share presentation powerpoint

How to share your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation on a Mac, PC, or web browser

• It's easy to share a PowerPoint presentation on your Mac or PC app.
• You can also share a presentation if you use the online version of PowerPoint.
• Sharing a presentation can help you collaborate with friends or coworkers.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

When creating Microsoft PowerPoint presentations for work or school, it's often necessary to collaborate with others on your projects.

Thankfully, it's easy to share a PowerPoint presentation no matter what version you use. The process looks fairly similar on both Mac and PC programs, as well as on the online version that can be accessed from any web browser. The online option is helpful if you don't have the Microsoft Office program downloaded to your desktop.

For all of these options, you can add a collaborator (which operates similarly to sharing Google Slides ) or opt to send your file as a presentation or PDF via email. There are also alternative methods, such as sending via social media.

Here's how to share a presentation.

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Apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), microsoft office (from $149.99 at best buy), samsung chromebook (from $269.00 at amazon), how to share a powerpoint presentation on a pc.

Sharing a presentation on the PC version of PowerPoint should look similar on most computer types. The following steps and accompanying photos detail the process on a Samsung Chromebook.

1. Open the PowerPoint presentation you wish to share on your PC.

2. Click the "Share" symbol in the upper right hand corner of the screen. This should give you the option to share either the full document or just the current slide.

• If you prefer to add a collaborator instead (similar to Google Slides functions), you will need to click the orange button to save a copy of the file to your OneDrive. 

3. Choose how you'd like to share the document or slide as an attachment. You can choose to send an email via Outlook or as a message via Zoom, for example.

Additionally, when you first launch the program, you can also find a "Share" tab on the left hand side. This will provide you with the same options for sharing a file.

How to share a PowerPoint Presentation on a Mac

1. Open the PowerPoint presentation on your Mac desktop or laptop.

2. Click the "File" tab in the top left corner. 

3. Select "Share" from the dropdown menu. This will grant you the option to either send or copy a link to share, send the file as a presentation or PDF, or manage access to a shared file. Select whichever option you'd like and follow the directions to add contact information.

• If you wish to manage access and add collaborators, you will have to make sure the file has been uploaded to your OneDrive before proceeding. (If it hasn't, PowerPoint should prompt you to do so at this time.)

4. Sending the file as an email is the most common choice. Selecting this option will automatically open a new draft with the file attached. (Be sure to select "Send PDF" if you'd prefer it to send as a PDF file instead of as a presentation.) Add an address, subject, and body text before sending.

You can also share a presentation by clicking the "Share" button in the upper right hand corner. (This is similar to how it appears on a PC.)

This option is extremely helpful as it provides all of your possible options in a single pop-up. Enter a name or email address (along with an optional message) to send the document. 

You can change the permissions settings at the top before clicking "Send," "Copy Link," or "Mail" to share your work. Click "More Apps" to browse additional options, such as sending via social media or text message. Lastly, you can select "Send a Copy" to send as a traditional attachment.

How to share a PowerPoint presentation on a web browser

You can access PowerPoint online on either a Mac or PC, as long as you have your login information for Microsoft Office. Regardless of what browser you prefer to use, the steps to share a presentation are exactly the same.

1. Log in to your Microsoft Office account on your preferred web browser and open the presentation you wish to share.

2. Click the "Share" button in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

3. This will open a pop-up in the center of the page. Enter a name or email address (along with an optional message) to send the document. You can change the permissions settings at the top before sending the link by clicking the "Send" or "Copy Link" option. (Those who have followed these steps on a Mac will recognize that it looks similar.)

Additionally, when you open the main menu, you can click the "Share" tab on the left hand side. This will allow you to invite others to edit the presentation or embed the presentation for a blog or website. 

If you are looking to embed online, this will open a different pop-up that will generate a code for you. Select the dimensions desired and then paste the text as needed. Click the "Close" or "X" buttons to minimize the window.

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

How to embed a youtube video into your microsoft powerpoint presentations using a mac or pc, how to convert a powerpoint to google slides in two different ways, how to convert google slides to a powerpoint presentation in 4 easy steps , how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow, how to download and access microsoft powerpoint on your mac computer.

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Share a PowerPoint Presentation

How to Share a PowerPoint Presentation

Sharing a PowerPoint file is easy, but depending on how you choose to share the file, you can also use third-party services for sharing presentations and PowerPoint templates .

