
The PowerPoint interface typically features a side pane, which can be used to navigate and edit slides. This pane is usually located on the left side of the screen and contains thumbnails of all your slides, allowing you to easily rearrange their order by dragging and dropping. The pane can be adjusted in width or collapsed entirely by clicking and dragging the mouse. If the pane is hidden, it can be unhidden by selecting the ''View' tab and clicking 'Normal' or by clicking the 'Thumbnails' button on the left side. The Format Task pane, exclusive to PowerPoint 2016, allows users to edit slide objects and quickly jump between different elements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hiding the side pane | Clicking the "X" on the top right of the pane or dragging the divider to the left |
| Showing the side pane | Clicking the "Thumbnails" button on the left side or dragging the divider to the right |
| Adjusting the width of the side pane | Clicking and dragging the right edge of the pane |
| Navigating slides | Clicking on a slide in the side pane |
| Rearranging slides | Dragging and dropping slides in the side pane |
| Duplicating slides | Selecting the slide(s) and pressing Ctrl + D |
| Deleting slides | Selecting the slide(s) and pressing the Delete key |
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What You'll Learn

How to show/hide the side pane in PowerPoint
When you open Microsoft PowerPoint, the slide thumbnails appear in the left-hand pane by default. This pane allows you to easily move from one slide to another or rearrange the order of your slides. You can adjust the size of the pane by clicking and dragging the right edge of the pane to the left or right. If you want to hide the pane entirely, simply drag the right edge of the pane all the way to the left margin of the window.
To show the pane again, click and drag the right edge of the app window to the right. Alternatively, if you have hidden the small thumbnails at the left of the PowerPoint editor, you can show them back by clicking on the small arrow beside the "Thumbnails" text.
You can also hide or show individual slides in the left navigation pane. To hide a slide, select the slide thumbnail in the left navigation pane, right-click on it, and select "Hide Slide." To unhide a slide, follow the same steps but select "Unhide Slide."
If you need greater viewing space, you can close the sidebar by clicking on the "X" on the top right of the bar.
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How to widen/narrow the side pane in PowerPoint
The side pane in PowerPoint refers to the left-hand sidebar that offers two views: Slides and Outline. The Slides view displays all the slides stacked vertically, allowing you to select, reorder, insert, or delete individual slides. Meanwhile, the Outline view displays the textual content from every slide, making it easier to review and edit text-heavy presentations.
The size of the side pane in PowerPoint is adjustable. To widen or narrow the side pane, follow these steps:
- In Normal (editing) view, locate the slide thumbnail pane on the left margin of the PowerPoint window.
- Point your cursor at the right edge of the pane. The cursor will turn into a double-headed splitter arrow.
- Click and drag your cursor leftward to narrow the pane or rightward to widen it.
- Dragging the cursor all the way to the left margin will cause the pane to collapse and hide from view entirely.
- To show the pane again, point your cursor at the left edge of the app window. The cursor will turn into a single-headed splitter arrow.
- Click and drag your cursor rightward to open and widen the pane.
Additionally, if you need more viewing space, you can completely close the sidebar by clicking the 'X' on the top right of the bar. This will hide the sidebar from view, providing more screen real estate for your slides.
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How to edit slides in the side pane in PowerPoint
The side pane in PowerPoint is a useful feature that allows you to easily edit your slides. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to edit slides using the side pane in PowerPoint:
Locating the Side Pane
The side pane in PowerPoint is typically located on the left-hand side of the screen in the Normal (editing) view. It is usually set to the Slides tab by default, displaying all your slides in a vertical, sequential stack. If you cannot locate the side pane, it may be hidden. To unhide it, simply drag the thin divider on the left side of the screen to the right, and the left pane will appear.
Navigating the Side Pane
The side pane offers two main views: the Slides tab and the Outline tab. While the Slides tab displays all your slides, the Outline tab shows the textual content from each slide. This can be especially useful when dealing with slides containing a lot of non-text content.
Editing Slides
To edit a slide, select it from the side pane, and the slide will appear on the right. Here, you can make changes to the slide's content. You can also perform tasks such as changing slide layouts, reordering slides, inserting new slides, or deleting slides.
