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How to loop a powerpoint presentation.

If you're showing off a lot of photos at a special event, set your presentation to progress at a continuous, automatic loop. Here's how.

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Set up your slideshow to be looped, apply automatic slide transitions.

Slideshows are sometimes used to display images at events, such as weddings or trade shows. Whatever the occasion might be, you’ll want to loop your PowerPoint presentation so your guests aren’t staring at a blank screen. Here’s how it’s done.

First, open your PowerPoint presentation in which you would like to loop. Once open, navigate to the “Set Up” group of the “Slide Show” tab and then select the “Set Up Slide Show” button.

The “Set Up Show” window will appear. In the “Show options” group, check the box next to “Loop Continuously until Esc.” Once selected, click “OK” in the bottom-right corner of the window.

Now, when you play your slideshow, it will end only when you press the “Esc” key instead of when you've finished the last slide.

Related: How to Make YouTube Videos Loop Continuously

One caveat: With the way we currently have it set up, the slideshow will proceed only when someone clicks the mouse button. That’s fine if there will be a speaker present at all times. Otherwise, you’ll need to set up automatic slide transitions.

Head back to the “Set Up Show” window by selecting “Set Up Slide Show” in the “Set Up” group of the “Slide Show” tab.

There are a couple of options you need to select, but one important note is that you must first select “Using Timings, If Present” under the “Advance Slides” group.

The next option we select will lock a few things in place (which is why you need to select “Using Timings, If Present” first).

Under the “Show Type” group, select “Browsed at a Kiosk (Full Screen)." The “Loop Continuously until Esc” option will be enabled automatically if you haven’t already turned it on, and the option you’ve selected under “Advance Slides” will remain unchanged.

Select “OK” when ready to proceed.

Without the “Browsed at a Kiosk” option enabled, the automatic slide progressions would be disabled if someone were to press the Back key. With it enabled, the Forward and Back keys are locked, allowing the slideshow to automatically progress unattended without fear of someone breaking it.

Now it’s time to set the timings of the slides. Head over to the “Transitions” tab. In the “Timing” group, check the box next to “After” and set the timing at which you’d like each slide to progress. Note that it doesn’t matter if the box next to “On Mouse Click” is checked or not---it won’t work.

After that, select the “Apply to All” option in the same group.

Now, when you play your slideshow, it will continuously loop without interruption. To exit the slideshow, press the “Esc” button.

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How to Loop a PowerPoint Slide Show to Repeat Automatically

Loop a PowerPoint slide show to replay automatically represented by two circular arrows on top of a board room.

Set up a PowerPoint Presentation That Loops or Repeats Continuously

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated November 12, 2021

Applies to: Microsoft ®  PowerPoint ®  2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

You can set up a PowerPoint slide show to loop or repeat automatically. A looping presentation can be used at events, trade shows or even in a reception area in an office. The easiest way to set up a slide show to loop or replay continuously is to apply automatic transitions and then configure Slide Show settings.

Recommended article: 5 PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts to Run a Slide Show

Do you want to learn more about PowerPoint? Check out our virtual classroom or in-person PowerPoint courses >

Screenshots in this article are from PowerPoint 365 but are similar in older versions of PowerPoint.

Step 1: Apply transitions to automatically advance slides during a slide show

Transitions occur between slides when you run a slide show.

To apply transitions to automatically advance slides during a slide show:

  • In Normal View or Slide Sorter View, display or select a slide.
  • Click the Transitions tab in the Ribbon.
  • Select a transition in the Transitions gallery (such as Fade).
  • Click Effect Options and choose the desired option. Effect Options change depending on the transition you selected.
  • In the Timing group, click the arrows beside Duration to set the timing you want (in seconds) for the transition. You may also type a duration.
  • In the Timing group, under Advance Slides, deselect or uncheck On mouse click and beside After, select or click the up and down arrows to set the timing to transition to the next slide. You may also type a duration.
  • In the Timing group, click Apply to All.

In the Transitions tab in PowerPoint, you can select the type of transition (such as Fade) as well as timing options:

Transitions tab in the Ribbon in PowerPoint to apply transitions and timings.

Step 2: Set up a presentation to loop during a slide show

To set up a PowerPoint presentation to loop during a slide show:

  • Click the Slide Show tab in the Ribbon and then click Set Up Slide Show. A dialog box appears.
  • Under Show type, if you select Presented by a speaker (full screen), the speaker or those watching the slide show will have control over when they advance slides. This is the default setting for slide shows. If you select Browsed by an individual (window), those watching the slide show do NOT have control over when slides advance. If you select Browsed at kiosk (full screen), those watching the slide show do NOT have control over when slides advance and the presentation automatically loops until those watching press Escape (Esc).
  • Under Show options, select Loop continuously until 'Esc'. You will be able to select this option if you selected one of the first two options under Show type.

Below is the Set Up Show dialog box with Presented by speaker selected and looping enabled:

PowerPoint Slide Show dialog box to set up looping in a presentation.

If you want to set specific timings for slides to advance or to add narration, check out the article How to Run a PowerPoint Slide Show Automatically (Set Up a Self-Running Presentation) . If you have audio or video in the presentation, you'll need to set the media to play automatically (on the Playback tab in the Ribbon) and animations will also need to be set to run automatically.

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More resources

How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

How to Hide and Unhide Slides in PowerPoint (with Shortcuts)

How to Insert Video in PowerPoint (from a File on Your PC or a Shared Drive)

PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts to Play and Control Video During a Slide Show

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How to Loop a PowerPoint Slide Show to Repeat Automatically

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How to loop a PowerPoint slideshow so that it automatically starts over as soon as it ends

  • To loop a PowerPoint slideshow, you'll need to enable looping in the "Set Up Slide Show" menu.
  • Once you set your PowerPoint to loop, it'll start over from the beginning automatically after playing the last slide.
  • Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

If you've designed a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that's meant to be viewed repeatedly, such as on a kiosk or in a museum installation, you can adjust the settings in PowerPoint so that your slideshow "loops" instead of ending after one viewing.

Getting a PowerPoint to loop is easy. Read on to find out how, using PowerPoint for both Mac and PC.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Microsoft office (from $149.99 at best buy), apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to loop a powerpoint presentation.

1. Open the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that you want to loop.

2. With your PowerPoint presentation open, click on the "Slide Show" tab, then click on "Set Up Slide Show." 

3. In the pop-up window that appears, click on the box next to "Loop continuously until 'Esc'" so that a small checkmark appears inside the box. Feel free to adjust any other settings in this menu as well. Click "OK" when you're finished.

4. To test whether your PowerPoint can loop successfully, click on the "From Beginning" or "Play From Start" button in the Slide Show tab. Click through the slideshow until you reach the end. When your PowerPoint reaches its final slide, it should start over from the beginning automatically. When you're confident that looping is enabled, and you're ready to close the slide show, press the Esc key.

powerpoint presentations on loop

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

How to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to embed a youtube video into your microsoft powerpoint presentations using a mac or pc, how to convert google slides to a powerpoint presentation in 4 easy steps, how to create a custom powerpoint template to use or share with others, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow.

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Loop a PowerPoint Slide Show

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What to Know

  • In PowerPoint, go to Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show > Browsed at a Kiosk (Full Screen ) > OK .
  • Set the time each slide appears on the screen by selecting Slide Show > Rehearse Timings on the first slide.
  • Use Next to move to the next slide and Pause to pause recording, or type a length of time in the Slide Time box.

This article explains how to loop a PowerPoint slideshow in PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, PowerPoint 2010, PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2019 for Mac, PowerPoint 2016 for Mac, and PowerPoint for Mac 2011.

How to Create a Self-Running PowerPoint Slideshow

PowerPoint slideshows are not always used by a live presenter. Slideshows set to loop continuously can run unattended in a booth or kiosk. You can even save a slideshow as a video to share.

To create a continuously looping presentation, you need to set it up and record slide timings.

To run the slideshow unattended, set timings for slide transitions and animations to run automatically.

How to Set Up the Presentation

Open the PowerPoint presentation you want to loop continuously.

Go to Slide Show .

Select Set Up Slide Show . The Set Up Show dialog box opens.

Select Browsed at a Kiosk (Full Screen) . This enables the presentation to loop continuously until the viewer presses Esc .

Select OK .

How to Rehearse and Record Timings

To ensure that your automated presentation is the right length, record timings to set the amount of time each slide appears on the screen.

PowerPoint for Mac does not have the rehearsal option. Instead, go to Transitions , choose the transition you want to use, set the duration you want, and select Apply to All .

Go to the first slide of the presentation.

Select Rehearse Timings . The slideshow starts and records the time spent on the slide. The time appears in the Slide Time box on the Recording toolbar.

Select Next on the Recording toolbar when you want to move to the next slide.

Select Pause any time you want to pause or resume recording.

