How to Change PowerPoint Slides from Landscape to Portrait: 1 Minute to Transform Your Presentation

Changing your PowerPoint slides from landscape (the default) to portrait orientation is a straightforward task and can completely transform the look and layout of your presentation. This alteration can be especially useful if your content is better presented in a vertical format, such as posters, flyers, or certain types of data visualization. Here’s how you can make this change in a few easy steps:

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint and your presentation.
2. Go to the Design tab in the ribbon at the top of the window.
3. Select Slide Size on the far right, then click on Custom Slide Size.
4. In the Slide Size dialog box, you’ll see options for orientation. Under Slides, select Portrait.
5. Click OK. PowerPoint may prompt you to choose how you want to scale existing content—pick the option that best fits your needs: "Maximize" (for the largest possible content size) or "Ensure Fit" (so content fits onto the slide).

That’s it! All slides in your presentation will now be in portrait orientation. Remember, this changes the layout for all slides in the presentation. If you want a mix of portrait and landscape slides, you’ll need to create separate presentations and combine them as PDFs or printouts, since Microsoft PowerPoint doesn’t support mixing orientations in a single file.

As a designer, I find that changing orientation can dramatically influence how a presentation feels. For instance, a vertical slide can make your content appear more sophisticated, or give a poster-style effect that’s great for events or infographics. If you’re exploring how to get similar creative control in your room layouts or design projects, digital tools—like a versatile room planner—let you experiment with perspectives and space orientation just as easily, helping you visualize both horizontal and vertical concepts for your space.

Tips 1:

After switching to portrait orientation, review your slide designs—elements may need to be resized or repositioned. Adjust text boxes, images, and graphics to ensure they fit the new format elegantly without overcrowding or leaving excess white space.

FAQ

Q: Can I have both landscape and portrait slides in the same PowerPoint presentation?

A: No, PowerPoint does not support mixed orientation in a single presentation. You'll need to create separate files and merge them if needed.

Q: Will changing orientation affect the layout of my existing content?

A: Yes, content may shift or resize. Review each slide and adjust elements as necessary after changing to portrait orientation.

Q: How do I make a PDF of a portrait PowerPoint presentation?

A: After changing the orientation, go to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document. The exported PDF will maintain the portrait layout.

Q: Is portrait orientation better for certain types of presentations?

A: Yes, portrait is ideal for posters, documents heavy on text, and mobile device viewing, as well as scenarios where a vertical layout best suits the content.

Q: Can orientation be set for individual slides only?

A: No, PowerPoint applies the orientation change to all slides within a presentation file.