PPT: How to Create (Format) a Default Presentation

This article describes how to establish a set of default formats that you can use for new presentations. The file you create will be used as the basis for new presentations, unless you already have a presentation open. In this case, you can use either the default format or the format of the active presentation.

To establish a set of default formats that you can use for new presentations, use the appropriate method for your version of PowerPoint.

Method 1: If You Are Using PowerPoint 7.0

1.	Start PowerPoint and open a new presentation.
2.	Set the various defaults to be used for each new presentation. The following items can be set as defaults:   Slide size.   Slide orientation.   Color scheme.   Colors for fill, line, shadow, pattern contrast, and text.   Text styles.   Object attributes (opaque, framed, filled, shadowed, sized to text, pattern, line style, and arrowhead).   Defaults for text, label, or word processing objects (indents, tabs, line spacing, and so on) on the Slide Master, Notes Master, and Handout Page.   Printer settings for slides, notes, and handouts.   Initial view (slides, notes, Slide Master, Title Master, Notes Master, Handout Page, Title Sorter, or Slide Sorter).
3.	On the File menu, click Save As.
4.	From the Save As Type list, click Presentation Templates (*.pot).
5.	Name the file "Blank Presentation.pot," and save it in the PowerPoint Templates folder.

This file will now be used as the basis for all new presentations.

PowerPoint 2.x, 3.x, and 4.x

1.	Start PowerPoint and open a new presentation.
2.	Set the various defaults to be used for each new presentation. The following items can be set as defaults:   Slide size.   Slide orientation.   Color scheme.   Colors for fill, line, shadow, pattern contrast, and text.   Text styles.   Object attributes (opaque, framed, filled, shadowed, sized to text, pattern, line style, and arrowhead).   Defaults for text, label, or word processing objects (indents, tabs, line spacing, and so on) on the Slide Master, Notes Master, and Handout Page.   Printer settings for slides, notes, and handouts.   Initial view (slides, notes, Slide Master, Title Master, Notes Master, Handout Page, Title Sorter, or Slide Sorter).
3.	On the File menu, click Save As.
4.	Save the file under the name Default.ppt in the folder that contains PowerPoint.

For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: