- The Mac version of Microsoft Office PowerPoint is very similar to the Windows version, but designed with the Mac user in mind. Open the PowerPoint presentation you want to edit.
- Want to add some pizzazz to your PowerPoint presentation? Instead of creating a standard text box, try creating a scrolling text box. With a scrolling text box, your text moves off the slide. For example, you can have the text scroll from the right edge of the slide off the left edge.
PowerPoint for Office 365 for Mac, PowerPoint 2019 for Mac, PowerPoint 2016 for Mac PowerPoint for Mac 2011 You can add visual interest and emphasis to your presentation by animating a graphic or block of text so that it follows a set path on the slide. Activating animation options in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac. To apply animation effect options, you can use the Ribbon or the Toolbox. To use the Ribbon to apply an animation effect, follow these steps: Click the Animations tab of the Ribbon.
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Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 for Mac
As I use PowerPoint 2016 for Mac, the word that keeps popping into my head is pleasant. Nearly everything about the massive visual overhaul from the previous version (PowerPoint 2011 for Mac ) seems clearer, friendlier, and more modern. It feels more like Apple’s Keynote, which I mean as a compliment.
The feature changes are mostly minor and subtle yet useful. Even so, PowerPoint 2016 for Mac still lags behind its Windows counterpart—and it also lost a few interesting features that were present in PowerPoint 2011.
New and improved
The most obvious change is a nicely redesigned ribbon, which is now nearly identical to the ones in PowerPoint for Windows and PowerPoint Online. If you knew where everything was in PowerPoint 2011, prepare for a bit of relearning. Almost every ribbon control is still there, but many have been moved, renamed, and given new icons. The erstwhile Themes tab is now called Design; Tables, Charts, and SmartArt (among other features) have been subsumed under a new Insert tab, and a number of tabs (such as Picture Format and Table Design) appear only when the appropriate object type is selected.
The entire toolbar is gone, with only four vestigial icons (for File, Save, Undo, and Repeat) next to the Close, Minimize, and Zoom controls. Although most toolbar icons have been relocated onto one of the ribbon tabs (and also have corresponding menu commands), you can no longer create a customized set of icons for your most common tasks.
A new sidebar (much like Keynote’s Inspector) appears on the right side of the window when you invoke certain features, such as the Animation pane (which lists all the animations on your slide), the Format Pane (for editing the attributes of shapes, graphics, and other objects—including such previously hard-to-reach settings such as 3D Format and 3D Rotation), and Comments. Each pane gets its own tab, and you can tear off any tab to make it a floating palette. I like the way this context-sensitive interface consolidation (along with the streamlined ribbon) reduces screen clutter.
When you open PowerPoint 2016, you’re presented with 24 brand-new themes. Although that’s less than half the number of themes in PowerPoint 2011, there’s a new twist: each theme has numerous variants. With one click, you can select a different combination of color palettes, fonts, and background styles for your current theme (but with the same overall design); or you can apply those attributes individually. Although the theme chooser displays no templates (basically fill-in-the-blanks presentations, each with its own theme), you can type a keyword in the Search All Templates field at the top to display matching templates, which you can then download with two clicks.
Another noteworthy improvement is better integration with OneDrive and Office 365. Presentations are now saved to your OneDrive by default, and if you want to use OneDrive for storing and syncing your data, it couldn’t be easier. Unfortunately, unlike PowerPoint for iOS, the Mac version doesn’t have native support for Dropbox, iCloud Drive, or other cloud storage services (although you can manually save a file to any folder on your Mac, including Dropbox and iCloud Drive). Sharing presentations (with or without editing privileges) is much simpler now too, and even someone without a copy of PowerPoint can view and edit your shared presentation in PowerPoint Online. And people collaborating on a presentation will appreciate the new threaded comments feature.
Other minor new features include a more flexible presenter view, better conflict resolution (for when multiple people make changes to a slide at the same time), and a dozen or so new transitions (matching those in the Windows version).
Gone but not forgotten
A number of features disappeared, too. The Help mentions only one of these: you can no longer save a presentation as a movie (you can work around this by using screen-recording software such as ScreenFlow). In addition, you can broadcast your slides live using the PowerPoint Broadcast Service, compare two versions of a presentation, or use the Scrapbook to store and reuse text and graphics snippets.
Macworld’s review of PowerPoint 2011 lamented the absence of features found in the Windows version, such as the capability to adjust the starting and ending points of movies, sounds that play in the background across slides, and an advanced timeline for editing a slide’s animations in a graphical format. Those features are still absent in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac. Other Windows-only features are embedding YouTube videos; trimming, bookmarking, and fading audio; customizable keyboard shortcuts; animation triggers (animating an object when you click it); inserting online pictures from within PowerPoint; and embedding fonts in your presentation (for proper display on computers without the same fonts).