Type a length of time in the Slide Time box if you want to display a slide for a specific amount of time.

Select Repeat if you want to restart the recording time for the current slide only.

Select Close when you're done recording.

You'll be asked if you want to save the new slide timings. Select Yes to save the slide timings at the end of the presentation.

If you have a microphone (built-in or external), record a voiceover on your PowerPoint presentation that plays as the slideshow loops continuously.

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How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Looping a PowerPoint presentation so it repeats continuously can be very useful for trade shows, lobbies, or other situations where you want your presentation to play on recur. The process is relatively simple and only takes a few steps. In this article, we’ll walk through how to set up a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to loop automatically. First we’ll discuss why you may want a looping presentation. Then we’ll cover the steps to configure the loop in PowerPoint.

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

Follow these easy steps to set up a looping PowerPoint slideshow in Microsoft PowerPoint 2022 or 365:

click the slide show tab

  • It will repeat, moving from the first slide to the last slide and back to the beginning until you press “Esc”.

With a few mouse clicks, you can easily set up continuous looping for your PowerPoint slide – perfect for unattended presenting.

Tips for How to Loop Slides in PowerPoint

When creating a looping PowerPoint slideshow, keep these tips in mind:

  • Time your slides appropriately – 10-20 seconds per slide is ideal. Don’t make them too short or long.
  • Use transitions like fades and wipes. Avoid distracting transitions that could disrupt the flow.
  • Focus on visuals more than heavy text, which viewers won’t fully read.
  • Create a narrative flow from beginning to end, even if it loops.
  • Check audio levels if using sound to ensure proper volume.
  • Consider adding interactive elements like hyperlinks.
  • Preview and test thoroughly to polish schedule and flow.
  • Adjust slide timing in the “Set Up Slide Show” menu if needed.

Properly schedule and planning your looping PowerPoint ppt helps create a professional, seamless presentation. See Microsoft’s guide for more tips on perfecting your looping slideshow.

Alternatives to Looping a PowerPoint Presentation

If you want more flexibility than simply looping your PowerPoint slideshow, consider these other approaches:

  • Export as a video – Convert your PowerPoint to an MP4 video file that can play on replay on a TV or monitor. This gives you more options for transitions and schedule plan.
  • Use presentation software like ProShow Producer to create self-running shows with advanced options for automatically displaying slides.
  • Make a self-running PowerPoint using animations and slide timers to move from one slide to the next automatically without needing to loop it.
  • Use digital signage platforms like BrightSign to remotely publish and manage your looping presentation.
  • Connect your computer to a TV or large monitor and use a media player to display your Presentation on recur.
  • Have a presenter show the PowerPoint live if available during your event, rather than pre-recording it.

Consider your specific display needs and venue setup to pick the best approach for looping your content.

In summary, looping your PowerPoint slideshow is an easy way to create a repeating, unattended presentation. Using the “Set Up Slide Show options” in PowerPoint, you can set it to endlessly loop for a certain number of times.

When creating your looping PowerPoint, properly schedule your slides, use transitions wisely, and follow best practices for a professional, polished look. With the right settings, your looping slideshow can run smoothly at events without supervision.

While PowerPoint makes looping easy, you can also export to video or use other software for more advanced presentation options. In the end, looping gives an effortless way to display your slides on continuous repeat.

We encourage you to try looping your next PowerPoint. By following this guide, you’ll be ready to create a seamless, professional replay slideshow for your event.

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Loop a PowerPoint

How to Loop a PowerPoint

When a PowerPoint slideshow ends, the screen turns blank after the last slide. However, you can opt to restart the presentation from the first slide by running the slide deck in loop. You might want to loop a slide if you have created a PowerPoint slideshow that needs to run on a screen in loop, such as a self-running slideshow for a kiosk, a PowerPoint template indicating a break at an event, or when you need to go back to one or more of the previous slides from the start for a quick review of the presentation.

How to Make PowerPoint Loop

To loop PowerPoint, go to Slide Show -> Setup Show .

Set up slideshow in PowerPoint

From the dialog box that appears, select Loop continuously until ‘Esc’ to enable looping your slides. By default, all slides are looped in a sequence.

Loop all slides in PowerPoint

How to Loop PowerPoint from Selected Slides

To loop specific slides, go to Slide Show -> Setup Show , enable loop, and select the slides to run in a loop via Show Slides .

Loop from selected slides in PowerPoint

How to Loop PowerPoint Slides Manually and Automatically

You might want to create a slideshow from break or countdown-themed PowerPoint templates or Google Slides templates to indicate a break during an event.

You can select the time each slide remains on screen via the Transitions tab. The Timings menu provides the option to select the duration for each slide and whether you intend the slides to move automatically or on mouse-click.

Loop slides manually on PowerPoint

To loop PowerPoint slides manually or automatically, go to Slide Show -> Setup Show , enable the loop option, and go to Advance slides . Select Manually for moving slides on mouse click, arrow keys, or PowerPoint remote. Alternatively, select Use timings .

Loop slides automatically in PowerPoint

Final Words

Whether you need to loop a PowerPoint presentation manually or automatically for an event or to create a self-running slideshow that loops PPT, you can use the instructions mentioned above to customize the settings for your slide deck according to need.

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powerpoint presentations on loop

How to Make Your Presentations Loop in PowerPoint

You might want to make your presentations loop in PowerPoint for several reasons. Regardless of why, this guide will help.

Microsoft PowerPoint is already a useful productivity tool to deliver slideshows and presentations, but it's even more versatile than you may realize. PowerPoint offers the functionality for your presentations to loop so that the slideshow restarts right after it ends. Read on to find out how to enable this in your project and why such a feature can be immensely useful in a variety of situations.

How to Loop Your Presentations in PowerPoint

As you make your presentation the way you would like for it to be seen, setting your slideshow up to loop is relatively easy. It mainly involves changing a single setting within PowerPoint.

1. Within the Ribbon at the top of the window, click Slide Show . This will take you to a menu of options for displaying and presenting your slide show.

2. Click Set Up Slide Show in the middle Set Up section. This button will open up a pop-up window of detailed, advanced settings for your presentation.

3. In the Set Up Show window, click Loop continuously until 'Esc' in the Show options section.

4. Click OK to apply the change.

5. Preview the presentation using the From Beginning or From Current Slide buttons in the Ribbon to see that the looping works.

As you might notice when you preview the slide show, enabling the setting is only half the battle. While the presentation does return to the first slide after displaying the last one, the slides don't progress on their own. If you want your slides to loop automatically, you'll need to set up transitions between each slide.

How to Automatically Loop Your PowerPoint Slides

1. Select the slide you want to apply the transition to if you haven't already.

2. Click Transitions within the Ribbon. This opens up a variety of options for adding animations when changing from one slide to the next.

3. Choose one of the transitions in the Transition to This Slide section to use with this slide. There are a variety of transition options available, from the subtle to the flashy.

While you can play with each transition to your heart's content, it's not necessarily required; you can stick with the default None option or a simple Fade if you'd like.

4. Navigate to the Timing section on the right-hand side of the Ribbon. In order to automate your loop, you'll need to specify when each slide moves to the next one.

5. Under the Advance Slide heading, click the After: checkbox to enable it.

6. Set a time (in minutes or seconds) by entering one in the text box (currently reading "00:00.00") or the arrow buttons nearby.

7. Repeat this process for the other slides you have. Alternatively, you can click Apply To All to set the current slide's transition settings across every slide in the presentation.

8. When you've applied the transitions you want, you can preview the presentation again using the From Beginning or From Current Slide buttons in the Slide Show tab of the Ribbon.

In the preview, you'll see that the slides now transition automatically, and the loop now works without any further interaction. When you need to leave the presentation, press the Esc (escape) key to return to the normal PowerPoint window.

Why Would You Want to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation?

There are a number of reasons why you'd want to run a PowerPoint presentation in a loop, and thus multiple ways this functionality is useful.

You can create a continuous carousel of photos for gatherings with family and friends or a relaxing slideshow of beaches at the end of a stressful day. You can use it to display important information, like rules or schedules, at conferences or conventions.

The integration with the regular transition timings also allows for specialized use cases where you may need to have certain slides displayed longer than others. For example, it can be used to show menu pricing at a kiosk or on a food truck or to offer some entertainment to people waiting in a long line.

Keep Your PowerPoint Presentation Skills in the Loop

Learning how to loop PowerPoint presentations is just one of the many lesser-noticed features of the widely-used tool that can take your slideshows to a new level.

Functionality like this helps keep PowerPoint a versatile, popular program built for a variety of presenting needs. Now, it's time to put these features to work for you.

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How to loop a PowerPoint slideshow so that it automatically starts over as soon as it ends

How to loop a PowerPoint slideshow so that it automatically starts over as soon as it ends

  • To loop a PowerPoint slideshow, you'll need to enable looping in the "Set Up Slide Show" menu.
  • Once you set your PowerPoint to loop, it'll start over from the beginning automatically after playing the last slide.

