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How to Create PowerPoint Handouts and Printouts

< 1 minute read

PowerPoint Yellow

Most of us have been to a meeting or training in which the presenter hands out a stapled packet of their slides in printed format, often with an empty section for note-taking.

While not every presentation calls for this, it is still sometimes a useful component of lectures, training sessions, and the like.

If you have a PowerPoint presentation you wish to print in handout format, follow these steps:

  1. From the File tab, click Print.
  2. If you only want to print a selection of slides (for example, leaving off the closing slide), under the Settings section, click the down arrow to choose the best option: Print Selection, Custom Range, etc.
  3. Click the down arrow next to Full Page Slides. You’ll find a variety of layouts for your handouts. Pick the best option, keeping in mind the density of information on your slides and the experience you’d like your audience to have with your handouts. For example, selecting Notes Pages will print one slide per page with a substantial section underneath for note-taking.
  4. Click the down arrow next to Print on Both Sides (or Print One Sided) and choose your desired option.
  5. Click the down arrow next to Collated to choose the best option. Most likely, you will choose Collated.
  6. Click the down arrow next to Color to choose color, grayscale, or black and white.
  7. In the Copies field next to the Print button, enter the number of copies you wish to print.
  8. When you’re ready, click Print.

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