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New PowerPoint Live Presentation option with desktop and window sharing

When making a Live Presentation, presenters will soon be able to add a video feed to the presentation. This feature is available for presenters using the Microsoft Teams desktop app for both Windows and Mac.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 66587 .

When this will happen

Rollout is mid-April through mid-May. 

How this will affect your organization

Currently, when using a Teams desktop or mobile app, presenters first connect to the Teams call, share the presentation in PowerPoint for the web , and then select Present Live .

When using the Teams Desktop app, the presenter will have a new option, Standout mode. When a presenter selects Standout mode, participants will see the presenter’s video feed superimposed onto the foreground of the content being shared. This mode appears to meeting participants who are using the Teams desktop or mobile app as well as Teams on the web. 

What you need to do to prepare

You might want to notify your users about this new capability and update your training and documentation as appropriate. 

Message ID: MC247826

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The PowerPoint Blog

How to present with presentation live.

PowerPoint’s Live Presentations are bound to be a game changer for virtual and remote meetings. As promised, today is about the process of setting up a Live Presentation.

Currently the presentation must be open in PowerPoint online (I am hopeful that the ability to open a OneDrive/Teams hosted presentation in desktop PowerPoint will be an option soon). TIP: to move a file to OneDrive and open in PowerPoint online, here is a very quick how-to: Open the presentation, go to File > Share > Share with People, and enter your Office email if PowerPoint is not logged in to your profile. Go to office.com/launch/powerpoint , find your presentation, and open in PowerPoint online.

In PowerPoint online, use the SIMPLIFIED RIBBON (more on this in the next post). Go to the SLIDE SHOW tab. Then go to PRESENT LIVE drop down menu. Choose between either Only people in your organization for added security and private meetings, or  Anyone for a larger audience that may not be signed in to your organization.

Click Present Live and you’re live! A PowerPoint live screen will overlay the presentation. This is the QR code attendees can scan, or the URL to add to a browser. The “___ have joined” is a nice addition and provides a nice analytic. Stay on this page for as long as needed to ensure everyone gets in. Click anywhere on the slide and the welcome screen is removed and displays slide 1 of the presentation.

 TIP: display the welcome screen and QR code any time during the presentation. In the pop up Slideshow Toolbar in the lower left, click the “Live” button and choose “Show Welcome Screen again.” Or use the copy the link to email or message it to anyone.

People viewing the presentation do not need a Microsoft 365 subscription. If viewing on a mobile device, they need at least iOS version 11, or Android version 8. Presenters must run from an updated version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera. TIP: Safari will not run a Presentation Live presentation, but it can be viewed on Safari. And PowerPoint Live, for both presenting and viewing, works on both Windows and Mac.

Come back to the next post, which is a list of potential “gotchas” to be aware of with Presentation Live.

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Share Slides in Teams meetings with PowerPoint Live

PowerPoint Live offers benefits over simple screen-sharing.

This article applies to: Microsoft Teams

PowerPoint Live in Microsoft Teams offers several benefits over screen-sharing your PowerPoint presentation window or editing window. 

• Seamlessly switch between presenters.  Unlike screen-sharing, where the presentation is shared from a single presenter, co-presenters can take control of the slide deck during their portion of the presentation. 
• The built-in presenter view provides all the tools you need for a successful meeting.  You can see the audience, control slides, and view notes all in one location. 
• Enhanced accessibility.  Audience members can use screen readers, live translation, and high contrast slides. 
• Special audience focus tools.  Use the laser pointer, pen, and highlighter to draw attention to key points. 
• Option for attendees to go back or ahead.  If enabled, audience members can move between slides to review something they missed while the presentation continues. 
• Smoother transitions to video or audio.  Play high-quality embedded video and audio without having to change to a browser, media player, or other outside app or window. 
• Instant attendee access to links.  Audience members can open links and videos in the presentation on their own devices. No more waiting for you to circulate the presentation after the meeting. 

For more information, see Microsoft’s  Share slides in a Teams meeting with PowerPoint Live  and the Microsoft blog post  Introducing PowerPoint Live in Microsoft Teams . 