If you've designed a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that's meant to be viewed repeatedly, such as on a kiosk or in a museum installation, you can adjust the settings in PowerPoint so that your slideshow "loops" instead of ending after one viewing.

Getting a PowerPoint to loop is easy. Read on to find out how, using PowerPoint for both Mac and PC.

powerpoint presentations on loop

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Microsoft office (from $149.99 at best buy), apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to loop a powerpoint presentation.

1. Open the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that you want to loop.

2. With your PowerPoint presentation open, click on the "Slide Show" tab, then click on "Set Up Slide Show."

How to loop a PowerPoint slideshow so that it automatically starts over as soon as it ends

4. To test whether your PowerPoint can loop successfully, click on the "From Beginning" or "Play From Start" button in the Slide Show tab. Click through the slideshow until you reach the end. When your PowerPoint reaches its final slide, it should start over from the beginning automatically. When you're confident that looping is enabled, and you're ready to close the slide show, press the Esc key.

Related coverage from Tech Reference :

How to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to embed a youtube video into your microsoft powerpoint presentations using a mac or pc, how to convert google slides to a powerpoint presentation in 4 easy steps, how to create a custom powerpoint template to use or share with others, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow.

powerpoint presentations on loop

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How to loop a PowerPoint slideshow so that it automatically starts over as soon as it ends

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  • Start the presentation and see your notes in Presenter view Article
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  • Create a self-running presentation Article

powerpoint presentations on loop

Create a self-running presentation

You can use a self-running presentation to run unattended in a booth or kiosk at a trade show or convention, or you can save it as a video and send it to a client.

Your browser does not support video. Install Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Flash Player, or Internet Explorer 9.

On the Slide Show tab, click Set Up Slide Show .

Under Show type , pick one of the following:

To allow the people watching your slide show to have control over when they advance the slides, select Presented by a speaker (full screen) .

To present your slide show in a window, where control over advancing the slides is not available to the people watching, select Browsed by an individual (window) .

To loop your slide show until the people watching press Esc, select Browsed at a kiosk (full screen) .

shows self-running powerpoint dialog box

Rehearse and record slide timings

When you choose the following show types: Presented by a speaker (full screen) and Browsed at a kiosk (full screen), you’ll want to rehearse and record timings for effects and slides.

On the Slide Show tab, click Rehearse Timings .

Note:  The presentation timer begins immediately when you click Rehearse Timings .

The Rehearsal toolbar appears and the Slide Time box begins timing the presentation.

shows recording timings box for powerpoint

Figure: The Rehearsal toolbar

While timing your presentation, you can do one or more of the following on the Rehearsal toolbar:

To move to the next slide, click Next .

To temporarily stop recording the time, click Pause .

To restart recording the time after pausing, click Pause .

To set an exact length of time for a slide to appear, type the length of time in the Slide Time box.

To restart recording the time for the current slide, click Repeat .

After you set the time for the last slide, a message box displays the total time for the presentation and prompts you to do one of the following:

To keep the recorded slide timings, click Yes .

To discard the recorded slide timings, click No .

Slide Sorter view appears and displays the time of each slide in your presentation.

Add narration or sound

To record a narration, your computer requires a sound card and a microphone, and a microphone connector if the microphone is not a part of your computer.

On the Slide Show tab, in the Set Up group, click the arrow on the Record Slide Show button.

Shows record slide show button in powerpoint

Select one of the following:

Start Recording from Beginning

Start Recording from Current Slide

In the Record Slide Show dialog box, select the Narrations and laser pointer check box, and if appropriate, select or deselect the Slide and animation timings check box.

Click Start Recording .

To pause the narration, in the Recording shortcut menu in Slide Show view, click Pause . And to resume your narration, click Resume Recording .

Pause recording narration

To end your slide show recording, right-click the slide, and then click End Show .

The recorded slide show timings are automatically saved and the slide show appears in Slide Sorter view with timings beneath each slide.

You can record a narration before you run a presentation, or you can record it during the presentation and include audience comments. If you do not want narration throughout your entire presentation, you can record separate sounds or comments on selected slides or objects. For more details, see Record a slide show with narration and slide timings .

To present your slide show in a window, where control over advancing the slides is available to the people watching, select Browsed by an individual (window) .

Note:  Selecting this option automatically selects the Loop continuously until 'Esc" check box and causes your slide show to run in a loop.

Show type options

Set up slide transitions

If you want a slide show to run automatically at a kiosk, you can control when and how the slides advance. To do this, you can apply the same transition to all slides in the presentation and set the transition to automatically advance after a certain time interval.

On the Transitions tab, click the transition that you want.

Options on the Transitions tab

Do the following on the Transitions tab:

To set the amount of time that each slide is displayed, select After and enter the number of seconds you want.

To set the duration of each transition between slides, enter the amount of time in the Duration box.

Click Apply to All .

Slide transition settings

Export a presentation to video

You can export a presentation as a movie file. See Save a presentation as a movie file for more details.

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  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

Setting up a PowerPoint slideshow to loop continuously is easy:

  • Switch to the Slide Show Ribbon tab.
  • Click on Set Up Slide Show .
  • Tick the Loop continuously until 'Esc' checkbox.

Loop continuously until 'Esc'

By default, PowerPoint advances to the next slide only when a mouse click occurs. If you want your slideshow to advance automatically, follow the steps below:

  • Select all slides in the navigation pane.
  • Switch to the Transitions tab in the Ribbon.
  • In the Timing group under Advance Slide tick the checkbox next to After:
  • Enter the duration you want each slide to display.

Advance Slide Duration

  • May 7, 2018

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How to: Effortlessly Create PowerPoint Looping Presentations

Looping presentations in PowerPoint can be a game-changer for those needing to display information continuously. It’s a straightforward process: Set up your slides, head to the ‘Slide Show’ tab, click on ‘Set Up Slide Show’, tick the ‘Loop continuously until ‘Esc” box, and voila – your presentation is set to loop.

After completing this action, your PowerPoint presentation will automatically replay from the beginning once it reaches the end. This is particularly useful for presentations displayed at kiosks, trade shows, or in waiting areas, ensuring your audience doesn’t miss any content.

Introduction

Ever been to a trade show and noticed how some booths have screens with presentations that seem to run endlessly? That’s the magic of looping presentations, a feature that’s built into PowerPoint but not always used to its fullest potential.

Having a presentation loop can serve multiple purposes. For those in marketing, it means your message is continually being broadcast without the need for manual intervention. For educators, it could mean students have more time to absorb information. And for those in the corporate world, it ensures that important data is consistently on display for stakeholders and team members to see.

Looping presentations are not only efficient but also incredibly simple to set up in PowerPoint. Knowing how to do this is a great skill to have in your back pocket. Whether you’re prepping for an exhibition, setting up a self-running informational display, or just want to make sure your audience can see your presentation in its entirety, no matter when they walk in the room – this article is for you.

PowerPoint Looping Presentations Tutorial

Before diving into the steps, it’s important to understand what we’re aiming to achieve. By the end of this tutorial, your PowerPoint presentation will be capable of running on its own, looping endlessly until manually stopped. It’s an excellent way to keep an audience engaged with your content, even if you’re not actively presenting.

Step 1: Open your PowerPoint presentation

Open the PowerPoint presentation you wish to loop.

When you have your presentation open, you’ll want to ensure that all your slides are in the correct order and that any timings, animations, or transitions are set up as you want them. This is crucial because once the presentation starts looping, these aspects will play over and over again.

Step 2: Click on the ‘Slide Show’ tab

Navigate to the ‘Slide Show’ tab located on the ribbon at the top of PowerPoint.

The ‘Slide Show’ tab is where you’ll find all the settings related to the presentation’s display. It’s your control center for how the presentation will run.

Step 3: Select ‘Set Up Slide Show’

Click on the ‘Set Up Slide Show’ button within the ‘Slide Show’ tab.

This action opens a new window with various options for running your presentation. It’s like the backstage area before a performance, where you make all the necessary tweaks.

Step 4: Choose ‘Loop continuously until ‘Esc”

In the ‘Set Up Show’ window, check the box that says ‘Loop continuously until ‘Esc”.

This is the setting that transforms your presentation from a one-time run-through to an endlessly looping display. It’s the crucial step in ensuring your content gets maximum exposure.

Step 5: Save your settings

Click ‘OK’ to save your settings and close the ‘Set Up Show’ window.

Once you’ve clicked ‘OK’, your presentation is all set to loop. You can start the slideshow to test it out and see your handiwork in action.

Continuous Display

By looping your PowerPoint presentation, you ensure that no matter when someone walks by or starts watching, they’ll be able to see the whole thing. It’s ideal for environments where you have a rotating audience, like at conferences or informational booths.

