How to Put Animation in PowerPoint: A Definitive Guide

Animation in PowerPoint transforms static slides into dynamic presentations, capturing audience attention and enhancing message retention. You achieve this by utilizing PowerPoint’s built-in animation tools to control how text, images, and other objects appear, move, and disappear on your slides.

Table of Contents

Understanding PowerPoint Animation Basics

PowerPoint animation allows you to add movement and visual effects to objects within your slides. It’s more than just flashy transitions; it’s about strategically guiding the audience’s focus and revealing information in a controlled, engaging manner. Before diving into specific techniques, understanding the core elements is crucial.

Animation Pane: Your Control Center

The Animation Pane is your primary workspace for managing animations. Accessible from the Animations tab, this pane displays all animations applied to the current slide, allowing you to modify their timing, order, and effects. Learning to navigate and utilize the Animation Pane is the key to mastering PowerPoint animation.

Animation Types: Entrance, Emphasis, Exit, and Motion Paths

PowerPoint offers four main types of animations:

Entrance: These animations control how an object appears on the slide (e.g., Fade, Fly In, Zoom). They are marked with a green star icon in the Animation Pane.
Emphasis: These animations highlight an object already on the slide (e.g., Pulse, Spin, Change Font Color). They are represented by a yellow star icon.
Exit: These animations determine how an object disappears from the slide (e.g., Fly Out, Fade Out, Dissolve). They are denoted by a red star icon.
Motion Paths: These animations allow you to move an object along a predefined path (e.g., Lines, Arcs, Loops). They are shown with a line icon.

Choosing the right animation type is crucial for effectively conveying your message and avoiding distractions.

Triggers and Timing

Animations can be triggered in several ways:

On Click: The animation starts when you click the mouse or advance the slide.
With Previous: The animation starts simultaneously with the previous animation.
After Previous: The animation starts automatically after the previous animation completes.

You can also control the duration (how long the animation takes to play) and delay (the time before the animation starts). Precise control over timing is essential for creating polished and professional presentations.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Animation

Adding animation in PowerPoint is a straightforward process:

Select the Object: Click on the text box, image, chart, or other object you want to animate.
Go to the Animations Tab: Click on the “Animations” tab in the PowerPoint ribbon.
Choose an Animation: Select an animation from the “Animation” gallery. You can preview the animation by hovering over it. Use the “Add Animation” dropdown for more options.
Adjust Animation Options (if needed): Click on “Effect Options” to customize the animation’s direction, intensity, or other attributes.
Fine-Tune in the Animation Pane: Open the Animation Pane to adjust the timing, order, and trigger for your animation.
Test Your Animation: Use the “Preview” button in the Animations tab or run the slideshow to see your animations in action.

Advanced Animation Techniques

Beyond the basics, several advanced techniques can elevate your PowerPoint animations:

Using Motion Paths for Complex Movement

Motion paths allow you to create custom movement patterns for objects. You can draw your own path or choose from predefined shapes like lines, arcs, and loops. This is particularly useful for illustrating processes or demonstrating complex relationships.

Leveraging the “Morph” Transition

The “Morph” transition is a powerful tool for creating smooth, cinematic animations between slides. It automatically animates changes in object position, size, and color from one slide to the next, creating a seamless visual flow. To use it, duplicate a slide, make the desired changes on the second slide, and then apply the “Morph” transition to the second slide.

Combining Animations for Impact

You can combine multiple animations on a single object to create complex and visually engaging effects. For example, you could use an Entrance animation to bring an object onto the slide, followed by an Emphasis animation to highlight it, and then an Exit animation to remove it. Strategic layering of animations can dramatically enhance the storytelling potential of your presentation.

Avoiding Common Animation Pitfalls

While animation can enhance presentations, it’s crucial to use it judiciously. Overuse or poorly executed animations can be distracting and counterproductive.

Avoiding Distracting Animations

The key is to use animations that serve a purpose and don’t distract from the content. Avoid animations that are too flashy, too fast, or too repetitive. Subtlety is often more effective than extravagance.

Maintaining Consistency

Maintain a consistent animation style throughout your presentation. Use the same types of animations for similar elements to avoid creating a jarring or disjointed experience for your audience.

Testing on Different Devices

Animations can sometimes behave differently on different computers or devices. Always test your presentation on the target device to ensure that your animations work as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I loop an animation in PowerPoint?

To loop an animation, select the animation in the Animation Pane, then go to the “Effect Options” for that animation. Navigate to the “Timing” tab and under “Repeat,” choose how many times you want it to repeat or select “Until End of Slide” to loop it indefinitely.

2. Can I animate a chart in PowerPoint?

Yes, you can animate charts. Select the chart, go to the Animations tab, and choose an animation. Use “Effect Options” to control how the chart elements (e.g., series, categories) are animated. You can animate the entire chart as a single object or animate individual elements separately.

3. How do I change the order of animations?

The order of animations is determined by their sequence in the Animation Pane. To change the order, simply click and drag the animations within the Animation Pane to rearrange them.

4. How do I remove an animation?

Select the animation you want to remove in the Animation Pane, and then press the “Delete” key on your keyboard or click the remove button (the “X”) next to the animation in the Animation Pane.

5. How do I create a custom motion path?

Select the object you want to animate, go to the Animations tab, click “Add Animation,” and then choose “Custom Path” under “Motion Paths.” Click to define the starting point of your path, then click again to add each point along the path. Double-click to finish the path.

6. Is there a way to apply the same animation to multiple objects quickly?

Yes, you can use the Animation Painter. Select the object with the animation you want to copy, click the “Animation Painter” button in the Animations tab, and then click on the other objects you want to apply the animation to.

7. How can I make an animation start automatically when the slide appears?

In the Animation Pane, select the animation, and then in the “Timing” section, change the “Start” option from “On Click” to “With Previous” or “After Previous” to have it play automatically. “With Previous” will start it at the same time as the previous animation (or when the slide loads if it’s the first animation). “After Previous” will start it when the previous animation has finished.

8. What are the best animation settings for professional presentations?

For professional presentations, prioritize subtle and purposeful animations. Focus on using Entrance animations to reveal content gradually, Emphasis animations to highlight key points, and Exit animations to transition smoothly. Avoid overly flashy or distracting effects. Keep animation speeds moderate to allow the audience to follow along.

9. How do I animate text one word at a time?

Select the text box, go to the Animations tab, and choose an animation. Click “Effect Options” and under “Animate Text,” choose “By word” instead of “All at once.” You can also animate by letter by choosing “By letter.”

10. Can I add sound effects to my animations?

Yes, you can add sound effects to animations. Select the animation in the Animation Pane, go to “Effect Options,” and then navigate to the “Sound” tab. Choose a sound from the dropdown menu or import your own sound file.

11. How does the “Morph” transition differ from other transitions?

The “Morph” transition animates changes between two slides. It identifies objects that are common between slides and automatically animates their movement, size, and color changes. Other transitions, like “Fade” or “Wipe,” simply transition from one slide to the next without animating object changes.

12. My animations are causing PowerPoint to lag. What can I do?

PowerPoint can sometimes struggle with complex animations or large files. Try the following: reduce the number of animations on a slide, optimize images for web use to reduce file size, close unnecessary programs running in the background, and ensure your computer’s graphics drivers are up to date. If the problem persists, consider breaking down complex animations into simpler ones.