how to merge two microsoft powerpoint presentation

How to Combine Multiple PowerPoint Presentations

Do you have multiple PowerPoint presentations that you need to combine or merge into one presentation? I’ve had to do this myself a couple of times and one of the most important aspects when merging presentations is whether you want to maintain the format and theme of the inserted presentation or have it match the theme of the main presentation. The second most important factor is whether you need to maintain any animations and transitions that might be included in the inserted presentation.

Depending on how you want the inserted slides to appear in the main presentation, you will need to choose between two different methods for joining the presentations. In this article, I’ll mention both methods along with the advantages and disadvantages for each method.

The first method uses the Reuse Slides option in PowerPoint and the second method uses the Insert Object option.

Reuse Slides Method

If you want the inserted slides to match the theme of your main presentation, then you have to use the Reuse Slides option. The inserted slides will simply take the slides exactly as they are in the external presentation and add them to the main presentation.

However, there is one big caveat: none of the animations or transitions will be carried over. Whatever you see on the slide in the normal viewing mode is what will get imported into the main presentation.

If you need to maintain all the animations or transitions, then skip down to the Insert Object method.

To get started with this method, open the main presentation and then click between the two slides you want to import the slides into. It’s worth nothing that this method also lets you pick and choose which slides you want to insert from an external presentation, whereas the Insert Object method will insert the entire presentation.

Now click on the Insert menu and then click on the words New Slide  and you’ll see a menu appear. At the very bottom of that menu is an option called Reuse Slides .

When you click on that, a tab will appear on the right hand side. Click on the Browse button and then select Browse File . Check the Keep source formatting  box if you want keep the theme and text formatting of the external presentation.

If you uncheck that box, then when you go to insert the slides into the main presentation, the original formatting will not be kept. Instead the slides will use the theme and formatting of the main presentation.

Select the PowerPoint Presentation you want to insert and then click OK. Immediately, you should see a small thumbnail and the title of each slide displayed.

As you can see above, the second presentation has a different theme than my first presentation. There are a number of things you can do at this point. Firstly, if you just want to insert one slide or a couple of slides from your external presentation, simply click on the slide and it will be inserted!

The formatting will depend on whether you checked the Keep source formatting box like I explained above. As shown below, I inserted just one slide from the external presentation and kept the source formatting.

It will be inserted wherever you had clicked earlier with the red line. If you want to insert all the slides, just select the Insert All Slide s option that comes up when you right-click on any of the slides.

Lastly, you can apply the theme used in the external presentation to your main presentation by right-clicking and choosing Apply Theme to All Slides . This will apply the external presentation theme to the main presentation.

As mentioned earlier, you lose all animations, effects, transitions, etc when using this method. Now let’s talk about the other way to merge two presentations.

Insert Object Method

The second method will insert the entire external presentation into one slide as an object. You then have to configure some settings so that when you run your slideshow, it also runs through all the slides in the external presentation.

There are a couple of things that need to be mentioned before we get into how to use this method:

1. When you insert the presentation as an object, it is not a link to the presentation, but an actual full copy into the main presentation. This means that if you open the external presentation later after inserting it into the main presentation and make changes to it, those changes will not be reflected in the imported version inside the main presentation.

2. If you do want to make changes to an already inserted presentation, you can edit it inside the main presentation. Again, those changes are only made to the version inside the main presentation.

In my opinion, this method is better than the Reuse Slides method because it lets you keep all your animations and transitions and it allows you to change or keep the theme of the inserted presentation.

To get started, open the main presentation and then insert a new slide. Make sure to delete any default text boxes or anything else on the new slide so that it is completely blank.

Now click on the Insert tab and then click on Object .

Select the Create from file radio button and click the Browse button. Select the external presentation you want to insert into your main presentation.

You’ll now see the first slide of the presentation inserted as a selectable object. All of the other slides are there, but you just can’t see them.

The next step is to move your cursor to the upper left corner of the inserted object until it turns into a double sided arrow. Click and then drag the corner to the upper left corner of the main slide. Now do the same thing with the bottom right corner of the object and drag it to the bottom right corner on the main slide.

Now the inserted object should be the exact same size as the slide that it was inserted onto. You want to do this so that there won’t be any change in the size of the slides when you are playing the presentation.

Once that is setup, we have to configure the second presentation to play when we hit that slide that we inserted the presentation into. To do this, select the object, click on the Animations ribbon, click on Add Animation and then scroll all the way to the bottom where it says OLE Action Verbs .

Another dialog will pop up and you want to choose Show . If you were to play the presentation at this point, you would notice that when you reach the slide with the inserted presentation, it will show all the slides in the inserted presentation, but it will also include a still slide of the first slide at the front and back of the inserted presentation.

This was kind of annoying to me and luckily you can almost get rid of it. First, click on Animations again and then click on Animation Pane , which will show up at the right.

In the Animation Pane, you will see the inserted object listed as Object 1 or Object 2, etc. and when you select it, there will be a small black arrow you can click on. This will bring up a few options and then first one you want to select is Start With Previous .

Now when you play the presentation, it won’t show you that still image of the first slide but will actually play the first slide from the external presentation. To get rid of the still image at the end of the presentation, you have to select Effect Options from the menu above and then select Hide After Animation from the After animation dropdown box.

It’s not perfect because it still shows you the empty slide that the inserted presentation was put once before the presentation ends. Luckily, I found a simple hack for this too that works really well. Simply add something to the slide that has the external presentation object like a text box or whatever you like and then right-click on the object and choose Send to Back .

This will effectively hide the object behind the presentation object. Now when you play your presentation, it will hide the presentation object after the last slide because that is what we chose in the After animation option. When the presentation object is hidden, you’ll see any content that was hidden under it. It’s a great way to avoid having that blank slide show up during the presentation.

One last thing I wanted to mention was about editing the inserted presentation. You can right-click anywhere on the object and choose Presentation Object – Edit to edit any slide in the inserted presentation directly within the main presentation.

Hopefully, this was a detailed enough tutorial for anyone wanting to merge, combine or insert one PowerPoint presentation into another. If you have any questions, feel free to comment. Enjoy!

Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications. Read Aseem's Full Bio

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How to Combine PowerPoint PPT Presentation Files Quickly

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Ever find yourself working with many slide decks at once? Chances are, you may want to use content from one slide deck in another presentation.

But, you don't want to recreate your work. That's why it helps to learn how to combine multiple PowerPoints into one.

Believe it or not, there are a variety of ways of combining PPT files. Some help you keep your slide styles separate. Other methods of how to combine PowerPoint's merge styles. You learn all these combining PPT techniques in this tutorial!

We also have a helpful complement to this tutorial. Download our FREE eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations .  Grab it now before you read on. 

How to Combine Multiple PowerPoints Into One (Quickstart Video)

If you want to learn how to merge PowerPoints with a screencast, we've got you covered. The video below covers how to combine PPT files in a variety of ways. You'll learn that combining PPT files saves you time and avoids re-work.

If you'd prefer to learn how to combine multiple PowerPoints into one with a written guide, read on. You'll see how to combine PPT files with other methods below.

How to Combine PPT Presentation Files

Microsoft PowerPoint offers several ways to merge slides from several decks into one. This saves time and effort, giving you the ability to be creative without getting lost in the details. It lets you share content from across your presentation library. 

When you know how to combine PowerPoints, you can use slides you already have to make new presentations. It’s a powerful way to pull in content from many sources to build a winning slide deck in 2023. 

Let’s dive in and learn how to merge PowerPoints quickly. To show you, we’ll use the premium Aura PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. It’s a sleek modern template with dozens of slides inside. With two presentations built using the template, we’ll explore many ways to combine them into one.

Here’s how to combine multiple PowerPoints into one, using several of my favorite techniques.

Method 1: Copy and Paste Slides

One of the simplest ways of combining PPT slide decks is to paste slides from one presentation to the other. Let's learn how to combine PowerPoints with copy and paste.

To get started, open both presentations in PowerPoint. If you can, this is a great time to use two displays to streamline the process of merging PowerPoints.

Navigate to the PowerPoint deck that you want to paste slides from. Notice the slide preview sidebar on the left side. In it, you’ll see thumbnails of each slide in the deck. To copy and paste slides, begin by clicking on the first slide that you want to work with.