Time-Saving

Once set up, you don’t need to stick around to restart the presentation. It loops automatically, freeing you up to do other things – like interacting with your audience or managing other aspects of your event or meeting.

Professionalism

A self-running, looping presentation can make a statement about your professionalism. It shows that you’ve put thought into how your information is presented and that you’re adept at using technology to enhance your message.

Can be Ignored

When people know a presentation is looping, they might not give it their full attention, thinking they’ll catch the next round. This could mean your message isn’t hitting home as strongly as you’d like.

Technical Issues

Technology isn’t foolproof. If your PowerPoint or the device it’s running on experiences issues, your looping presentation could grind to a halt – often at the most inopportune times.

Repetitiveness

For those who are around for a while, a looping presentation can become like that one song on the radio that’s played too often – annoying. Finding the balance between informative and overkill is key.

Additional Information

PowerPoint’s looping feature might seem simple, but it can be incredibly powerful when used correctly. Think about the last time you walked past a looping video or presentation – it probably caught your eye, at least for a moment. That’s the draw of a looping display; it’s always there, always ready to catch the attention of someone new.

One tip is to ensure your presentation is designed with looping in mind. This means avoiding content that could become quickly dated or using language that implies the presentation is a one-time event. Instead, use evergreen content that will be relevant no matter how many times it’s viewed.

Another consideration is the length of your presentation. If it’s too long, viewers might not stick around for the whole loop, missing out on key information. If it’s too short, it could become annoyingly repetitive. Striking the right balance is essential.

When setting up your looping presentation, think about the context in which it will be viewed. Is it in a noisy trade show hall? Consider adding subtitles or visual cues that can be understood without sound. Is it in a quiet waiting area? Maybe a softer, less attention-grabbing approach is needed.

Remember, the goal of a PowerPoint looping presentation is to inform and engage, not to overwhelm or annoy. Keep your audience’s experience in mind, and you’ll be sure to create a looping presentation that adds value and captures interest.

  • Open your PowerPoint presentation.
  • Click on the ‘Slide Show’ tab.
  • Select ‘Set Up Slide Show’.
  • Choose ‘Loop continuously until ‘Esc”.
  • Save your settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my presentation has videos.

If your presentation contains videos, make sure they’re set to play automatically and check the box ‘Rewind after playing’ to ensure they loop with the rest of the slides.

Can I loop just one section of my presentation?

Yes, you can loop specific sections by using custom shows within PowerPoint. It’s a bit more complex but entirely possible.

Will looping work if I have transition timings set up?

Absolutely. Your slides will transition according to the timings you’ve set, looping back to the beginning when they reach the end.

How do I stop a looping presentation?

Simply press the ‘Esc’ key, and the presentation will stop looping and exit the slideshow view.

Can I loop a presentation on a Mac?

Yes, the steps are the same for PowerPoint on a Mac as they are for Windows.

Mastering PowerPoint looping presentations is like unlocking a new level in your presentation skills. It’s not just about making your slides look pretty; it’s about ensuring your message is always out there, always engaging, and always ready to inform. Whether you’re in the boardroom, at a booth, or in an educational setting, a well-crafted looping PowerPoint can make all the difference.

So go ahead, give it a try – your audience will thank you for it. And remember, the best presentations are those that not only deliver information but do so in a way that’s seamless and ever-present, just like the perfect loop.

Matthew Burleigh Solve Your Tech

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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How To Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

powerpoint presentations on loop

Lee Stanton Lee Stanton is a versatile writer with a concentration on the software landscape, covering both mobile and desktop applications as well as online technologies. Read more August 29, 2022

A visually striking PowerPoint presentation can go a long way toward grabbing and keeping people’s attention, whether they’re guests at a wedding or visitors at a museum exhibition. It doesn’t matter whether you want to help the audience retain information or build an emotional connection. Playing the presentation repeatedly in the background can significantly benefit your goal.

How To Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

If you’re unsure how to keep the presentation going without having to restart it manually, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn how to loop a PowerPoint presentation.

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation on a PC

After designing the perfect Microsoft PowerPoint presentation for your event, you can easily tweak the settings to make it loop instead of ending after a single viewing.

  • Open the presentation you want to loop in PowerPoint.

powerpoint presentations on loop

If you were to leave it at that, the presentation would loop after finishing, but you would still have to click between the slides to keep it going. So, this option only works if a speaker is present at all times, which is highly unlikely and inconvenient.

Let’s set up an automatic slide transition so the presentation does all the work from beginning to end.

powerpoint presentations on loop

The next step is to deal with the “If present” portion of the checkbox. Follow these steps to set up timing for the automatic slide transition.

powerpoint presentations on loop

The duration of the slides depends on the content of your presentation. You can move it along a bit faster if it’s an all-picture display. That way, the audience won’t have to stare at a static screen for too long. Otherwise, make sure to leave enough time for people to read the text on each slide, especially if your goal is to inform them about a service or product.

With everything set up, the presentation will reach the last slide on its own. From there, it will automatically loop back to the beginning.

If the presentation is set up where it can’t be monitored at all times, visitors might get impatient and switch the slides manually. Such interference would disable the automatic slide progression. To avoid this, you should change one more setting in your presentation.

powerpoint presentations on loop

The Forward and Back keys will be locked with this show type enabled. No one will be able to disrupt the presentation’s progress. You can hit the Esc button to exit the slideshow when the event has finished.

Before your presentation has its big day, you should ensure everything is set up correctly. To preview your presentation, do the following.

powerpoint presentations on loop

Sit through your presentation and check that it repeats from the beginning once it reaches the final slide. When you’re confident the looping is enabled, press the Esc key and save your work.

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation on a TV

While this process is pretty simple, it will only work if your TV supports the PPT format and thus can play a PowerPoint presentation. Not all TVs have this option.

You can use some methods to loop a PowerPoint presentation on a TV that doesn’t support this format.

Connect a Laptop

The simplest solution to your problem is connecting a laptop to your TV using an HDMI cable.

powerpoint presentations on loop

Now you can play the looped presentation on your laptop, which will keep going on your TV until you manually stop it.

Use a PowerPoint TV Player

You’ll need an alternative solution if you can’t leave your laptop connected to the TV for a prolonged period. Another great way to play a self-running presentation on your TV is to use a PowerPoint player called PowerPlayer . This product supports the native PNG format; you can simply plug it into any TV you’d like.

Can You Loop a PowerPoint Presentation on an iPad? Not Directly

Although available on iPad, the PowerPoint app doesn’t offer the same auto-play functionality as the PC version. You can always loop your presentation on a computer and play it on your iPad. However, if you’d like to loop the presentation directly on the device, you’ll have to open it using Apple’s native presentation app, Keynote .

powerpoint presentations on loop

Now that your presentation is set to advance automatically, the only thing left is to arrange the looping.

powerpoint presentations on loop

Keep Everyone in the Loop

After spending a lot of time making your PowerPoint presentation informative and aesthetically pleasing, you’ll want to display it proudly for the world to see. Playing it once is certainly not enough, so you’ll want to loop your presentation and ensure everyone gets the chance to see it. While creating the perfect presentation can be time-consuming, looping it is a simple process that will take you no more than a few minutes.

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PowerPoint Loop Presentations: A Step-by-Step Guide

  • December 27, 2022

Presentation skills are an important part of any professional career. In this age of digital media and multimedia presentations, it is more crucial than ever to have a strong command over presentation software programs like Powerpoint. To ensure that your next presentation goes off without a hitch, you need to know how to loop powerpoint presentations easily. Powerpoint is one of the most popular presentation software programs available on the market. It is also used by many professionals as well as students as it can be used for both personal and professional use. You don’t need any advanced skills or training to master this program so you can easily incorporate it into your daily work routine without much hassle. If you are planning to give a presentation at work, college or an event and would like to incorporate some additional effects, then follow along with the following step-by-step guide on how to loop powerpoint presentations easily:

What is a Powerpoint Presentation?

Powerpoint is a presentation software program that has been around for many years. The program allows you to create visual content such as charts, graphs, images, and text that can be used for presentations, training sessions, reports, and more. It’s important to note that PowerPoint is not a video editing program. What it does is help you create visual content based on a template. The template is where you’ll input the information that you want to present. PowerPoint can be used to create any type of content whether it’s an academic paper, a business proposal, a research paper, an investor presentation, a sales pitch, or anything else.

