icon, and a dropdown will appear. Simply select the “Paste as picture” option from the dropdown. This will ensure that your portrait slide is now an image.

Step 3 – Resize and align the image to the centre of the slide

Now we need to resize the image to fit the height of the landscape layout. Align the top left corner of the image with the top left corner of the slide (or you could align the top right corner of the image with the top right corner of the slide). Next, we shall resize the image from the diagonally opposite corner (in our example, it will be the bottom right corner). Remember, we should always resize the image proportionately so that it doesn’t distort the image. To do that, simply press the “Shift” key and while dragging the image.

Next, align this image to the centre of the slide. An easy way to align images and shapes in PowerPoint is using “Align tools”. Simply select the image by clicking on it. You’ll notice a “Picture Format” option that appears in the menu bar on the top. Click on the “Align” button. A dropdown will appear. Just select “Align to centre” under horizontal align options. You’ll notice that the image has moved to the centre of the screen.

Steps described above can help you lock the aspect ratio of any image in PowerPoint. The process is similar when you wish to lock the aspectAs a last step, click on the “Slide Show” button to make the PowerPoint presentation full screen. You’ll notice that you’ve successfully displayed a portrait layout on a landscape slide. While, you may not have been able to change the layout of the slide itself, putting the portrait slide as an image helps us essentially achieve the same result. ratio of not just an image but also of any other shape such as a square, circle or rectangle.

Pro tip – Worry about portrait slides only if the output screen can display in portrait mode

After reading the method 2 described above, I know you’re probably wondering “I didn’t want to paste an image in the slide. I wanted to have a portrait slide inserted in my landscape presentation”. However, you may need to keep in mind that almost all the screens on which you would be displaying your “Portrait” presentation, would by default have a landscape layout. In other words, unless you’re viewing the portrait slide on a screen that displays the output in a portrait mode such as a cell phone, your portrait slide will always have a blank space on the side!

Thus, there can be several other variations to the method 2 described above. For instance, you could also save your portrait slide as a PDF, and copy and paste that PDF file on the target presentation. Even in such a scenario method 2 will work just fine! What matters is to really understand the principle that portrait slides will always have blank space on the sides if the output screen can only display in landscape mode.

As mentioned earlier, there is no straightforward way to have both portrait and landscape slide sizes in the same presentation. Then again, before you break your head over it, you should ask yourself, is it really that important to have a portrait slide in your presentation as the slide may most likely be displayed in a landscape mode due to the output screen layout. If it is important, then you can follow the methods described above.

I hope the tips mentioned in the article were helpful to you, and that it saves you time in the future as well to create an effective presentation.

Our goal on this blog is to create content that helps YOU create fantastic presentations; especially if you have never been a designer. We’ve started our blog with non-designers in mind, and we have got some amazing content on our site to help you design better.

If you have any topics in mind that you would want us to write about, be sure to drop us a comment below. In case you need us to work with you and improve the design of your presentation, write to us on [email protected] . Our team will be happy to help you with your requirements.

Lastly, your contribution can make this world a better place for presentations. All you have to do is simply share this blog in your network and help other fellow non-designers with their designs!

UNLIMITED DOWNLOADS: 1,500,000+ PowerPoint Templates & Design Assets

All the PowerPoint Templates you need and many other design elements, are available for a monthly subscription by subscribing to Envato Elements . The subscription costs $16.50 per month and gives you unlimited access to a massive and growing library of ,500,000+ items that can be downloaded as often as you need (stock photos too)!

• Editor's Choice: Back-to-School Tech Gifts
• Get These 12 Student Discounts!

How to Use Portrait and Landscape Slides in the Same Presentation

• Brock University

What to Know

• Create two PowerPoint presentations: one with the landscape slides and one with the portrait slides. Save to a folder with all the slideshow files.
• Open the landscape presentation. Go to Insert > Action in the Links group. Choose either the Mouse Click or Mouse Over tab.
• Select Hyperlink to > down arrow > Other PowerPoint Presentation . Open the portrait presentation, select a slide. Choose OK to link it.

This article explains how to have a PowerPoint presentation with both landscape and portrait orientation slides by creating two separate presentations and linking them for the effect you want. This information applies to PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, PowerPoint 2010, and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.

Create the Presentations

When you want to use slides in both landscape and portrait orientation, create two separate presentation files . Slides using the landscape orientation are in one PowerPoint presentation while the portrait orientation slides are in the second PowerPoint presentation.

Then, link the two presentations together using action settings from one slide in the landscape presentation to the next slide you want (a portrait orientation slide ), which is in the second presentation (and vice versa).

The final slideshow flows perfectly and your audience won't notice anything out of the ordinary when you click or mouse over a designated image or area to switch from one orientation to the other.

Create a folder and save any files you will add to this slideshow, including all sound files and photos that you will insert into your presentation.

Create two different presentations. Create one in landscape orientation and one in portrait orientation. Then, save them in the folder you created.

Create all the necessary slides in each of your presentations. Add portrait style slides to the portrait presentation and landscape style slides to the landscape presentation.

Link From Landscape to Portrait Orientation

To switch from the landscape presentation to the portrait orientation during your slideshow, select either a text object, a photo, or another graphic on the slide and follow the steps below. When this text or object is clicked during the slideshow, the portrait slide opens.

Go to Insert .

Select Action in the Links group.

Choose either the Mouse Click or Mouse Over tab.

Select Hyperlink to , select the down arrow , and choose Other PowerPoint Presentation .

Locate the portrait presentation file in your new folder, choose it, and select Open .

Select the appropriate slide in the list of slides in that presentation.

Select OK twice to close the dialog boxes. The slide in the landscape presentation is now linked to the portrait slide, which is the next slide in your presentation.

Link From Portrait to Landscape Orientation

Follow these same steps above to link back from the portrait slide to the next landscape slide.

