Loop a PowerPoint Slide Show

What to Know

  • In PowerPoint, go to Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show > Browsed at a Kiosk (Full Screen) > OK.
  • Set the time each slide appears on the screen by selecting Slide Show > Rehearse Timings on the first slide.
  • Use Next to move to the next slide and Pause to pause recording, or type a length of time in the Slide Time box.

This article explains how to loop a PowerPoint slideshow in PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, PowerPoint 2010, PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2019 for Mac, PowerPoint 2016 for Mac, and PowerPoint for Mac 2011.

How to Create a Self-Running PowerPoint Slideshow

PowerPoint slideshows are not always used by a live presenter. Slideshows set to loop continuously can run unattended in a booth or kiosk. You can even save a slideshow as a video to share.

To create a continuously looping presentation, you need to set it up and record slide timings.

To run the slideshow unattended, set timings for slide transitions and animations to run automatically.

How to Set Up the Presentation

  1. Open the PowerPoint presentation you want to loop continuously.

  2. Go to Slide Show.

  3. Select Set Up Slide Show. The Set Up Show dialog box opens.

    Set Up Show dialog box in PowerPoint
  4. Select Browsed at a Kiosk (Full Screen). This enables the presentation to loop continuously until the viewer presses Esc.

  5. Select OK.

How to Rehearse and Record Timings

To ensure that your automated presentation is the right length, record timings to set the amount of time each slide appears on the screen.

PowerPoint for Mac does not have the rehearsal option. Instead, go to Transitions, choose the transition you want to use, set the duration you want, and select Apply to All.

  1. Go to the first slide of the presentation.

  2. Go to Slide Show.

  3. Select Rehearse Timings. The slideshow starts and records the time spent on the slide. The time appears in the Slide Time box on the Recording toolbar.

    Rehearse timings in PowerPoint
  4. Select Next on the Recording toolbar when you want to move to the next slide.

  5. Select Pause any time you want to pause or resume recording.

  6. Type a length of time in the Slide Time box if you want to display a slide for a specific amount of time.

    Rehearsal toolbar in PowerPoint
  7. Select Repeat if you want to restart the recording time for the current slide only.

  8. Select Close when you're done recording.

  9. You'll be asked if you want to save the new slide timings. Select Yes to save the slide timings at the end of the presentation.

If you have a microphone (built-in or external), record a voiceover on your PowerPoint presentation that plays as the slideshow loops continuously.

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