How to Shuffle Slides in PowerPoint?

In a PowerPoint slideshow, all slides are played in a numbered fashion. What if you want to shuffle slides in PowerPoint? Random slides can be used for many purposes, say in a fun activity, for drawing random names, or displaying shuffled slides with images for a stall or shop. How to shuffle slides in PowerPoint?

For a normal presentation, random slides may not be suitable. There are only a few use cases of randomizing slides in PowerPoint. Once you are sure shuffling is a good option for your scenario, follow the next sections for detailed instructions on how to randomize slides in PowerPoint.

Shuffling Slides in PowerPoint

One way to shuffle slides is to drag and move the slides randomly, but it is not the right way to randomize slides. The best way is to use a macro in PowerPoint. We need the Developer tab for PowerPoint, and most users don’t have the Developer tab. So, we will divide the process of shuffling slides into different parts.

Part 1: Enable Developer Tab in PowerPoint

If you don’t see the Developer tab in the top ribbon, you will have to add it by customizing the ribbon. Simply right-click anywhere on the top ribbon, where you see the tools and sections.

Select Customize the Ribbon option, and a new window will appear with different options.

Scroll down the right list of options and make sure the Developer option is checked. Click Ok to confirm, and the Developer tab will appear in the top ribbon.

Part 2: Create a Macro

Do you have the Developer tab in the top ribbon? We want to shuffle slides automatically, so we will be using a Macro to automate the shuffling of slides. Here is how to use a macro for slide shuffling.

Step 1: Create Macro

Go to the Developer tab and choose Macro >> name your macro >> Create.

Step 2: Code Macro

Code for randomizing slides in PowerPoint macro is available online. You just need to copy this code and paste in the macro window.

Sub ShuffleSlides()

FirstSlide = 2

LastSlide = 14

Randomize

For i = FirstSlide To LastSlide

    RSN = Int((LastSlide – FirstSlide + 1) * Rnd + FirstSlide)

    ActivePresentation.Slides(i).MoveTo (RSN)

Next i

End Sub

If you just want to randomize slides, you don’t need to understand the code completely. You just need to understand that.

FirstSlide = 2

LastSlide = 14

Here the FirstSlide is the number of the starting slide and the LastSlide indicates the last slide that you want shuffle.

If you are currently working on the presentation, then simply replace LastSlide = 14 with LastSlide = ActivePresentation.Slides.Count.

Part 3: Test Macro Code

Once you have pasted the code in the Macro window, press the Play button on the Macro window, and you will see that the slides start changing their position. With every push of the play button, slides will automatically rearrange themselves in the thumbnail pane.

Opening the Macro window again and again and then pressing the Play button takes time. For an easier approach, we can create a shuffle button in your title slide and then connect that button with your Macro code.

Part 4: Create Shuffle Button in Slide

Creating a shuffle button for your slide will allow you to randomize slides with the click of a button. Follow these steps to create and connect a button with shuffle code.

Step 1: Insert a Shape and link it

Go to the insert tab >> draw a shape >> write button name. Now, select the button and go to the Insert tab, and in the Links section, choose Action.

Step 2: Run Macro

In the Action Settings window, check Run Macro and select the macro that we previously created, and press the OK button to create the link. See the image above for a clear understanding.

Now, start the slideshow and press the shuffle button. You will see that a random slide will appear next when you move to the next slide. Every time you press the button, PowerPoint shuffles the slides for your slideshow.

Step 3: Save Presentation

Now, if you want to save the file with Macro code, you need to save the PowerPoint presentation as (.pptm) format. If you don’t save the presentation in the suggested format, all code progress will be lost.

Is PowerPoint Complicated for Beginners?

You might be thinking that PowerPoint is too complicated for beginners, as you have to code and all that stuff. Well, a normal user may rarely need to shuffle slides in a presentation. For a normal user, PowerPoint is quite easy to learn for basic presentations.

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Conclusion

With images and detailed instructions, you have learned how to shuffle slides in PowerPoint. Automate your presentations. Don’t be afraid of such complicated tutorials because you may never come across a situation where you have to randomize slides.

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