When presenting a PowerPoint presentation, you need to see more than the audience. For the big picture, enable Presenter View.
Recently, a reader asked if PowerPoint allows the presenter to view notes and upcoming slides during the actual presentation. In other words, the presenter wants to see a completely different screen than the screen the audience sees. PowerPoint's Presenter View displays two different views — one for the presenter and one for the audience — during the presentation. In Presenter View, you can:
- Click slide thumbnails out of sequence to create a custom display on the fly.
- Preview the next slide (or the next list item).
- View speaker notes.
- Black out the screen and resume the presentation later, where you left off.
- You need multiple monitor capability. Most newer desktop and laptop computers come with two video cards to support multiple monitors.
- The computer must run Windows 98 or later. In addition, your service packs should be up to date.
- You must enable multiple monitor support by clicking Display in the Control Panel (or by right-clicking your monitor and choosing Properties). If you see two monitor icons, you're set. If not, you must insert your secondary display adapter and connect to a second monitor. To learn more about setting up multiple monitors, search in Windows Help on "multiple monitor capability."
- You must enable Presenter View.
- In PowerPoint, choose Set Up Show from the Slide Show menu.
- Check the Show Presenter View option in the Multiple Monitors section. PowerPoint will disable this option until you enable multiple monitors.
- From the Display Slide Show On drop-down list, select the monitor you want to display the presentation.