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How to Share PowerPoint on Zoom or Teams (Live PowerPoint)

Whether you’re delivering a pitch, teaching a class, or sharing insights with your team remotely, the ability to seamlessly share your PowerPoint presentations via online meeting platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams is crucial.

In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to share your PowerPoint slideshows on Zoom and Microsoft Teams efficiently and will also offer tips to ensure your presentations go smoothly.

We will walk you through the process, step-by-step. Let’s dive in.

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How to Share PowerPoint on Zoom

First, let’s see how to share a PowerPoint presentation on Zoom.

Step 1: Join or Start a Zoom Meeting

Begin by joining an existing meeting or starting a new one. Once you’re in the meeting, ensure your PowerPoint presentation is open on your computer.

Step 2: Share Your Screen

Look for the “Share Screen” button in the Zoom toolbar, usually located at the bottom of the meeting window. Click it to open the screen-sharing options.

Step 3: Select Your PowerPoint Window

In the screen sharing menu, you’ll see all the windows you have open. Select the window that displays your PowerPoint presentation. If you want to share sound from your presentation, don’t forget to check the “Share computer sound” option. Then, click “Share.”

Step 4: Present Your PowerPoint

Once you’ve shared your screen, start your PowerPoint slideshow as you normally would. Your participants will now see your presentation in full screen.

How to Share PowerPoint on Microsoft Teams

If you’re using Microsoft Teams, here’s how to share your PowerPoint presentation.

Step 1: Join or Start a Teams Meeting

Similar to Zoom, the first step is to join or start a meeting in Microsoft Teams. Have your PowerPoint presentation ready to go on your device.

Step 2: Share Content

In the Teams meeting controls, find and click on the “Share content” icon, which looks like an upward-pointing arrow or a square depending on the version.

Step 3: Choose Your PowerPoint File

Teams offers the option to share a PowerPoint file directly. If your presentation is recent, you might see it under the “PowerPoint” section. If not, you can browse for your file by selecting “Browse” and then either “Upload from my computer” or “OneDrive” if your file is stored in the cloud.

Step 4: Navigate Your Slides

After selecting your presentation, it will open in Teams. You can navigate through your slides using the arrow keys or the slide navigator within Teams. This method allows your participants to interact with the presentation if you’ve granted them permission.

10+ Tips for Sharing PowerPoint Presentations

1. check your internet connection.

A stable internet connection is crucial for uninterrupted presentations. Consider using a wired connection for better stability and to reduce the likelihood of connection issues.

2. Close Unnecessary Applications

Close all applications and browser tabs you don’t need during your presentation. This not only helps in reducing distractions but also conserves your computer’s resources, ensuring smoother performance.

3. Use Dual Monitors If Possible

Using dual monitors allows you to have your presentation on one screen and your meeting platform with notes on the other. This setup helps you manage your presentation more effectively while maintaining eye contact with your camera.

4. Familiarize Yourself with Platform Features

Take time to explore and understand the specific features of Zoom or Teams, such as how to switch between presentation modes or how to use in-meeting chat. This knowledge can help you navigate the platform confidently during your presentation.

5. Engage Your Audience

Keep your audience engaged by using interactive elements such as polls, Q&A sessions, or breakout rooms for discussions. Interaction helps maintain attention and fosters a more dynamic and memorable presentation.

6. Practice Screen Sharing Beforehand

Conduct a practice session to familiarize yourself with the screen-sharing process and to check the visibility and readability of your slides. This rehearsal can help you feel more confident and minimize technical glitches.

7. Have a Backup Plan

Prepare for the unexpected by having a backup of your presentation and any necessary platform alternatives ready. Whether it’s a PDF version of your slides or a secondary presentation tool, being prepared can save the day.

8. Optimize Your Presentation for Screen Sharing

Design your slides with screen sharing in mind. Use large, readable fonts and high-contrast colors to ensure your content is easily visible to all participants, even on smaller screens.

9. Mute Notifications

Turn off notifications on your computer and any other devices to prevent disruptions during your presentation. This includes email alerts, message pop-ups, and other notifications that could distract you or your audience.

