Fact-checked by Justyn Newman

The quest for a free version of PowerPoint has been a frustrating one. Despite my repeated attempts to find a legitimate free version, I was only met with pirated versions or malware-infected downloads that posed a risk to my computer’s security. While I did try Microsoft’s limited online version of PowerPoint, it was missing many of the powerful features, animations, transitions, and formatting options.

A better option is to download PowerPoint and take advantage of the free 30-day trial to get unlimited access to all the premium features!

Follow the steps below, and I’ll show you how to register your account, start the free trial, and download and install PowerPoint on your PC for free.

Try PowerPoint Free for 30 Days!

How to Download and Install PowerPoint on Your PC for Free

The PowerPoint desktop app is only available as part of the Microsoft 365 bundle. By following this guide, you will get PowerPoint free for one month, plus free versions of Word, Excel, Outlook, and more.

  1. Go directly to the official Microsoft 365 free trial page.
  2. Click the Try 1 Month Free button.Microsoft 365 for free
  3. Sign in to your Microsoft account. If you don’t have an account, click the Sign Up link to register your free account.
  4. Agree to the terms and confirm that you want to activate the free trial, and then press the Next button.
    Start free trial
  5. While this is 100% free, you will need to select a payment method to activate the free trial. You will not be charged until the free month trial period is over. The accepted payment methods are credit or debit card, PayPal, and mobile phone (where available).
  6. Enter your payment information and click the Save button.
  7. Press the Start Trial, Pay Later button.
    microsoft 365 free trial payment confirm
  8. Microsoft will confirm that your payment method is valid. When this quick check is complete, press the Continue button.
  9. Press the Download the Desktop Apps button, and you will be redirected to your user dashboard.Download the Desktop Apps
  10. Press the Install Office button to begin the download process.
    install office
  11. Select your preferred language for the PowerPoint interface, and which version you wish to install. If you don’t have a preference, it’s recommended that you leave the default option, so you get the latest version.
    Choose Office language and version
  12. When the File Explorer window opens, choose your destination folder and press the Save button.
  13. When the download is complete, open the file, and Microsoft will automatically install the entire collection of Microsoft 365 apps to your computer.

PowerPoint Overview

Since its initial release in 1987, PowerPoint has become the go-to software for personal and business-related presentations. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows users to create a presentation that fits their needs instead of trying to work within a predetermined framework.

With the latest release of PowerPoint, Microsoft continues to add and upgrade its features. When you subscribe to a subscription plan, you also get 1 TB of OneDrive cloud server. It makes it easier to share your slideshows and presentations with others.

PowerPoint offers the convenience of allowing multiple individuals to collaborate on a single presentation, simplifying team projects. You can effortlessly set permission levels for each file, granting others the ability to view, edit, or provide comments on the presentation. Furthermore, PowerPoint’s co-authoring functionality allows several users to collaborate on the same presentation at the same time.

PowerPoint Features

Within the Microsoft 365 suite, PowerPoint stands out as an exceptionally versatile program. Its applications span a wide range, catering to various user groups, from children crafting picture slideshows for their friends to students preparing presentations for class assignments and salespeople showcasing the advantages of their products. Regardless of the purpose, PowerPoint offers an array of suitable template designs, color schemes, animations, and transitions that seamlessly unify the presentation.

Large Selection of Templates for Easy Design Customization

You can choose from a variety of pre-designed themes and templates to quickly and easily create the right look and feel of a presentation. Themes include a combination of colors, fonts, and effects that are applied to all the slides in a presentation.Powerpoint templates

A small sample of the PowerPoint templates

This can save time and ensure a consistent design throughout the presentation. Users can also customize the themes to their liking by editing the colors, fonts, and effects separately.

Engage Your Audience with Integrated Text and Media Elements

Customize the look of the text with comprehensive typography options. This includes hundreds of fonts, multiple styling options, and a full range of colors. Once you add a text box to the slide, it can be resized, moved, and rotated, giving it the look and style you desire.

Customize Text with PowerPoint

Use the typography option to personalize your text

When you include images, videos, and other media in a slide, it transforms into a versatile tool that enhances the creation of captivating presentations. You have the option to upload media files from your local device, OneDrive account, or online sources. Additionally, the application empowers users to make direct edits to images and videos right on the slide.

Add Personal Style with Dynamic Animations and Transitions

There is a large selection of animations and transitions that you can use to bring slides to life and make them more interactive. Animations can be used to draw attention to specific elements on a slide, such as images or text. You don’t need any experience in animation to use this feature. It’s as easy as clicking on the element you want to animate and choosing the animation style. If you’re going to animate multiple elements in a slide, you can set the order of the animations so not everything is triggered at once.

PowerPoint Animations

A sample of the animation styles

Transitions can be used to smoothly move between slides, adding a professional touch to the presentation. You can customize the time it takes to complete each transition, set one transition style for the entire presentation, or choose a different style for each slide.Powerpoint transitions

A sample of the transition styles

Simplify Complex Information with SmartArt

SmartArt is a feature that enables users to generate diagrams and visual elements effortlessly. This functionality simplifies complex information, making it more understandable for our readers. By utilizing SmartArt diagrams, users can effectively illustrate relationships, processes, hierarchies, and various other concepts.

