Introduction
This free Crash Course introduces essential PowerPoint skills, from basic navigation to animation essentials. Designed for complete beginners using PowerPoint on PC or Mac (2016–Microsoft 365), you’ll learn the interface, slide design, transitions, exporting to video, and how animations work. After this course you’ll be fully prepared to follow my advanced PPT courses and design with confidence.
What you’ll learn and who this course is for
This short, focused course is aimed at beginner and inexperienced designers who want to learn Microsoft PowerPoint for professional or private use. No prior experience or knowledge is required. It is ideal whether you want to:
- add a new skill to your portfolio
- create videos
- impress at work
- start being an online entrepreneur
Supported platforms: PowerPoint on PC or Mac (the newer the better — 2016, 2019, 2021 or Microsoft 365 is best). If this is the first time you open the software, this course acts as the correct starting point.
Navigate, design slides and export
This section explains practical, hands-on basics you will master so you can produce clean slides quickly and reliably:
- Interface and workflow: learn what PowerPoint is used for and the differences between versions, plus how to move around the interface confidently.
- Slides and saving: how to add slides, organize content, and save presentations so your work is secure.
- Design building blocks: adding and editing shapes, text, and pictures; arranging elements to design an entire slide.
- Export options: exporting presentations to video so your slide-based content can be shared as motion content outside PowerPoint.
These fundamental workflows ensure you can create clear, professional slides and will prepare you to absorb more advanced techniques in subsequent courses.
Animations and transitions — how they work
One of the core strengths of the course is demystifying PowerPoint’s motion features. You will learn:
- Transitions vs animations: the difference between slide-to-slide transitions and object animations that occur within a slide.
- Types of animations: an overview of the various animation categories available in PowerPoint and practical ways to apply them.
- Timing and sequencing: how to change timings, control start options, and combine multiple animations to create a smooth sequence.
- Creating full animation sequences: step-by-step guidance to build an entire animated slide so each element moves in the intended order and timing.
By focusing on both transitions and animations and how to alter timings, you’ll gain the operational knowledge required to produce engaging, controlled motion within presentations.
Course intent, scope and your instructor
This course has two clear goals stated at the start: 1) get you familiar with PowerPoint and its animation features; 2) ensure you are prepared and confident to enroll in any premium courses taught with the same style and pace. The content is intentionally short and basic — a free prequel to more advanced paid courses.
What this course is:
- a very basic, brief introduction to the software and its animation features
- very beginner friendly
- aimed at people with little or no prior tech experience
What this course isn’t:
- an advanced PowerPoint course
- a complex, exhaustive explanation of all PowerPoint features
- suitable for advanced users who already understand the basics
About the instructor: Andrzej “Andrew” Pach is an engaged and passionate PowerPoint & After Effects instructor. He works daily with graphic design, presentations, motion & animation, typography, video editing and online teaching. He uses Adobe After Effects, Microsoft PowerPoint (2019 / 2021 / 365) and Camtasia. His profile details include a 4.5 instructor rating, 70,297 reviews, 596,913 students and 35 courses. He has completed more than 5,000 graphic projects and thousands of freelance jobs, and runs his own company since April 2015. Andrew shares this free course to help you gain the prequel knowledge needed for his premium offerings and to make PowerPoint approachable for everyone.
If you struggle with advanced courses, start here. If you already know these basics, you are ready for the next level.
Conclusion
This free Crash Course gives you essential PowerPoint skills: navigating the interface, designing slides, using shapes/text/pictures, exporting to video, and mastering transitions and animations with sequencing and timing. It’s tailored for beginners on modern PowerPoint versions and serves as a clear prequel to more advanced courses. Enroll to build confidence and be fully equipped for further PowerPoint learning.