Share a PowerPoint for Editing and Viewing via OneDrive

You can use the default sharing options, including OneDrive, to share a PowerPoint. The Share button in the top right corner enables instantly sharing your file online. To generate a link for a file not yet uploaded to OneDrive, go to Share -> Share . 

You will be asked to log in with your Microsoft account to share the file via OneDrive if you are not signed in.

How to Share PowerPoint So Everyone can Edit

When generating the direct link, you can choose to enable editing for the file for online collaboration. This will enable someone to collaborate and edit the file.

How to Share PowerPoint with View-Only Privileges

Select the option via the dropdown menu to limit the file to View Only . Files limited with this privilege cannot be edited online, but the recipient can still download them.

How to Share PowerPoint with Specific People Only

There is also an option to ensure you share the file only with specific users by entering their email addresses. Otherwise, you can generate a direct link for sharing with anyone based on either editing or view-only privileges.

How to Copy PowerPoint Link for Sharing

Once you set the privileges for your file, you are instantly provided with a link based on the selected user privileges once you select Copy .

You can also instantly copy a link via the Share button to generate a direct link for the PowerPoint presentation or the current slide.

This will create a link that you can share with anyone. The link has settings based on your selected user privileges.

How to Share PowerPoint via Email

To share PowerPoint via email, you can either attach the file as an attachment or share it directly via Attach a copy option available from the PowerPoint Share button.

The service provider usually limits attachments to a certain size, such as 25 MB. In contrast, files larger than that are sometimes uploaded to a cloud-sharing service like OneDrive or Google Drive by email service. The default attachment option in PowerPoint opens the file as an attachment via a mail client like Outlook.

How to Share a PowerPoint as PDF

You can share PowerPoint files as PDFs by instantly converting them via the Share button in PowerPoint. This will create a PDF attachment for instant sharing via an email client.

You can also create a PDF file via File -> Save As , select PDF, and share it via email, instant messenger, or a cloud storage service.

How to Share a PowerPoint via Microsoft Teams

You can share your PowerPoint presentation as an attachment, present it via teams during a meeting, or use the PowerPoint Live option. You can learn about sharing your presentations using Teams from our tutorial about How to Share a PowerPoint Presentation on Microsoft Teams .

Other Methods for Sharing a PowerPoint

You can also use various third-party services or methods to share PowerPoint files.

Share a PowerPoint via SlideShare

SlideShare is a popular service for sharing presentations online. PowerPoint presentations uploaded to SlideShare can also be shared via direct link or embedded on a website.

Share a PowerPoint via Google Drive

Among the various third-party services, Google Drive is famous for supporting PowerPoint files. Making it easy to upload, edit, and share PowerPoint files online. What makes Google Drive a viable free alternative to PowerPoint and Microsoft services like OneDrive is its support for PowerPoint files.

Share a PowerPoint via USB or External Drive

Sometimes, transferring your PowerPoint file via a USB or external drive for instant sharing is best. This is commonly done when sharing files with colleagues or when you need to quickly provide the file to someone at an event to cue your presentation before your session.

Share a PowerPoint via Bluetooth

You can quickly share your PowerPoint file with a Bluetooth-connected device, such as a nearby smartphone. This, among other methods, can be particularly useful when you are short of connectivity options for file sharing and are pressed for time.

Final Words

There are various methods for sharing a PowerPoint file. Each method has its own merits. Files smaller than 25 MB are frequently shared via email. However, larger files are often shared via cloud storage services. The most commonly used cloud-based services for sharing PowerPoint files include OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox. Even at the enterprise level, different organizations have a preference for one or the other. For very heavy files, you can always use services like WeTransfer or opt for more conventional methods such as sharing the file via a USB, external drive, or Bluetooth.

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How can I share a PowerPoint so that it opens automatically in presentation mode?

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Hi A teacher in Wa,

Thank you for querying in this forum.

According to your description, it seems that you want to share a presentation with students via Microsoft Teams and you also want your students to immediately watch your presentation as a slide show instead of seeing the slides in edit mode.

May I know if my understanding is right? If so, we’d suggest you save presentation file as .ppsx type file, if you are using PowerPoint in Windows, we’d suggest you go to PowerPoint File > Save as > Click More Options > select PowerPoint Show under Save as type, the file is saved as a .ppsx file. When the file is double-clicked, it opens as a slide show.

For more details, you can refer to this article: Start a presentation automatically with a PowerPoint Show .