Bottom line
For Mac users, the more apt question is how PowerPoint stacks up against Apple’s free Keynote app. When I reviewed Keynote 6.0, I complained about features that had been lost in its most recent overhaul; since then (it’s now up to version 6.5.3), some of those features have been restored, and its reliability has improved. I now consider the two apps equivalent in usability, overall power, and likability.
However, each has features the other lacks, so your choice will depend on which features are most important to you (and which ecosystem—OneDrive/Office 365 or iCloud/iWork—you feel most comfortable in). For example, PowerPoint has nothing like Keynote’s signature Magic Move transition, its tables lack Keynote’s extensive spreadsheet capabilities, and Keynote (still) lets you trim audio and video and save your presentation as a movie. On the other hand, PowerPoint offers easier and more flexible path animation, the fabulously useful Arrange > Reorder Overlapping Objects command (for a 3D view of all the objects on a slide), and the option to play presentations in a separate window (which is especially useful when giving remote presentations using an app such as Skype).
PowerPoint 2016 for Mac is, as I say, pleasant to use, not to mention powerful. If it had feature parity with the Windows version, Dropbox and iCloud support, and a Magic Move-like transition, it would be nearly perfect—and I’d love to see that happen.
Editor's note: Updated one 8/3/15 to correct information about the ability to export presentations as a series of graphics.
Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.
How To Add Animation In Powerpoint
Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 for Mac
PowerPoint for Mac 2016 is powerful and pleasant to use. Whether you should use it over Keynote depends on the features you need.Pros
- Modern, friendly user interface
- Improved ribbon layout
- Theme variants
- OneDrive/Office 365 integration
Cons
- No customizable toolbar
- No Compare feature
- Can't save as a movie or series of graphics
- Fewer features than Windows version
You can add visual interest and emphasis to your presentation by animating a graphic or block of text so that it follows a set path on the slide.
Newer versionsOffice 2011
Choose a predefined path and modify it to fit your needs, or draw your own custom path animation:
Using predefined paths
In most cases, using one of the basic path animations is a perfect choice for adding interest to your slide. In the following example, we'll apply a Turn path animation to a graphic, use Effect Options to change the direction of the path, and then we'll use Reverse Path Direction to get the final look we want.
Example: applying a predefined path animation to a graphic
- On a blank slide, click Insert > Shapes > Rectangle (or another shape if you prefer), and then click in the upper-left corner of the slide to insert it.
- With the rectangle still selected, click Animations > Path Animation, and then under Basic, click Turn.
- After the animation preview is finished and click Effect Options on the Animations tab, and then click Down Right.
- Move your cursor over the animation end-point until it changes to a double arrow with a line through it, and then click and drag to the lower-right corner of the slide.
- Finally, click Effect Options > Reverse Path Direction.The animation now moves the graphic from the least visible place on the slide (lower right) to the most visible (upper left).
Using custom paths
To draw a custom path animation, select the object you want to animate and click Animations > Path Animations, and then select an option under Custom. The drawing method is different depending on the type of path you choose.
If you selected a Curve or Freeform path:
- Click the start point, and then click each time you want to begin a change of direction.
- Double-click to finish.
Writing Animation In Powerpoint
If you selected a Line or Scribble path:
- Click and hold the mouse button to trace the shape you want, and then release the button when you're done.
To change a custom path once you've drawn it:
- Control+click or right-click the custom path and click Edit Points.Tip: If you've never worked with editing paths in a graphics program before, you may find it easier to delete the effect and draw it again.
What do you want to do?
Apply a motion path to an object or text
- Select the text or object that you want to apply an animation effect to.
- On the Animations tab, under Motion, click Paths, and then under Basic or Complex, click the type of motion path that you want.Tips:
- The arrows that show the motion path when you are editing the animation are not visible to your audience during the slide show.
- To preview all animation effects on the slide, on the Animations tab, under Preview, click Play.
Draw a custom motion path
- Select the text or object that you want to apply an animation effect to.
- On the Animations tab, under Motion, click Paths, and then click Draw Curve, Draw Freeform, Draw Line, or Draw Scribble.
