Handouts are a fantastic tool to use in conjunction with PowerPoint presentations. They offer an additional level of information and detail that slides alone simply cannot convey.
Fortunately, PowerPoint fully supports this feature, and you’re able to easily create handouts for your presentations. You can customize the look and layout of the handout, include notes, and then print or export it to share with your audience during your presentation.
What Are Handouts in PowerPoint?
Handouts are essentially a condensed version of your PowerPoint presentation. They include the slides in your presentation and any additional notes that you omitted in the slides.
PowerPoint users often overlook the handouts feature. As these handouts are usually in print format and not digital, their potential often goes unnoticed. However, handouts can actually transform your presentation from a dull monologue to an interactive experience. Here are some benefits of using handouts in your presentations:
Thankfully, PowerPoint recognizes the usefulness of handouts and makes working with them easy. You can customize PowerPoint handouts in the Handout Master view. PowerPoint handouts can include 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 9 slides per page, and you can even export them to Word.
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How to Create and Format Handouts in PowerPoint
You can create and format your PowerPoint handouts using the Handout Master view. This view is similar toSlide Master in PowerPointand lets you format the fixed elements of your handouts.
If you’ve enabled the header and footer for your handout, you can double-click them in the Handout Master view to input text into them.
you may also add images to your handout by dropping them in PowerPoint. Keep in mind that the text and images are fixed components, and they’ll appear on every page of the handout.
How to Print Handouts in PowerPoint
You can print handouts for your presentation in PowerPoint from the Print menu. You’ll have the option to change the handout’s layout here too.
The printed handout will contain images of the slides with the formatting you set in the Handout Master view, but it won’t include notes. If you wish to include your notes in the handout, consider exporting it to Word.
How to Export PowerPoint Handouts to Word
Another nifty option is to export your handouts to Word rather than directly print them from PowerPoint. This feature allows you to include notes in your handout, and it links the PowerPoint slides in the Word document.
To export handouts in PowerPoint, follow these steps:
PowerPoint will now start exporting your presentation to Word. The process might take a while, depending on the size of your presentation. Once the handout has been exported, Word will automatically open and display it. You can then make any necessary edits, save it as a PDF, or print it.
Enhance Your Presentation With Handouts
Using handouts in conjunction with PowerPoint presentations can greatly enhance the effectiveness and impact of your presentation. They provide a tangible representation of the information being presented and can help keep the audience engaged and focused throughout the presentation.
You can easily customize the handouts in PowerPoint to meet your needs. From there, you can either print the handouts from PowerPoint or export them to Word for more flexibility and editing. Next time you’re preparing a PowerPoint presentation, consider including a handout—your audience will thank you for it.
