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Save a Presentation Template in PowerPoint – Instructions

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How to Save a Presentation Template in PowerPoint: Video

            This video lesson, titled “Saving a Presentation Template,” shows you how to save a presentation template in PowerPoint. This video lesson is from our complete PowerPoint tutorial, titled “Mastering PowerPoint Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Overview of Saving a Presentation Template in PowerPoint:

            You can save a presentation template in PowerPoint after customizing a presentation’s slide masters and slide layouts. After you save the customized presentation as a template, you can then easily use it to create new presentations in the future. Doing this lets you use the presentation’s customized content without having to reapply all your changes to a new presentation again.

            By default, PowerPoint wants to save presentation templates into a specific folder on the specific computer you are using to make the templates easier to access and use. If you choose to do this, you’ll need to access the same device to most easily use them in the future. However, if you know into which folder you save the template, you can select it from any computer that can access that folder, if needed.

How to Save a Presentation Template in PowerPoint:

            To save a presentation template in PowerPoint, first open the customized presentation to save as a template in PowerPoint. Then click the “File” tab in the Ribbon to show the presentation’s Backstage view. At the left side of the Backstage view, then either click the “Save As” command if using a locally saved presentation or click the “Save a Copy” command if using a file saved to online storage. Then click the “This PC” choice in the pane to the right.

            In the far-right pane, type a template name into the “File name:” field. Then select “PowerPoint Template” or “PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Template,” as needed, from the “Save as type:” drop-down. For ease of use, you should save it to the default folder PowerPoint then selects for you. This folder is where PowerPoint stores its default templates. If you save it to this folder, then you can easily select the name of the template to use when creating new presentations in the future by choosing it from the listing of available templates that appears when you create a new presentation in PowerPoint.

            Note that if you didn’t select the “This PC” choice earlier and you are using a file saved online, PowerPoint encourages you to change the folder location in a small message below the “Save as type” drop-down. You can click the “Go to recommended folder” link below this message to select the default templates folder on your PC, if needed. To save the presentation template when you are ready, click the “Save” button next to the “Save as type” drop-down.

A picture of a user saving a presentation template in the Backstage view of PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.

A picture of a user saving a presentation template in the Backstage view of PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.

Instructions on How to Save a Presentation Template in PowerPoint:

  1. To save a presentation template in PowerPoint, open the presentation to save as a template in PowerPoint.
  2. Then click the “File” tab in the Ribbon to show the presentation’s Backstage view.
  3. At the left side of the Backstage view, then either click the “Save As” command if using a locally saved presentation or click the “Save a Copy” command if using a file saved to online storage.
  4. Then click the “This PC” choice in the pane to the right.
  5. In the far-right pane, type a name for the new presentation template into the “File name:” field.
  6. Then select “PowerPoint Template” or “PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Template,” as needed, from the “Save as type:” drop-down.
  7. For ease of use, you should save it to the default folder that PowerPoint then selects for you. This folder is where PowerPoint stores its default templates.
  8. If you save it to this folder, then you can easily select the name of the template to use when creating new presentations in the future by choosing it from the listing of available templates that appears when you create a new presentation in PowerPoint.
  9. Note that if you didn’t select the “This PC” choice earlier and you are using a file saved online, PowerPoint encourages you to change the folder location in a small message below the “Save as type” drop-down. You can click the “Go to recommended folder” link below this message to select the default templates folder on your PC, if needed.
  10. To save the presentation template when you are ready, click the “Save” button next to the “Save as type” drop-down.
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