Related Article - Create a Default Presentation Template in PowerPoint 2003
Each time you open PowerPoint, you are faced with the same plain, white, boring page to start your presentation. This is the default design template.
If you are in a business, chances are that you might have to create presentations using a standard background -- perhaps with specific company colors, fonts and even a company logo on each slide. Sure there are lots of design themes in the program for you to use and edit, but what if you must always be consistent and use the same starter presentation?
The simplest answer is to create a new default design template of your own. This would replace the plain, white basic template that comes with PowerPoint 2010/2007, and each time you opened the program your customized formatting would be front and center.
Related - Permanently Change the PowerPoint 2007 Default Font
How to Create a Default Presentation
Before you start making any changes, you should probably make a copy of the original plain, white default template.
Save the Original Default Template
- Open PowerPoint.
- PowerPoint 2010 - Chick on File > Save As
- PowerPoint 2007 - Click the Office button > Save As
- In the Save As dialog box, click the drop down arrow beside Save as type:
- Choose PowerPoint Template (*.potx)
- The saving location will immediately change to the folder where PowerPoint stores its templates. Do not change this location or PowerPoint will not know where to look for the file if you choose to use it again.
- Name the file old blank (or something similar). The original default design template is called blank, hence my very original new name for the file. PowerPoint will add the file extension .POTX to the file, once you click the Save button, so it will know that this is a template file and not a presentation (.PPTX) file.
- Close the file.
Create Your New Default Presentation
Note - If you choose to make more changes than simply applying one of the design themes, then be sure to make these changes on the master slides so that each new slide in your presentation will take on the new characteristics. Refer to these tutorials for further information on using the slide masters.
- Open a new, blank PowerPoint presentation, or if you have a presentation already created that has most of the options already formatted to your liking, open that presentation.
- Before making any changes it is a good idea to save this new work in progress. Click the Office button > Save As... from the menu.
- Change the file type to PowerPoint Template (*.potx).
- In the Filename: text box, type blank.
- Make any changes you want to this new blank presentation template, such as -
- Save the file when you are happy with the results.
The next time you open PowerPoint, you will see your formatting as the new, blank design template and you are ready to start adding your content.
Return to the Original Default Template
At some future time, you may wish to return to using the plain, white default template as a starter in PowerPoint. Therefore, you will need to locate the original default template that you saved earlier.
When you installed PowerPoint, if you made no changes to file locations during the install, the necessary files will be located at: C:\Documents and Settings\yourusername\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates. (Replace "yourusername" in the this file path with your own username.) The "Application Data" folder is a hidden folder, so you will have to be sure that hidden files are visible.
- Delete the file you created above called blank.potx
- Rename the file old blank.potx to blank.potx.
See also ~ Six Tips to Create a Company Default PowerPoint Presentation
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