If you need to duplicate a slide, right-click on the slide's thumbnail in the side pane and select "Duplicate Slide." To delete a slide, follow the same steps but choose "Delete Slide" instead.
Additionally, you can use the Slide Sorter view to see all your slides at once and rearrange them as needed. Simply drag and drop the thumbnails in the side pane to reorder your slides.
Adjusting Pane Size
You can adjust the size of the side pane by clicking and dragging the right edge of the pane. This will allow you to widen or narrow the pane according to your preference. If you need more viewing space, you can also hide the side pane by clicking the "X" in the top right corner.
Applying Slide Layouts
When applying or editing slide layouts, you may need to reapply the layout to ensure the slides follow the updated design. To do this, go to the "View" tab and click "Slide Master." Then, select the desired layout from the thumbnail pane.
By following these steps, you can efficiently edit your slides using the side pane in PowerPoint, making the most of the available tools to create a polished presentation.
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How to duplicate slides in the side pane in PowerPoint
PowerPoint has a left-hand sidebar that offers two views: Slides and Outline. The Slides tab shows all the slides stacked vertically, allowing you to select and perform tasks on individual slides, such as inserting, deleting, or duplicating them.
To duplicate a slide in the side pane in PowerPoint, follow these steps:
- In the left-side pane, Ctrl+click or right-click to select the thumbnail of the slide you want to duplicate.
- From the menu of options, select "Duplicate Slide."
- The duplicate slide will be inserted immediately after the original slide.
You can also duplicate a slide by using the "Reuse Slides" feature. Here's how:
- On the Home tab, select "Reuse Slides."
- In the Search pane, locate and select the presentation file that contains the slide you want to duplicate.
- A list of reusable slides will appear. Hover over the slide you want to duplicate and select "Insert Slide."
Additionally, you can duplicate a slide by copying and pasting it. Right-click on the slide in the left-hand side panel, select "Copy," then right-click in the new location and select "Paste."
The side pane in PowerPoint can be adjusted in size or hidden entirely. To widen or narrow the pane, simply point at the right edge, click, and drag. To hide the pane, drag all the way to the left, and it will collapse from view.
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How to delete slides in the side pane in PowerPoint
PowerPoint slides have a left-hand sidebar that offers two views: the Slides tab and the Outline tab. The Slides tab shows all the slides stacked vertically, allowing you to select individual slides and perform tasks such as changing layouts, reordering, inserting, and deleting. The Outline tab displays all the textual content from every slide, making it easier to review just the written part.
To delete a single slide, open your PowerPoint presentation and select the slide you want to remove from the slide pane on the left. Right-click on the slide and choose "Delete Slide", or simply press the "Delete" key on your keyboard. The slide will be instantly deleted. This method is useful for users who prefer a mouse over keyboard shortcuts.
To delete multiple slides, hold down "Ctrl" (or “Cmd” on a Mac) and click on each slide you wish to delete. Then, right-click on the selected slides and choose "Delete Slide". Alternatively, you can press "Delete" on your keyboard.
If you accidentally delete a slide, PowerPoint offers an “Undo” feature. Simply press "Ctrl + Z" (or “Cmd + Z” on a Mac) immediately after deleting to restore the slide.
You can also hide the left pane by dragging the thin divider to the right. Hiding the left pane can be useful if you need to conceal your slides from someone during a presentation.
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Frequently asked questions
In Normal (editing) view, the slide thumbnail pane is on the left margin of the PowerPoint window. You can adjust the width of the pane by clicking and dragging the right edge of the pane to the left or right. If you drag all the way to the left, the pane will collapse and be hidden from view.
If the pane is hidden, you can restore it by clicking on the “View” tab and then clicking the “Normal” button. Alternatively, you can click on the "Thumbnails" button on the left side to bring back the hidden Slides Pane.
You can easily move slides from one position to another in the side pane by simply dragging and dropping the slides to the desired position.
Yes, you can duplicate slides in the side pane by selecting the slide(s) you want to duplicate and then pressing the Ctrl + D keyboard shortcut.








































