Anyone wanting to convey a message that resonates with the media and leaves a lasting impression on their audience cannot do without visual aids. A self-running PowerPoint presentation allows you to directly capture your customers' attention, for example, at a trade fair booth or on an information display in your company's foyer. However, when creating a self-running presentation, it's crucial to ensure that the content isn't overloaded with endless bullet points, tables, and charts.
Images, graphics, and clear statements are much better suited to this format. With expressive presentation and vivid visuals, you'll reach your goal far more effectively. This medium definitely holds incredible potential.
However, the precise use of PowerPoint is often underestimated. Not all users are truly aware of everything this program has to offer. Therefore, in this article, we will show you how to create a self-running presentation.
Using self-running presentations effectively
There are several sectors that specifically utilize presentations running on a continuous loop. Unattended information or demonstrations about products, companies, travel destinations, or nature footage are particularly popular in waiting rooms, airports, some shops, trade fair booths, and reception areas.
Even hotels, car dealerships, and health centers find slideshows without a presenter useful. The visualization of facts and information aims to create mental images for the viewer. The presentation serves as an individual stimulus for thought.
But even at private events like birthday parties, weddings, or club celebrations, many people use self-running presentations. This modern feature captivates the audience and ensures the presentation remains memorable for a long time.
What are the advantages of a self-running PowerPoint presentation?
A well-crafted PowerPoint presentation effectively propels a story forward. Depending on its structure, it can create suspense or evoke enthusiasm in the audience. At the same time, the presentation itself can also contribute to relaxation.
The initiator hopes to achieve this effect particularly in the dentist's waiting room. Of course, the target group and the intended use always play a crucial role. The presentations should be adapted accordingly. Generally speaking, a self-running presentation establishes a connection between the presenter and the audience.
The core message is conveyed to the viewers through visuals in a continuous loop. Therefore, no one needs to manage the medium during the presentation. The self-running PowerPoint presentation can be started or stopped instantly with a single keystroke.
What is a self-running presentation?
To avoid constantly restarting PowerPoint, you can configure the program to run the desired slideshow indefinitely. The user sets an automatic start time. If you want to stop the presentation prematurely, simply press the "ESC" key. To prevent visitors, viewers, or event participants from interrupting without permission, you should lock the keyboard. Setting a password prevents unauthorized users from ending the presentation prematurely.
You can run the presentation unattended at the venue without having to make any manual entries. Alternatively, it is even possible to save the presentation as a video and send it to clients via email.
How do I create a self-running presentation?
To set up an automatically running PowerPoint presentation, you must proceed as follows:
- Under the "SCREEN PRESENTATION " tab, you will find the "SCREEN PRESENTATION SETUP" section. Click this button.
- Under "TYPE OF PRESENTATION" you will now find three selection criteria:
- Presentation by a speaker (full screen size)
- View through a single person (window)
- View at a kiosk (full screen size) 
If you want to allow viewers to advance the slides themselves, activate the selection criterion "PRESENTATION BY A SPEAKER (FULL SCREEN)". If you prefer a screen presentation in a window and do not want to allow viewers to advance the slides, activate the selection criterion "VIEW BY A SINGLE PERSON (WINDOW)".
Setting up an endless screen presentation
If you want an endless slideshow, activate the "VIEW AT A KIOSK" (full screen) option. In our case, click on "VIEW AT A KIOSK" (full screen) and then check the box next to "REPEAT UNTIL "ESC" IS PRESSED ". Finally, click the "OK " button to confirm. In the next step, you will configure the timing and automatic slide transitions.
Setting up transitions for self-running presentations
For the elegant background effect to work correctly on screens or canvases, a setting must first be adjusted on the "Transitions" tab. Under the "Display Duration" section, the "On Mouse Click" checkbox must be unchecked for "Next Slide". This checkbox should then be checked for "After".
In this section, you specify the time after which the selected slide should change. The process of setting the display duration will now be performed individually for each slide. If you want a uniform display duration, you can click the "Apply to all" button. After saving, the slideshow will start automatically after the specified time.
Adding a comment or sound
If you want to optionally record comments or sounds, a computer with an integrated sound card and microphone is absolutely necessary. If the microphone is not included in the computer, then at least a suitable port for one should be available.
On the " Slide Show" tab, click the " Record Slide Show" button. Select one of the options, depending on whether you want to start recording at the beginning of the presentation or only record the current slide. Then click " Start Recording" .
To end the recording, right-click on the slide and then click " End Presentation" . The recorded length for the display duration is automatically saved in PowerPoint, and the slideshow is displayed in Slide Sorter view with timestamps next to each slide.
Save self-running presentations as videos
Before converting the video, it must be saved as a PowerPoint file. To do this, move your cursor to the "File" tab and then click "Save". Afterwards, stay on the "File" tab, but click "Export".
If you have selected this option, proceed to the "Create Video" button. On the right side of the screen, you will now see drop-down menus (Full HD 1080p, Ultra HD 4K, etc.). Select your desired video quality. After making your selection, the option "Use recorded timelines and commentary" will be available.
If this is not the case, then leave the default setting "Do not use recorded timings and comments" and instead focus on the slide display duration. By default, 5 seconds are usually allotted for each slide.
You can change this value if needed. Now simply click the "Create Video" button. Finally, choose the video file format. You can select between "MPEG4 Video" and "Windows Media Video" as the file type. Once you've made your choice, click "Save".
For those who are not familiar with common video formats, this guide can be helpful:
- Ultra HD (4K) has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 with a maximum file size (suitable for large monitors and screens).
- Full HD (1080p) has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 with a large file size (suitable for computer and HD screens).
- HD (720p) has a resolution of 1280 x 720 with a medium file size (suitable for Internet and DVD).
- Standard (480p) has a resolution of 852 x 480 with a small file size (suitable for portable devices).