Then, repeat this process for any further instances when you need to change from a landscape slide to a portrait slide.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• How to Change PowerPoint Slide Orientation
• Create Pictures From PowerPoint Slides
• How to Make a Poster in PowerPoint
• How to Use PowerPoint Slide Master Layouts
• The 10 Most Common PowerPoint Terms
• How to Hide and Unhide a Slide in PowerPoint
• Copy Slides to Another PowerPoint Presentation
• How to Merge PowerPoints
• The Definition of a Slide (or Slides) in a PowerPoint Presentation
• Use This PowerPoint Template for a Multiple Choice Quiz
• How to Print Multiple Slides on One Page in PowerPoint
• How to Select More Than One Slide in PowerPoint
• Slide Layouts in PowerPoint
• What Is Microsoft PowerPoint and How Do I Use It?
• How to Add PowerPoint Slides Into a Word Document
• How to Do a Voiceover on PowerPoint

How to Combine PowerPoint Presentations With Different Orientations

Combining PowerPoint presentations with different orientations can be tricky, but it’s definitely doable. Essentially, you’ll want to decide which orientation (landscape or portrait) will be your primary one. Then, you can insert slides from the other orientation as objects into your main presentation. This way, you can switch between landscapes and portrait slides seamlessly during your presentation.

After completing the action, you will have a single PowerPoint presentation that contains slides in both landscape and portrait orientations. This will allow for a more dynamic and visually interesting presentation, as you can switch orientations to suit the content of each slide.

Introduction

PowerPoint presentations are a staple in the professional and academic worlds. They are the go-to method for presenting information in a clear, organized, and visually appealing manner. However, what do you do when you have two presentations with different slide orientations that you need to combine into one? This is a common issue faced by many people, whether they are business professionals, educators, or students. Different orientations can be used for various reasons; portrait orientation often suits text-heavy slides or documents, while landscape is better for graphs, images, and less text. Combining the two can be necessary when you’re trying to consolidate information from various sources or present a cohesive story that requires both formats. This article is particularly relevant for those who need to merge presentations for work or school projects, as well as anyone who wants to improve their PowerPoint skills.

The following steps will guide you through the process of combining PowerPoint presentations with different orientations into one seamless presentation.

Step 1: Choose Your Main Presentation

Decide which orientation (landscape or portrait) will be the primary one for your combined presentation.

Choosing your main presentation is crucial because it will determine the flow of your presentation. It is generally easier to choose the orientation that has the most slides, but consider the importance of the content and how it will be presented.

Step 2: Insert Slides as Objects

Insert slides from the presentation with the differing orientation as objects into your main presentation.

This step requires a bit of technical know-how. In PowerPoint, you can use the ‘Insert Object’ feature to embed another presentation within your main one. This preserves the original orientation and formatting of the embedded slides.

Step 3: Adjust Object Sizes

Resize the inserted objects as necessary to ensure they fit well on the slides and are easily viewable.

The inserted slides may not automatically match the size of your main presentation slides. You’ll need to manually adjust them to make sure they’re neither too large nor too small, which could affect the readability of the content.

Step 4: Test the Presentation

Run through the entire presentation to test that the transition between orientations is smooth and that all content is displayed correctly.

This step is all about quality control. You don’t want to be caught off guard with awkward transitions or unreadable slides during the actual presentation, so take the time to test everything beforehand.

Additional Information

When combining PowerPoint presentations with different orientations, it’s essential to keep in mind the overall coherence of your presentation. Even though you’re merging slides with different orientations, they should still feel like part of a unified whole. Pay attention to the design aspects—use consistent fonts, colors, and styles throughout to maintain a professional look.

Bear in mind that the content itself should dictate the orientation of the slide. For example, if you’re presenting a document or a chart that requires a portrait orientation for better legibility, don’t force it into a landscape slide just for the sake of consistency. The key is to strike a balance between aesthetic coherence and functional presentation of information.

Also, consider the practicalities of presenting. If you’re presenting in person, make sure the switch between orientations doesn’t require you to rotate a laptop or projector screen. If the presentation will be shared digitally, ensure that the embedded slides are accessible and viewable on all devices.

Finally, always have a backup plan. Technology can be unpredictable, and you should be prepared to present your information in another format if necessary. A printed handout or a separate document file can save the day if PowerPoint fails you.

• Choose Your Main Presentation
• Insert Slides as Objects
• Adjust Object Sizes
• Test the Presentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i combine powerpoint presentations with different themes.

Yes, you can combine presentations with different themes, but you may need to adjust the design elements to ensure consistency across your slides.

Will animations and transitions be preserved when combining presentations?

Animations and transitions should be preserved, but it’s important to test them to make sure they work as expected in the combined presentation.

Can I combine more than two presentations with different orientations?

Absolutely, you can combine as many presentations as you need, regardless of their orientations, following the same process.

Is it possible to combine presentations with different versions of PowerPoint?

Yes, but be aware that newer features in later versions may not be supported in older versions, which could affect the formatting.

How can I ensure that the embedded slides are easily viewable on all devices?

Make sure to test the presentation on different devices before the final presentation, and consider providing a separate file format for viewers to follow along.

Combining PowerPoint presentations with different orientations doesn’t have to be a headache. With the right approach and a bit of patience, you can create a compelling and cohesive presentation that leverages the strengths of both landscape and portrait slides. Remember to pay attention to the design, test thoroughly, and be prepared with a backup plan. By following the steps outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of combining PowerPoint presentations with different orientations.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

Share this:

Join our free newsletter.

Featured guides and deals

You may opt out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Related posts:

• How to Enable or Disable Portrait Orientation Lock Button on iPhone
• How to Save Powerpoint as PDF with Notes
• Can I Convert My Powerpoint to Google Slides?
• How to Make a Powerpoint Slide Vertical in Powerpoint 2013
• How to Rotate Screen on iPhone 7
• Portrait Orientation Lock iPhone 13: How to Do It
• How to Drag Slides From One PowerPoint to Another: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Make Google Docs Landscape
• How to Set Landscape as Default Orientation in MS Word 2010
• How to Set Time for Slides in Powerpoint
• How to Change the Orientation of a Worksheet in Excel: A Step-by-Step Guide
• iOS 17: How to Enable or Disable Portrait Orientation Lock on iPhone
• How to Turn Off Auto Rotate on iPhone [2023 Guide]
• How to Enable or Disable Auto Rotation – iPhone 5
• How to Check Word Count on Powerpoint 2010
• How to Unhide a Slide in Powerpoint 2013
• How to Insert Slides from Another Presentation in Powerpoint 2010
• How to Make Powerpoint Portrait in Powerpoint 2010
• How to Rotate a Slide in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Enable or Disable iPhone 6 Rotating Screen

How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint: A Complete Guide

Learn to change PowerPoint slide orientations with our step-by-step guide, including tips and FAQs on managing presentation layouts.

What is Slide Orientation?

Step-by-step guide to changing orientation in powerpoint.

• Open Your Presentation : Begin by opening your PowerPoint presentation. Ensure you are on the slide or in the section where you want to change the orientation.