SmartArt DiagramsPowerPoint

Find the right SmartArt graphic for your needs

You can choose from a wide range of pre-designed SmartArt diagrams or create your own using the SmartArt graphic option.

Excellent Presentation Tools

If you’re using PowerPoint as a visual aide during a lecture, speech, or presentation, it comes with some excellent features and suggestions:

  • Notes: Add notes that only you see to ensure you don’t forget what you planned on saying.
  • Set the slides on a timer: You can automate the slides, so they change at specific time intervals.
  • Remote control access: Using your smartphone, you can change slides without having to walk over to your computer and click the mouse.
  • Compatible with all Microsoft 365 tools: Integrate Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, diagrams, and flowcharts from Visio without having to convert any files or download any special plugins.

Share your Presentation Anywhere and on Any Device

PowerPoint has different format options for exporting a presentation including PDF, video, and HTML. This makes it easy to share presentations with others and ensure that they can be viewed on any device. Another option is to export the presentations as a collection of images, such as JPEG or PNG. This allows users to share their presentations in a format that can be easily shared on social media or via email.

Is PowerPoint Web good?

Microsoft has a free limited version of PowerPoint through its website. However, the free version isn’t as good as the premium option for several reasons:

  • Missing some themes and templates: While you can still use themes and templates to create a beautiful presentation, your options are limited compared to the desktop versions.
  • Fewer animations and transitions: You will have to get back with basic animation and transition options.
  • Limited file compatibility: PowerPoint Online may not be able to open or save certain types of files, such as older versions of PowerPoint or some third-party file formats.
  • Internet connection required: You must be online to edit or view your presentations.

PowerPoint Compatibility

PowerPoint is compatible with Windows (7 and higher), Mac (Sierra 10.12 and higher), Android, and iOS. While it can run on older operating systems, there is the possibility that it will cause the computer to crash. There is no version of PowerPoint that is compatible with Linux.

Mobile Apps

The PowerPoint mobile app is a standalone app that’s included in your subscription plan. The touch-friendly app is user friendly and easy to manage on smaller screens. It gives you the flexibility to take your presentations with you, and it is easy to integrate the phone’s camera and microphone when creating a presentation. Most of the standard features are available through the mobile app, but there are some templates, themes, and animations that you’ll only see on the desktop app.

Minimum System Requirements

You must make sure that your operating system meets the minimum system requirements for running PowerPoint. If you don’t have the right specs, it could cause the program or your computer to crash.

Windows

Operation System Windows 7, 8.1, 10, and 11.
Windows Server 2016 and 2019
Processor 2-core 1.6 GhZ or faster
Memory 64-Bit system: 4 GB | 32-Bit system: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space 4 GB
Display 1280 x 768 screen resolution
Graphics DirectX 9 or later

Mac

Operation System MacOS 10.12 Sierra and later
Processor Intel processor
Memory 4 GB of RAM
Hard Disk Space 10 GB
Display 1280 x 800 screen resolution
Graphics No graphic card required

Mobile Apps

Android Android 7.0 and higher
iOS iOS 13 and higher

Browser

For the best performance, it’s recommended to use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.

How to Uninstall PowerPoint from Windows

If PowerPoint isn’t the right program for you or if you’ve finished making the slideshows you need, you can easily uninstall the software from your computer in a few easy steps.

  1. Type Add or Remove Programs in the windows search bar.
  2. Scroll down to Microsoft 365 and click uninstall.
    Uninstall Microsoft 365
  3. Confirm that you want to remove Microsoft 365 (with PowerPoint in it), and the uninstallation wizard will safely remove it from your computer.

While this will remove PowerPoint and Microsoft 365 from your computer, it won’t cancel your account. If you have presentations saved to your OneDrive cloud storage, you can still access them.

Additional Microsoft 365 Apps

Microsoft 365 comes with a large collection of important apps for computers and mobile devices. Here are just a few that you’ll get at no extra cost:

  • Word: The ultimate word-processing tool has upped it games with the latest Microsoft 365 release. Improve your text-based documents with improved editing tools, great formatting options, and a huge selection of fonts.
  • Excel: It’s the most popular spreadsheet apps in the world and a must-have for anyone looking to organize their data. From simple spreadsheets that can calculate sales numbers or list items in alphabetical order to advanced mathematical formulas, pivot tables, and compatibility with SQL software, Excel can help save you time and money when used correctly.

FAQ

Is PowerPoint free?

While there’s no longer a free desktop app for PowerPoint, if you follow the instructions above, I’ll show you how to download it, and the entire Microsoft 365 bundle free for 30 days.

Is PowerPoint safe to download?

Yes, PowerPoint is 100% safe and free of viruses and malware. That being said, there are plenty of websites claiming they have free downloads of PowerPoint. You should avoid these sites, as they usually contain fake versions of PowerPoint with malicious files injected in the installer. To guarantee that you have a safe version of PowerPoint, download the official version of PowerPoint, and you’ll also receive a free trial for one month.

How do I cancel my PowerPoint subscription?

You can cancel your PowerPoint subscription by logging on to your account and turning off the recurring payments. Your account will stay active until the current billing cycle is complete.
Download PowerPoint now!