Create a Venn Diagram in PowerPoint

Want to compare and contrast information? Let’s learn how to make a Venn diagram in PowerPoint to do that, visually. Follow the tutorial and video for easy steps.

Introduction to Venn Diagrams

Few diagrams create instant understanding like Venn diagrams. With overlapping circles, your viewer instantly knows how two sets compare and contrast.

Learn how to make a Venn diagram in PowerPoint to illustrate similarities and differences. You’ll learn how to create PowerPoint Venn diagram slides with pre-built designs. Read on to find out more.

Video Tutorial

A great way to learn how to make a Venn diagram in PowerPoint is to see an example. We’ve got you covered with exactly that in the screencast below.

In this screencast, you’ll get an over-the-shoulder view of how to create a Venn diagram in PowerPoint. Check it out to see an example of Venn diagram designs.

Want to learn how to make a Venn diagram in PowerPoint with written instructions? Read on to see an illustrated guide.

Understanding Venn Diagrams

Venn diagrams are a powerful way to compare and contrast information. They show the similarities and differences between sets.

Here’s the basic format: two circles partially overlap in the center. There’s room for information in each circle. That area is for dissimilar items between sets. Use these areas to show information that differs between sets.

Overlapping areas of the diagram are for shared ideas. Where circles overlap, add information that both ideas have in common.

Venn diagrams take many more formats. You can use multiple circles to contrast multiple sets. No matter the scale of the slide, the idea remains: overlapping space is for shared ideas.

Venn diagrams reduce complexity. As soon as you view one, you can visualize the comparison and better grasp a concept. You can even use them for your own understanding. Consider building a PowerPoint Venn diagram the next time you study a new concept.

Creating a Venn Diagram in PowerPoint

In this tutorial, we’re going to tackle how to create a Venn diagram in PowerPoint slides. Few diagrams create instant understanding like a Venn. Plus, you might be surprised that it’s easy to make a PowerPoint Venn diagram of your own.

We’ll work with the Venn diagram PowerPoint templates set from Envato Elements. It’s the easiest way to build one of your own.

With a template like this, it’s much easier to learn how to make Venn diagrams in PowerPoint designs.

Step 1: Select a Venn Diagram Slide

While you create a Venn diagram in PowerPoint, don’t limit yourself. Venn diagrams come in all shapes and sizes. In reality, they can be so much more than two overlapping circles.

Our PowerPoint Venn diagram template includes 60 slides. Each visual offers a different version of a Venn. Start by thinking about what you’re comparing. Then, consider how many overlapping circles you need. You can switch to PowerPoint to select a slide.

My favorite way to survey a slide deck is to use Slide Sorter view. You can see all PowerPoint Venn diagrams in this template at once. Use the View > Slide Sorter ribbon option.

To adjust the thumbnail size, use the slider in the lower right corner of the app window. Drag the line to the + button to enlarge the slide thumbnails, or drag toward the - button to show more thumbnails at a smaller size.

Once you’ve selected a slide, double-click on it. PowerPoint will show this single slide in full view. I’ll work with slide 27 from the template. Let’s customize it as we learn how to create a Venn diagram in PowerPoint.

Step 2: Update the Independent Items

Venn diagrams consist of overlapping circles. The areas at the edge of the circles (the areas that don’t overlap) show the unique parts of each set.

Let’s contrast two business units inside a company. Venn diagrams are often used in strategy exercises, so this is a perfect fit. I’ll show how two business units differ in terms of products and strategy. Then, I’ll highlight commonalities.

Let’s customize these areas first. Our selected slide has areas both in the circles, and slightly outside the circle. For my design, I’ll focus on filling in the text inside the circles.

After updating the bullet points, I noticed my text was a bit small. Using the font size dropdown, let’s increase the size. I’ll set mine to 28.

Here’s an optional step: this slide features text boxes outside the Venn circles. You could use this to provide more background information about the topic. In my case, I’ll introduce two fictitious product lines.

Step 3: Fill in the Overlapping Items

Now that we’ve set the independent items, let’s update what our sets have in common.