• Access the Design Tab : Click on the "Design" tab in the top menu. This section houses various options related to the appearance of your slides.

• Select Slide Size : Within the Design tab, locate and select the "Slide Size" button. A drop-down menu will appear, offering different size and orientation options.

A Turn to Learn

Ed Tech Integration in the Elementary Classroom

How to Have Both Portrait and Landscape Slides in One PowerPoint! (-ish!)

09.19.2012 by Jessica Kings //

When creating resources for your classroom, you might want to have handouts that are portrait and ones that are landscape.  Today I’ll show you how you can accomplish that.

Before I start the tutorial, I do have to post a slight “disclaimer” on this post!  PowerPoint itself does not allow you to have both portrait and landscape slides in the same presentation.  Since so many of you asked about this, I wanted to be sure to address your issues… even though I can’t change the limitations of the programs itself!

I pretty much detail this in the tutorial, but you’ll need to think about the reason you would want both portrait and landscape slides in a presentation.  Personally, I could think of two reasons:

• To make an actual presentation (e.g. using PowerPoint for what it was meant to be used for)
• To make printables for your classroom (e.g. the “teacher” way to use PowerPoint!)

I’ve come up with workarounds for both of these reasons, but if you have another reason that you need help with let me know and I’ll try to find a workaround for it as well!

I hope those workarounds helped!

Share this:

September 19, 2012 at 4:23 am

You are a wealth of information. Thank you for sharing. 🙂

Antoinette 🙂

October 1, 2012 at 10:02 am

Aww thanks!!!!

September 19, 2012 at 10:50 am

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is something that I have been wanting to do for so long! I love the easy to follow steps and pictures! Wonderful!

Andrea Reading Toward the Stars!

I'm so glad it helps!!!

September 19, 2012 at 12:03 pm

Thanks so much!! Was just thinking of trying to figure out how to do this today!! I knew there had to be some way! Also, you must be reading my mind on the fonts too- I was just going to ask in this comment if you could help with that. I have such a hard time trying to figure out how to get the fonts in my list- I've done it before, but don't remember. Jennie JD's Rockin Readers

Perfect timing I guess!!!

September 19, 2012 at 9:25 pm

Awesome! I have one question- when you merge the two PDFs together- you can't rearrange the pages in each, you can only arrange the order of the 2 files merging, right? You are SO good at all of this!! Thank you! Dana http://www.funin1stgrade.blogspot.com

October 1, 2012 at 10:03 am

Exactly. You'd have to rearrange the page order in PowerPoint before you PDF it and merge the two files together.

November 1, 2012 at 11:15 pm

Oh my! This is amazing! Just merged my Thanksgiving reader with activities!

I found your website through my friend, Andrea, at Reading Toward the Stars!

Sarah Learning is for Superstars

December 3, 2012 at 2:45 am

Awesome! So glad you were able to use it already!

November 30, 2012 at 8:37 pm

I was literally just needing this info earlier today. You do a GREAT job explaining.

What I had been doing as a work around was doing the two differently oriented presentations and then grouping the items on a landscape slide and then copying, pasting and rotating into the portrait slide. Or vice versa.

Thanks so much for all your tips! You rock, girl! Growing Firsties

December 3, 2012 at 2:47 am

I hope this saved some time! All that copying and pasting must have been a pain!

January 19, 2014 at 3:41 am

I love, love, love you!!! Thanks for the info!

December 1, 2014 at 9:40 am

This was exactly what I needed. Thanks so much for posting this!

Try This Tutorial

Help! Fix My Chromebook… My Mouse is Gigantic!

Try this activity.

Help! Fix My Chromebook… I’m Getting Video Pop Ups!

Popular posts.

How to Make Just One Slide Portrait in PowerPoint Using a Workaround

PowerPoint presentations are typically designed with standard landscape slide orientation. However, you may want to have just one or two slides displayed in portrait mode to showcase a tall image, infographic, or other vertical content. Unfortunately, PowerPoint does not allow mixing slide orientations within the same presentation.

The Problem with Changing Slide Orientation

PowerPoint forces you to set one slide orientation for the entire presentation. If you change the slide size to portrait, all slides will switch to vertical.

The Workaround: Save the Portrait Slide as a Separate File

Here is a simple workaround to have a single portrait slide in your otherwise landscape deck:

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to create a PowerPoint presentation with one slide in portrait orientation:

And that’s it! You now have a single slide in portrait orientation within your landscape presentation using this simple workaround process.

Alternative: Use Two Monitors

Remember to bring portrait slide object files.

One caveat to this method is that you will need to bring both the original PowerPoint file AND the embedded one-slide portrait presentation to open properly on other computers. Without the object file, you’ll just see a blank box.

Benefits of Using Portrait Slides

About the author, vegaslide staff, related posts, how to remove animation from powerpoint, how to use design ideas to spruce up your powerpoint presentations, how to make a powerpoint editable by multiple users, rotate powerpoint’s flip entrance for an unusual twist.

• PC & Mobile
• Microsoft Powerpoint

How to Make Just One Slide Portrait in PowerPoint Using a Workaround

Lee Stanton Lee Stanton is a versatile writer with a concentration on the software landscape, covering both mobile and desktop applications as well as online technologies. Read more August 28, 2021

When creating presentations, PowerPoint allows you to choose between the portrait or landscape orientation. Once selected, it’ll be applied throughout all slides. What if you want to mix it up?

We’ll discuss whether it’s possible to make one of the slides portraits in PowerPoint and more.

Can I Make Just One Slide Portrait in PowerPoint?

Unfortunately, PowerPoint doesn’t allow you to change the orientation for certain slides. You’d have to change the orientation of your entire presentation.

You can always insert a portrait-oriented image or crop your photos to make them fit the screen. In addition, PowerPoint allows you to fit the size of your slides to your monitor.

Although PowerPoint doesn’t allow mixed orientations, there’s a workaround that involves two presentation decks.

How to Make Just One Slide Portrait in Windows

Windows users can follow the steps below to insert one portrait slide:

• Create two presentation files. The first file is the master deck in landscape mode and the second file should contain that one portrait slide.

When you enter the slide show and go to the linked text, picture, or object, hover over or click it, depending on the option chosen. The portrait slide will appear on your screen. When you want to exit the portrait slide, press “Esc” and you’ll return to the landscape presentation.

If you want to use multiple portrait slides, we recommend creating a separate PowerPoint file for all of them and linking them to the main file.

