Topic 9: Master Slides

Slide Master

Change the style of all slides in the presentation by changing the properties on the Slide Master. Each Design Template has its own Slide Master that can be altered. If you create slides from scratch, a consistent style can be added to the presentation by formatting the Slide Master.

1. Select View|Master|Slide Master from the menu bar.
   
2. Format the master slide just as you would format a regular slide by formatting text, formatting lists, adding background patterns and effects, and setting footers.
3. Click the Close button on the Master toolbar to quit editing the master slide and return to the presentation.

Headers and Footers

Add the date and time, slide numbers, and other footer text to the master slide from the Header and Footer window.

1. Select View|Header and Footer... from the menu bar.
   
2. Check the Date and time box to add this feature to the slide. Select Update automatically to always display the current date and time or click Fixed and enter a date that will not change in the text field provided.
3. Check the Slide number box to add this feature to the slides.
4. Click the Footer box and add other text to the footer area of the slide.
5. Check the Don't show on title slide box to hide these features on the title slide of the presentation.
6. Click the Notes and Handouts tab to make the same changes to notes and handouts pages.
7. Click Apply to All to add the changes to every slide or Apply to add only to the current slide.

Slide Numbers

To add the slide numbers in a fixed position on the slide, use the Header and Footer window detailed above. The slide number can otherwise be added anywhere on the slide by placing the cursor where the slide number should appear and selecting Insert|Slide Number from the menu bar. The text of the slide number can the formatting just as regular text style is changed.

Date and Time

A date and/or time can also be added using the Header and Footer window or anywhere else on the slide. Place the cursor where the date and time should appear on the slide and select Insert|Date and Time from the menu bar. Select a format from the Available formats box and click Update automatically if this feature should always be updated to reflect the current date and time. Click OK to finish.