Stop Full Screen! How to Easily Open PowerPoint in Window Mode (No Hassle)

Use Alt+Tab for Efficient Multitasking

When you’re presenting in windowed mode, you can easily move to another app using the combination of Alt + Tab keys.

Usage example:

• Open the reference document in Microsoft Word.
• Check participant questions on the Zoom or Google Meet application.
• Run a live demo of the app while still displaying slides on the screen.

This combination of buttons is very beneficial for keeping the flow of your presentation, especially when you need to respond to your audience in real-time.

Tips for Maintaining Performance When Opening Multiple Apps

To keep the system stable and the impression not lagging, pay attention to the following:

• Close any applications that are not needed during the presentation.
• Use a laptop or computer with at least 8 GB of RAM for optimal multitasking performance.
• Make sure no heavy processes are running in the background, such as video rendering or automatic updates.

Solutions for Certain Versions of PowerPoint That Don’t Provide This Option

While the windowed mode feature is available by default on most desktop versions of Microsoft PowerPoint, not all platforms support this option. Users of PowerPoint Online or devices with the macOS operating system may not find the feature directly. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t display presentations in a flexible window.

Alternatives for PowerPoint Online Users

If you’re using PowerPoint Online through a browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, window mode isn’t available natively. However, you can still get around it in the following ways:

• Run the presentation as usual in the browser.
• Once the slide is displayed, click the Pop-out icon (if available) to split the window.
• Alternatively, right-click on the browser tab > “Move tab to new window”, so you can view the slides in a separate window.
• Use the F11 button to enter and exit the browser’s full-screen mode when needed.

Tips for macOS Users

On Mac devices, the Set Up Slide Show view with the option “Browsed by an individual (window)” isn’t always available in certain versions of PowerPoint. To overcome these limitations, here are the alternatives:

1. Use Dual Monitor Setup:

• Enable Presenter View in PowerPoint.
• Point the slideshow to the external screen, while you can still see the notes and controls on the main screen.

2. Use QuickTime Player or Keynote as a Support:

• Export the presentation to a video or use Keynote to rotate the slides in a window if supported.

3. Use Virtual Display Apps (Optional):

• Apps like Display Menu or Duet Display can help create additional virtual screens for more flexibility.

Use OBS Studio or a Third-Party App to Capture the Presentation Window

If you need to display PowerPoint slides in a window for video recording, live streaming, or webinar needs, then a professional solution is to use screen recording software such as:

OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software):

• Use the Window Capture feature to select a specific PowerPoint window.
• Make sure that presentation mode is enabled, then set the layout of the show in OBS freely.

Camtasia, XSplit, or Streamlabs can also be used to capture the view of presentations in window format.