Tip: When creating the two presentation files, do it in the same folder for easier navigation.

How to Make Just One Slide Portrait on a Mac

As with Windows, there’s a workaround. Follow the steps below:

• Create two PowerPoint files: one for your official presentation and the other for the single portrait slide to be inserted. Keep both in the same folder.
• Open the presentation deck and go to where you want to insert the portrait slide. Select the text, object, or picture to be connected to the portrait slide.
• Go to the “Insert” tab and press “Action.” If you have an older Mac, go to the “Slide Show” tab and press “Action.”
• Choose when you would like the portrait slide to appear. You can select “Mouse Click” or “Mouse Over.” For the latter, the portrait slide will open when you hover over the linked location.
• Press “Hyperlink to.”
• Choose “Other PowerPoint presentation” from the drop-down menu.
• Find the presentation that you want to link and press “Ok” twice.

Link Two or More Presentations to Switch Orientations

Unfortunately, PowerPoint doesn’t allow you to combine portrait and landscape in one file. But you can create just one portrait slide in a PowerPoint file and link it to your landscape presentation. Although it may seem complicated, this is the best solution available so far and it works for both Windows and Mac.

How did you manage this problem? Have you found any other solution or are you satisfied with the method as discussed above? Let us know in the comments.

Related Posts

Disclaimer: Some pages on this site may include an affiliate link. This does not effect our editorial in any way.

Lee Stanton February 9, 2024

Lee Stanton September 13, 2023

Lee Stanton July 21, 2023

Send To Someone

Missing device.

Please enable JavaScript to submit this form.

• Change margins Article
• Create newsletter columns Article
• Change page orientation to landscape or portrait Article
• Add a border to a page Article
• Insert a header or footer Article
• Insert page numbers Article
• Insert a page break Article
• Insert a table of contents Article

Change page orientation to landscape or portrait

Change orientation of whole document

To change the orientation of the whole document, select Layout > Orientation .

Choose Portrait or Landscape .

Change part of a document to landscape

Select the content that you want on a landscape page.

Go to Layout , and open the Page Setup dialog box.

Select Landscape , and in the Apply to box, choose Selected text .

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint

Most PowerPoint (PPT) presentations are in 16:9 format, aka landscape orientation, which is great for presenting on most monitors and projectors. But there’s so much more you can do with your slide orientation.

We’ll run through various options for choosing a different orientation for PowerPoint. From vertical to portrait to widescreen – you’ll learn how to set the orientation you want in no time at all.

Stay flexible: adapt to circumstances

There will be times when you encounter the odd challenge in presenting; for example, you might come across 4:3 monitors/projectors or pivot monitors in portrait orientation. To make sure that your presentation is the most effective it can be no matter what the circumstances, you may need to adapt it to an appropriate size or orientation. Portrait orientation is also generally better than landscape for creating handouts or printing a presentation.

PowerPoint portrait orientation: the advantages

You may have already discovered that there are times when a landscape PPT slide orientation just doesn’t work very well. For example, when you want to use an organizational chart to clearly present key employees and their roles within the company. What to do? Well, it’s easy – use the portrait PPT slide orientation. It’s great for org charts and so much more.

How to set PPT slide orientation to portrait

1. Open the presentation.

2. Go to the Design tab and select Slide Size .

3. Now select Custom Slide Size .

4. Choose Portrait under Orientation > Slides .

5. Confirm your selection with OK .

6. A PowerPoint dialog box will now open for you to choose between Maximize and Ensure Fit .

Maximize will enlarge your content, which means some images may no longer be displayed correctly. With Ensure to Fit, PowerPoint will attempt to fit all your content into the new orientation.

Set the PPT orientation for individual slides

Portrait orientation can be a good way to enhance your presentation, but things are often a bit more complicated. Many PowerPoint templates are tailored to landscape orientation , so it’s often only possible to create your whole presentation in either landscape or portrait orientation . You can alter the PPT slide orientation for your entire presentation as shown above. But if you just want the one slide in portrait orientation, we’ll show you how to do that.

To create a presentation containing slides in two different orientations, you need to create two versions of the same presentation – one in landscape and one in portrait — and then link them together. (Don’t panic; we’ll show you how!)

To link, first select an object, such as a text box, in your main presentation (let’s say this is in landscape orientation). This object will serve as the link base. Now go to the Insert tab and select Action .

PowerPoint will now open the Action Settings dialog box, so you can select how to open the presentation you put in portrait format. After Click Hyperlink to and then on Other PowerPoint presentation .

Now select your second presentation (in this case, the one in portrait orientation) and click OK . A link to the presentation in portrait orientation will now be created on the slide you selected. To go back to your original presentation from the linked presentation (for instance when you’ve finished with the slides in portrait orientation and want to return to landscape), simply repeat the process to create another link back.

PowerPoint portrait slides: print to fit

If you want to create a PDF from your presentation, for example print a slide, you can set the PPT slide orientation and size manually. To do this, first change the orientation to portrait and then select Custom under Paper Size . Now enter 21.6 cm for the width and 27.9 cm for the height (or whatever dimensions your paper happens to be).

Set another PPT slide orientation

PowerPoint doesn’t just offer portrait and landscape; there are other slide orientations which you can use to add impact to your PowerPoint presentation.

The first option here is to change the size of your slides. To do this, simply click Design > Slide Size and choose between Standard , Widescreen or Custom Slide Size .

If the selected content can’t be scaled automatically, you’ll need to choose either Maximize or Ensure Fit . Once again, you have the choice of an enlarged version, possibly without graphics, or a reduced but complete version of your slides.

4:3, 16:9, A3, banner and many more options

To use a size other than Standard or Widescreen , select Custom Slide Size from the Slide Size dropdown menu. Click the down arrow under Slides sized for: to see several options as well as their dimensions.

On-screen Show will crop the slides to 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10 dimensions. What you should consider when changing from 4:3 to 16:9 can be found here . And why you should rather use 16:9 here .

Widescreen sets the dimensions to 33.867 cm x 19.05 cm.

Both versions look the same when viewed, but Widescreen gives you more surface area for your content. Be careful when printing: Widescreen won’t fit on a regular sheet of paper without scaling it first.

Other options include Banner and Letter – PowerPoint offers you a variety of interesting options.

Customize your dimensions: inches, pixels or centimeters

You can change the setting for dimensions under Custom Slide Size . To change the height or width of your slide, simply enter the desired dimensions followed by in, cm or px.