Now, you've got three options as you learn how to combine PowerPoints:?

• To copy only a single slide, right-click and choose Copy.
• To copy several slides in a row, click on the first slide thumbnail. Then, hold down Shift on your keyboard, and select the last slide that you want to copy. All slides in the range are selected. Right-click and choose Copy.
• If you've got several slides to copy that aren't in a row, click on the first thumbnail. Then, select later slides by holding down Control on your keyboard, and clicking other thumbnails. Again, right-click and choose Copy when you’re done.

With a slide or slides selected, open the destination PPT deck. Return to the sidebar with the slide previews. Scroll until you find the location where you want to paste your selected slides. For example, here we’d like to place them between slides 3 and 4 in the deck.

Click into the open space between the thumbnails for slide 3 and 4. You’ll see an orange line appear, indicating your selection. Right-click here, and you should choose from the first two key combining PPT options in the Paste Options group:

• Use Destination Theme. This converts the slides you're pasting to match the theme of your destination presentation. It’s a good way to ensure slides are stylistically the same, with an identical theme and appearance. 
• Keep Source Formatting. This pastes slides into the deck, but keeps their appearance the way it was in the prior presentation.

Both of these are great choices. I like to choose Use Destination Theme, because it makes my slide deck look the same throughout. 

Scroll through the pasted slides to be sure their layouts converted correctly. You may need to spend a few minutes rearranging some slides to ensure content is in the right place.

Copying and pasting slides offers several key advantages. It’s often your best bet. It’s remarkably easy to pick and choose exactly what slides you want to copy and paste into a new slide deck. Learning how to merge PPT presentation includes these style merge options.

Now, let’s move on and explore other ways of combining PPT decks.

Method 2: Use the Reuse Slides Menu

The Reuse Slides menu in PowerPoint is how to merge PPT presentation decks quickly, without having to open another file. To get started, be sure that you’re working in the presentation where you want to add slides. 

Then, repeat the earlier step of choosing a position for new slides in the sidebar. For example, click between slides 8 and 9 to add slides to that spot. 

Now, navigate to the Home tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon. You’ll find it at the top of your screen, between File and Insert . Click on the Home tab, and then choose the New Slide dropdown arrow.

With the dropdown open, you’ll see a list of options. The one you want here is Reuse Slides. Go ahead and click on it.

PowerPoint opens the Reuse Slides sidebar menu on the right side of your screen. Click on Browse , then navigate to a stored PPT file on your computer. Click on it, then choose Open .

When you click Open , you’ll see thumbnail previews of each slide in the other deck. To add them into your combined PPT, simply click on their thumbnails. Watch as the slide or slides you choose appear in the deck.

By default, their formatting will be merged to match your new design. To change this, check the Keep Source Formatting box at the bottom of the sidebar menu. 

This is how to combine PowerPoints using the Reuse Slides feature. It’s a top choice for 2023 and beyond, but let’s keep moving to explore even more great ways to merge PowerPoint decks.

Method 3: Compare and Combine PowerPoint Presentations

A third way of merging PowerPoint decks is the Compare and Combine feature in PowerPoint. This is a powerful tool that allows you to merge two presentations into one slide deck. 

It stands out because it also highlights the differences between the original presentations. This is very useful when working with presentations created by multiple authors.

To use Compare and Combine , open the presentation that you want to merge slides into. Then, find the Review tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon and open it up. In the Compare group, find and click on the Compare button.

When you click Compare , the Choose File to Merge with Current Presentation browser opens. Find the PPT deck that you want to merge into your current presentation, click on it, and then choose Open. 

PowerPoint merges the two presentations. You’ll see a new sidebar launch on the right, labeled Revisions .

This shows you any changes made by PowerPoint when the presentations were merged. These are grouped into the Slide Changes and Presentation Changes groups.

You can work through these, clicking Accept on the ribbon to approve changes made. You can also reject changes. When you’re finished, choose End Review. Just like that, you’ve merged two PowerPoint slide decks into one - fast.

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Envato Elements is your best source for the very best premium PowerPoint templates . For a flat monthly fee, you can access and download as many PowerPoint templates as you want. Plus, Elements includes fonts, music, stock photos, and so much more. All these can combine to work in your next project. 

Elements is the ultimate value for creatives in 2023. Unlimited downloads fuel unlimited possibilities. With the flexibility to try as many templates as you want, you’re sure to arrive at the perfect option for every project. 

Explore Elements

You may find free PowerPoint templates online. But these simply can't match the features and styling that you’ll enjoy with Envato Elements templates.

When you choose Envato Elements, you’ll enjoy:

• Designs built by experts. Choose your favorite premium layouts, and merge them together effortlessly, using PPT’s built-in features.
• Stylish layouts. Slide designs are studio-quality and easy to adapt to your own topics.
• Stunning charts and graphs. Lavish illustrations and data visuals help you bring ideas to life.
• Ease of use. Premium templates are incredibly easy to work with. Simply drop in your own content!

As you can see, Envato Elements is the best choice for creatives today. What are you waiting for? Join today and start downloading from the vast library of premium creative assets! 

Learn More About Microsoft PowerPoint

Now that you know how to combine PowerPoints, you might be hungry for more knowledge. PowerPoint is a powerful app. That means you need resources that show you how to use it.

We've built a guide to help you do just that. Our resources will help you build on your new combining PPT skills. Check out a few favorite tutorials below from How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide.)

More Top Templates For Microsoft PowerPoint

In this tutorial, we featured a PowerPoint template. It illustrates that great designs save you time and give you great results. And best of all, now you know how to merge PowerPoints. That means you can use the best elements from more than one template.

We feature top PowerPoint templates on Envato Elements. Check out some of our favorites in articles below. You can use the best of all these templates now that you've learned how to combine PPT files!

Make Great Presentations ( Free PDF eBook Download )

We also have the perfect complement to this tutorial, which walks you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully.

Download our eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It's available for free with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

Now You Know How to Combine PowerPoints Like a Pro

Learning how to combine multiple PowerPoints into one is a time saver. Combining PPT files gives you a new presentation without building it from the bottom up. You learned how to merge PowerPoints in a variety of ways in this tutorial, and each method has its place.

Here's my challenge to you: practice how to combine multiple PowerPoints into one. Take two presentations you've developed about similar topics. Then, merge together the best of both files. You're sure to create your most informative presentation yet.

How to combine multiple PowerPoint Presentations

How to merge multiple powerpoint presentations, 1] reuse slides method, 2] vba code method, 3] copy paste slides, how do you link two powerpoint presentations together, how do i combine multiple powerpoints into one pdf, ashishmohta@twc.

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How to Merge Two or Multiple PowerPoint Presentations

If there are 2 or even more related PowerPoint presentations, and you want to merge them into one to make the presentation more informative, there’s a simple method to insert the slides from different files.

1. Open PowerPoint and create a new blank presentation.

2. Click Home > New Slide > Reuse Slides…

3. Hit Browse button on the Reuse Slides pane and choose Browse File… in the drop-down menu.

4. Find the PPT presentation you want on the computer and Open it.

5. Check the option of Keep source formatting on the bottom of Reuse Slides .

6. Right-click any of the slides and choose Insert All Slides in the menu. Then all the slides from the selected file will be inserted to the presentation.

7. Now you can click Browse > Browse File… to insert the slides from another presentation in the same way.

8. Similarly, you can insert the slides from more PowerPoint presentations to merge them into one. You just need to save the file after finishing all the settings.

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How to Combine PowerPoints: A Step-by-Step Guide

Table of Contents

If you’re in sales, customer service, or work independently, you probably use similar slides in different presentations. But redoing them every time can be a hassle. That’s why learning to merge PowerPoint slides can be super useful.

When you merge slides in PowerPoint, you can take slides from other presentations and put them into one new presentation. This helps you update content, reinforce ideas, or include important information from previous presentations.

It’s pretty easy to do. Let us show you how to merge multiple PowerPoint presentations into one.

How to Combine Powerpoints ?

