To use Designer in PowerPoint, you need an active internet connection and an Office 365 subscription. This same tool was formerly known as Design Ideas, and it is now available for the latest PowerPoint versions.
If you don’t see the Designer Feature in PowerPoint, make sure your PowerPoint version is updated, and you have an active subscription for Office 365.
Once you have the Designer available in PowerPoint, it can help you create professional slide layouts. How to use it for creating better presentations? This guide has everything you need to know about the PowerPoint Designer tool.
What is a designer in PowerPoint?
Designer is an AI-powered tool or feature in PowerPoint that analyzes the contents of the slides and suggests possible design ideas to turn your boring slides into professional ones.
When you add text, image, icon, or any other element to the slide, an automatic pane appears on the right side of the screen with design ideas and suggestions.
By default, PowerPoint has poor AI integration, and Designer is an attempt to offer some level of AI features for PowerPoint users. Key benefits of this tool include:
- Saves time on formatting
- Improves visual hierarchy
- Maintains consistency
- Enhances readability
- Ideal for non-designers
Designer is not a complete PPT maker, but just a basic AI tool for layout ideas. If you need an all-in-one AI solution for PowerPoint, Twistly is the only answer. We will explain everything about Twistly in the last section.
Where is the Designer Located in PowerPoint?
Designer is located in the top ribbon in the Home tab, in the right corner, next to the Add-in section. You can also find the Designer feature in the Design tab.
When you add any text or image to your slide, Designer suggestions are automatically triggered. If not, you can click the Designer icon to enable it.
How to Use the Designer Tool for Slides?
Designer is an AI suggestion tool where you can get layout ideas for your existing content. Don’t mistake it for a presentation maker. Make sure you have an active internet connection for the Designer to work smoothly.
Step 1: Add Content to your Slide
Your slide must have some type of content for Designer to suggest ideas. Open PowerPoint and add some content to your slide.
We inserted an image into the slide and clicked the Designer icon. In the right pane, Designer suggested some layout ideas. You can browse through the suggestions to find a suitable one.
Step 2: Select and Apply Design Idea
Click any design idea that you like, and it will be automatically applied to the image in your slide. As you can see, the image in the slide now has a new layout.
Troubleshoot: No Design Ideas for the Slide
While using Designer, you might come across the error, “Sorry, no design ideas for this slide.” This message means that the slide does not have enough data or content for AI to make possible design suggestions.
This error can also happen due to an unstable internet connection. If you see this message, check the status of your online connectivity and add some more content or elements to the slide.
How to Enable Designer in PowerPoint?
If you see the Designer icon at the top but don’t get any design suggestions, you need to manually enable suggestions for slides. Remember that Designer works for premium Office 365 subscribers only.
Here is how to enable Designer suggestions for your new slides and presentations in PowerPoint.
- Abrir PowerPoint >> File >> Options >> General
- In the PowerPoint Designer section, check both boxes for automatic suggestions
Limitations of PowerPoint Designer
Designer is a useful resource but come with little practicality for a common PowerPoint user. It is not an ideal AI tool that you might want to rely on. Only a few design ideas can’t offer much flexibility for a regular or pro user.
- Paid and expensive feature for Office 365 subscribers only
- Does not work for offline users
- Limited design suggestions that work for specific content types only
- May not suggest ideas if the content is low
- Limited custom controls over designs
- Not ideal for complex data and content
You obviously need a better, smarter, and more flexible AI tool for PowerPoint if you want to enjoy ChatGPT-like capabilities for presentations.
Best AI Alternative to Designer
If your goal is to enjoy AI features for PowerPoint presentations, then you need Twistly, the best alternative to Designer. Twistly is not just a design idea generator but a complete AI presentation maker for PowerPoint.
It works just like ChatGPT, and users can create a complete presentation from scratch with AI. When it comes to editing existing slides or adding individual slides, Twistly is packed with powerful AI tools and features.
| Capability | Designer | Twistly |
| Primary Purpose | Suggests visual layouts based on existing slide content | Generates, edits, and enhances entire presentations using AI. |
| Type of Assistance | Design layout suggestions only | Full AI content creation: text, visuals, structure, speaker notes. |
| Generates Full Slide Decks | Not possible, only redesign the slides you already created. | Yes, create complete decks from text prompts, files, or video links directly in PowerPoint. |
| Generación de contenidos | Does not generate or rewrite text content. | Uses advanced AI (ChatGPT) to generate and rephrase text. |
| AI Image Creation | Limited to stock layout suggestions. | Generates custom AI visuals that match your slide content. |
Descargar Twistly es gratis
New users can try Twistly for free by downloading the free trial version from the link below. Real-time experience of a true AI tool for PowerPoint before purchase gives you confidence. There is no credit card required for the trial version. Click the link below and install the Twistly add-in for PowerPoint.
Crear PowerPoint
Diapositivas con IA
Cree presentaciones basadas en IA a partir de
cualquier mensaje, documento o vídeo
Conclusión
PowerPoint Designer is one of the fastest ways to upgrade your presentation visuals without design skills, but with limited options. For better AI integration and capabilities, install Twistly and enjoy the most powerful and highest-rated add-in for PowerPoint.
Designer is an AI-powered tool in PowerPoint that analyzes slide content and automatically suggests professional design ideas. It was formerly known as Design Ideas.
You need three things: an active internet connection, a valid Office 365 subscription, and an up-to-date version of PowerPoint.
There are two possible reasons: the slide doesn’t have enough content for the AI to analyze, or your internet connection is unstable. To fix this, add more elements to the slide and check your internet connection.
Twistly is the best AI alternative to Designer. Unlike Designer, which only suggests layout ideas, Twistly creates complete presentations from scratch using a text prompt, generates and rewrites text, creates custom AI visuals, and works directly inside PowerPoint. A free trial is available with no credit card required.
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