Select OK to save your changes. Once again, you may need to choose Maximize or Ensure Fit to scale the content properly.

Set a default slide orientation for your presentations

If you’ve found a format for PowerPoint that really suits the presentations you create, set a slide size that you want to work with in the future. This will be your new Theme . Once you’ve done that, go to the Design tab, click the arrow under Themes and select Save Current Theme . Your new theme will now be listed under Themes > Custom and can be used for future presentations.

Important: avoid distorted content when changing your slide orientation

When you’re working with different ppt orientations, be aware that you may have to rearrange or scale your slide content to make everything look coherent.

Conclusion: Change your ppt slide orientation quickly and easily!

It can be tricky to present all the facts and depth of content to your audience in a landscape orientation presentation. Choosing another orientation can create interesting new visual perspectives to keep your audience’s attention.

Looking for help with a specific slide orientation for PPT? We’re more than happy to advise and help you. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] with any questions or worries about your presentations.

Share this post

• share  
• save  

Design Thinking: Problem Solving with a Difference

Why Corporate Mission Statements Are So Important

7 Tips & Learnings from the Apple Keynote

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Two different slide designs in a single PowerPoint presentation

Is it even possible to do that? If so, what's the easiest way to achieve this?

• microsoft-powerpoint
• presentations

• also, which version of powerpoint are you using? –  Kravlin Commented Apr 9, 2010 at 1:30

5 Answers 5

If you wish to change the design of a particular slide:

• Select the slide you wish to modify by clicking on it in the Slides view.
• Select the Format menu > Slide Design.
• Choose the design you would like to use from the task pane by selecting the drop down arrow that appears when you hover your mouse over the preview slide.
• Select Apply to Selected Slides.

Just tried it on Powerpoint 2010. If you right click the theme you should be able to apply it to the selected slides instead of all of them.

in 2003 if you are looking at the slide designs an arrow should pop up on the left side of the design you have hilighted. click that and it should give you the same option.

• I guess there is no way of achieving this in Microsoft Powerpoint 2003? –  stanigator Commented Apr 9, 2010 at 1:26
• no. i just don't have 2003 to test it. but one of my friends does. give me a second. –  Kravlin Commented Apr 9, 2010 at 1:31

Simple solution (if printing to paper or transparencies)

Assuming your presentation is Portrait, but you have one slide you want in Landscape (11" wide x 8.5" tall):

• Ensure "View" is set to "Normal."
• Create your Landscape slide putting objects beyond the page edges. For an edge guide, you can make an 11" wide x 8.5" tall box and send it to the back. Then create your slide within the box edges.
• When done, delete the guide box only and save the file (don't close).
• Select all the objects on the page ( Ctrl - A ) and combine into a single group.
• Rotate the entire group 90 degrees counter-clockwise and center on page.
• Save your file.

If using a computer and projector for slide show

• When you get to the Landscape slide, press Ctrl - Alt - RightArrow to point the page "top" (which is the Landscape slide's right edge) to the right.
• Press Ctrl - Alt - UpArrow to point page top back up.
• If using multiple monitors, the screen displaying the mouse cursor is the one that will rotate.

Option to create guide box

• Change presentation orientation to Landscape. Some pages/images will deform but will return to normal when restored to Portrait.
• Create Landscape slide and save the file (don't close, though).
• Group together all items on the page and save your file.
• Cut the group from the page.
• Restore presentation orientation to Portrait.
• Paste the group onto the page.
• Rotate the group 90 degrees counter-clockwise and center on page.

• Based on the accepted answer, this may not be what the OP had in mind. For some future readers, though, it might be useful for their needs. –  fixer1234 Commented Jul 1, 2016 at 19:26

I'm using PPT 2010, and it appears that you can add multiple sections like you can in Word. Just right click between two slides in the Slide Sorter view, then add section. This is very convenient.

• Adding a new section does not allow you to use multiple slide designs. At least not in PPT 2013. Can you confirm the steps to enable multiple slide designs? –  Ryan Commented Aug 27, 2015 at 13:40

I did it a few seconds ago! You don't have to click on the master slides because it didn't work for me. I tried clicking on the other icons and found out one thing:

click on view

click on slide sorter (you will get all the slides placed together)

then right click on (format background) on the slide you wish to change. you will get a box on your right side to check colrs, size, etc.

Hope it works for you ;)

• 1 This duplicates another answer and adds no new content. Please don't post an answer unless you actually have something new to contribute. –  DavidPostill ♦ Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 8:56

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged microsoft-powerpoint presentations slideshow ..

• The Overflow Blog
• Ryan Dahl explains why Deno had to evolve with version 2.0
• Featured on Meta
• We've made changes to our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy - July 2024
• Bringing clarity to status tag usage on meta sites

Hot Network Questions

• block diagonal matrix
• How to remove a file on a SMB share named "."?
• How can an Investigator get critical specialization effects on unarmed attacks?
• Is there a good explanation for the existence of the C19 globular cluster with its very low metallicity?
• Should it be "until" or "before" in "Go home until it's too late"?
• Why don't liquid aerosols rapidly vanish by evaporation?
• Why is the identity of the actor voicing Spider-Man kept secret even in the commentary?
• What is the rationale behind requiring ATC to retire at age 56?
• Deriving Fisher's mysterious estimator for the Unseen Species Problem
• dired: How to disable moving the cursor horizontally?
• Long equation break
• How to add content security headers in Next.js which are configurable from cms side? where to add?
• Seven different digits are placed in a row. The products of the first 3, middle 3 and last 3 are all equal. What is the middle digit?
• The Master Tetrist
• If a body in free fall, according to general relativity is weightless, that is, not experiencing force, how does the object gain kinetic energy?
• What do all branches of Mathematics have in common to be considered "Mathematics", or parts of the same field?
• Do linguists have a noun for referring to pieces of commendatory language, as a sort of antonym of 'pejoratives'?
• Can I take tea with me to Canada?
• Why are swimming goggles typically made from a different material than diving masks?
• Why doesn't double jeopardy apply in this case where a woman was convicted of attempted murder, then manslaughter when the victim died years later?
• Adding an outlet from an existing switch outlet
• How is Nationality Principle applied in practice?
• Fitting 10 pieces of pizza in a box
• Has any spacecraft ever been severely damaged by a micrometeorite?

How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint

When it comes to creating presentations in PowerPoint, one of the most critical aspects of design is choosing the right slide orientation. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about changing slide orientation in PowerPoint, why it’s important, and tips for designing slides in portrait and landscape mode.

