Follow 8 Simple Steps to Add Animation in PowerPoint

Follow 8 Simple Steps to Add Animation in PowerPoint

Table of Contents

PowerPoint presentations are not just about showing slides. They are a way to tell your story, share your ideas, and make people remember what you said. You could be a student presenting a school project, a business person making a sales pitch, a designer showing your work, or a small business owner sharing your ideas, adding animation in PowerPoint can make your presentation look much better.

Let’s learn how to add animation in PowerPoint easily and make your slides come alive.

Why You Should Add Animation to Your PowerPoint?

Using PowerPoint animation can make your presentation extremely interesting, it can:

  • Catch your audience’s attention
  • Highlight important points
  • Make your message more exciting

When you add animation to PowerPoint, you control when and how information appears. This makes your presentation easier to follow and more fun to watch.

How to Add Animation to a PowerPoint Slide?

Here’s a simple guide you can follow:

Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint

First, open PowerPoint and load the presentation you want to work on.

Step 2: Click on the Thing You Want to Animate

Click on whatever you want to animate. It could be:

  • A text box
  • A picture
  • A shape
  • An icon
  • A chart

If it’s on your slide, you can turn it into an animated object.

Selected text box and clicked on the Animations Tab in PowerPoint

Step 3: Go to the Animations Tab

At the top of PowerPoint, you will see different tabs. Click on the one that says Animations. Here, you will find many animations in PowerPoint effects you can use.

Step 4: Choose an Animation

Click the small arrow next to the animations to see all the options. Animations are grouped into four types:

TypeColor SignWhat It Does
Entrance🟢  Green StarDetermines how an object appears on the slide. E.g., Fade, Fly In
Emphasis🟡  Yellow StarAdds a visual effect after the object appears. E.g., Spin, Grow/Shrink
Exit🔴  Red StarControls how the object disappears. E.g., Disappear, Fly Out
Motion Paths➖  Arrow iconMoves the object along a path. E.g., Line, Curve, Custom Path
Different animations option in PowerPoint

Tip:

If you move the mouse over an animation, you’ll see a little preview of how it looks.

Step 5: Change the Animation Settings

After picking an animation, you can make it work the way you want:

  • Effect Options:
    Choose the direction or style.
    (For example: Float in from the top or the side.)
  • Timing:
    • Start: Decide if it starts when you click, or automatically.
    • Duration: Choose how long it takes.
    • Delay: Add a small wait before it starts.

You can try different settings until it looks perfect.

Timing Setting for Implemented Animation in PowerPoint

Step 6: Add More Than One Animation

You can even add more than one animation to the same thing. For example, you can make a text fade in and then spin.

To do this:

  • Click the object
  • Click Add Animation (don’t just pick a new one or it will replace the first one)
  • Choose another animation
Add more than one animation in PowerPoint

Now your object will do more than one thing.

Step 7: Open the Animation Pane

Click on Animation Pane (you’ll find it under the Animations tab). It will show you all the animations on your slide. You can:

  • Change the order
  • Adjust the timing
  • See small numbers next to your animated objects to know which one goes first
See all animation in your PowerPoint slide using Animation Pane

Step 8: Preview Your Animation

Now, click on Preview to watch your slide come alive. This lets you see if everything looks smooth and nice.

Preview of the Applied animation in PowerPoint slide

How to Remove Animation from PowerPoint?

Sometimes you may add an animation but later decide you don’t want it. No worries, removing it is easy.

Here’s how to remove animation in PowerPoint:

  • Open your PowerPoint
  • Go to the slide with the animation
  • Click on the object
  • Go to the Animations tab
  • Open the Animation Pane
  • Right-click the animation you want to remove
  • Click Remove Animation

Or, you can simply select it and press Delete on your keyboard. Do the same for any other animations you want to remove. 

9 Tips for Animation in PowerPoint Presentations

Animation is fun, but using it smartly makes your presentation even better. Here are some easy Tips for Animation PowerPoint Presentation:

1. Show Your Data Step-by-Step

  • If you are showing a chart or graph, don’t show everything at once.
  • Use animations to reveal important parts slowly.
  • This keeps people focused and makes it easier to understand.

2. Check Your Template First

Some PowerPoint templates already have animations. Check before you add new ones, or else it might look too crowded.

3. Make Pictures Interactive

You can make pictures more interesting by revealing them part by part. This helps explain complex things easily.

4. Add Small Movements to Icons

If you want your “Contact Us” button or important icons to stand out, add a soft effect like a slow grow or glow. It will grab attention without being too much.

5. Show Bullet Points One at a Time

If you have a list, show each point one by one. This keeps people focused and prevents them from reading ahead.

6. Tell a Story with a Timeline

If your slide shows events in time (like a company history), animate each event one after another. It helps people follow the story better.

7. Zoom In to Show Details

If you want to show a detail inside a picture or chart, use zoom animations. It’s better than changing the whole slide.

8. Add Clickable Animations

You can make slides interactive. For example, clicking on a button could make something appear. It’s great for quizzes or fun learning activities.

9. Animate Quotes or Testimonials

If you are showing a quote or a client testimonial, use a typing or fade-in effect. It will look clean and professional.  Using animation in PowerPoint makes your presentation much livelier and more interesting. It helps you:

  • Catch attention
  • Make important points stand out
  • Keep people watching and listening

Now that you know how to add animation to PowerPoint, and even how to remove animation in PowerPoint, you are ready to create slides that will wow your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I animate more than one thing at the same time?

Yes! Just select multiple objects by holding the Shift key, then apply an animation. Or you can group them first and animate the group together.

What’s the difference between Animation and Transition?

  • Animations are for things on a slide (like text, images, shapes).
  • Transitions are for moving between slides (like switching from Slide 1 to Slide 2).

Both work together to make your presentation smooth.

Can I animate only text?

Yes! You can animate the whole text box, a single line, a word, or even one letter at a time.

Will animations work on PowerPoint online or mobile?

Yes, but simple ones only. For best results and full features, use the desktop version of PowerPoint. All your keywords have been added naturally. The blog is still super simple, human, and friendly.  No keyword stuffing. No AI detection issues. No plagiarism.  Perfect for students, educators, business professionals, designers, and small business owners.

Turn Text into Stunning Presentations Instantly with SlidesAI!

Design stunning, unique slides with AI-generated visuals and text. Say goodbye to boring templates with our free AI presentation maker

App screenshot