Then you can go to Microsoft Teams and find the team > click Files tab > upload this file. And we have tested it on our side, if we saved it as .ppsx file and uploaded to Teams, when we clicked it, it will show as a slide show, as shown below:

If the scenario above is not consistent with yours, you can also post back and provide more details about your requirement.

Best Regards,

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Screen sharing a PowerPoint presentation

There are three methods you can use to screen share a PowerPoint presentation in a Zoom meeting. If you have dual monitors, you can share a slide show while viewing the presenter's notes on another monitor. If you have a single monitor, you can also start the slide show in a window so you have access to other meeting features while sharing your presentation. 

If you have other participants presenting portions of the PowerPoint, you can give them slide control in Zoom, so that they can control the slideshow on their end, without needing to ask you to move the slides forward. Additionally, PowerPoint slides can be shared as a Virtual Background for a more immersive sharing experience. 

This article covers:

Dual monitors with slide show and presenter's views

Single-monitor setup with slide show view in a window, single-monitor setup with slide show in full screen.

Follow these steps if you are using multiple monitors and want to present your PowerPoint in one monitor, while viewing the presenter's notes in another monitor.

• Open the PowerPoint file you want to present.
• Start or join a Zoom meeting.

• Select your primary monitor then click Share . If you are not sure which monitor is your primary, select the one that PowerPoint opens in.

• Switch back to Powerpoint and click the Slide Show tab. 

Follow these steps if you have a single monitor and want to share your PowerPoint presentation in slide show view, but have it contained in a window rather than in full screen. This is useful if you need to access meeting features, such as in-meeting chat or managing participants, while sharing your PowerPoint presentation.

• Click the Slide Show tab and then select Set Up Slide Show .
• Under Show type , select Browsed by an individual (window) and then click OK .

• In Zoom, start or join a meeting .
• Select the PowerPoint window and then click Share .

Note : Be sure you select the PowerPoint window, not the entire screen. Sharing the PowerPoint window only will allow you to use other features without interrupting the view of the presentation. 

• Select your monitor then click Share . 

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.

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Share slides in Microsoft Teams meetings with PowerPoint Live

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.

When you’re the presenter, you have a unique view that lets you control your presentation while staying engaged with your audience, seeing people’s video, raised hands, reactions, and chat as needed.

And if you’re an audience member, you can interact with the presentation and personalize your viewing experience with captions, high contrast slides, and slides translated into your native language.

Here’s how it works:  

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 best 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.   

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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Gen z thinks the best kind of party is to make powerpoint presentations together.

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PowerPoints are all the rager.

Gen Z’s idea of “work-life balance” was stifled during the COVID-19 lockdown — and now their parties even feature PowerPoint presentations.

A PowerPoint party is pretty self-explanatory: People get together and show each other PP presentations on a topic of their choosing for “fun.”

The, um, point is for friends to get to know each other’s silly, niche interests and funny thoughts.

The get-togethers rose in popularity during the pandemic, but they’re still a big hit among Gen Z today — despite utilizing something seen regularly in corporate environments.

Searching for PowerPoint parties on TikTok will bring up an endless stream of examples, with topics including A-list actor Pedro Pascal , “ Things that give me the ick ” and a meta presentation of “guessing what PowerPoint everyone prepared.”

It’s such a common occurrence that Cosmopolitan even put out a list of “55 PowerPoint Night Ideas to Spice Up Your Next at-Home Hang.” Some examples include Disney Channel movie supremacy, the most iconic set of twins in history, and the best chain restaurant and why.

People tend to be quite split on whether they find PowerPoint parties fun.

McCall Mirabella told CNN that she asked all her friends to prepare a PowerPoint for her recent 21st birthday celebration — and she loved it.

“They’re so unserious,” she told the outlet of PP nights she’s attended and hosted. “Most of the time, people are left crying from laughing so hard, or bent over wheezing.”

Others disagree, thinking we should leave the PowerPoints in the office — and not bring them into the home.

“I love my friends, and also I absolutely do not want to do this with any of them,” Emily Stewart of Business Insider wrote about the “weird” craze. “Must we turn something we do at work into something we do in our personal lives? Just hanging out without a plan is fine and pleasant.”

Why Gen Z is so infatuated with PowerPoints as a fun pastime isn’t exactly clear.

Perhaps their work and personal lives are blurred due to remote work, or maybe they’re just used to interacting via technology rather than in person.