Table of Contents

Why Slide Orientation is Important

Before we dive into the details of slide orientation, it’s important to understand why it matters in the first place. First and foremost, slide orientation can greatly impact how your presentation is viewed and received by your audience. Depending on the audience and subject matter, different orientations may be more appropriate for specific types of content. For example, if you’re presenting architecture or landscapes, landscape orientation may be more effective. On the other hand, slides with large amounts of text may be more legible in portrait mode.

Understanding Vertical and Horizontal Orientation

PowerPoint offers two slide orientation options: vertical (portrait) and horizontal (landscape). Vertical orientation is taller than it is wide and is typically used for documents and presentations where the content is primarily text-based. In contrast, horizontal orientation is wider than it is tall and is commonly used for presentations with graphics and images that require a wider viewable area.

It is important to consider the audience and purpose of your presentation when choosing between vertical and horizontal orientation. If your presentation is meant to be viewed on a computer screen or projected onto a widescreen display, horizontal orientation may be more effective in showcasing your visuals. However, if your presentation will be printed or viewed on a mobile device, vertical orientation may be more practical and easier to read. Ultimately, the decision should be based on the content and how it will be presented to the audience.

How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint 2016

If you’re using PowerPoint 2016 or later versions, changing the slide orientation is straightforward. Go to the Design tab and look for the Customize group. Click on the Slide Size button, and from the dropdown menu, select the orientation that’s most suitable for your presentation. Note that changing the slide orientation may also affect the placement and formatting of objects on your slides.

It’s important to keep in mind that changing the slide orientation can also impact the overall flow and structure of your presentation. For example, if you switch from landscape to portrait orientation, you may need to adjust the order of your slides or reorganize your content to ensure that it still makes sense to your audience. Take some time to review your presentation after changing the slide orientation to ensure that everything is still in the right place and that your message is clear.

Step-by-Step Guide: Changing Slide Orientation in PowerPoint

If you’re not using PowerPoint 2016, the process of changing slide orientation may vary depending on the version you’re using. Here’s a step-by-step guide for changing slide orientation on PowerPoint:

• Open the PowerPoint presentation that you want to edit.
• Click on the Design tab.
• In the Customize group, click on the Slide Size button.
• From the dropdown menu, select the orientation you want for your slides.
• Click OK to apply the changes.

It’s important to note that changing the slide orientation can affect the layout of your presentation. If you switch from landscape to portrait orientation, for example, you may need to adjust the size and placement of your images and text boxes to ensure they fit properly on the new slide dimensions.

Additionally, if you have already added content to your slides, changing the orientation may cause some of your content to be cut off or moved to a different location. To avoid this, it’s a good idea to make any necessary adjustments to your content before changing the slide orientation.

How to Change the Orientation of a Single Slide in PowerPoint

PowerPoint does not support changing the orientation of individual slides within the same presentation. All slides within a presentation will have the same orientation. If you need to use a different orientation for a particular content, consider creating a new presentation for that specific slide or using alternative methods to present that content, such as embedding an image of the slide in the desired orientation.

How to Change the Orientation of All Slides in PowerPoint

To change the orientation of all slides in your presentation, follow these steps:

• From the dropdown menu, select the orientation you want for all the slides in your presentation.

It’s important to note that changing the orientation of all slides in your presentation may affect the layout and design of your slides. You may need to adjust the placement of images, text boxes, and other elements to ensure they fit properly on the new orientation. It’s a good idea to preview your presentation after making this change to ensure everything looks the way you want it to.

Tips for Designing Slides in Portrait Orientation

When designing slides in portrait orientation, keep in mind that they tend to be more text-heavy than landscape orientation slides. As such, you may want to break up the content into smaller, more digestible chunks. Additionally, consider using larger fonts to make the text more legible, and make liberal use of white space to avoid cluttering the slide.

Another important consideration when designing slides in portrait orientation is the use of images. While text is important, images can help break up the monotony and add visual interest to the presentation. However, be sure to use high-quality images that are relevant to the content and avoid using too many images that can overwhelm the slide.

Finally, when designing slides in portrait orientation, it’s important to consider the overall flow of the presentation. Since portrait orientation tends to be more linear, it’s important to ensure that the content flows logically from one slide to the next. Consider using transitions and animations to help guide the viewer’s eye and keep them engaged throughout the presentation.

Tips for Designing Slides in Landscape Orientation

If you’re designing slides in landscape orientation, remember that these slides typically lend themselves to more visual content. Consider using high-quality images, illustrations, and graphics to capture your audience’s attention. Additionally, make sure any text you include is easily readable, and avoid cluttering the slide with too much content.

Another important tip to keep in mind when designing slides in landscape orientation is to use a consistent color scheme throughout your presentation. This will help create a cohesive and professional look. You can also use contrasting colors to highlight important information and make it stand out. Finally, don’t forget to preview your slides in full-screen mode to ensure that all elements are properly aligned and easily visible to your audience.

Benefits of Using Different Orientations for Different Slides

PowerPoint does not support using different orientations for different slides within the same presentation. All slides must have the same orientation. To effectively use different orientations, you may need to create separate presentations or find creative ways to display content that seems to require an alternate orientation, such as rotating text or images within a slide to simulate a change in orientation.

Troubleshooting Common Issues When Changing Slide Orientation

If you encounter issues when changing slide orientation, such as misplaced or misaligned objects, try adjusting the layout and spacing of your slide. Additionally, consider using gridlines and rulers to help ensure your objects are aligned properly.

Another common issue when changing slide orientation is text overlapping or becoming too small to read. To fix this, try adjusting the font size and line spacing of your text. You may also need to rearrange the placement of your text boxes to ensure they fit properly on the slide.

If you are still experiencing issues, it may be helpful to check the compatibility of your slide orientation with the device or software you are using. Some devices or software may not support certain slide orientations, which can cause formatting issues. In this case, you may need to adjust your slide orientation or switch to a different device or software.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Changing Slide Orientation in PowerPoint

There are no specific keyboard shortcuts for changing slide orientation in PowerPoint 2016. To change the orientation, you must use the Slide Size button in the Customize group under the Design tab. Always remember to preview your presentation after making changes to ensure that the layout and formatting of your slides are as intended.

Customizing Your Slide Layouts Based on Orientation

To make the most of different slide orientations, consider customizing your slide layouts using PowerPoint’s Slide Master feature. By creating unique layouts for each orientation, you can make sure your content is optimized for maximum impact.

