It\u2019s likely that you\u2019ve never even thought about the dimensions of a PowerPoint slide before, at least not until this very moment. After all, why else would you be here? But if you\u2019ve ever had your slides look weird on a big screen or printed out with giant margins, chances are it was a slide size problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what are the dimensions of a PowerPoint slide? There are basically two main options: 4:3 and 16:9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ok, let\u2019s take a step back. We realize those numbers might no make sense to everyone. After all, what kind of number has a colon in it. The numbers above relate to aspect ratio rather than the number of pixels for length or width. Basically, aspect ratio is the ratio of width to height rather than the actual length (or width). Therefore, a slide or image that is 640×480 has the same aspect ratio as something that is 960×720. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
4:3 is that old-school, almost square shape you probably remember from your teacher\u2019s projector back in elementary school or the old TV your parents still have in their basement. Put simply, it’s much more \u201cboxy\u201d than the typical computer or projector screens these days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
16:9 is the widescreen format. It\u2019s the one that probably looks like your current TV or your laptop screen. Basically, it\u2019s wider and feels more modern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you pick the wrong one, your slides might show up with black bars on the sides or stretched out like a funhouse mirror. Or you\u2019ll go to print them and they\u2019ll look like they\u2019re floating in the middle of the page with giant white borders. Fun times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Almost always. Seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most projectors, big screens and laptops all expect 16:9 now. It has become the norm. If you\u2019re presenting on Zoom or Teams or any kind of online thing, that\u2019s also what those platforms are generally set up for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if you\u2019re turning your slides into a video? 16:9 is the way to go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re dealing with old equipment, 4:3 might work better. Now, when we say old school, we aren\u2019t talking about equipment that is a few years old. We\u2019re talking about equipment that you maybe haven\u2019t seen for a decade or more. Like, actual old-school projectors or really old conference setups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is one really big exception, though. If you\u2019re mostly going to print your slides (like training packets), 4:3 can fit better on standard paper. Keep that in mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n