Here are five ways to combine PowerPoint slides:

• Copy and Paste Slides
• Reuse PowerPoint Slides
• Use Insert Object to Merge PowerPoint Files (Limited Functionality)
• Drag and Drop Slides
• Merge with Compare Function

Method 1: Copy and Paste Slides

The easiest way to put together multiple PowerPoint slides is by copying and pasting. Here’s how you can merge two PowerPoint presentations using this method:

1. Open both presentations:  Launch Microsoft PowerPoint and open the two presentations you want to merge.

2. Navigate to the slides to copy:  In the presentation containing the slides you want to transfer, go to the slide thumbnail pane on the left side of the window.

3. Select slides:  Click on the desired slide(s) to copy. You can hold down the Ctrl key to choose multiple non-consecutive slides or Shift for consecutive slides.

4. Copy slides:  Right-click on the selected slides and choose “Copy” from the context menu. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C.

5. Navigate to the destination presentation:  Switch to the other presentation where you want to insert the copied slides.

6. Choose insertion location:  Click on the slide thumbnail where you want the copied slides to appear after. This will determine their order in the final presentation.

7. Paste slides:  Right-click on the chosen location and select “Paste” from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+V.

8. Adjust formatting (optional):  If the pasted slides don’t match the formatting of your destination presentation, you can manually adjust them using the options in the “Home” and “Format” tabs.

Method 2: Reuse PowerPoint Slides

You can also combine PowerPoint slides using the “Reuse” option. It’s straightforward and lets you choose which slides you want to add and where you want them. Here’s how you do it:

1. Open the target presentation:  Launch PowerPoint and open the presentation where you want to include slides from another presentation.

2. Access the “Reuse Slides” pane:  Go to the “Home” tab in the ribbon. Click on the “New Slide” button and select “Reuse Slides” from the dropdown menu.

3. Browse for the source presentation:  In the “Reuse Slides” pane on the right, click on “Browse” and locate the presentation containing the slides you want to reuse. Select the file and click “Open.”

4. Choose slides to reuse:  In the “Reuse Slides” pane, you’ll see thumbnails of all slides from the source presentation. Click on the checkbox(es) next to the slides you want to include.

5. Insert the slides:  Click on the “Insert” button at the bottom of the “Reuse Slides” pane. The selected slides will be inserted at the current location in your target presentation.

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Method 3: Use Insert Object to Merge PowerPoint Files

Note:  This method has limitations. It inserts the entire source presentation as an object within the target presentation. You cannot edit the content of the inserted slides directly, only their position and size.

2. Go to the “Insert” tab:  Click on the “Insert” tab in the ribbon.

3. Navigate to “Object”:  In the “Insert” tab, click on the “Object” button.

4. Select “Create from File”:  In the “Insert Object” window, choose the “Create from File” option.

5. Browse for the source presentation:  Click on “Browse” and navigate to the presentation containing the slides you want to insert. Select the file and click “Open.”

6. Insert the presentation (as an object):  Click “OK” in the “Insert Object” window. The entire source presentation will be inserted as an object on the current slide of your target presentation.

Method 4: Drag and Drop Slides

Another simple way to merge PowerPoint presentations is by dragging and dropping slides. This is handy if you’re working on different presentations or collaborating on a project. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Both Presentations:  Launch the presentations containing the slides you want to merge.

2. Arrange Side-by-Side:  Resize and position the presentation windows so you can view both presentations simultaneously.

3. Select and Drag:  In the presentation you’re copying from, click and hold the thumbnail of the desired slide in the left-side navigation pane.

4. Drop into New Location:  Drag the selected slide thumbnail and release it onto the preferred position within the other presentation’s navigation pane. The slide will be copied to the new location.

5. Repeat for Additional Slides:  Continue dragging and dropping any other slides you want to transfer between presentations.

Method 5: Merge with Compare Function

This feature helps you merge your slides while keeping the formatting consistent. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open Destination Presentation:  Open the presentation where you want to merge all the slides from another presentation.

2. Access Compare Function:  Click on the “Review” tab from the top menu bar. Locate the “Compare” button within the “Compare” section and click on it.

3. Browse for Source Presentation:  A new window will appear. Click the “Browse” button and navigate to select the presentation containing the slides you want to merge.

4. Choose Merge Option:  From the “Compare” dropdown menu, select the “Merge” option.

5. Review and Select Slides (Optional):  A new pane will appear on the right, displaying slides from both presentations. You can choose to include or exclude specific slides from the merge process using the checkboxes beside each slide.

6. Complete the Merge:  Click the “Merge” button at the bottom of the pane. This will combine all selected slides from the second presentation into the first presentation.

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Closing Thoughts

Learning to merge PowerPoint slides is a useful skill that can save you time and effort. With the different methods we covered, you can easily combine content from various presentations, keep formatting consistent, and create strong presentations that get your point across. So, the next time you’re putting together a presentation, remember that merging slides can be a valuable tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the overall look change if i put ppt slides together.

Usually, the look stays the same. But you can choose to keep the style or not when you merge them.

How can I put many locked PowerPoints into one?

To do this, you need to unlock the PowerPoints first. Then, open each one and go to File > Info > Protect Presentation > Encrypt with Password. Delete the password, click OK, and now you can mix the slides into one presentation.

Can I make one PDF from several PowerPoints?

Yes! Just copy and paste the slides from each PowerPoint into one big presentation or use the Reuse Slide option. After that, save it as a PDF by going to File > Save as > PDF or File > Save & Send > Create PDF/XPS Document > Publish .

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How to Combine Multiple PowerPoints into One

PowerPoint is one of the most widespread and widely used Microsoft tools in the world, allowing you to make high quality presentations in a simple, fast and super visual way. Maybe that's why presentations have triumphed in the world of business and education! 

Whether you're a professional or a student, you surely must have had to make more than one presentation throughout your career. That's a piece of cake when you have Slidesgo and its templates! In this post we want to lend you a hand and help you become a true master of this program: today you will learn how to combine different PowerPoint presentations .

How to merge PowerPoint presentations

If you want to join two or more different presentations in the same file, you want to add some extra slides or you need to merge the collaborative work of different teams, all you have to do is follow these steps: 

• Open the first presentation. For this example we are going to use the template Minimalist Grayscale Pitch Deck .
• Go to the Start menu > New Slide. Click on the drop-down, not on the button. A menu will open with different options, select "Reuse slides".
• A menu will open on the right with recommended presentations. To add yours, click on Browse. We are going to add slides from the presentation Investment Business Plan .
• Go to the place in the presentation where you want the new content to appear.
• Choose which slides you want to add and add them one by one by clicking Insert Slide. You can also add the whole presentation by clicking on Insert All.

Pro tip : We recommend that you keep the "Use source formatting" checkbox checked. This feature makes the presentation you are adding keep its original style instead of adapting to the layout of the new one. 

Simple, isn't it? There is also another method, just as quick and easy, using the ancient technique known as "copy and paste". It consists of the following:

• Open the presentation where you want the new slides to appear.
• Open the other presentation and choose the slides you want to add. You can select more than one by pressing Control and clicking on them or you can select all of them by pressing Control + E. For this example we are going to add three slides from the Business Plan with Elegant Backgrounds template.
• Right click and press copy or press Control + C.
• Now go to the first presentation, choose the location and right click > Paste or press Control + V. Remember to select "Keep source formatting", this will keep the slides from losing their layout.

Now that you know how to put together your favorite presentations and slides, take a look at our website and download the ones that best suit your needs. You can choose resources from different designs and put them together to create the perfect presentation. 

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3 Ways to Combine Multiple PowerPoint Presentation Files

So you made two different PowerPoint presentations and are stuck with merging them together? Don’t worry. You want to match their themes or keep them original? Covered. You want to drop/keep transitions? Cool.PowerPoint got it all covered for you. However you want to merge slides, you can do it all in PowerPoint itself. This article will take you through different methods and options that will let you combine multiple PowerPoint Presentation files the way you please.

Table of Contents

Method 1: Reuse Slides

When to use:

• If you do not want to keep the transitions and animations of the inserted presentation after merging it into the main presentation.
• If you want to merge only a few slides of inserted presentation and not the whole presentation.

How to use:

1.Open the main presentation in which you want to insert another presentation.

2.Decide the two slides between which you want to insert the new slides and click between them.

