Presentation Setup

By the Syncfusion DevTutorials team · Last updated October 20, 2026

Set the slide size, choose presented, browsed, or kiosk shows, loop and auto-advance slides, rehearse timings, record a show, and build custom shows. Then set up a club display in the Chapter 8 project.

Not every presentation is delivered by a speaker. Some presentations run automatically on display screens, some are shared for individual viewing, and others are customized for different audiences. In this lesson, you'll learn how to change slide size and orientation, configure slide show settings, create self-running presentations, rehearse timings, record presentations, and build custom slide shows.

Open the PowerPoint sandbox and follow along.

Types of Slide Shows

Before changing slide show settings, consider how the presentation will be used.

Choosing the correct setup helps ensure the presentation behaves as expected.

Slide Size and Orientation

Slide size determines the proportions of every slide in the presentation.

Orientation

PowerPoint supports two orientations:

Landscape is the standard choice for presentations, while Portrait is commonly used for posters, flyers, or mobile-focused content.

Change Slide Size

In the sandbox:

1. Click an empty area of the slide.
2. Open Preset Sizes.
3. Select the required size.

In Microsoft PowerPoint:

1. Click Design.
2. Select Slide Size.
3. Choose Custom Slide Size.

When changing to a smaller slide size, PowerPoint may ask whether to:

Maximize

Keeps content at its current size.

Possible result:

• Content may extend beyond slide boundaries.

Ensure Fit

Resizes content to fit within the slide.

Possible result:

• Text and objects become slightly smaller.

Set Up a Slide Show

Slide show settings control how the entire presentation behaves.

In Microsoft PowerPoint: Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show

Available modes include:

Presented by a Speaker

This is the default presentation mode.

Features:

• Presenter controls navigation.
• Supports Presenter View.
• Works well for live presentations.

Browsed by an Individual

The presentation opens within a window.

Useful for:

• Self-paced review
• Shared reference documents
• Internal reports

Browsed at a Kiosk

The presentation runs automatically.

Common uses:

• Reception displays
• Retail screens
• Exhibition booths
• Information displays

Kiosk mode ignores normal navigation clicks, making automatic timings necessary.

Advance Slides Automatically

To create a self-running presentation:

1. Open the Transitions tab.
2. Enable After.
3. Enter a time value.
4. Click Apply To All.

Example: 00:05.00

Slides advance after five seconds.

Recommended timing guidelines:

Morph Transition

Morph is a special PowerPoint transition that creates smooth movement between similar slides.

To use Morph:

1. Create a slide.
2. Duplicate the slide.
3. Move, resize, or modify objects on the duplicate.
4. Apply Morph to the second slide.

PowerPoint automatically creates a smooth animation between the two slides.

Common uses include:

• Object movement
• Zoom effects
• Process demonstrations
• Visual storytelling

Rehearse Timings

Rehearse Timings helps determine how long each slide should remain visible.

To use it:

1. Click Slide Show.
2. Select Rehearse Timings.
3. Present the slides normally.
4. Move to the next slide when ready.
5. Save the timings when finished.

PowerPoint records:

• Slide viewing time
• Presentation pace
• Total presentation length

Benefits:

• Creates realistic automatic timings
• Helps manage presentation length
• Reduces guesswork

Record a Presentation

PowerPoint can record a complete slide show.

To record:

1. Click Slide Show > Record.

Recording may include:

• Narration
• Slide timings
• Laser pointer actions
• Ink annotations
• Webcam video

Recorded presentations can later be exported as videos.

Custom Slide Shows

A custom slide show allows you to create multiple presentations within a single PowerPoint file.

Example:

One presentation for sponsors

One presentation for club members

One presentation for new recruits

All versions use the same slide deck.

Create a Custom Slide Show

1. Click Slide Show.
2. Select Custom Slide Show.
3. Click Custom Shows.
4. Choose New.
5. Name the custom show.
6. Select the slides to include.
7. Arrange the slide order if required.
8. Save the show.

Benefits include:

• One presentation file to manage
• Different audiences receive different slide selections
• Updates to shared slides automatically appear everywhere

Common mistakes

Exercise

Click Load the practice presentation below. The club wants to show this deck on an old 4:3 TV in the club house, running by itself all day. Do each task and press Check.

Chapter project

Put Chapter 8 together. The Riverside Running Club wants one deck that is branded, numbered, and runs by itself on the club house screen. The race calendar changes often, so it shouldn't appear on the screen, but sponsors still need it.

What to Remember

• Choose the correct presentation type: speaker-led, individual viewing, or kiosk display.
• 16:9 is best for modern displays, while 4:3 is better for older projectors and screens.
• Use Ensure Fit when reducing slide size to avoid content being cut off.
• Set Up Slide Show controls how the presentation runs.
• Presented by a Speaker, Browsed by an Individual, and Kiosk mode serve different purposes.
• Use After timings to make slides advance automatically.
• Apply To All applies the same timing to every slide.
• Morph creates smooth transitions between similar slides.
• Rehearse Timings records realistic slide durations.
• Record captures narration, timings, and presentation actions.
• Custom Slide Shows allow different audiences to see different versions of the same presentation.

That's the end of Chapter 8. In Chapter 9, you'll apply everything you've learned to create complete real-world presentations.