10. Direct Attention with Annotations

Both Zoom and Teams offer annotation tools that allow you to draw attention to specific parts of your slide. Use these tools sparingly to highlight key points or to guide your audience through complex diagrams.

11. Share Only What’s Necessary

When sharing your screen, select the option to share only the PowerPoint window rather than your entire screen. This approach keeps your presentation focused and prevents accidental sharing of private information.

12. Ensure Good Audio and Lighting

Good audio and lighting are essential for keeping your audience engaged. Use an external microphone if possible, and position yourself in a well-lit area, ideally with the light source in front of you, to improve visibility.

Mastering the art of sharing PowerPoint presentations on Zoom and Teams can greatly enhance the impact and effectiveness of your virtual meetings.

By following the steps and tips outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to deliver engaging, seamless presentations that captivate your audience and communicate your message clearly.

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Microsoft Teams presentations to get better on macOS and Windows

In April, Microsoft started testing its PowerPoint Live integration in Microsoft Teams for Windows , which enables a new presentation experience that will allow users to instantly share their PowerPoint presentations with the audience. As expected, this new feature is also coming to macOS in June.

With PowerPoint Live, Microsoft is hoping to enable seamless integration between Teams and PowerPoint. Once enabled, Teams users don’t need to manually upload the PowerPoint (PPT) files and share their PC’s screen with an audience. Instead, the presenter can just open the PowerPoint app or Teams new sharing screen.

There are two ways to access PowerPoint Live. You can launch the PowerPoint desktop and click on the “Present in Teams” button in the top right corner, as shown in the below screenshot. After clicking the Present in Teams button in PowerPoint, your content will automatically appear in the active Teams meeting.

This works only when you’ve already in a meeting and both apps are using the same Microsoft 365 account.

The second way to access the PowerPoint Live is via Microsoft Teams’ share UI.

You need to click on the share button and pick a file under the PowerPoint Live section.

When using PowerPoint Live, the presentation experience is seamless and you can see both the chat and your content at the same time.

Microsoft Teams PowerPoint Live integration will begin rolling out in June

The roadmap still states that PowerPoint Live integration will be enabled in May, but the plan seems to have changed, according to the latest information we have.

Microsoft is now planning to start rolling out PowerPoint Live in early June and complete the rollout by the end of the month.

“We will begin rolling this out in early June and expect to complete the roll-out in late June,” the company said.

Microsoft said that users must meet the following requirements to use the new presentation experience:

• Use latest Teams desktop and PowerPoint for Mac.
• Store the presentation on OneDrive for Business or SharePoint.
• Join a Teams meeting before clicking the Present in Teams button in PowerPoint for Mac.
• Use Office 365 E3/A3, Office 365 E5/A5, or Microsoft 365 for Government license.

About The Author

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Mayank Parmar is an entrepreneur who founded Windows Latest. He is the Editor-in-Chief and has written on various topics in his seven years of career, but he is mostly known for his well-researched work on Microsoft's Windows. His articles and research works have been referred to by CNN, Business Insiders, Forbes, Fortune, CBS Interactive, Microsoft and many others over the years.

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Tip: Show PowerPoint slides

PowerPoint Live in Teams gives both the presenter and audience an inclusive and engaging experience, combining the best parts of presenting in PowerPoint with the connection and collaboration of a Microsoft Teams meeting.  

Tip:  Are you an audience member? Jump down to learn more about how you can interact during the presentation.

Presenter view

Present your slides.

If you're in PowerPoint for the web, select Present > Present in Teams .

Your slides will appear in the Teams meeting, with your Notes next to them.

Navigate through the slides

Use the navigation arrows to go forward and backward.

Use the thumbnail strip to jump ahead or backwards.

Select Go to slide to see a grid view of all slides in the presentation. Select one to jump to it.

Stay connected to the audience

One of the benefits of using PowerPoint Live to present instead of sharing your screen is that you have quick access to all your meeting tools you need to engage with the audience and to read the room in one view. This is especially true if you’re presenting from a single screen.

Turn Chat on or off to view what your audience is saying.

See audience reactions and raised hands in real-time.