3. A red line will appear.

4.Click on the ‘ Insert ’ menu.

5.Open the drop-down menu by clicking on ‘ New Slide ’.

6.At the bottom of the menu, click on ‘ Reuse Slides ’.

7.On the right-hand side, the Reuse Slides tab will appear.

8.If you want to keep the theme of the inserted presentation, check the ‘ Keep source formatting ’ checkbox at the bottom of the tab. Else, if you want it to take the theme of the main presentation, uncheck the box.

9.Now, browse the file you want to insert and click on OK.

10.You can now see all the slides of the presentation to be inserted.

11.If you want a few particular slides from this presentation to appear in the main presentation, simply click on the thumbnail . Else, right-click on any thumbnail and click on ‘ Insert all slides ’.

12.Adding a slide while having ‘ Keep source formatting ’ checked you will get something like this.

And unchecking ‘Keep source formatting’ will give you.

13.If you want the whole presentation with the theme of the inserted presentation, right-click on any thumbnail in the ‘ Reuse Slides ’ tab and click on ‘ Apply theme to all slides ’ and you will then get:

14.If you want to insert the new slides at different positions in the main presentation, then before clicking on any particular slide to be inserted in the ‘Reuse Slides’ tab, just click on that main slide thumbnail (on the left-hand side of the window), below which you want your inserted slide. You can do this for every inserted slide to get this:

Method 2: Insert Object

• If you want to keep the transitions and animations of the inserted presentation after merging it into the main presentation.
• If you want to merge the whole presentation into the main presentation.

2. Add a blank slide at the position you want your inserted slide to be. You can do this by clicking on ‘ New Slide ’ in the insert menu and then clicking on ‘ Blank ’.

3.Click on ‘ Object ’ in the insert menu.

4.Select ‘ Create from file ’ radio button and browse the presentation you want to be inserted and click on OK.

5.You will see the first slide of the inserted presentation in the center of the blank slide you had inserted.

6. Resize the inserted slide to fit the main slide completely by dragging the corners of the inserted slide.

7.Click on the Object.

8.Go to the Animations menu and click on ‘ Add Animation ’.

9.Click on ‘ OLE action verbs ’ at the bottom of the drop-down menu.

11.In the dialog box, select ‘ Show ’ and click on OK.

13.Go to the ‘ Animations ’ menu and click on ‘ Animation Pane ’.

14.On the right-hand side, a tab will open. You can see the inserted object in the tab.

15.Click on the downward pointer beside the object name and a list will open.

16.Select ‘ Start With Previous ’.

17.Now, s elect the object in the tab and click on the downward pointer again.

18.Select ‘ Effect Options ’. A dialog box will open.

19.In the ‘After Animation’ drop-down list, click on ‘ Hide After Animation ’.

20.Now insert some object like a text box or an image on the main slide containing the inserted presentation object.

21.Right-click on it and select ‘ Send to Back ’.

22. You now have your presentations merged.

Method 3: Copy-Paste

If you want to keep animations of the inserted presentation and want to keep/change the theme and transitions.

1.Open the presentation you want to insert and select the slides that you want to insert into the main presentation.

2.Press ‘ Ctrl+C ’ to copy them.

3.Open the main presentation.

4.Right-click in the left pane wherever you want to insert the slides.

5.Here you get two paste options:

1.USE DESTINATION THEME:

Selecting this will cause the inserted slides to adopt the theme and transitions of the main presentation while keeping the animations of inserted slides intact.

2.KEEP SOURCE FORMATTING:

Selecting this will keep the theme, transitions, and animations of inserted file itself.

6. Select the option you want and you are done.

There you go! You can now merge your presentations with any possible combinations.

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I hope the above steps were helpful and now you can easily Combine Multiple PowerPoint Presentation Files, but if you still have any questions regarding this tutorial then feel free to ask them in the comment section.

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How to Merge Files in Powerpoint: A Step-by-Step Guide

Merging files in PowerPoint is a handy skill to have when you’re looking to combine information from different presentations or when you’re collaborating with others on a project. It might sound like a tricky task, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. In just a few simple steps, you can have all your slides together in one impressive presentation.

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Merge Files in PowerPoint

Before we dive into the steps, let’s understand what we’re about to do. Merging files in PowerPoint is all about bringing slides from different presentations into one. This can be very useful when you’re working on a group project or need to consolidate information. So, let’s get started!

Step 1: Open Your Main PowerPoint Presentation

Open the PowerPoint presentation where you want to add slides from another presentation.

When you’ve opened your main PowerPoint file, make sure it’s the one where you want all the merged slides to end up. Think of it as the ‘mother ship’ that’s about to welcome all the ‘little ship’ slides into its deck.

Step 2: Select the Slides You Want to Merge

Go to the “Home” tab, click on “New Slide,” and then choose “Reuse Slides” from the drop-down menu.

A pane will appear on the right side of the PowerPoint window. This is where you’ll be able to browse and select the slides you want to add to your main presentation.

Step 3: Browse and Choose the Presentation File

Click on “Browse” and then “Browse File” to select the PowerPoint file you want to merge with your main presentation.

You’ll need to navigate to the location of the PowerPoint file you want to merge. Once you find it, click on it and then click “Open” to bring up the slides in the Reuse Slides pane.

Step 4: Insert the Slides

Click on each slide you want to insert into your main presentation or check “Keep source formatting” and click “Insert All.”

You can select individual slides by clicking on them or insert all the slides from the secondary presentation. If you want to maintain the original design and formatting of the inserted slides, make sure to check “Keep source formatting.”

Step 5: Save Your Merged PowerPoint

Save your newly merged PowerPoint presentation by clicking on “File” and then “Save As.”

After you’ve merged all the slides you need, don’t forget to save your presentation. You can choose to overwrite the original file or save it as a new file with a different name.

After completing these steps, you’ll have a single PowerPoint presentation with slides from different files merged together. Now, you’ll be able to present all your information seamlessly without having to switch between different files.

Tips: Making the Most of Merging Files in PowerPoint

• Ensure that the presentation you’re adding slides to is saved before you start merging, just in case something goes awry.
• Use the “Keep source formatting” option if you want to retain the original design of the slides you’re merging. This is especially helpful if they come from a presentation with a different theme or layout.
• Consider the sequence of the slides. Make sure they are in the order that best supports your presentation’s flow.
• If you’re merging files from multiple team members, check for consistency in font, size, and color to maintain a professional look.
• It’s a good idea to review the final presentation to check for any formatting issues or duplications that may have occurred during the merge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i merge powerpoint presentations with different themes.

To merge presentations with different themes, use the “Keep source formatting” checkbox when inserting the slides. This will preserve the original theme and formatting of the slides being merged.

Can I merge multiple PowerPoint files at once?

While you can’t select multiple files to merge simultaneously, you can repeat the process of merging for each file you want to add to your main presentation.

What happens if I don’t select “Keep source formatting”?

If you don’t select “Keep source formatting,” the inserted slides will adopt the theme and formatting of your main presentation, which might change their original look.

Can I merge specific slides from a presentation?

Yes, you can choose individual slides to merge by clicking on them in the “Reuse Slides” pane instead of selecting “Insert All.”

Will animations and transitions be preserved when merging slides?

Yes, if you check “Keep source formatting,” animations and transitions should be preserved. However, it’s always good to double-check the final presentation.

• Open your main PowerPoint presentation.
• Select “Reuse Slides” from the “New Slide” drop-down menu.
• Browse and choose the PowerPoint file you want to merge.
• Click on individual slides or “Insert All” to merge.
• Save your newly merged presentation.

Merging files in PowerPoint is a straightforward process that can save you a ton of time and hassle. Whether you’re pulling together a group project or consolidating your work, knowing how to merge presentations effectively can make you the PowerPoint guru among your peers. Remember to save your work frequently, check for consistency, and review your final presentation for any mishaps that might have occurred during the merging process. With this new skill in your back pocket, you’re ready to tackle any presentation challenge that comes your way. Happy merging!

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 Merge PowerPoints

It’s easy to merge your PowerPoint presentations

• Fayetteville State University

Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.