How to Loop a Powerpoint Presentation

A PowerPoint presentation is an excellent way to communicate information. It is also a powerful tool for training and team building. However, when you look back on the day, you’ve probably realized that you didn’t get to show off your presentation skills as much as you’d have liked. The reasons for this might be that you didn’t know how to make the best of your presentation and so you didn’t impress your audience as much as you’d have liked to. There are a few ways to fix this problem. The first one is to know how to make your presentation loop seamlessly. To make a presentation loop seamlessly , you need to understand what a PowerPoint presentation is and what you’re going to do to make it loop seamlessly. By default, a PowerPoint presentation is not going to loop. In order to make a presentation loop seamlessly, you need to add an animation that will make the presentation loop. There are two types of animations that you can add to make a PowerPoint presentation loop seamlessly. The first one is a slide transition animation, which makes the presentation move from one slide to the other one smoothly. The other one is a camera animation, which makes the camera move from one point to the other point while keeping the same slide at the same time.

Loop Effect in Powerpoint Presentations

If you want your PowerPoint presentation to loop seamlessly, you’ll need to learn how to loop a powerpoint presentation. A PowerPoint presentation is an excellent way to communicate information. It is also a powerful tool for training and team building. However, when you look back on the day, you’ve probably realized that you didn’t get to show off your presentation skills as much as you’d have liked. The reasons for this might be that you didn’t know how to make the best of your presentation and so you didn’t impress your audience as much as you’d have liked. There are a few ways to fix this problem. The first one is to know how to make your presentation loop seamlessly. To make a presentation loop seamlessly, you need to understand what a PowerPoint presentation is and what you’re going to do to make it loop seamlessly. By default, a PowerPoint presentation is not going to loop. In order to make a presentation loop seamlessly, you need to add an animation that will make the presentation loop. There are two types of animations that you can add to make a PowerPoint presentation loop seamlessly. The first one is a slide transition animation, which makes the presentation move from one slide to the other one smoothly. The other one is a camera animation, which makes the camera move from one point to the other point while keeping the same slide at the same time.

Create a new presentation

If you’re looking for a new approach to looping your powerpoint presentations , you should consider making a new presentation instead of looping an old one. If you’ve been trying to loop an old presentation and have been unsuccessful, it’s time to start from the beginning. Simply create a new presentation and work with the default templates that are provided for you. Once you’ve created a new presentation, you’re going to need to add an image to it. By adding an image to your new presentation, you’ll be able to loop it as a sequence of images. In order to add an image to your new presentation, follow these simple steps: Press the Insert tab on your Powerpoint program, select the Picture option, and choose Open. Once you’ve added an image to your new presentation, you’re ready to loop it as a sequence of images.

Choose your desired effect

Once you’ve created your new presentation, you can now choose which effect you’re going to use to make your presentation loop seamlessly. The effects that you can use to make your presentation loop seamlessly include the following: River, Wave, Cycle, and Slicing. These are the four PowerPoint effects that are available for making your presentation loop seamlessly. The River effect is the most popular effect among professional and business users. It uses the natural sound of flowing water to create a soothing effect and make it easier for your audience to fall asleep. The Wave effect is a more powerful effect that uses natural sound of crashing waves to create a more dramatic and intense effect. The Cycle effect is the most simplistic among the four effects that are available for making your presentation loop seamlessly. The cycle effect creates a steady and repetitive sound similar to the rotation of a dial or a turntable.

Use the speaker notes feature to add speaker’s notes

Powerpoint presentations can include a speaker note icon on the slide that you can use to add speaker notes to your presentation. You can use this feature to add notes while you’re presenting your information and make it easier for your audience to follow along with what you’re saying. When you’re presenting your information in a Powerpoint presentation, you can simply click on the speaker notes icon on the slide. This will open a note window on the screen that you can use to type notes as you’re presenting your information. You can simply press the Enter key on your keyboard to add a new note to your presentation. You can also press the Tab key on your keyboard to switch between the notes window and your presentation.

Add Loop Effects

Now that you’ve learned how to loop a powerpoint presentation, it’s time for you to add the slide transition effect to make your presentation loop seamlessly. You can use the slide transition effect to create a smooth transition between two images and make it easier for your audience to focus on the message that you’re giving. Once you’ve added a slide transition effect to your new presentation, you can now choose which effect you want to use to make your presentation loop seamlessly. The effects that you can use to make your presentation loop seamlessly include the following: River, Wave, Cycle, and Slicing. These are the four PowerPoint effects that are available for making your presentation loop seamlessly.

Final Words

Powerpoint is a presentation software program that has been around for many years. The program allows you to create visual content such as charts, graphs, images, and text that can be used for presentations, training sessions, reports, and much more.

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How To Loop a PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide

Microsoft PowerPoint is a well-known tool for making and delivering presentations. Do you know how to use the looping feature? This feature makes it easy for presenters to move from slide to slide without having to click a mouse or computer key. Setting up and customizing this feature is simple.

In this article, you will learn the following:

What is PowerPoint looping?

How to set up powerpoint looping, how to stop looping on powerpoint presentations.

Typically, a PowerPoint presentation will only move from one slide to the next when prompted. A presenter will have to press the arrow key on the computer keyboard, right-click on the mouse, or press the button on a hand-held presentation remote in order to move to the next slide.

When you loop a PowerPoint, you set the presentation to move from one slide to the next without being prompted. For presenters, this means that you do not need to click the arrow key on the computer or click a mouse.

PowerPoint looping allows you to display each slide automatically for a certain amount of time, which you determine. Once the slide displays for that set time, the next slide automatically displays. After the final slide of the presentation, the slideshow repeats from the beginning.

To set up looping on a PowerPoint presentation, complete the following steps:

Create your PowerPoint presentation.

In the main menu of your PowerPoint (along the top of the screen), select “Slide Show.”

screenshot-of-the-slide-show-menu-option-in-PowerPoint

Click “Slide Show” to begin customizing your presentation’s display

In the menu that pops up at the top of your screen, select “Set Up Slide Show.”

screenshot-of-"set-up-slide-show"-option-in-PowerPoint

Click “Set Up Slide Show” to begin customizing your presentation’s display

In the box that appears, locate “Show options” and check the box next to “Loop continuously until ‘Esc.’”

set-up-show-options-in-PowerPoint

Check the box next to “Loop continuously until ‘Esc.’”

Click “OK.”

click-ok-to-confirm-show-options-in-PowerPoint

Setting up timing between slides

Microsoft PPT will automatically set your slides to transition every two minutes, but you can easily customize how long you want each slide to display before moving to the next slide.

In the main menu, select “Transitions.”

transitions-menu-option-in-PowerPoint

Click “Transitions”

Select the slide that you want to customize for the display time. If you would like all of the slides to have the same transition time, select all slides instead of just one.

selecting-which-slides-to-apply-looping-times-to-in-PowerPoint

Select the slide for which you want to customize the display time. If you’d like all of the slides to have the same transition time, highlight all slides instead of just one.

In the “Timing” group under “Advance Slide,” check the box next to “After:.”

choosing-the-timing-for-looping-in-Microsoft-PowerPoint

Under “Advance Slide,” check the box next to “After:”

In the box next to “After:,” move the arrows up and down to determine how long you’d like the slides to display.

Once you loop your slideshow, it will display on a loop while you present. To stop this looping, simply press “Esc” on your keyboard. This will end your presentation looping.

Enhancing PowerPoint with graphics

Microsoft PowerPoint is just the beginning when it comes to creating useful presentations. If you would like to enhance the visual aspects of your PowerPoint presentations, consider add-on software that will help create graphics such as timelines, Gantt charts, and more.

Disclaimer:

The steps to loop a PowerPoint were researched in November 2021, and desktop screenshots reflect the platform layout of PowerPoint on a desktop PC. Applications and layouts are liable to change; see Microsoft’s “PowerPoint help & learning” page for additional information.

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How to Create a Looping Slideshow in PowerPoint

Logo - Illuminated lightbulb with a filament appearing like the three crosses of Calvary. Text: Cedarville Insights.

You can easily create a looping slideshow using PowerPoint. A looping slideshow displays each slide automatically for a certain amount of time. Once that time has elapsed, the slide automatically continues to the next slide. Once the slideshow reaches the end, it repeats from the beginning.

  • Open your PowerPoint presentation.
  • Click the [Slide Show] tab > From the "Set Up" group, click "Set Up Slide Show".
  • From the resulting dialogue box, check "Loop continuously until 'Esc'" under the "Show options" section > Click [OK].
  • From the "Slides" preview side panel, click your first slide > Press and hold [Shift] and click your last slide. This will select all of your slides.
  • Click the [Transitions] tab > From the "Timing" group, uncheck "On Mouse Click" and check "After".
  • To adjust the time you would like each slide to display, click the up and down arrows in the "After:" field within the "Timing" group. When your slideshow reaches the last slide, it will automatically loop back to the beginning.

Keywords: loop, slideshow, powerpoint, looping slideshow, automatic slideshow, continuous, power point

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How to Loop in PowerPoint on PC or Mac

Last Updated: November 24, 2021

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 20,031 times. Learn more...

