How to Use Portrait and Landscape Slides in the Same Presentation

This article explains how to have a PowerPoint presentation with both landscape and portrait orientation slides by creating two separate presentations and linking them for the effect you want. This information applies to PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, PowerPoint 2010, and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.

Create the Presentations

When you want to use slides in both landscape and portrait orientation, create two separate presentation files. Slides using the landscape orientation are in one PowerPoint presentation while the portrait orientation slides are in the second PowerPoint presentation.

Then, link the two presentations together using action settings from one slide in the landscape presentation to the next slide you want (a portrait orientation slide), which is in the second presentation (and vice versa).

The final slideshow flows perfectly and your audience won't notice anything out of the ordinary when you click or mouse over a designated image or area to switch from one orientation to the other.

1. Create a folder and save any files you will add to this slideshow, including all sound files and photos that you will insert into your presentation.

2. Create two different presentations. Create one in landscape orientation and one in portrait orientation. Then, save them in the folder you created.

3. Create all the necessary slides in each of your presentations. Add portrait style slides to the portrait presentation and landscape style slides to the landscape presentation.

Link From Landscape to Portrait Orientation

To switch from the landscape presentation to the portrait orientation during your slideshow, select either a text object, a photo, or another graphic on the slide and follow the steps below. When this text or object is clicked during the slideshow, the portrait slide opens.

1. Go to Insert.

2. Select Action in the Links group.

3. Choose either the Mouse Click or Mouse Over tab.

4. Select Hyperlink to, select the down arrow, and choose Other PowerPoint Presentation.

5. Locate the portrait presentation file in your new folder, choose it, and select Open.

6. Select the appropriate slide in the list of slides in that presentation.

7. Select OK twice to close the dialog boxes. The slide in the landscape presentation is now linked to the portrait slide, which is the next slide in your presentation.

Link From Portrait to Landscape Orientation

Follow these same steps above to link back from the portrait slide to the next landscape slide.

Then, repeat this process for any further instances when you need to change from a landscape slide to a portrait slide.