Using Gridlines and Rulers to Align Objects on Different Orientations

To ensure your slide objects are properly aligned when using different slide orientations, take advantage of PowerPoint’s gridlines and rulers. These can help you easily snap objects into place and ensure a professional and polished presentation.

Best Practices for Presenting Slides with Different Orientations

As PowerPoint does not allow for different orientations within the same presentation, it is best to maintain a consistent orientation throughout your presentation. However, you can still create visually dynamic slides by using a variety of layouts, images, and text formats. Practice your presentation to ensure smooth transitions between slides and consider providing handouts or electronic copies for better accessibility.

By following these tips and tricks, you can master the art of slide orientation and create effective and engaging PowerPoint presentations every time.

By humans, for humans - Best rated articles:

Excel report templates: build better reports faster, top 9 power bi dashboard examples, excel waterfall charts: how to create one that doesn't suck, beyond ai - discover our handpicked bi resources.

Explore Zebra BI's expert-selected resources combining technology and insight for practical, in-depth BI strategies.

We’ve been experimenting with AI-generated content, and sometimes it gets carried away. Give us a feedback and help us learn and improve! 🤍

Note: This is an experimental AI-generated article. Your help is welcome. Share your feedback with us and help us improve.

Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How To Change Page Orientation in PowerPoint to Portrait

How To Change Page Orientation in PowerPoint to Portrait

The page orientation in a presentation slide, also known as the PowerPoint portrait orientation, is the way in which the rectangular slide is oriented for normal viewing while presenting. The two most common types of orientation are portrait and landscape and these are the two formats available in Microsoft PowerPoint.

In PowerPoint, it is very easy to change the page orientation from landscape to portrait or vice versa. Here we will show you how to change PowerPoint to portrait and modify the slide orientation so you can use a portrait layout format instead of the default landscape style.

Table of Contents:

Why Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint?

Benefits of portrait orientation, how to make powerpoint portrait by changing the page orientation.

• How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint
• How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac

Applying Portrait Orientation to Templates

When it comes to creating a compelling PowerPoint presentation, choosing the right slide orientation is more important than you might think. The default landscape orientation is suitable for many scenarios, but there are situations where switching to portrait orientation, like how to change to portrait in PowerPoint, can greatly enhance your presentation’s effectiveness.

• Focus on Vertical Content: Portrait orientation is particularly useful when your content is more vertically oriented. For example, if you’re showcasing a series of tall images, vertical charts, or lengthy textual content, portrait orientation ensures that your audience can see the entire content without excessive horizontal scrolling.
• Print-Friendly: Portrait orientation aligns well with standard paper sizes. So, if you intend to print your slides or create handouts, portrait orientation allows for a seamless transition from digital to printed materials.
• Emphasize Storytelling: Portrait orientation encourages a more storytelling-friendly layout. It can be ideal for sequential storytelling, timelines, or presentations with a clear top-to-bottom flow.
• Mobile and Tablet Compatibility: With the rise of mobile devices, portrait orientation works well for presentations viewed on smartphones and tablets. This ensures your content is easily readable, even on smaller screens.

Switching to portrait orientation offers several advantages that can help you create more engaging and visually appealing PowerPoint presentations:

• Enhanced Readability: Portrait orientation allows for larger text and graphics, making your content more readable, especially from a distance.
• Visual Impact: It provides a unique, eye-catching format that can captivate your audience and make your presentation stand out.
• Improved Aesthetics: Certain types of content, such as tall images and vertical infographics, look more aesthetically pleasing in portrait orientation.
• Storytelling and Sequencing: Portrait orientation encourages a storytelling approach, enabling you to present information in a more structured and sequential manner.
• Print and Handout Compatibility: If you plan to distribute handouts or print your slides, portrait orientation ensures a seamless transition from digital to physical formats.

You can change the slide orientation in Microsoft PowerPoint by using a special setting in the PowerPoint Ribbon, under Slide Size option. This option will help to change landscape to portrait in PPT, and it can also be used to change PowerPoint slide size to a different format or aspect ratio. Follow these steps in order to change the landscape orientation to portrait orientation in Microsoft PowerPoint.

1. Open the PowerPoint presentation and then click on the  Design tab at the top menu.

4. To change the slide orientation from PPT landscape to portrait , just select the Portrait option by checking the corresponding radio button. This process demonstrates how to change a PPT to a portrait in a straightforward manner.

5. A new dialog box will appear, this time asking what to do while scaling to a new slide size. Here you can choose to maximize the visible area or Ensure Fit to scale it down and ensure the new design will fit on the new slide format.

• Maximize: This option lets you take advantage of the entire slide dimension to cover the slide with the current content.
• Ensure Fit: This option will scale the current content down to ensure it will fit on the new slide. Depending on your design, by choosing this option you may find two empty bars at the top or bottom of the slide as displayed in the thumbnail examples shown below.

Finally, here we can see the new orientation applied to the PowerPoint presentation. The following screenshot shows our Kite PowerPoint template adjusted to a portrait format and ready to be used to design a flyer or eye-catching brochures in PowerPoint.

Did you know? The portrait word definition comes from the fact that a close-up portrait of a person’s face and upper body is more fitting for a canvas or photo where the height of the display area is greater than the width, and is more common for the pages of books. Landscape originally described artistic outdoor scenes where a wide view area is needed, but the upper part of the painting would be mostly sky and so is omitted. [source: Wikipedia]

How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint

In Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 you can also change the slide orientation. This option is located in the Design menu under the Page Setup section as shown in the screenshot below.

How to Change Slide Orientation in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac

If you are using Mac instead of Windows, then you can also change the slide orientation in Microsoft PowerPoint 2011. In this case, the Page Setup option is located under the Themes menu.

1. Go to the Themes menu and click on the Slide Size button.

2. Then, click Page Setup…

Applying portrait orientation to PowerPoint templates is a simple process that can add a fresh and unique touch to your presentations. Here’s how you can do it:

• Open a Blank Presentation: Start with a blank PowerPoint presentation or the one you wish to modify.
• Design Tab: Click on the “Design” tab at the top menu to access the design options.
• Slide Size Menu: Next, click on the “Slide Size” menu button located on the right side of the toolbar. This menu allows you to adjust the slide size and orientation.
• Custom Slide Size: Choose the “Custom Slide Size” option to open the Slide Size dialog box. Here, you can customize the slide size properties to suit your needs.
• Select Portrait Orientation: To change from PowerPoint landscape to portrait, check the radio button for “Portrait” under the “Slides” section.
• Scaling Options: You will be prompted with a dialog box asking how you’d like to scale your content to fit the new slide size. Choose between “Maximize” or “Ensure Fit” depending on your design preferences.