In our case, we’re highlighting two business units inside a company. Although the two units sell different products, there are commonalities. We’ll highlight those common elements in the overlapping space.

Again, I’ll simply type over the placeholder text to update the slide. I’ll also adjust the text to be slightly larger for readability.

We’ve mastered most of how to make Venn diagrams in PowerPoint slides. But we can do much more to style our slide. Read on to find out how.

Step 4: Add Your Brand Colors and Header Info

So far, we’ve filled in the content of our Venn diagram in PowerPoint slide. But it lacks our style and branding.

Templates help you learn how to make Venn diagrams in PowerPoint designs. They don’t sacrifice customization options. Let’s learn how to style the slide to our preference.

First and foremost, let’s update our Venn diagram circles. They start with an orange and purple shade. This looks solid stylistically, but it’s better if the slide matches our brand. Click on the first of the circles, then browse to the Shape Format tab on the PowerPoint ribbon.

Then, using the Shape Fill (paint bucket) drop-down, choose a new fill color. You can select from one of the pre-built color swatches or click on More Fill Colors to choose a totally custom color swatch.

In this example, I noticed that the Venn circle also has a border on it. We need to update that to match our branding too. Click on the icon to the right of the Shape Fill dropdown. This controls the PowerPoint Venn diagram Shape Outline.

To complete our styling, let’s also tweak the text. By default, the included style features orange-tinted text to match the Venn diagram circle. Let’s modify that by selecting a new font color from the dropdown with the A icon in the screenshot below.

Finally, let’s round out our slide with a proper header and introductory sentence. I’ll shorten this significantly versus the original slide placeholder.

That’s it! Your PowerPoint Venn diagram is a strong contrast and comparison between two sets of items.

Step 5: Optional - Add Animations

Remember: you’ll likely share your Venn diagram PowerPoint slide as part of a presentation. Venn diagrams show a lot of information to your audience. It takes a careful touch to not overwhelm them with too much information.

Animations can help you strike the balance. While this step is optional, I highly recommend it as you create Venn diagrams in PowerPoint slides.

Animations aren’t just about motion. They’re about staging the slide content. That means controlling how content enters the slide. With animation, you can stagger the PowerPoint Venn diagram entrance of each list. Let’s learn how.

Start by selecting a circle and the bulleted points. Then, find the Animations tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon. Click on an animation effect. For my example, I’ll choose Dissolve. We’ve now added an animation to the first circle and bulleted points.

Now, simply repeat the steps with your remaining slide elements. In my case, I chose to animate the second circle in the same way. When you play the slide, the information moves onto the slide in stages. Each circle will animate separately.

Then, I added the overlapping points as the third animation. This makes for a natural presentation where I introduce each independent list before progressing to their commonalities.

Recommended PowerPoint Venn Diagram Templates

You’ve seen just one option for how to create a Venn diagram in PowerPoint with templates. Envato Elements has tons of designs that help you build great PowerPoint Venn diagram designs.

Let’s look at five of our top options for templates to build PowerPoint Venn diagrams, all included with your subscription to Envato Elements:

1. Venn Diagram PowerPoint Templates

This template features stylish colors and creates easy-to-read Venn diagrams in a wide range of formats.

2. Venn Diagrams PowerPoint Presentation Template

With 60 unique slides and 90 color themes, this template offers limitless options.

3. Venn Diagrams Pack for PowerPoint

This template brings instant professionalism to your Venn diagram designs, with 20 easy-to-edit designs.

4. Silhouette & Venn Infographic PowerPoint Template

This design features highly personal silhouette designs along with infographics for illustrative explainers.

5. Business Venn Diagrams PowerPoint Infographics

This template targets businesses with fully editable designs and 20 varied slide designs.

Conclusion

Now, you know how to make a Venn diagram in PowerPoint. The fastest way to create Venn diagrams in PowerPoint designs is with a premium template. You can choose from various designs and simply add your details.

It’s your turn to practice your new skills. Having mastered how to create a Venn diagram in PowerPoint, you can create a slide of your own. Rebuild a slide you’ve created with a PowerPoint Venn diagram for easier and clearer understanding.