How to Make a Presentation (Beginner's Guide)

To make a presentation, open your slides app (Google Slides and Canva are free), add a title slide, then give each idea its own slide with a short headline and one visual. One idea per slide is the rule that makes a deck look clean — the biggest beginner mistake is cramming paragraphs onto every slide.

Pick your tool

All four do the same core job. If you’re starting out, Google Slides or Canva is the easiest.

Step by step (Google Slides)

1. Go to slides.google.com and click Blank presentation.
2. Click the title placeholder, type your headline, and add a subtitle.
3. Click + New slide (or press Ctrl/Cmd + M) for the next slide.
4. Type a short heading, then add bullet points or an image.
5. To add a visual: Insert → Image (or Image → Search the web).
6. Repeat for each idea — aim for one thought per slide.
7. Click Share to send a link, or File → Download for .pptx or PDF.

The same design instincts apply here as in Canva — see how to use Canva for templates and elements you can reuse.

Design rules that make it look good

• One idea per slide. If a slide needs two sentences of explanation, split it.
• Big text. Headlines should be readable from the back of a room — 30pt+.
• Less is more. Six words per line, six lines max. Cut anything the speaker can say aloud.
• Consistent colors. Pick two or three — a palette generator helps, see best color palette generators.
• Real images beat clip art. One good photo outperforms five icons.
• Align everything. Use the app’s guides; don’t eyeball it.

A slide and a poster follow the same layout rules — see how to make a poster for more.

Structure that keeps an audience with you

1. Title slide — topic and your name.
2. Why it matters — one slide on the problem or hook.
3. The body — one slide per point, in order.
4. Summary — three bullets recapping the main takeaway.
5. Call to action / questions — what you want them to do next.

Presenting it

• Press Present (top-right in Slides) or F5 in PowerPoint to go full-screen.
• Put what you’ll say in the speaker notes area — keep it off the slides.
• Arrow keys or Space advance; Shift + F5 starts from the current slide.
• Presenting online? Share your screen rather than the file.

Sharing the deck as a document? See how to print to PDF for a version that opens anywhere.

FAQ

What’s the best free app to make a presentation?

Google Slides and Canva are both free and cover everything a beginner needs. Canva has nicer templates; Slides is easier to collaborate on.

How many slides should a presentation have?

Roughly one slide per minute of talking, plus a title and summary. A 10-minute talk is about 12 slides.

How do I make a presentation look professional?

Use one idea per slide, big consistent headings, two or three colors, and real images. White space is a feature, not wasted space.

Can I make a presentation on my phone?

Yes — Google Slides and Canva both have mobile apps, though designing is far easier on a laptop or desktop.

How do I add images to a presentation?

In Google Slides: Insert → Image → Search the web or Upload. In Canva: drag from the Photos or Elements panel.