You’re preparing for an important presentation, but the screen suddenly freezes because you must quickly open the browser to check the data. Or maybe you’re frustrated that you can’t see the notes while showing the slides to the audience? PowerPoint’s full-screen mode is practical, but it limits the flexibility of professional presentations!
72% of presenters admit to having trouble multitasking when PowerPoint is in full screen. The solution is simple: display the slides in windowed mode. With this feature, you can:
- Open other apps without minimizing presentations
- View speaker notes while displaying slides
- Easier screencast for webinars or live demos
This article will unpack the powerful method of enabling window mode in PowerPoint. Plus, a troubleshooting solution if the feature doesn’t appear in your version!
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Window Mode vs Full Screen: Which Is Superior?
When you present using Microsoft PowerPoint, you have two main viewing options: Full Screen mode and Windowed Mode. Each has its advantages and limitations, depending on the needs and context of its use.
To help you understand the differences practically, here is a comparison table of the features of the two:
| Feature | Window Mode | Full Screen |
| Multitasking | Can open other apps freely | Limited to only slide views |
| Dual Monitor Support | Freely adjust the position of the window on any screen | Must use Presenter View |
| Compatibility | Only available on the PowerPoint desktop | Supported in all versions of PowerPoint |
Use windowed mode in the following situations for optimal results:
- Webinars and live streams that require dual views, such as speaker faces + slides.
- Technical presentations or software demos, so you can still open other applications without stopping the presentation.
- Teach online, so you can monitor notes, participant chats, or reference additional materials at the same time.
Steps to Display PowerPoint Slides in Window Mode
For those of you who want to present a PowerPoint presentation without locking the screen completely, the windowed slide show feature can be enabled directly from the presentation settings. This feature allows slideshows to appear in a separate window instead of in full-screen mode, so you can still freely access other apps while the presentation is taking place.
The following is a step-by-step guide for Windows users:
- Open your presentation file in the Microsoft PowerPoint app (desktop version).
- Click the Slide Show tab at the top of the menu.
- Select the menu Set Up Slide Show.
- In the Set Up Show window, find the Show type section, and then select an option:
Browsed by an individual (window)
(Meaning: the impression will be displayed in a window instead of the full screen)
- Click the OK button to save the settings.
- Press the F5 key on your keyboard to start the presentation.
Now, the slides will appear in a window that can be manually resized and positioned.
Slide Window Size and Position Customization
Once you’ve successfully enabled windowed mode in PowerPoint, the next step is to optimize the appearance of the presentation window to suit your needs. The goal is to keep your presentation comfortable to look at while still allowing you to easily access other apps.
How to Manually Set Window Size
- Once window mode is on, you’ll see the slides go live in a regular PowerPoint window.
- Hover over the corner of the presentation window, then click and drag to resize as desired.
- To move the position of the window, click the top (title bar) and drag it to the area of the screen you want, for example, to the second screen if you are using a dual monitor setup.
These tips are especially useful if you want to split your screen between PowerPoint and other apps like browsers, notes, or video chat.