By applying portrait orientation to templates, you can create visually striking presentations that are tailored to your content and audience, ensuring that your message is delivered effectively and memorably.

By using a different slide orientation format in PowerPoint you can control how the slide will be displayed either while presenting or while designing a PowerPoint presentation that you plan to print later. For example, this can be very useful if you want to design a flyer, a poster for a University, or even a restaurant menu from Microsoft PowerPoint.

• Page Orientation at Wikipedia

Like this article? Please share

Landscape, Office for Mac, Page Orientation, Page Setup, Portrait, Slides Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials

Related Articles

Filed under Design • May 29th, 2024

How to Create Effective Call to Action Slides for Presentations

When concluding a presentation, it’s essential to prompt attendees to take action. This is where a specific slide type, the call-to-action slide or CTA slide, comes into play. Depending on your context, this slide can incorporate various graphical elements, such as compelling images, charts, or diagrams, to evoke emotions or simply be attractive with information […]

Filed under Design , PowerPoint Tutorials • October 24th, 2023

How to Create a Slide Deck in PowerPoint

Improve your presentation skills with our guide on how to create a slide deck in PowerPoint. Content to include, recommended templates, and more!

Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials • October 10th, 2023

How To Insert Many Pictures into Individual Slides in PowerPoint

There are many reasons why you may be interested to insert many pictures into individual slides at once using PowerPoint. For example, if you’d like to protect your PowerPoint presentations by avoiding users to change editable fields or data values, then importing the slides as pictures into a new presentation could be a possible approach. If you […]

Leave a Reply

• What is a slide master? Article
• Add, rearrange, duplicate, and delete slides in PowerPoint Article
• Apply a slide layout Article
• Add color and design to your slides with Themes Article
• Start with a template Article
• Get design ideas for slides Article
• Customize a slide master Article
• Change the page orientation in PowerPoint between landscape and portrait Article
• Organize your PowerPoint slides into sections Article
• Add a DRAFT watermark to the background of slides Article
• Create, merge, and group objects on a slide Article
• Guides for arranging things on a slide in PowerPoint Article
• Change the order in which stacked objects, placeholders, or shapes appear on a slide Article
• Rotate or flip an object Article

Change the page orientation in PowerPoint between landscape and portrait

Select the Design tab:

Near the right end, select Slide Size , and then click Custom Slide Size .

In the Slide Size dialog box, select Portrait , then select OK .

In the next dialog box, you can select Maximize to take full advantage of the space available, or you can select Ensure Fit to make sure that your content fits on the vertical page.

On the Design tab, click Slide Size .

Click Page Setup .

In the Page Setup dialog box, under Orientation , click the orientation that you want:

There are separate orientation settings for Slides (projected on-screen) and for Printed notes, handouts, and outlines .

Click the Design tab of the toolbar ribbon, and then, near the right end, click Slide Size .

On the Slide Size menu that appears, select Custom Slide Size .

The Slide Size dialog box opens.

In the Slide Size dialog box, select Portrait , and then select OK .

When PowerPoint for the web is unable to automatically scale your content, it prompts you with two options:

Maximize : Select this option to increase the size of your slide content when you are scaling to a larger slide size. Choosing this option could result in your content not fitting on the slide.

Ensure Fit : Select this option to decrease the size of your content when scaling to a smaller slide size. This could make your content appear smaller, but you’ll be able to see all content on your slide.

Use portrait and landscape orientation in the same presentation

Change the size of your slides

Rotate a text box, shape, WordArt, or picture

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

How to change your Microsoft PowerPoint slideshow orientation to portrait mode

• To change your PowerPoint slideshow orientation, you must access the "Slide Size" feature under the "Design" tab. 
• You can then adjust your PowerPoint slideshow from the horizontal landscape to portrait mode through the "Orientation" option. 
• The process looks about the same on both the PowerPoint app and the web browser version, though the menu options will be labeled differently.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

While we're all used to seeing PowerPoint slideshows in landscape orientation, every so often, a presentation may need to be in portrait format.

The process to change your slide orientation looks about the same on both the PowerPoint app and the web browser versions. However, the menus will differ slightly due to spacing, as will the labels. 

For example, when adjusting slide content to fit the new orientation, the app version will ask if you want to scale items up or down, while the online version will ask if you want to maximize items or ensure fit. Despite using different language, the options mean the same thing.

If you want to change your PowerPoint presentation from landscape to portrait, here's how to adjust slide orientation.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Microsoft office (from $149.99 at best buy), apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to change portrait orientation in the powerpoint app.

1. Open PowerPoint on your Mac or PC. You can open a presentation you already started or create a new one.

2. Navigate to the "Design" tab.

3. Click the "Slide Size" icon toward the right side of the toolbar. This will immediately open a drop-down menu highlighting your current selection. 

4. Click "Page Setup…" to open a pop-up menu.

5 . Under the "Orientation" section, select the upward-facing portrait option. You'll notice arrows showing which way the text is facing. 

6. Click "OK" when you're done.

7. This will immediately prompt another, smaller pop-up. If there are already items — such as text, charts, or photos — on your slide, you'll be asked if you want to scale content up or down to fit the new slide shape. 

8. Your choice should immediately return you to the slide screen. You'll notice it's been flipped. You may need to adjust content if it's no longer centered or sized to your liking.

How to change portrait orientation in PowerPoint online

1. Launch your PowerPoint presentation. 

2. Click the "Design" tab.

3. Select "Slide Size."

4 . Choose "Custom Slide Size…" next to the gear icon.

5. Select "Portrait." You'll also have the option to change the slide size.

6. Click "OK."

7. Choose how you'd like to scale your content to fit the new slide size: maximize or ensure fit. 

8. Your choice will take you back to your slideshow. You may have to adjust any text or shapes that no longer fit on screen.

Related coverage from Tech Reference :

How to download and access microsoft powerpoint on your mac computer, how to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to change and format the background of your powerpoint slides to custom designs, how to change your language settings in microsoft powerpoint in 3 different ways, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow.

Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

Watch: How to take full advantage of the iPhone's new dark mode

• Main content