Claude in PowerPoint is an add-in, Claude for PowerPoint, that builds and edits slides inside your own deck using your template's layouts, fonts and colours. Install Claude for Microsoft 365 from Microsoft AppSource, open PowerPoint, activate the add-in and sign in with your Claude account. It's for Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, on PowerPoint for the web, Windows or Mac.
The reason it's worth trying is the template part. Most AI deck tools make their own design. Claude reads your slide master and works inside it, so a client deck still looks like a client deck.
I've written this from Anthropic's own documentation and release notes, read in October 2026.
What you need
| Requirement | What Anthropic lists |
|---|---|
| Claude plan | Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise |
| PowerPoint on the web | Supported |
| PowerPoint on Windows | With a Microsoft 365 subscription, build 16.0.13127.20296 or later |
| PowerPoint on Mac | Version 16.46 or later |
| Not supported | PowerPoint 2016 and 2019 one-off or volume licences, and PowerPoint on iPad |
How to install Claude in PowerPoint
- Go to the Claude for Microsoft 365 listing on Microsoft AppSource.
- Select Get it now to install it.
- Open PowerPoint and activate the add-in (Home, then Add-ins on Windows; Tools, then Add-ins on Mac).
- Sign in with your Claude account.
For a whole team, an admin can deploy it from the Microsoft 365 Admin Center under Settings, then Integrated apps. Anthropic notes a known Microsoft issue: if your organisation uses Privileged Identity Management for admin roles, deployment from that page can fail, so use an admin account whose role is permanently active. Individual users can still install it themselves.
What Claude can do in your deck
- Build new slides using your existing client or company template
- Edit specific slides without regenerating the whole deck
- Draft a full deck structure from a plain-English description
- Turn bullet points into diagrams, process flows and native, editable PowerPoint charts
- Pull in outside context through connectors
That point about native charts matters. Anthropic says Claude produces visuals you can edit directly, not static images, so you can change the numbers later without starting again.
Prompts to try
These follow the style of Anthropic's own examples. Select a slide first when you're editing one:
Copy this prompt
Create a 10-slide pitch deck for a local cleaning company bidding for an office contract: the problem, our approach, team, timeline, three case studies and next steps. Use the layouts in this template.
Copy this prompt
Simplify the text on this slide to three short bullets and add a chart showing the monthly trend from the table.
Copy this prompt
Turn these bullets into a process flow diagram with five steps.
Copy this prompt
Restructure the story across slides 4 to 7 so the client's problem comes before our solution.
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Set your brand rules once
Open Settings in the add-in sidebar and use the Instructions field. Anything you put there applies to every conversation in PowerPoint, such as "always use one-line bullets" or "use the blue accent colour for highlights". One catch: these instructions only apply in PowerPoint. They're separate from any you've set in Claude for Excel or Word, so set them in each app.
Working across Excel, Word and Outlook
Claude for PowerPoint shares context with Claude for Excel, Word and Outlook, so one conversation can cover your open deck, workbook, document and inbox. Anthropic added this in March 2026, along with skills in the add-ins. A practical example: build the numbers in Excel, then ask Claude to turn them into a chart slide. For more everyday ideas, see my guide to using Claude for business tasks.
Where your chats and data go
This is the section I'd read before using it for client work. Anthropic says your chat history in the add-in is stored locally in your browser, not on its servers, isn't synced across devices, and can be cleared from Settings. Inputs and outputs are deleted from its backend within 30 days, apart from the exceptions in its data policy.
For Enterprise customers there are two details to note: the add-in doesn't follow any custom data retention settings your organisation has set, and its activity isn't included in Enterprise audit logs, though sessions are covered by the Compliance API, which is in public beta.
Limits Anthropic is open about
- It's not recommended for final client deliverables without a human review.
- It's not recommended for decks with highly sensitive or regulated data unless the right controls are in place.
- It doesn't replace your judgement on design and the story of the deck.
- It uses the same usage limits as your Claude account, and the add-in shows a shorter list of models chosen for Office work.
Long sessions are handled for you: longer conversations are compacted automatically so you don't run out of room. If you're weighing up plans, see Claude's plans, and if you'd like help bringing tools like this into your team's workflow, that's on my work with me page.
My verdict
Claude in PowerPoint is the most useful AI deck helper I've seen for anyone who has to stick to a template. Set your brand rules in Instructions first, ask for one section at a time rather than a whole deck, and always review before a client sees it. If you're on PowerPoint 2019 or an iPad, it won't run, so check your version before you try.
Starting from a blank canvas instead? Try my guide to using Claude Design.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude available in PowerPoint?
Yes. Claude for PowerPoint is an add-in, installed from the Claude for Microsoft 365 listing on Microsoft AppSource, and generally available on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans.
Is Claude for PowerPoint free?
No. Anthropic lists it for Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, and it uses the same usage limits as your Claude account.
Does Claude for PowerPoint work on Mac?
Yes, on PowerPoint for Mac version 16.46 or later. It also runs on PowerPoint on the web and on Windows with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Can Claude use my PowerPoint template?
Yes. Anthropic says Claude reads your deck's slide master, layouts, fonts and colours and uses them when it creates or edits slides.
Where does Claude for PowerPoint store my chats?
Anthropic says chat history is stored locally in your browser, isn't synced across devices and can be cleared from Settings. Inputs and outputs are deleted from its backend within 30 days.
