Printing Presentations
Learn how to print slides, handouts, and notes pages, and understand PowerPoint’s print settings for different presentation needs.
Video
Watch the lesson video, then complete the reading and challenge.
Lesson Notes
Read through the key concepts before you try the challenge.
Accessing the Print Screen
To print a presentation, open the File tab to enter Backstage view, then select Print. This opens the print workspace where you can preview and adjust all print settings.
The Print screen shows a live preview of your slides on the right and printing options on the left.
Understanding Print Settings
PowerPoint provides several print settings that allow you to control how your presentation will appear when printed.
You can choose the number of copies, select a printer, and decide whether to print all slides or a specific range.
Additional settings allow you to control slide layout, orientation, and whether the presentation prints in color or grayscale.
Print Layout Types
One of the most important decisions when printing is choosing the correct layout. PowerPoint offers several formats depending on how the presentation will be used.
Full Page Slides print one slide per page and are ideal for reviewing or sharing individual slides.
Handouts allow you to print multiple slides per page. This is useful for audiences who want to follow along during a presentation.
Notes Pages include each slide along with speaker notes beneath it. This is helpful when presenting or reviewing detailed talking points.
Outline view prints only the text from your slides, making it useful for reviewing the structure of your presentation.
Using Print Preview
Before printing, always review the print preview to ensure your slides appear correctly. This helps avoid issues such as incorrect layouts or cut-off content.
Printing Your Presentation
Once your settings are configured, click the Print button to print your presentation.
Completed Output Example
A properly printed presentation should match your selected layout and provide a clear, readable format for your audience.
Knowledge Check
Which print layout includes space for audience notes beside each slide?
Practice File
Download this file and follow along with the lesson.
Challenge
Apply what you've learned in this lesson.
Complete the following tasks using the practice presentation:
- Open the practice presentation.
- Go to File and select Print.
- Change the print layout to Handouts (3 slides per page).
- Preview the print layout.
- Switch to Notes Pages view.
- Return to Handouts layout.
- Print the presentation or export it as a PDF.