• Wichita Technical Institute

What to Know

• In your primary PowerPoint: Home > New Slide > Reuse Slides > Browse .
• In your secondary PowerPoint: Open . Right-click individual slides and choose Insert Slide , or select Insert All Slides .

This article explains how to combine two or more PowerPoint presentations into one presentation. Whether you’re using Mac or PC versions of PowerPoint, it’s easy to combine PowerPoint presentations.

Method 1: Reuse Slides

Microsoft PowerPoint provides the option to Reuse Slides . This method doesn’t require you to open all of your PowerPoint presentations, so it’s the fastest and easiest way to combine presentations.

Open your main PowerPoint presentation. You can choose the largest presentation, or whichever one has formatting you want to keep.

When you insert slides, they’ll be inserted after the slide you have currently selected. Keep this in mind before inserting slides.

Go to the Home tab in the upper-left corner.

Click New Slide . A drop-down menu will open.

Newer versions of PowerPoint have a dedicated Reuse Slides button.

Select Reuse Slides , located at the bottom of the menu.

Click Browse .

Find your second PowerPoint file and click Open . The slides from your second presentation will appear in the Reuse Slides menu.

Make sure Keep source formatting is checked if you want your slides to keep their formatting. If it isn’t checked, the formatting of your main PowerPoint will be applied to the slides when you insert them.

If you want to insert individual slides, select them and click Insert Slide .

If you want to reuse all slides in the PowerPoint presentation, click Insert All . If you don't see this, right-click one slide and choose Insert All Slides .

After your slides are merged into your presentation, Save your work.

Method 2: Copy slides

If you need to combine slides from several different PowerPoint presentations, copying PowerPoint Sides is another quick method. It’s easy to choose where each batch of slides ends up in your final presentation.

Open the PowerPoint presentation with slides you want to move.

Select the slides you want to copy from the slide viewer on the left.

Right-click the selected slides and copy them.

Open your main PowerPoint presentation.

Right-click where you want your slides to be inserted. The Paste Options menu will appear.

You can also use CTRL + V to paste the slides. On Mac, use command + V . The Paste Options menu will still appear.

If you want your inserted slides to match your main PowerPoint, click Use Destination Theme on the left. This will adapt the copied slides to your main presentation.

If you want your inserted slides to maintain their theme, click Keep Source Formatting . Your slides will keep their original appearance.

After moving all of your slides, save your project.

First, combine PowerPoint presentations by copying and pasting slides into the primary presentation or using the  Reuse Slide  option. After combining slides into one merged document,  save your PowerPoint as a PDF . Go to  File  >  Save as  >  PDF  or  File  >  Save & Send  >  Create PDF/XPS Document  >  Publish .

To merge multiple locked PowerPoints, you need to know the passwords to unlock them. Once you have password access, open the PowerPoints and select  File  >  Info  >  Protect Presentation  >  Encrypt with Password  > delete the content in the  Password  field > and select  OK . Now you can reuse or copy slides into one main presentation.

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How to Merge PowerPoint Files into a Single File

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 July 21, 2023

PowerPoint presentations are commonplace for many lines of work, and often times there’s a need to combine slides and files. If you need to use slides from two or more PowerPoint presentations for your school assignment or an office presentation, there are several ways to go about it. You can insert individual slides, import whole presentations, or simply merge two presentations.

We’ll cover everything you need to know about merging PowerPoint files in this article.

Reuse PowerPoint Slides

Reusing slides is the easiest way to include slides from one presentation in another presentation. With this method, you can control what slides you are adding and choose where to insert them. Here is how the reuse slides method works.

• If you want to discard the theme of your main presentation in favor of the theme in the external presentation, you should select the Apply Theme to All Slides option when selecting the slides you want to insert.

This method is great if you want to add a slide or two to your main presentation. Also, if you want to add bits and pieces from various presentations to your main presentation, this is the way to go. Though you can insert all slides from an external presentation via this method, it is better to take the Insert Object route for that.

Use Insert Object to Merge PowerPoint Files

The insert object method is your best option if you want to insert all slides from an external presentation and keep the animations and transitions between them.

Keep in mind that once you insert the slides into your new presentation, they won’t be linked to the original file. As such, any changes you make to the original file will not affect the slides you inserted into your main presentation. Conversely, if you edit the slides in your main presentation, the external file from which you copied those slides will remain unchanged.

With that out of the way, let us see how the insert object method works.

 After you have successfully inserted the entire object into your main presentation, you can adjust and tweak it to make sure it runs smoothly.

Merge PowerPoint Documents

Finally, you can opt to completely merge two PowerPoint presentations into one. Here’s how this method works:

• Once the merging is complete, you will see the Revisions pane right of the merged presentations.

• The Slide Changes portion displays the differences between the individual slides of the two presentations. Choose the settings you want to keep for the final version.

Drag and Drop PowerPoint Slides

One of the simpler ways to merge two presentations is using a drag-and-drop method. If you have two separate presentations and would like to make them into one, or if you are working on a group project, you can merge them using this function.

• Open both presentations on your PC or Mac, and make sure you minimize the PowerPoint program so that you can see both at the same time.

To make things even simpler, your final presentation will automatically update to the design of the receiving document. Of course, you can always update the design of the entire document by using the Design function at the top of your presentation.

Final Thoughts

The methods explained in this article will help you take your PowerPoint skills to the next level. You will be able to combine and merge your presentations like a pro in mere minutes. Now that you know these PowerPoint tricks, you can better spend your time elsewhere.

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Did you know you can compare two different versions of your presentation in PowerPoint and merge the changes? This is a very handy feature you can take advantage of if you work a lot with PowerPoint presentations with your team.

After a person has made changes to your presentation, you can compare your original with the one that has been changed. Just open your original presentation and go to Review  and click on Compare.

Select the new presentation to check on the changes that have been made to it.

You will now see a new pane on your right, which highlights the changes that have been made to your presentation. In the Slide changes box, you will see what changes have been done to the text, animations, pictures and other content changes. In the Presentation changes box, you will be able to review changes as deleted or moved slides or transitions.

Every change will be shown with a box that tells you what the exact change was. You can select or deselect to approve or deny the changes.

• Microsoft PowerPoint

Home » Tech Tips » Apps » How to Merge PowerPoint Presentations?

How to Merge PowerPoint Presentations?

Whether you are a company manager, a member of the project team, a student or a teacher, making presentations is something you have to deal with from time to time. In such a situation, Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT) is a powerful tool for creating a captivating and accurate presentation for your audience. However, even when you have prepared your slides perfectly, you can easily confuse and lose your audience during the presentation, especially when you need to fetch your content from multiple presentations or presenting as a team. In this guide, we will show you how to merge multiple PPTs to prevent errors when making presentations.

Related: How to fix slow PowerPoint and speed up your presentations?

Why Merge PowerPoint Presentations?

Learning how to combine presentations into a single seamless file offers several benefits including:

• You look organized and professional – Organizing your presentation into a single neat file improves the flow of the presentation, and is a sign of professionalism and organization.
• Avoids time wasting – Merging individual PPTs into one saves time as you don’t have to switch between files/slides looking for the correct content.
• It is a sign of teamwork – You can create a master presentation as a team to avoid the awkward pause as the next presenter tries to load their part of the presentation.
• It gives you flexibility – It allows you to deliver your content clearly using different themes or layouts as well as maintain the formatting of the original presentation.

There are several ways of combining individual presentations to enhance the flow of ideas during a PPT presentation.

Method 1: Using “Hyperlink” to Merge Presentations in PowerPoint

One of the simplest ways is to combine by linking the main/master presentation to the other individual presentations.

• First, it is a good practice to save your presentations on the same computer, preferably the same storage drive/folder.
• Now open the master presentation and create a new slide where you want to insert the content from the other file.
• Type something in the new slide to describe the presentation that follows.
• Highlight the text and under the “Insert” tab click on “Actions”.

• The “Action Settings” dialogue will appear. Check the “Hyperlink to” option and click the arrow to expand the options.

• Select the “Other PPT…” option and on the resulting pop-up, browse to select the PPT file that you want to merge with and click “Ok”.

• You can choose the slide where you want the presentation to pick from. If you want to merge the entire presentation, select the first slide and click “Ok”.

• Your description will now appear as a link that upon click will open the specific slide you selected above.