Want to create a self-running PowerPoint presentation for your kiosk, trade-show, performance, or event? It's easy to adjust the options in PowerPoint to make your presentation play back in a continuous loop. When you turn on Slide Show Loop in PowerPoint, your presentation will start over again every time it ends, which means you won't need to be present to restart it. This wikiHow article will show you how to make your PowerPoint presentation loop indefinitely.

Step 1 Open your PowerPoint presentation.

  • If you haven't yet created your presentation, make one and save it as a file before proceeding.

Step 2 Click the Transitions tab.

  • For example, to change the amount of time spent on each slide to 10 seconds, you would change the 00:00.00 text box to read 00:10.00 .

Step 5 Click Apply to All.

  • Click File in the upper-left side of the window.
  • Click Save As on the left side of the page.
  • Double-click the This PC tab in the middle of the page.
  • Click the "Save as type" drop-down box, then click PowerPoint Show in the drop-down menu.
  • Enter a file name and select a save location.
  • Click Save .

Step 12 Test your PowerPoint.

  • If you're unhappy with a slide's display time, you can change the time by opening the presentation, going back to the Transitions tab, and adjusting the "After" text box.
  • You can open a Show file in PowerPoint by dragging the Show file into the PowerPoint window.

Step 1 Open your PowerPoint presentation.

  • For example, to change the amount of time spent on each slide to 10 seconds, you would type 10.00 into the text box.

Step 9 Click Apply to All.

  • Click File .
  • Click Save As... .
  • Click the "Format" drop-down box.
  • Click PowerPoint Show (.ppsx) in the drop-down menu.

Step 12 Test your PowerPoint.

Expert Q&A

  • If you use Microsoft Office 365, you can save your PowerPoint presentation as a video instead of a PowerPoint file and then loop the video using your computer's video player's "Loop" function. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

powerpoint presentations on loop

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  • ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/create-a-self-running-presentation-57fc41ae-f36a-4fb5-94a3-52d5bc466037#OfficeVersion=Mac
  • ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/file-formats-for-saving-and-exporting-presentations-in-powerpoint-for-mac-a4b76110-697c-496f-b9c5-e318f2bd6eba

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How to Loop a Powerpoint Office 365 Slideshow

For typical Powerpoint presentations that you just show to one person, you likely aren’t concerned with what happens when the slideshow is over.

But some situations call for a slideshow to continue playing for an extended period of time.

This means that you will need to learn how to loop a Powerpoint Office 365 presentation so that it plays continuously.

How to Do a Powerpoint for Office 365 Slideshow Loop

  • Open the presentation.
  • Select the Slide Show tab.
  • Choose Set Up Slide Show .
  • Check the Loop continuously until Esc box.
  • Click the top slide, hold down Shift , then click the last slide.
  • Choose the Transitions tab.
  • Uncheck On Mouse Click , check After , then set a duration for each slide.

Our guide continues below with more information on how to loop a Powerpoint Office 365 presentation, including pictures of these steps.

Sometimes you will create a presentation in Powerpoint that is going to be shown someplace where it will be unattended.

This could be at a trade show, in an office, or anywhere else where there is a TV or computer screen.

Constantly having to restart that slideshow yourself is often impractical, and would be tedious even if you were physically able to attend to it.

Fortunately, it’s possible to create a slideshow loop in Powerpoint so that the presentation will play continuously once it has concluded.

Our guide below will show you how to create a Powerpoint slideshow loop in Microsoft Powerpoint for Office 365.

Documents with pictures often need some adjustments before they look their best. You can find out more with our how to flip an image in Word article .

How to Make a Powerpoint Slideshow Loop (Guide with Pictures)

The steps in this article were performed in the Microsoft Powerpoint for Office 365 version of the application, but will work in most other versions of the application as well.

Note that the presentation can loop on its own, but you may need to adjust any screensaver or hibernation settings on your computer so that the screen will remain on.

Step 1: Open your slideshow in Powerpoint.

Step 2: click the slide show tab at the top of the window..

click the Slide Show tab

Step 3: Click the Set Up Slide Show button.

click the Set Up Slide Show button

Step 4: Check the box to the left of Loop continuously until Esc , then click OK .

how to loop a slideshow in Powerpoint for Office 365

Step 5: Click your first slide in the column at the left side of the window, then hold down the Shift key, scroll down and click the last slide.

select all your slides

Step 6: Select the Transitions tab at the top of the window.

click the Transitions tab

Step 7: Click the box to the left of On Mouse Click to remove the check mark, check the box to the left of After , then choose the amount of time to display each slide.

set timings for the slides

I have set my slideshow to display each slide for 5 seconds in the image above.

You can start your slideshow at any time by pressing the F5 key on your keyboard.

You can stop the slideshow by pressing the Esc key on your keyboard.

You should now know how to loop a Powerpoint Office 365 presentation so that it continuously plays on repeat until you press the Esc key on your keyboard to terminate it.

Find out how to change your slide size in Powerpoint if you need a different orientation or slide dimensions for your presentation.

Matt Jacobs Support Your Tech

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation Continuously

Want your PowerPoint presentation to loop continuously? Thus it can run unattended in a booth or kiosk, you do even need a live presenter. This is common when you are creating a display in a store, or for a trade show or convention. In this post, let’s learn how to keep on showing the slides over and over.

1. Open your PPT presentation and go to Transitions tab. Choose one you prefer in the Transition to This Slide group.

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation Continuously

2. In Timing group, uncheck the box of On Mouse Click (It means to wait until a mouse click to move to the next slide), and enter the value in the box of After . (It means to move the next slide after a certain number of seconds).

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation Continuously

3. Then go to Slide Show tab, find Set Up group and click Set Up Slide Show .

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation Continuously

4. The Set Up Show dialog box will display, choose the Show type according to your actual needs. While under Show options , check the box of Loop continuously until ‘Esc’ . What’s more, you can select to loop all slide or just some specified of them, which you can customize the page numbers. Do not forget to click OK to save the settings.

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation Continuously

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powerpoint presentations on loop

How to loop a sequence of PowerPoint animations

  • Written by: Jamie Garroch
  • Categories: PowerPoint animation
  • Comments: 10

powerpoint presentations on loop

Loops are like buses. You wait ages for one then a bunch of them arrive at the same time! In our last looping article you discovered how to create infinite Motion Paths in PowerPoint. Now you’re going to learn a simple technique to loop sequences of animations in PowerPoint.

Animation effects in presentations aren’t just decorative, they’re a great way to pace your content so you can explain your story step-by-step. We’ve got lots of articles about how to use simple animations effectively (like this beginner’s guide to Morph and this introduction to PowerPoint animation ), but today we’re going to look at something a little more sophisticated. Sometimes you might want to play a sequence of animation effects in a loop, over and over again to illustrate a particular point. PowerPoint allows you to loop a single animation effect but not a sequence of multiple effects. Our neat hack solves that limitation and, as an added bonus, gives you a warm fuzzy sensation because you know loops inside out.

How to loop one animation effect in PowerPoint

Let’s start at the very beginning as I’ve heard it’s a very good place to start! If you’re sitting there thinking, ‘Hang on a second, I have no idea how to loop a single animation!’ – fear not! Take a look at the slide below. Let’s say you wanted the computer icon in column E to blink repeatedly until you move to the next slide.

Screenshot of a PowerPoint slide with several vertical bars on it labelled A to H. The bars have small icons at the base.

To do this you would add the Blink emphasis effect from the Animations tab ( Animations > Add Animation > More Emphasis effects… ). Then open the Animation Pane , right click on the blink animation you just added and select Effect Options . Then set up the animation as follows:

Screenshot of the effect options for the Blink animation in PowerPoint. The option to repeat teh animation until the end of the slide is selected.

How to loop a sequence of animation effects in PowerPoint

Okay, one animation successfully looped! But what would you do if you wanted a sequence of animation affects to play in a specified order and then repeat, as in this example:

This is just one PowerPoint slide with a fairly complex animation sequence used to show the production line process. This is what the Animation Pane looks like:

Screenshot of the animation pane in PowerPoint. There are lots of different animations running one after the other,

You can download this file to see how the animation sequence was created: Download looping animation file . What we want to do now is to set this whole sequence to repeat until the next slide. How? With our audio bookmark hack!

Hover your mouse over the last animation effect in the sequence and make a note of the time it ends. In our example, it’s 13.5 seconds.

Screenshot of the PowerPoint animation pane showing that the sequence of animations stops at 13.5 seconds on the timeline.

Record a sound file that’s a bit longer than the time you just noted down. This may seem odd but stick with it! To do this, go to the Insert tab in PowerPoint and – way over on the right-hand side of the ribbon – click Audio followed by Record Audio .

Screenshot of the Insert Ribbon in PowerPoint showing the record audio option selected.

Top tip: Name your recording using the target time so you remember when to stop recording!

