Adding Images to PowerPoint

When creating a PowerPoint presentation, incorporating images can greatly enhance your visual storytelling and engagement with the audience.

Below are the steps for adding images to your slides, whether they are saved on your computer, copied from the internet, or sourced from clip art.

Inserting Saved Images

1. Open PowerPoint. This will either open a blank slide or prompt you to choose a slide layout. A blank slide is sufficient for adding images, but slides designed for images may simplify the process.
2. Drag an image from your desktop to your PowerPoint document. If you have saved your image to your desktop, hold-click and drag the icon onto your slide. Releasing the click while hovering over the PowerPoint window should insert the image.
   • Note: This method can sometimes be unreliable due to formatting issues, but don’t hesitate to try other options if it doesn’t work.
3. Click on the “Insert” heading. Located toward the left side of the menu ribbon at the top of your screen, this option will give you access to various image options.
4. Select the “Pictures” option. This icon, also situated toward the left side of your task ribbon, will open a dialogue box showcasing your folders and saved documents.
5. Locate the folder containing your saved image. Keep in mind the file location where you saved your image. In the “Insert Picture” dialogue box, highlight your desired image and click “Insert” from the lower right corner.
   • Alternatively, you can double-click your image in the “Insert Picture” directory to insert it directly.
6. Position the image on the slide. Clicking on your image will reveal guidelines and small square boxes for resizing and repositioning your image as needed.

Inserting Copied Images

1. Open PowerPoint. Similar to the previous method, this will open a blank slide or prompt you to choose a slide layout.
2. Search for your image online. To improve your search results, ensure you select the “Images” option in your search engine. Once you find your desired image, click the link to view the full image to avoid copying a thumbnail.
3. Copy the image to your clipboard. Right-click on the image and select “Copy” from the dropdown menu. This action saves the image to your clipboard for later use.
   • For Mac users, hold ⌘ Command while clicking to copy the image.
   • You can also use keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+C for Windows or ⌘ Command+C for Mac.
4. Paste the image into your presentation. Navigate back to the PowerPoint slide where you want to add the image. Right-click on a blank area of your slide or on the “Insert Image” box with a dotted line, and select “Paste” from the dropdown menu. Once pasted, you can adjust the image to your liking.
   • Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V to paste.
5. Adjust your image to fit your slide. Clicking on your image will display guidelines and small boxes for resizing and aligning your image with other content on the slide.

Inserting Clip Art

1. Open PowerPoint. Follow the same steps as described for opening PowerPoint when inserting a saved image.
2. Locate the “Clip Art” or “Online Pictures” option under the “Insert” heading. Selecting this option will open a search bar or dialogue box labeled “Insert Images.”
3. Choose “Bing” or another source to search for images. PowerPoint will display available clip art online for use in your presentation. Browse through the images until you find one that fits your needs.
4. Select your clip art from the options. Highlight the desired clip art and click “Insert” from the lower right corner, or simply double-click to add it directly to your presentation.
5. Resize your image as needed. Clicking on the image will bring up guidelines and small square boxes for adjusting the dimensions of your inserted clip art.