Change the Layout of your presentation and choose how your live camera feed appears in your presentation, like Standout or Cameo . It helps the audience read your non-verbal cues and keeps them engaged.

Use the Laser pointer , Pen , Highlighter , or Eraser to clearly reference items on your slides.

Audience view

As an audience member, you’re able to personalize your experience without affecting anyone else. Try these options to find what works best for you:

Note:  If presenters don't want people to be able to independently navigate through a PowerPoint file they are sharing, use the  Private view  toggle to turn it off.

Click any hyperlink on slides to get more context right away.

Interact with videos on slides to adjust the volume or jump to a timestamp and consume it at your own pace.

Use a screen reader to get full access to the slide content.

Switch to a high contrast view to make the slides easier to view if you have low vision. Select More options > View slides in high contrast .

Your viewing experience will be at a higher fidelity, letting you see crisp text and smooth animations. PowerPoint Live also requires significantly less network bandwidth than typical sharing, making it the b est option when network connectivity is a problem.

Independent magnifying and panning

You can zoom in and pan on a presentation slide without affecting what others see. Use your mouse, trackpad, keyboard, touch, or the Magnify Slide option as applicable. 

To zoom in or out on a slide, do any one of the following: 

Hover over the slideshow and pinch or stretch on trackpad.

Pinch or use the stretch touch gesture (on a touch-enabled device).

Press the + or – keys.

Hover over slide, hold down Ctrl key and scroll with mouse wheel.

In the More Actions menu, click the + or – buttons.

To pan around your slide, do any one of the following:

Press the arrow keys.

Click and drag using a mouse.

Click and drag on a trackpad.

Use one finger to touch and drag (on touch-enabled device).

When done zooming and panning, press  Esc to reset your screen. 

Learn more about PowerPoint Live  

Important: 

PowerPoint Live is not supported in Teams live events, CVI devices, and VTC devices.

If you're using Teams on the web, you’ll need Microsoft Edge 18 or later, or Google Chrome 65 or later, to see the presenter view.

Presenter view is hidden by default for small screen devices but can be turned on by selecting More options below the current slide and then Show presenter view (or by selecting the sharing window and then pressing Ctrl+Shift+x).

Meetings recordings won’t capture any videos, animations, or annotation marks in the PowerPoint Live session.

When you share from Teams, the PowerPoint Live section lists the most recent files you've opened or edited in your team SharePoint site or your OneDrive. If you select one of these files to present, all meeting participants will be able to view the slides during the meeting. Their access permissions to the file outside of the meeting won't change.

If you select Browse and choose to present a PowerPoint file that hasn't been uploaded to Teams before, it will get uploaded as part of the meeting. If you're presenting in a channel meeting, the file is uploaded to the Files tab in the channel, where all team members will have access to it. If you're presenting in a private meeting, the file is uploaded to your OneDrive, where only the meeting participants will be able to access it.

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Share a presentation

Share your PowerPoint presentation by saving it to the cloud and sending it to others.

Select Share .

Select where to save your presentation to the cloud.

Choose a permission level.

Select Apply .

Enter names and a message.

Select Send .

Share your PowerPoint presentation with others

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April 17, 2024

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Display issue when sharing content through PowerPoint Live feature in Teams meeting

My company has Microsoft Teams Room systems with Logitech TAPs and when someone else is sharing in a Teams meeting using the new PowerPoint Live feature, the conference room's display shows an error message instead of the shared content.

The error message says: “Reload to display presentation. Something went wrong when loading the presentation. Please try reloading.” This being a TAP system, there is no way for a user to “reload the presentation”.

I restarted the Intel NUK that connects to the Logitech TAP but the problem persists.

I've narrowed it down to the PowerPoint Live feature specifically, since everything works just fine when someone shares content any other way.

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Thanks for your feedback.

When users click the share button in a Teams meeting, the options to share your "screen" or "window" work just fine. The problem only shows up when a user shares using the new "PowerPoint Live" function. That is when the display shows the error. That tells me it is specific to the PowerPoint Live function.

Using the web app is not a viable solution as we are in a corporate environment and everyone uses the Teams app.

3 people found this reply helpful

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How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

Engage your audience with cool, actionable features.

Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.