Related: PowerPoint tips to improve your productivity .

Method 2: Merging Presentations with Reuse Slides Feature

The Reuse Slides method comes handy when you want to match maintain the theme of the master presentation all through, as well as when you want to selectively insert slides from another PPT file.

• Click the space between the two slides where you want to import the slides and then under the “Insert” tab click the “New Slide” arrow.
• At the bottom of the resulting menu, select “Reuse Slides…”.

• From the pop-up that appears, click the link to open a PPT file or the “Browse” button to choose a file from your PC storage .

• This will display thumbnails of the slides from the second presentation where you can click a particular slide to add it into the main presentation.
• The added slides will automatically take the theme of the master presentation, but you can retain the original theme by checking the “Keep source formatting” box at the bottom of the pop-up.
• Once done, close the Reuse Slides pop-up.

Method 3: Embedding a Presentation into Another

Another way you can combine separate presentations is by embedding the PPT file as an object. Unlike method 2 above, embedding a presentation will maintain its animations and transitions effects.

• Add a new slide, go to “Insert” and select “Object” from the ribbon .
• On the resulting dialogue, check the option to create an object from file and click the “Browse…” button.
• Select the file that you want to embed and then click “Ok”.

• This will add the first slide of the external presentation into the current slide. You may need to drag the embedded PPT to fit the size of the current slide.

• You can also set the embedded presentation to play when you get to that slide.
• To do so, select the object and go to the “Animations” tab. Click the arrow to expand the animation options and select “OLE Action Verbs” at the bottom of the menu.

• Select “Show” on the resulting pop-up and then click “Ok”.

Note: With the hyperlink method, if you edit the content of the original presentation, it will automatically update the slides in the master PPT but if you used the insert object method, you can edit embed and the original PPT independently.

When presenting from multiple PPT files or when making a team presentation, combining the various presentations into a single master presentation can save you time and help you avoid errors. Besides, this makes your presentation look professional and neat. Fortunately, MS PowerPoint enables users to merge presentations using the above three options depending on objectives and taste.

About Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WebNots are team of experts who love to build websites, find tech hacks and share the learning with community.

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How to combine and merge PowerPoint-presentations

In my work as an AV-technician on conference and events, I receive Powerpoint presentations from speakers that represents different companies. My job is to make sure that these are displayed on the projector/screen at the right moment exactly as they were made. To simplify this task, we made Auto Presentation Switcher (APS) which lets you open and display new presentations using keyboard-shortcuts and network-commands. But you may ask, isn’t this something that can be done from within PowerPoint? How can we merge and switch PowerPoint presentations without using third-party software?

And yes, as it turns out, Powerpoint has methods for combining slides and linking presentations. Today we will show different ways to work with multiple PowerPoint presentations for live events, and focus on 3 methods:

• Paste and reuse slides
• Switch presentations with APS
• Use hyperlinks

After reading this blogpost, you should be a master of combining and merging PowerPoint-presentations. This can solve a lot of problems if you work as an event-producer or AV-technician on live events.

1. Paste and reuse Powerpoint slides

Some event-organizers want to have all the slides from the different speakers in one master-presentation. Then they can control everything from one presentation-clicker, and never exit the presentation during the show.

To create this presentation, you can paste the slides you need into one master-presentation. Or you can use the Reuse Slides method, which is an option in Powerpoint to import multiple slides. When pasting and reusing slides, there is one pitfall that you should be aware of, which can easily be overlooked: By default, if you bring slides from one presentation into another, PowerPoint can automatically make those slides look like the new presentation, by applying the destination theme to them. If you want the pasted slides to look identical to the original, you need to apply the option “Keep Source Formatting”

Pasting and reusing slides on Mac

This video shows how to paste slides and keep source formatting when using Mac:

There is an easier way to import multiple slides: using the “Reuse Slides” method. However, when I tested this for Mac, I couldn’t find a way to keep the source formatting. Notice in the video below that the popup-square for the theme-options doesn’t appear after reusing the slides. So, unless I did something fundamentally wrong here, the “reuse slides” method on Mac can´t be used in my workflow. The reused slides wont be identical to the originals.

Paste and reuse slides on PC

It seems that these things work better on Windows: When I paste slides, the formatting-options appear as an option before the slide is inserted, making it harder to miss: 

And when re-using slides, the “keep original formatting” is chosen as the default option: 

This is one example where the PC version of PowerPoint is more developed than the Mac counterpart. If your workflow relies heavily on combining slides from different presentations, I recommend using the Windows version.

2. Use APS to switch between different PowerPoint presentations

The method of pasting and reusing slides takes time, and it’s easy to screw up the formatting. And, if the presentations have different aspect-ratio of let’s say 16:9 and 4:3, then combining the slides becomes more difficult. For these reasons, I think its a good idea to have alternative solutions for working with multiple Powerpoint presentations. One of the reasons we made APS was to solve this problem of quickly and seamlessly displaying content from different presentations. With APS, you don’t need to edit the presentations at all, instead you get shortcuts and network-commands to open and display new presentations. And with the seamless switching method , the audience wont notice the switch: The transitions will look the same as if you progress to the next slide.

3. Link PowerPoint presentations with internal hyperlinks

If you don’t want to use a third-party program like APS to switch presentations, you can try the internal solution presented by Powerpoint: Hyperlinks. This lets you create buttons in a slide that jumps to another presentation. This video shows how it’s done: 

The Hyperlink-button switches seamlessly to the next presentation. When pushing “escape”, you go back to the presentation with the hyperlink. I recently had a discussion on Reddit where the user u/SteveRindsberg explained how he used Hyperlinks to display different Powerpoint presentations: He has one presentation which only consists of one slide with hyperlinks to all the other speaker-presentations. The hyperlink-slide acts as a remote control. To exit the speaker-presentations and return to the hyperlink-slide, he push “escape”. In this setup, the presentation with the hyperlink is always in slideshow-mode but hidden behind the speaker-presentations started from the hyperlink. I think this is a sound method, and a viable alternative to APS. However, in my biased opinion, being the founder of APS, I do want to point out some advantages of using APS compared to using hyperlinks:

• Easier preparation. With APS you just need to sort the presentations in a folder. Creating a master-slide with the hyperlinks can be more intimidating if you don’t know Powerpoint very well.
• You get more ways to trigger the command to switch presentations. The commands can be controlled from Companion and Stream Deck, making APS compatible with professional A/V networks. With Hyperlinks you can only start the presentations by pushing the links with the mouse
• Switching presentations with APS are seamless, whereas with the Hyperlink-method there is no way to avoid displaying the slide with all the hyperlinks. Arguably, you can use a video-switcher to smooth out the transitions, but with APS these things are taken care of within the computer.

Summary: The best way to combine and merge Powerpoint presentations for professional live A/V

In this blogtext we have shown different ways you can merge slides and switch presentations, and if you are a professional A/V technician working with presentations, I think its useful to know all of them:

• Pasting and reusing slides can be a good solution if you have time to prepare this, and the organizer wants to have all the slides in one presentation
• APS works great to quickly and seamlessly switch between different presentations with a minimum of preparation
• Hyperlinks works well if you are experienced with Powerpoint, you like to have a page with links to all your presentations, and you don’t need the seamless transitions between the presentations.

As always, bring different tools to your arsenal, and be prepared for any request the client might have. But before we finish this text I want to repeat one thing: If you decide to paste slides or reuse slides, remember to turn on the setting for Keep Source Formatting. Otherwise the speakers can be in for a surprise when they see the presentation on the projector. 

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How to Merge Two PowerPoint Presentations Together and Maintain the Format

By Anni Martin

Awkward transitions between Microsoft PowerPoint presentations can be a deal breaker. After your own presentation finishes and you sit down, your client can lose interest in what your company has to offer while your colleague’s presentation loads. By combining two presentations into one seamless whole, the transition is smooth and you both look professional. In PowerPoint, you pull together individual presentations using the Reuse Slides feature and maintain original formatting for each presentation. You can also use the Merge feature to compare two presentations and choose what to keep or discard.

Reuse Slides

Open PowerPoint and one of the presentations. In the Slides pane, scroll through your slides and then click where to add the slides from the second presentation.

