Sometimes, not every slide in your PowerPoint needs to be shown. Maybe it’s extra notes, backup data, or details that only fit certain situations. That’s when the Hide Slide feature in PowerPoint comes in handy. It won’t delete your slide, it just skips it during the presentation.
This way, you keep your materials intact while making slideshow cleaner and more focused. Next, we’ll explore how to hide slides in PowerPoint with different versions, plus a few pro tips.
How to Hide a Slide in PowerPoint on Windows
Windows offers the most comprehensive PowerPoint features, and you can solve how to hide slides in PPT in several different methods:
Method 1: Hide Slides from Thumbnails
Step 1. Open your PowerPoint file.
Step 2. In the left thumbnail panel, find the slide you want to hide.
Step 3. Right-click it and select “Hide Slide”.
Step 4. A slash will appear on the slide thumbnail, showing it’s hidden. It won’t show up when you present.
Tip:
- Hold “Ctrl” to select multiple slides at once, then right-click to hide them in bulk.
- Hiding slides is safer than deleting them when testing presentation effects, as it preserves the original content.
Method 2: Hide in View Mode
Step 1. Go to the “View” tab and choose “Slide Sorter” to see all your slides.
Step 2. Right-click the one you don’t want to show and select “Hide Slide”.
Step 3. This method visually shows all slides, ideal for hiding multiple slides at once.
Method 3: Using Keyboard Shortcuts
If you prefer keyboard navigation:
Step 1. Open the slide in Home view and click the slide.
Step 2. Hold “Alt + S” to open the “Slide Show” menu.
Step 3. Press “H” to hide the selected slide.
Method 4: Hiding in Slide Show Mode
Step 1. Click “Slide Show” and select the slide to hide.
Step 2. Click “Hide Slide”. The slide number will show a line through it, meaning it’s hidden.
How to Hide Slides in PowerPoint on Mac
The Mac version works like Windows, though the interface looks a bit different:
Step 1. In the left navigation pane, select the slide to hide.
Step 2. Right-click the slide thumbnail and choose “Hide Slide”.
Step 3. As with Windows, hidden slides display a diagonal slash on their thumbnails.
Note: On a Mac, many users prefer the menu bar. You can also hide slides via Menu → “Slides” → “Hide Slide”.
How to Hide a PowerPoint Slide in Web
If using PowerPoint for Web, the steps of how to hide a slide in PowerPoint are more intuitive:
Step 1. Open your PPT and select the slide in the left thumbnail area.
Step 2. Right-click the slide and choose “Hide Slide”.
The web version has fewer features than the desktop version, but you can still fully hide or unhide slides. This works well for quick online presentations.
How to Unhide a Slide in PowerPoint
In Windows
- For Thumbnails: Locate the slide with a slash in the left pane. Right-click → Uncheck “Hide Slide”.
- For View: Click “View” > “Slides Sorter”. Right-click the hidden slide and select Unhide.
- For keyboard shortcut: In Home view, click the hidden slide while holding “Alt + S”, then press “H” to unhide.
- For Slide Show: Click “Slide Show” > select the slide, then click “Hide Slide” again to unhide.
In Mac
Locate slides marked with a slash in the navigation pane. Right-click → Unhide, or via the menu: “Slides” → “Hide Slide” → click again to unhide.In PowerPoint Web
Locate hidden slides (thumbnails display a marker). Right-click → Select “Hide Slide” (click again to unhide).
Is There an Easier Way?
Advanced Techniques for Hiding Slides in PPT
PowerPoint also lets you control which slides show, making it easy to pace your presentation the way you want.
1. Set Up Custom Shows
Create multiple custom slide shows under the Slide Show menu to present different versions for various scenarios.
2. Jump with Action Buttons
If you want to use hidden slides as “backup information”, insert a button (e.g., “More Resources”) on the main slide. Clicking it jumps to the hidden slide and then back. This doesn’t disrupt the main flow and allows on-demand access.
3. Utilizing Presenter View
In Presenter View, you can see hidden slides while your audience cannot. Decide on the spot whether to show them based on the situation.
How to Print a PPT with Hidden Slides in PowerPoint
If you’re printing a PPT and unsure whether hidden slides will appear in the printed document, try this method to determine:
Step 1. Click “File → Print”.
Step 2. In the print options, locate the Print hidden slides checkbox.
Step 3. Select as needed:
- Checked: Includes all hidden slides in the printout.
- Unchecked: Skips hidden slides during printing.
This is great for handouts. You can share just the key points with your audience while keeping the full details for yourself.
FAQs about How to Hide Slides in PowerPoint
Q: Does hiding slides affect file size?
Q: If I share the PPT, can others see hidden slides?
Q: Will hidden slides remain hidden when exported to PDF?
Q: Do hidden slides affect slide numbering?
Q: Do hidden slides retain animations and transitions?
💬 Conclusion:
Hiding slides in PowerPoint is a simple but useful trick. It helps you:
- Keep your presentation smooth and focused
- Save backup slides without deleting them
- Adjust your content easily for different situations
It works on Windows, Mac, and the web. Pair it with custom slide shows or action links, and your presentation becomes more flexible and professional.
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