PowerPoint Record Sound dialog

If you want, you can mute your microphone. Otherwise, keep completely silent and press the record button. Wait until the recording is the right length, then press the stop button.

Wait! Hold the phone. Why are we telling you to record a silent audio file?! All will become clear.

Select your new audio file then set it up in the Playback tab as follows:

  • Click Add Bookmark (this will add a bookmark at 0 seconds)
  • Click Volume > Mute
  • Click Start > Automatically
  • Click Loop until Stopped
  • Click Hide During Show

Your audio file options should now look like this:

Screenshot of the audio file options in PowerPoint showing all the settings selected as described in the text.

Finally, click the Trim Audio button and set the End Time to the exact time you want the animation sequence to repeat. In our example, the sequence lasts 13.5 seconds so we’ll set the audio end time to 14.00 seconds.

Open the Animation Pane (download our free quick access toolbar customisation for Windows or macOS to open the Animation Pane with just one click). Then select the first animation effect in the sequence, hold down the shift key and select the last effect in the sequence. With the whole sequence selected, go back to the Animations tab and in the Advanced Animation group, click the Trigger menu followed by On Bookmark and then Bookmark 1 .

And you’re done! You should now see two zones in the Animation Pane. The top part in the main timeline sequence just has the audio file in it, set to start automatically and repeatedly fire its single bookmark trigger event every 14 seconds. The main animation sequence has moved to what’s known as the interactive or trigger sequence. This sequence will now start every time the bookmark in the audio file is reached.

Screenshot of the animation pane in PowerPoint showing the two sections as described in the text.

And as the audio file is set to loop until you advance the slide, the animation sequence will repeat from when you start the Slide Show until you move to the next slide or quit the show. And it doesn’t stop there. Imagine what effects you could achieve by adding different sequences to different audio files with multiple bookmarks. One audio file triggering another that triggers a sequence of effects that triggers another audio file. Welcome to mind-blowing PowerPoint that makes your brain ache and your heart sing! No? Just us then!

Got a thirst for PowerPoint loops?

If you’re now looping mad, then you might want to check out this blog post: How to create infinite Motion Paths in PowerPoint . And our free BrightSlide add-in for PowerPoint includes lots of new ways to enhance your creativity, including some very cool animation tools that’ll have your boss, colleagues and audiences jumping for joy. Download BrightSlide!

powerpoint presentations on loop

Jamie Garroch

Principal technical consultant, related articles, powerpoint memory game.

  • PowerPoint design / PowerPoint animation
  • Comments: 4

We love PowerPoint at BrightCarbon. It’s such a versatile application which can be used for so much more than ‘just’ designing presentations. You can create videos, printed collateral, interactive eLearning, even animated GIFs and so much more. But did you know you can even create games? We’ve built one for you, using VBA, and it’s free to download and adapt.

powerpoint presentations on loop

3 ways to create slide backgrounds in PowerPoint

  • Comments: 1

If you’ve used BrightCarbon’s guides before, we have no doubt that you can make your content look incredible. But something you might not have dabbled in yet is changing up the slide background in PowerPoint. The right presentation backdrop can do a lot, from keeping everything on brand to adding…

powerpoint presentations on loop

How to create infinite Motion Paths in PowerPoint

All the best things in life do loop-the-loops. Rollercoasters, fancy planes, and… PowerPoint! Learn how to make a loop-the-loop-ing infinite Motion Path in PowerPoint for silky smooth repeating image carousels, never-ending animations, and more!

powerpoint presentations on loop

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you for sharing

Thank you very much, It’s very useful.

Very useful. Worked like a charm

Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge!

Brilliant! Thank you so much

Thank you – works like a charm. I would never have thought that I’ve have to record an audio to make a animation loop!

Great idea!

had to repeat list of animations on a slide – this works perfect! Thanks much for sharing

It doesn’t loop. It just plays once even though I have “loop until stopped selected”. I applied all the steps you suggested. What am I doing wrong?

I’m having the same problem! I’ve followed this guide a few times with no problems but this time I just can’t get it to work.

The most bizarre thing is that a previous slideshow I did still works perfectly and I’ve compared all the settings and all the checkboxes and they all match. But the new slideshows just repeat once and stop. Very annoying. I suspect there’s been an ‘improvement’ by Microsoft – that’s normally what breaks useful things in the office apps!

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Thank you for today’s PowerPoint productivity masterclass. I’ve learned so much from BrightCarbon when it comes to PowerPoint. If there isn’t a BrightCarbon fan club already, I’ll be happy to start one! Kimm Babo Wegmans Food Markets

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How to add a looping introduction to a PowerPoint presentation

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Displaying an introductory or welcome slide while your audience arrives for a presentation is common. While the audience enters the room and finds a seat, they may chat with one another, help themselves to refreshments, or sit quietly and wait for the show. The one-slide introduction that says welcome and displays pretty flowers is quaint, but it won’t grab anyone’s attention as they enter the room, and it certainly won’t keep anyone’s interest while they wait. Instead, grab their attention from the moment they walk through the door with an introductory presentation that introduces you and/or your presentation’s purpose—call it a mini presentation if you like. That way, you’ll have the attention and interest of your audience before you even begin.

I’m using Office 365 PowerPoint (desktop) on a Windows 10 64-bit system, but you can use an earlier version. This technique can’t be created in the browser edition. You can work with your own presentation or download the .pptx and .ppt demonstration files.

SEE: Choosing your Windows 7 exit strategy: Four options (Tech Pro Research)

Setting it up

This technique uses two shows—the preview and the main presentation–but you’ll store them as one. You control when your audience sees both.

It doesn’t matter where you place the introductory slides within the main presentation. At the beginning makes sense—that’s what we’ll do–but it isn’t necessary. If slide numbering matters, place your introductory slide as the end. Use as many introductory slides as needed but keep it to a minimum. The point is to present material that will interest the audience and enhance your program.

Once you’ve created the main presentation, add introductory slides. Your presentation, if run, would display the introductory slides and then the presentation. That’s not what you want; you want the presentation to repeat the introductory slides without advancing to the main presentation until you’re ready.

I’m using the school project presentation provided by PowerPoint as a demonstration file. As you can see in Figure A , I’ve changed the first two slides a bit; these two slides, slides 1 and 2, represent our introduction. Slides 3 through 7 represent our main presentation. (I’ve not changed the remaining slides.)

powerpoint presentations on loop

Identifying the introduction slides

We now have two presentations in one. To control them as two separate shows, we’ll first identify the introductory slides. To do so:

  • In Slide Sorter, select the slides in the introduction—slides 1 and 2. To do so, hold down the Shift key while clicking both.
  • Click the Transition slide. In the Timing group, uncheck On mouse click, and click After. Enter the number of seconds you want to pause between slides—3 ( Figure B ).
  • Click the Slide Show tab, and then click Set Up Slide Show in the Set Up group.
  • In the resulting dialog, check Loop continuously until ‘Esc’ in the Show options section.
  • In the Show slides section, enter 1 and 2 for the From and To settings (slides 1 and 2).
  • Make sure to check the Using timings, if present option in the Advance slides section ( Figure C ) and click OK.

powerpoint presentations on loop

If you play the presentation as is, it plays slides 1 and 2 continuously, never advancing to the main presentation. Next, we’ll create a custom slide show with the remaining slides.

Name the main presentation

We’ve identified slides 1 and 2 as the introduction. Now, let’s identify the main presentation by create a custom slide show as follows:

  • Click the slide Show tab, click Custom Slide Show in the Start Slide Show group, and then choose custom Shows.
  • Click New in the resulting dialog.
  • In the Define Custom Show dialog, enter Main Presentation in the Slide show name control.
  • Check slides 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in the left list. Then, click Add to copy those slides to the Slides in custom show list to the right ( Figure D ). PowerPoint will renumber them, but don’t worry about that.
  • Click OK and then click Close.

powerpoint presentations on loop

At this point, you have two slides that loop, slides 1 and 2, and a custom slide show named Main Presentation that contains 5 slides (slides 3 through 7). Right now, you can’t get from the looping intro to the main presentation.

How to start the main presentation

Once your audience is ready, you’ll want to start the main presentation. As yet, there’s no way to do so. To that end, we’ll add an action button to slide 2 that starts the main presentation. First, switch to Normal view. Then, select the last slide in the introduction, slide 2. To add the action button, do the following:

  • Click the Insert tab, click Shapes (in the Illustrations group), and then choose a shape from the Action Buttons at the bottom of the dropdown. Specifically, choose the second from the left, Go Forward or Next.
  • Click on the slide where you want to position the button.
  • In the resulting dialog, you’ll assign an action by choosing Custom Show from the Hyperlink to dropdown ( Figure E ). Don’t choose Next Slide, even though it seems to make sense. Doing so will display the next slide in the introduction—slide 1—not the next slide in sequence.
  • In the next dialog, choose Main Presentation ( Figure F ).
  • Click OK twice to return to Normal view.

powerpoint presentations on loop

At this point, you’re done. However, you might want to make the action button invisible as follows:

  • With the action button still selected, click the Format tab. Then click the dialog launcher for the Shapes Styles group.
  • In the resulting pane, click Fill to display more options. Set the Transparency option to 100%.