Click the “Home” tab, click the “New Slide" down arrow and then click “Reuse Slides” to open the Reuse Slides pane.

Click “Open a PowerPoint File” in the Reuse Slides pane.

Browse and select the presentation you want to add to the first presentation and then click “Open.” The slides from the presentation open in the Reuse Slides pane.

Select the “Keep Source Formatting” check box at the bottom of the Reuse Slides pane. Right-click on any of the slides in the Reuse Slides pane. Click “Insert All Slides” to combine slides from the second presentation with the first and maintain the formatting from each presentation. You can also add individual slides by clicking on the slide to add it to the presentation.

Save the combined slides by clicking the “File” tab and then “Save.” If you want to give the combined presentations a different name, click the “File” tab and “Save As.” Type a new filename in the File Name box and click “Save.”

Merge the Documents

Open PowerPoint and one of the presentations. Click the “Review” tab.

Click the “Compare” button in the Compare group. Browse and select the second presentation to combine. Click “Merge.” The presentations merge and the Revisions pane opens to the right of the merged presentations. The Revisions pane shows the differences between the two documents and allows you to accept or reject changes.

Scroll through the Presentation Changes section in the Revisions pane. This area shows slides from the second presentation to add to the first presentation. Click a slide title to display a revision check box. Select the revision check box to accept the proposed revision.

Scroll through the Slide Changes section in the Revisions pane. This area shows the differences between the two slide presentations. Click a slide change in the Slide Changes section to display a revision check box. Select the revision check box to accept the proposed revision.

Click “File” and then click “Save As” to save the presentation once you are done with changes to the two documents. Type a filename and then click “Save” to save the merged documents.

• Microsoft Office: Reuse (Import) Slides from Another Presentation
• Microsoft Showcase: Compare and Merge PowerPoint Presentations
• Missouri State University: Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010

Translating technical jargon into everyday English is one of Anni Martin’s specialties. She is an educator and writer who spent over 13 years teaching and creating documentation at the University of Missouri. She holds a Master’s Degree in educational technology as well as Bachelor’s degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Missouri.

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When making a presentation, you don't need to create slides from scratch. You can insert slides from other sources to save some time.

Insert Slides from an Outline

You can create a presentation from an outline, saved as a Word document.

• Click the New Slide list arrow.

• Select a document containing an outline.

A slide is inserted for every top level in the outline automatically.

Insert Slides from Another Presentation

If you have slides in an existing presentation that you want to add, PowerPoint allows you to import them directly into an open presentation.

• Select Reuse Slides .

A file browser window opens, where you can browse for the PowerPoint presentation that contains the slides you want to use.

• Select another presentation.

The Reuse Slides pane opens, displaying the slides in the selected presentation.

• Select where you want to insert the slide.

The selected slide is added to the presentation. Notice that the content of the slide is copied over, but the theme—including the colors, background, and font—is not.

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How to Combine PowerPoint Presentations With Different Templates

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Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to combine two or more presentations with different theme templates. PowerPoint includes a Keep Source Formatting option that retains the template format for each slide. For example, a presentation with the Ion template showcasing your current products can include some slides with the Organic template promoting your future products to help your clients view the contrast between your timely products.

Open your PowerPoint presentation in Normal view. If the left slide pane and command ribbon do not display, click the “Normal” button on the status bar.

Click the “Home” tab on the ribbon, click the “New Slide” down arrow in the Slides group to open a list and then click “Reuse Slides” to open the Reuse Slides pane.

Click the “Browse” button in the Reuse Slides pane and then click “Browse File” to bring up a list of your files in a dialog box. Click the PowerPoint file that contains the different template and then click “Open” in the dialog box to display the slides in the Reuse Slides pane.

Select the “Keep Source Formatting” check box at the bottom of the Reuse Slides pane.

Click the slide in the left pane where you want to insert the slide from the Reuse Slides pane. For example, click slide "3" if you want to insert a slide after this slide. A color border surrounds the selected slide.

Click the preferred slide in the Reuse Slides pane to copy to the left pane and presentation. Continue scrolling and selecting slides from the left pane and inserting slides from the right pane to expand your first PowerPoint presentation with the combined slides.

• Microsoft Office: PowerPoint 2013, Use Slides from Another Presentation File
• Microsoft Office: Duplicate Slides Within a Presentation
• Microsoft Office: PowerPoint 2013, Change the Slide Design (Theme)
• Microsoft Office: Apply Multiple Slide Designs (Themes) to One Presentation
• Open the larger PowerPoint presentation to insert slides quickly from the smaller presentation.
• Edit the slide presentations separately before you combine them.

Related Articles

How to rotate a slide in powerpoint, how to save a powerpoint template folder, how to create an emf format file, how to merge 2010 powerpoint files, how to change powerpoint odp to work on microsoft word, how to paste excel into powerpoint & change format, how to add footnotes in powerpoint, how to use a template for one slide in microsoft powerpoint, how to make a new slide in google docs, most popular.

• 1 How to Rotate a Slide in PowerPoint
• 2 How to Save a PowerPoint Template Folder
• 3 How to Create an EMF Format File
• 4 How to Merge 2010 PowerPoint Files

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PowerPoint Can’t Locate Microsoft Word: 4 Solutions to Fix

Sometimes, you may encounter a situation where widely used Microsoft applications, PowerPoint and Word, fail to talk to each other seamlessly, for instance, PowerPoint can’t locate Microsoft Word. This is a common issue, and you can find help in this MiniTool post by following step-by-step instructions.

PowerPoint and Microsoft Word are both popular tools used by many users every day. While these tools are similar and belong to the same suite of programs, they each have unique functions and serve their specific purposes. If you use the Microsoft Office program at work, you may find that it is a convenient function to convert a PowerPoint presentation into a Word document . Encountering the issue with PowerPoint can’t locate Microsoft Word is frustrating for many users who rely on these tools for their presentations and document creation.

Help: I have a PowerPoint presentation that I want to “send” to MS Word for printing ‘WITH NOTES”. When I click on File ---> Send --->Microsoft Word, I can pick “Slides with Notes”. But when I click OK, it pauses, giving the error “Microsoft PowerPoint cannot locate Microsoft Word. Please ensure that Word is properly installed on this computer.” Microsoft Word IS installed and works individually. If I try to send FROM Word TO PowerPoint, it acts like it sends, but the PPT document is blank. experts-exchange.com

Reasons Why PowerPoint Can’t Write to Microsoft Word

Several reasons may cause this error:

• Compatibility issue : The different versions of PowerPoint and Word may cause the error that PowerPoint can’t write to Microsoft Word.
• Default save location : The save location of Word is not detected by PowerPoint, and PowerPoint may assume that Word is not installed on your PC.
• Installation issue : PowerPoint and Word are part of the Office package. This error might occur when you install them separately.
• Corrupted files : Issues with the Microsoft Office application itself, such as corrupted files, can trigger this error.

4 Methods to Fix Can’t Convert PowerPoint to Word

PowerPoint’s inability to communicate effectively with Word will cost users valuable time and effort to fix the issue manually and prevent compatibility issues and data loss. Considering the importance of efficient collaboration and productivity in today’s fast-paced working environment, it is crucial to immediately handle this error with PowerPoint can’t locate Microsoft Word.

Method 1: Update PowerPoint and Microsoft Word

PowerPoint can’t locate Microsoft Word possibly due to the compatibility issue when the version of PowerPoint and Word are different on your computer. Updating them may resolve the error.

Step 1: Click the small magnifying glass icon, type Microsoft Store in the box, and select the relevant result in the list.

Step 2: In the pop-up window, choose the Library option in the left pane and select Get updates in the right panel.

If PowerPoint and Microsoft Word do not need to be updated on your computer, you can try the methods below to fix the issue.

Method 2: Repair Microsoft Office

Control Panel is a part of the Windows user interface that allows users to browse and change basic system settings, such as uninstalling software, controlling user accounts, and changing accessibility options. If PowerPoint can’t locate Microsoft Word on your PC, you can attempt to resolve this issue by repairing Microsoft Office via the Control Panel. Let’s see how.

Step 1: Type Control Panel in the search bar, and select the appropriate result from the list.

Step 2: After getting access to the Control Panel, navigate to this path: Programs > Programs and Features .