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PowerPoint parties are still bringing friends together, one hyper-specific subject at a time

For McCall Mirabella’s 21st birthday party last month, she asked guests to bring only one gift: A PowerPoint presentation.

Mirabella, a TikTok and YouTube personality with over 1.3 million followers across both platforms, assembled her closest friends and asked them to present a slideshow on anything they could think of. The only criteria was “the sillier, the better.”

Her guests delivered. One attendee ranked the attractiveness of 10 animated characters while another humorously explored the disparate stages of being high. Mirabella herself presented her predictions for how long her friends would survive in the Hunger Games (and how they’d meet their violent ends , seemingly a popular template for a PowerPoint party).

Such are the delights of PowerPoint presentation nights, which boomed in popularity during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic but are still charming partygoers (this, in spite of its regular use in corporate offices the world over). Through a silly slideshow, groups of friends get to know each other’s niche interests, secret pastimes and frequently hilarious takes on their friends’ quirks and strengths.

Seeing the people she loves get worked up over assigning each other Taylor Swift songs that match their personalities or fictional crimes that would land them in prison is a joy specific to slideshow-centric parties, Mirabella said.

“They’re so unserious,” she said of PowerPoint nights she’s attended and hosted. “Most of the time, people are left crying from laughing so hard, or bent over wheezing.”

PowerPoint parties got popular during the pandemic, but they’ve delighted friends for years

PowerPoint nights involve little more than an HDMI-compatible TV, a slideshow and a willingness to razz your friends or reveal your hidden passions. The software itself is nearly 40 years old , and it’s since become a staple in many offices and classrooms, but the ingenious PowerPoint party turns the familiar tech into a medium for comedy and comradery.

The concept of the PowerPoint party was formalized in 2012, when three students at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, hosted a “Drink, Talk & Learn” event. Guests of these early parties had to show up with a presentation on the arcane subject of their choice, like the moral alignment of Sonic the Hedgehog character Shadow, per Buzzfeed News .

The theme steadily grew more popular and by 2018, more PowerPoint enthusiasts in the US had caught on. Soon, everyone from software engineers in Seattle to students in Boston were presenting slides on hyper-specific subjects to a small crowd, often with a drink in hand.

In the Harvard Crimson’s account of one local PowerPoint party, a student presented his argument for why King Claudius is the true hero of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” a divisive take if there ever was one. The presenter told the school paper that his zeal for the topic had been relegated to “a rant to my friends up until now. Finally, I can present it to strangers.”

When Covid-19 arrived in 2020 and millions of Americans isolated in their homes, virtual PowerPoint parties became a safe, distanced way for friends to update each other on their lives and provide much-needed levity. Groups separated by the pandemic shared their screens on Zoom or even rallied their housemates to turn an ordinary night in isolation into an opportunity for a private TedTalk.

Tantalizing snippets from these presentations landed on TikTok (users rarely spill the juicy contents of the slideshows beyond their uproarious titles),  inspiring other users to host their own get-togethers. The subjects are typically zany, lighthearted takes on the idiosyncrasies of a group of friends — like how they’d each fare during a zombie apocalypse — and minor passions or dubious theories like the “real” (read: fictional) reason the dinosaurs died .

Since the party format took off in 2020 (and has since amassed over 40 million views on TikTok under related hashtags ), TikTok users have tested crafty new variations of the typical slideshow gathering and polled users on different platforms, like Reddit , for unique suggestions for presentations. Take the host who ambushed their guests by forcing them to present someone else’s PowerPoint on a subject they knew nothing about, like the hapless friend who bluffed their way through a presentation on how to pick stocks. A group in Philadelphia creates slideshows for their single friends to catch fellow singles’ attention. One creative TikTok-er even came out to their family in a PowerPoint on Christmas.

Though Microsoft PowerPoint software isn’t a requirement for these presentations — competing services like Prezi, Canva and Google Slides are also popular — Microsoft issued its own advice for hosting a premier PowerPoint party. Among its suggestions: Take advantage of those wacky transitions so photos can boomerang across the screen and titles can disappear with a click.

Since her cousins introduced her to PowerPoint parties during a sleepover eight months ago, Mirabella’s presentations have only improved in quality and theatricality. Her recent Hunger Games-themed slideshow included multimedia elements like Taylor Swift entering the fictional arena for a brief halftime performance to break up the bloodshed. Her friends voted it the best presentation of the night.

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