To use Slide Master in PowerPoint, go to the View tab and select Slide Master. Edit the large top slide to change fonts, colours and logos on every slide, or edit one of the layouts beneath it to change just that layout. Select Close Master View when you're done.
Slide Master is where PowerPoint keeps the design rules for your whole deck. Put your logo, brand fonts and colours there once, and every slide follows. It's the difference between a presentation that looks consistent and one where you've manually nudged the logo on slide twelve because it was slightly off. If you make the same change on lots of slides, it belongs in Slide Master. It looks a little technical the first time you open it, but there are only two things to understand: the master at the top, and the layouts underneath it.
Open Slide Master view
- Go to the View tab.
- Select Slide Master.
- In the thumbnail pane on the left, the large slide at the top is the slide master. The smaller slides beneath it are the layout masters.
- Make your changes.
- On the Slide Master tab, select Close Master View to go back to your slides.
Master slide or layout: which to edit
| Where you change it | Changes apply to | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| The slide master (top thumbnail) | Every slide based on that master | Logo, brand fonts, colours, background |
| A layout master (below it) | Only slides using that layout | A different look for title or section slides |
| A single slide (Normal view) | Just that slide | One-off changes |
Microsoft points out that most of your changes will probably be to the layout masters rather than the main master. For example, your title slide layout might have a big logo and a full-colour background, while the content layout has a small logo in the corner.
Edit the master before you build slides
This is the timing catch. Microsoft recommends editing the slide master and layouts before you create individual slides, so every slide you add is based on your custom design. If you edit them afterwards, you may need to reapply the changed layouts to existing slides in Normal view. If you're rebranding an old deck, set up the master, then select your slides and reapply their layouts.
Why you can't delete that logo
Ever tried to delete a picture on a slide and PowerPoint simply won't select it? Microsoft explains that if you can't edit an element in Normal view, it may be because it's defined on the slide master or a layout master. Switch to Slide Master view, find the layout with the logo, and delete or move it there. The same goes for stubborn background shapes and footer text.
There's an upside to this, too. Microsoft notes that because master elements can only be edited in Slide Master view, other people working on the deck in Normal view can't accidentally delete or move your branding.
Set up a branded master step by step
- Open View, Slide Master and click the top master slide.
- Change the fonts and colours, or apply theme colours and fonts.
- Insert your logo and place it where you want it on every slide.
- Click each layout below and adjust it, for example removing the logo from the title layout if it already has a big one.
- Delete built-in layouts you'll never use: click the layout, then Delete on the Slide Master tab.
- Select a layout and tick or clear Footers to control slide numbers, date and footer text for that layout.
- Select Close Master View.
Save it as a template
Once your master is set up, don't rebuild it next time. Microsoft's route is File, Save as, change the file type to a template, give it a name and select Save. Start every new deck from that template and your branding is already in place. For a team, it's the easiest way to stop everyone inventing their own version of the company look.
Multiple masters and clean-up
Every theme comes with its own slide master and set of layouts, so if a presentation uses more than one theme, it has more than one master. You can add one deliberately with Insert Slide Master on the Slide Master tab. They also pile up when you paste slides from other decks. Microsoft says that in Microsoft 365, when you open a presentation with 25 or more slide masters and some are unused, PowerPoint offers to remove the unused ones. Accept it if you know you don't need them; it keeps the file tidy.
If you also want each slide's background consistent, see my guide on how to change the background in PowerPoint. Slide numbers are controlled from the master too, as I explain in how to add slide numbers in PowerPoint.
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The short version from me
View, Slide Master, edit the top slide for brand-wide changes and the layouts for specific slide types, then Close Master View. Do it before you build the deck, save it as a template, and you'll never chase a misplaced logo again. Once the master is right, my guide on how to create a great PowerPoint presentation covers what goes on the slides.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Slide Master in PowerPoint?
On the View tab, select Slide Master. The master is the top slide in the thumbnail pane.
Why can't I delete a picture on my slide?
It may be defined on the slide master or a layout master. Switch to Slide Master view to edit it.
What's the difference between a slide master and a layout?
The master controls every slide based on it; a layout master controls only slides using that layout.
Do slide master changes update existing slides?
Slides based on the master pick up master changes, but you may need to reapply changed layouts to existing slides.
How do I save a slide master as a template?
File, Save as, change the file type to template, name it and select Save.
