Convert 4:3 PowerPoint to 16:9

The release of PowerPoint 2013 influenced users to display their old 4:3 presentations in the new 16:9 widescreen format. Our tutorial will show you how to easily convert 4:3 presentations into 16:9.

Understanding the Format Shift

An increasing number of PowerPoint users are confronted with the challenge of displaying common 4:3 presentations in the now widely accepted 16:9 widescreen format. Often, simply switching formats does not yield satisfactory results.

After a straightforward format conversion, you may notice that the entire slide content appears misaligned. For instance, text boxes, tables, or charts may seem out of place, while images, vector graphics, and certain diagrams might become distorted due to PowerPoint’s tendency to stretch slide content. This is particularly evident with circular charts that may appear as ellipses following a simple conversion.

While it is impossible to completely avoid this graphic chaos, applying a few strategic tricks can significantly reduce the time and effort required for slide adjustments. The following steps will guide you on converting a presentation from PowerPoint 2007 or 2010 to 2013 effectively.

Step-by-Step Conversion Process

Step 1: Prepare Your Presentation

Start by making a copy of your original 4:3 presentation in the same directory. Rename the copy by adding “16×9” to the filename, for example:
my-presentation-16×9.pptx.

Next, open the new presentation and navigate to DESIGN > SET UP PAGE. Select PAPERFORMAT and choose the option for PRESENTATION DISPLAY (16:9). Click OK. You will likely see that the slide content has shifted and appears distorted.

Step 2: Open Both Presentations

Simultaneously open the original 4:3 presentation, as you will need it to replace any distorted graphics in your new 16:9 version. Unfortunately, each slide will need to be adjusted manually, but creating raster graphics for recurring elements can save a significant amount of time.

Right-click to display the ledger lines, as shown in the images. Remove the small hook at ALIGN OBJECTS AT GRID to align objects pixel-perfectly.

(Note: Microsoft introduced intelligent ledger lines starting with PowerPoint 2010, which facilitate the arrangement of objects and are activated by default in PowerPoint 2010 and 2013.)

Step 3: Replace Distorted Objects

On the corresponding slide of the original 4:3 presentation, select the distorted object and copy it by pressing CTRL+C. Then, paste it into the corresponding slide of the 16:9 presentation using CTRL+V. After pasting, make sure to readjust the graphic as necessary.

PowerPoint 2013 offers new options for switching formats. When you select the widescreen format from the dropdown menu, you can choose between the options “maximize” and “scale suitable.”

Choosing “maximize” will proportionally scale all objects on the slide to fit the maximum slide width, which saves the hassle of manual scaling but may require replacing some objects altogether.

Conversely, selecting “scale suitable” will shrink the original content and center it in the middle of the slide. However, this option can also lead to distortions, so it is generally not recommended.