Step 3: Click Microsoft Office and select the Change option on the top toolkit.

Step 4: Choose the Yes button in the UAC prompt.

Step 5: In the following interface, check Quick Repair and click the Repair button.

After completing the above steps, you need to give PowerPoint another try. Test if PowerPoint presentations can convert into Word documents. If not, you could repeat the Step 1-4 explained above and choose Online Repair in Step 5 to try another fix.

Method 3: Clear up the Temporary Files

PowerPoint and Word have accumulated a growing number of temporary files over time. When corrupted files are present among them, these corrupted files may cause various errors. Cleaning up the temporary files ensures that no corrupted files interfere with the application.

Step 1: Press the Win + R key combination to launch the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Copy and paste the following path and press Enter :

%appdata%\Microsoft

Step 3: Scroll down to find PowerPoint and Word files in the folder, right-click on them, and select the Delete option.

Method 4: Disable Conflicting Add-ins

Conflicting add-ins can interfere with the integration between PowerPoint and Microsoft Word. You can fix the error by disabling add-ins:

Step 1: Open PowerPoint and navigate to the path: File > Options .

Step 2: Select the Add-ins option in the sidebar.

Step 3: Find the Manage dropdown and click it. Then select COM Add-ins and click on the Go… button.

Step 4: Uncheck any add-ins that are enabled.

Step 5: Click OK and restart PowerPoint.

Bottom Line

In this post, we explained the reasons why PowerPoint can’t locate Microsoft Word and how to fix it step by step. When you get into this issue, you can follow the above methods. Hope everything is useful for you!

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Present content in Microsoft Teams meetings

When working remotely in Microsoft Teams, you can present content by sharing your screen, your entire desktop, a PowerPoint file, and more.

Start presenting content

Note:  If you're using Teams on the web, you'll be able to share your screen only if you're using Google Chrome or the latest version of Microsoft Edge. Screen sharing isn't available for Linux users.

When you're done sharing, select Stop sharing in your meeting controls. 

To turn off screensharing if your screen locks:

Turn the  Turn off my camera and mic when my screen locks toggle on.

Restart Teams to activate this setting.

Presenter controls

While you're sharing content, use the controls in the presenter toolbar to keep your presentation engaging and running smoothly. The presenter toolbar is only visible to the person presenting.

To bring the presenter toolbar onscreen:

The toolbar will stay in place for a few seconds until you're done adjusting the controls. Then, it'll disappear from view.

Move the presenter toolbar 

To keep the presenter toolbar from blocking important content on your screen, move it to any area on the screen you're sharing.

To move the presenter toolbar:

Drag it anywhere on your screen.

Release the drag handle when you've placed it in the right area.

Tip:  You can also move the toolbar by clicking and holding any area on the toolbar that isn't interactive (e.g., in between presenter controls) and dragging it.

Control your camera and mic

Give and take control of shared content

Give control.

If you want another meeting participant to change a file, help you present, or demonstrate something, you can give control to that person. While someone has control, they can make selections, edits, and other modifications to the shared screen.

You'll both be in control of the sharing, and you can take back control anytime.

Caution:  When you’re sharing an app, only give control to people you trust . People you give control can send commands that could affect your system or other apps. We've taken steps to prevent this but haven't tested every possible system customization.

Start sharing your screen.

Select the person you want to give control to. Teams will notify them that you’re sharing control.

Select Take back  to take back control.

Take control 

To take control while another person is sharing:

Select Request control . The person sharing can approve or deny your request.

Make selections, edits, and other modifications to the shared screen while you have control.

Select Release control to stop sharing control.

Sharing computer sound lets you stream audio from your computer to meeting participants through Teams. You can use it to play a video or audio clip as part of a presentation.

To learn more, see  Share sound from your computer in a Teams meeting or live event .

All sound from your computer, including notifications, will be audible in the meeting.

Optimize for video

Prevent choppiness or lag when you're sharing high-motion content by optimizing video.

To optimize video, select Optimize  in your presenter toolbar. 

Change your layout

When you're sharing content, you can choose from several different layouts to help make your presentation more engaging. 

To change your layout while you're sharing your screen:

Turn your camera on.

Select the layout you want to use:

Content only : Participants will see the content you're sharing in the main Teams window. They'll still be able to see your video feed next to the content.

Standout : This produces an effect on your background that blocks it and helps you stand out in your video feed.

Side-by-side : This view will place you and another participant side-by-side in the meeting window. This helps draw focus to you and other participants who are speaking during the meeting.

Reporter : This layout isolates you from your video feed and places you in front of the content you're sharing, just like a reporter in front of a scene.

Annotate content

To learn more, see Use annotation while sharing your screen in Microsoft Teams .

View participants

After you start presenting, a minimized view of the meeting window will appear next to your shared content. 

Stop sharing

Select Stop sharing in the presenter toolbar to stop sharing your screen and return to the main Teams meeting window.

Share content on a Mac

If you're using a Mac, you'll need to grant permission to Teams to record your computer's screen before you can share. 

You'll be prompted to grant permission the first time you try to share your screen. Select Open System Preferences from the prompt. If you miss the prompt, you can do this anytime by going to Apple Menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security .

Under Screen & System Audio Recording , make sure the toggle next to  Microsoft Teams is turned on.

Go back to your meeting and try sharing your screen again.

Note:  If you're using Teams on the web, make sure you've also granted screen recording permission to your browser.

Zoom in to shared content

To get a better look at shared content, click and drag it to see different areas. To zoom into or out of content someone's sharing during a meeting or call, use the buttons at the lower left of your meeting window: [+] to zoom in and [-] to zoom out. You can also try the following:

Pinch in or out on your trackpad.

Use Teams keyboard shortcuts .

Hold the Ctrl  key and scroll with your mouse.

Note:  Mac trackpads don't support zoom in meetings. If you're on a Mac, use one of the other options. If you're using Linux, giving and taking control of shared content isn't available at this time.

Open shared content in new window

Expand your view by opening shared content in a separate window during your Teams meetings.

To open shared content:

Join your meeting from Teams for desktop .

To minimize content, select X  to close the window.

Share content

To share content from your mobile device:

Tap Stop presenting  or Stop sharing when you're done. 

Tip:  To go forward and back in a PowerPoint presentation, swipe in the direction you'd like to go, or tap the forward and back buttons on the bottom of your screen.

Note:  If your role changes from presenter to attendee during a meeting and you're presenting, screensharing will stop.

Zoom in to shared content 

Want to get a better look at shared content?

Pinch in or out to zoom, and tap and drag to see different areas.

Note:  Zoom isn't currently supported when you're sharing photos and videos.

Minimize shared content

You may want to minimize the content someone is sharing in order to better see the people in the meeting on your mobile device. Here's how:

Tap  Minimize content from the menu

This will give you a better look at more of the people in the meeting. You'll still see the shared content on the lower portion of your screen.

Use your phone as a companion device in a meeting

Join a meeting on more than one device for more collaboration and content-sharing options.

If you're already in a meeting on your laptop, for example, you can add your phone as a companion device to present files, share live video, and much more. Any device with the Teams mobile app can be added as a companion device—just make sure the devices you're using are signed in to the same Teams account.

There's a lot you can do when you add a companion device to your meeting experience:

Use mobile video to show things that are out of view for remote participants.

Take a photo to share with everyone or pick one from your camera roll.

Use your phone to control a presentation.

Share your mobile screen.

If you can see it on your phone, you can share it in the meeting!

Tip:  For more details, see Join a Teams meeting on a second device .

Add a companion device to a meeting

Open Teams on your mobile phone when you're already in a meeting on another device.

You'll see a message near the top of your screen informing you that you're currently in a meeting on another device, and asking if you want to join it on this one, too. Tap  Join .

You'll then see two options: Add this device , and Transfer to this device . Tap  Add this device .

If you join this way, we'll mute your companion device's mic and speaker to avoid causing an echo effect.

When you're ready to share something from the companion device, tap Start presenting at the bottom of the screen. On your other device, you'll be able to see what you're sharing, just like everyone else in the meeting.

When you're finished, tap  Stop presenting , or simply hang up. Your other device will still be connected to the meeting.

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