That was easy, wasn’t it? Just don’t forget where the action button is. You can copy the button to slide 1 if you want the option of starting the presentation from either introductory slide. This is less important when you have only a few slides in the introduction. If you have several, consider copying the action button to all the slides or every other slide so you can quickly start the presentation regardless of which slide is up.

Show’s on!

All the hard work is done. Simply press F5 to run the show. PowerPoint will loop through slides 1 and 2. When you’re ready to start the presentation, click the (hidden) action button on slide 2. Because the action button specifies a custom show and not a specific slide, PowerPoint will return to the first slide in that show, slide 3 (slide 1 in the custom show) when you exit the last slide, slide 7. It won’t return to slides 1 and 2 in the introduction.

You can keep your audience mildly entertained or grab their interest early on with a short introductory presentation. Let the slides loop until you’re ready to begin the main presentation.

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IMAGES

  1. How to Loop Powerpoint

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  2. How to create a Continuously Looping Slideshow in PowerPoint

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  3. How To Loop A Video In PowerPoint?

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  4. Editable Infinity Loop PowerPoint Slides Design

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  5. Endless Loop PowerPoint Template

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

    First, open your PowerPoint presentation in which you would like to loop. Once open, navigate to the "Set Up" group of the "Slide Show" tab and then select the "Set Up Slide Show" button. The "Set Up Show" window will appear. In the "Show options" group, check the box next to "Loop Continuously until Esc.".

  2. How to Loop a PowerPoint Slide Show to Repeat Automatically

    Step 1: Apply transitions to automatically advance slides during a slide show. Transitions occur between slides when you run a slide show. To apply transitions to automatically advance slides during a slide show: In Normal View or Slide Sorter View, display or select a slide. Click the Transitions tab in the Ribbon.

  3. How To Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

    Luckily, learning how to loop a PowerPoint is very easy! Just follow these 3 steps: 1. Open your presentation and go to the Slide Show tab. 2. Select the Set Up Slide Show option for the Set-Up Options window to appear. 3. In this window, go to the "Show options group" and tick the Loop continuously until 'Esc' (the first option).

  4. How to Loop a PowerPoint Slideshow so It Automatically Starts Over

    Open the "Set Up Slide Show" menu. 3. In the pop-up window that appears, click on the box next to "Loop continuously until 'Esc'" so that a small checkmark appears inside the box. Feel free to ...

  5. Setting a PowerPoint Slide Show to Loop Continuously

    How to Set Up the Presentation. Open the PowerPoint presentation you want to loop continuously. Go to Slide Show . Select Set Up Slide Show. The Set Up Show dialog box opens. Select Browsed at a Kiosk (Full Screen). This enables the presentation to loop continuously until the viewer presses Esc . Select OK .

  6. How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation in 60 Seconds

    3. Set Up the Slide Show Loop in PowerPoint. I'll click the Slide Show tab on the ribbon, and then click Set Up Slide Show. The option that we need to turn on is Loop continuously until 'Esc'. Let's go ahead and press OK to turn that feature on. Let's check to make sure this is all working.

  7. How to make a PowerPoint Presentation loop / repeat itself (2021)

    In this Microsoft PowerPoint tutorial we are going to teach you how to loop a PowerPoint Presentation so your PowerPoint Slideshow will run again and again ...

  8. How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation: A Simple Guide

    Follow these easy steps to set up a looping PowerPoint slideshow in Microsoft PowerPoint 2022 or 365: Open your PowerPoint presentation and click the "Slide Show" tab. Click the "Set Up Slide Show" button. A pop-up window will appear. Under "Show Type", select "Loop continuously until 'Esc'" to make it loop endlessly.

  9. How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation (Easy Way)

    To loop PowerPoint slides manually or automatically, go to Slide Show -> Setup Show, enable the loop option, and go to Advance slides. Select Manually for moving slides on mouse click, arrow keys, or PowerPoint remote. Alternatively, select Use timings. PowerPoint loop slideshow.

  10. How to Make Your Presentations Loop in PowerPoint

    3. In the Set Up Show window, click Loop continuously until 'Esc' in the Show options section. 4. Click OK to apply the change. 5. Preview the presentation using the From Beginning or From Current Slide buttons in the Ribbon to see that the looping works.

  11. How to loop a PowerPoint slideshow so that it automatically starts over

    4. To test whether your PowerPoint can loop successfully, click on the "From Beginning" or "Play From Start" button in the Slide Show tab. Click through the slideshow until you reach the end.

  12. Create a self-running presentation

    You can use a self-running presentation to run unattended in a booth or kiosk at a trade show or convention, or you can save it as a video and send it to a client. On the Slide Show tab, click Set Up Slide Show. To allow the people watching your slide show to have control over when they advance the slides, select Presented by a speaker (full ...

  13. How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

    Setting up a PowerPoint slideshow to loop continuously is easy: Click on Set Up Slide Show. Tick the Loop continuously until 'Esc' checkbox. By default, PowerPoint advances to the next slide only when a mouse click occurs. If you want your slideshow to advance automatically, follow the steps below: Select all slides in the navigation pane.

  14. How to: Effortlessly Create PowerPoint Looping Presentations

    Step 4: Choose 'Loop continuously until 'Esc". In the 'Set Up Show' window, check the box that says 'Loop continuously until 'Esc". This is the setting that transforms your presentation from a one-time run-through to an endlessly looping display. It's the crucial step in ensuring your content gets maximum exposure.

  15. How To Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

    Open the presentation you want to loop in PowerPoint. Click on the "Slide Show" tab at the top of your screen. Press the "Set Up Slide Show" button. Navigate to the "Show options ...

  16. PowerPoint Loop Presentations: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Loop Effect in Powerpoint Presentations. If you want your PowerPoint presentation to loop seamlessly, you'll need to learn how to loop a powerpoint presentation. A PowerPoint presentation is an excellent way to communicate information. It is also a powerful tool for training and team building. However, when you look back on the day, you've ...

  17. How to Loop a PowerPoint I Software Advice

    In the menu that pops up at the top of your screen, select "Set Up Slide Show.". Click "Set Up Slide Show" to begin customizing your presentation's display. In the box that appears, locate "Show options" and check the box next to "Loop continuously until 'Esc.'". Check the box next to "Loop continuously until 'Esc ...

  18. Loop a Powerpoint Presentation

    Open your PowerPoint presentation. Click the [Slide Show] tab > From the "Set Up" group, click "Set Up Slide Show". From the resulting dialogue box, check "Loop continuously until 'Esc'" under the "Show options" section > Click [OK]. From the "Slides" preview side panel, click your first slide > Press and hold [Shift] and click your last slide.

  19. Simple Ways to Loop in PowerPoint on PC or Mac (with Pictures)

    Save your PowerPoint as a "Show" file. While you can simply save your changes to the existing PowerPoint presentation by pressing Ctrl+S, saving the PowerPoint as a Show file will launch the slide show as soon as you double-click the file: . Click File in the upper-left side of the window.; Click Save As on the left side of the page.; Double-click the This PC tab in the middle of the page.

  20. How to Loop a Powerpoint Office 365 Slideshow

    How to Do a Powerpoint for Office 365 Slideshow Loop. Open the presentation. Choose Set Up Slide Show. Check the Loop continuously until Esc box. Click OK. Click the top slide, hold down Shift, then click the last slide. Uncheck On Mouse Click, check After, then set a duration for each slide. Our guide continues below with more information on ...

  21. How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation Continuously

    1. Open your PPT presentation and go to Transitions tab. Choose one you prefer in the Transition to This Slide group. 2. In Timing group, uncheck the box of On Mouse Click (It means to wait until a mouse click to move to the next slide), and enter the value in the box of After. (It means to move the next slide after a certain number of seconds).

  22. How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

    If you want a PowerPoint to loop continuously until you tell it to stop then you need to make sure that you have added timings to each of the slides, transit...

  23. How to loop a sequence of PowerPoint animations

    Click Volume > Mute. Click Start > Automatically. Click Loop until Stopped. Click Hide During Show. Your audio file options should now look like this: Finally, click the Trim Audio button and set the End Time to the exact time you want the animation sequence to repeat. In our example, the sequence lasts 13.5 seconds so we'll set the audio end ...

  24. How to add a looping introduction to a PowerPoint presentation

    To do so: In Slide Sorter, select the slides in the introduction—slides 1 and 2. To do so, hold down the Shift key while clicking both. Click the Transition slide. In the Timing group, uncheck ...