In PowerPoint, the default Slide Show viewing options (installed with the software) are less than optimal when it comes to delivering a presentation. Fortunately, by un-checking a few boxes, you can make all of your presentations run smoothly.
Setting the software OPTIONS in PowerPoint is a one-time task, so you don’t have to do this for every single presentation (unlike the SETUP SHOW options, which must be done for each presentation). The process is simple, the choices are the same, but there is slight difference as to where these options can be found in PowerPoint 2007 and earlier versions. Two screen shots are shown below, one for PowerPoint 2007 and the other for PowerPoint 2003 (similar to earlier versions, as well).
If you are using PowerPoint 2007, click the OFFICE BUTTON in the upper left corner to open the office menu, and select the POWERPOINT OPTIONS button at the bottom of the menu dialog. Choose the ADVANCED tab to display the Advanced Options.
Shown below is the PowerPoint 2007 Advanced Options dialog, with a highlight box annotating the Slide Show viewing choices.
PowerPoint 2007 Options with Slide Show section highlighted
If you are using an earlier version of PowerPoint, the access to the Options dialog is different. Pull down the TOOLS MENU and choose Options… (the last item on the pull-down menu) to display the dialog.
Shown below is the PowerPoint 2003 Options dialog, with the View tab open, and a highlight box annotating the Slide Show viewing choices.
PowerPoint 2003 Options with Slide Show section highlighted
Clearing the Choices
Regardless of which version of PowerPoint you are using, the four choices in the Slide show section are the same (just not listed in the same order). UNCHECK (clear) all of these boxes to improve the viewing of your presentations.
Each option is explained, as follows:
Show menu on right mouse click
Clear this option to avoid having a “menu” (like the one on the right) appear whenever the right mouse button is clicked during your slide show.
With this option is disabled (unchecked), a right mouse click will simply navigate to the previous slide, just as a left mouse click moves to the next slide.
It is a distraction to have this menu appear with a right mouse click for the purpose of navigating to the previous slide.
Show popup toolbar
Clear this option to avoid having these four transparent navigation buttons (which highlight when selected) appear at the bottom-left of your screen whenever you move your mouse pointer onto a slide.
Prompt to keep ink annotations when exiting
Clear this option to avoid having an alert box appear at the end of your presentation asking you if you want to keep any annotations (writing or highlighting) that you may have made on your slides.
Usually these annotations are easier to make if you have the popup toolbar option checked so you can select the pen-like icon on the toolbar to make your annotations.
End with black slide – clear this option to avoid having a black slide appear as the last image of your show, displaying the phrase “End of slide show, click to exit” in a very small font at the top of the image. This is definitely an option that should be disabled because it is a complete distraction and the black slide likely will not fit the color scheme or visual theme of the rest of your show anyway.