- To draw the motion path that you selected, do one the following:
To | Do this |
---|---|
Draw a curve | Click the position on the slide where you want to start the path, and then move the pointer along a line. Click wherever you want a curve apex in the path. Double-click at any point to stop drawing the path. |
Draw a freeform path that includes straight lines | Click the position on the slide where you want to start the path, move the pointer in a direction to draw a straight line, and then click at any point that you want to create a corner. Or, click and then hold down the mouse as your move the mouse in any direction to draw a path that appears hand-drawn. Click wherever you want to change between these drawing methods. Double-click at any point to stop drawing the path. |
Draw a line | Click the position on the slide where you want to start the path, hold down the mouse button, and then drag the pointer in a direction to draw a straight line. Release the mouse button to stop drawing the path. |
Draw a path that appears hand-drawn, or scribbled | Click the position on the slide where you want to start the path, hold down the mouse button, and then drag the pointer in any direction. Release the mouse button to stop drawing the path. |
Tips:
- If you want the curve or freeform path to finish where it started (referred to as 'closing' the path), click the starting point of the path to stop drawing the path, instead of double-clicking or releasing the mouse button.
- To preview all animation effects on the slide, on the Animations tab, under Preview, click Play.
Adjust the path of the animation
- In the navigation pane, select the slide that contains the animation effect that you want to change, and then click the Animation tab.How to select slides in the navigation pane
- On the View menu, click Normal.
- In the top of the navigation pane, click the Slides tab, and then click a slide. Depending on the width of the navigation pane, you will either see the and named tabs or the Slides and Outline icon tabs.
- On the slide, select the animation effect that you want to change. Fotor for mac add text to collage.Tips:
- Each animation effect is represented on the slide by a number next to the object, which indicates the order that it will play in. If two animation effects are set to play at the same time, they are represented by a numbered stack .
- To select an animation effect that is in a numbered stack , you must view the full list of animation effects on the slide. On the Animations tab, under Animation Options, click Reorder, and then click the animation that you want.
- On the Animations tab, under Animation Options, click Effect Options, and then click Edit Points.
- Drag an edit point on the path animation to adjust the shape.Tip: To preview all animation effects on the slide, on the Animations tab, under Preview, click Play.
Reverse the direction of the motion path
- In the navigation pane, select the slide that contains the animation effect that you want to change, and then click the Animation tab.How to select slides in the navigation pane
- On the View menu, click Normal.
- In the top of the navigation pane, click the Slides tab, and then click a slide. Depending on the width of the navigation pane, you will either see the and named tabs or the Slides and Outline icon tabs.
- On the slide, select the animation effect that you want to change.Tips:
- Each animation effect is represented on the slide by a number next to the object, which indicates the order that it will play in. If two animation effects are set to play at the same time, they are represented by a numbered stack .
- To select an animation effect that is in a numbered stack , you must view the full list of animation effects on the slide. On the Animations tab, under Animation Options, click Reorder, and then click the animation that you want.
- On the Animations tab, under Animation Options, click Effect Options, and then click Reverse Path Direction.Tip: To preview all animation effects on the slide, on the Animations tab, under Preview, click Play.
Close or open the path
A motion path is 'closed' if the path ends where it started. A motion path is 'open' if it ends in a different location than where it started.
- In the navigation pane, select the slide that contains the animation effect that you want to change, and then click the Animation tab.How to select slides in the navigation pane
- On the View menu, click Normal.
- In the top of the navigation pane, click the Slides tab, and then click a slide. Depending on the width of the navigation pane, you will either see the and named tabs or the Slides and Outline icon tabs.
- On the slide, select the animation effect that you want to change.Tips:
- Each animation effect is represented on the slide by a number next to the object, which indicates the order that it will play in. If two animation effects are set to play at the same time, they are represented by a numbered stack .
- To select an animation effect that is in a numbered stack , you must view the full list of animation effects on the slide. On the Animations tab, under Animation Options, click Reorder, and then click the animation that you want.
- Do any of the following:
To | Do this |
---|---|
Open a closed path | Hold down CONTROL , click the motion path on the slide, and then on the shortcut menu, click Open Curve. |
Close an open path | Hold down CONTROL , click the motion path on the slide, and then on the shortcut menu, click Close Curve. |
To preview all animation effects on the slide, on the Animations tab, under Preview, click Play.
Move the motion path on the slide
- In the navigation pane, select the slide that contains the animation effect that you want to change, and then click the Animation tab.How to select slides in the navigation pane
- On the View menu, click Normal.
- In the top of the navigation pane, click the Slides tab, and then click a slide. Depending on the width of the navigation pane, you will either see the and named tabs or the Slides and Outline icon tabs.
- On the slide, select the animation effect that you want to change.Tips:
- Each animation effect is represented on the slide by a number next to the object, which indicates the order that it will play in. If two animation effects are set to play at the same time, they are represented by a numbered stack .
- To select an animation effect that is in a numbered stack , you must view the full list of animation effects on the slide. On the Animations tab, under Animation Options, click Reorder, and then click the animation that you want.
- Rest the pointer over the motion path until it becomes a , and then drag the motion path to the new location. Onenote for mac picture wrap text.To preview all animation effects on the slide, on the Animations tab, under Preview, click Play.