Best way to add a timer in your PowerPoint presentation

Seize Control of Your Presentation with PowerPoint Timer

Perhaps you've given a speech or presentation before and lost track of time, or you're striving to infuse more professionalism into your next webinar. Whatever your reason, knowing how to add a timer in your PowerPoint presentation will be an invaluable skill. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "you may delay, but time will not." So, let's dig in and learn the best ways to add a timer in PowerPoint.

Why Include Timer in your Presentation?

Let's start with a real-life example. Picture a bid event where each presenter gets ten minutes to make their case. Stretching even a minute beyond the limit could disqualify them from the process. What could possibly save the day? You guessed it — a well placed timer. Including a timer not only instills discipline in your presentation but also keeps your audience aware of the time status.

Make Use of Built-in PowerPoint Timers

The simplest method to add timer in powerpoint is by using PowerPoint’s built-in timer, which you can add to individual slides or across the entire presentation. Just navigate to the "Insert" tab, select "Video", and click "Video on My PC". From there, you can select an appropriate timer video to add to your slides. It’s a hassle-free, basic timer that gets the job done.

Improvise with PowerPoint Animations

Countdown timers are incredibly straightforward to set up with PowerPoint animations. You create a text box, put your starting number in it, and then use animations to decrease the number. The entrance 'Appear' and exit 'Disappear' animations sequence coupled with delay timings create the perfect countdown timer.

This method offers more customization for colors, font style, size, and other design elements. However, remember to keep your timer visually appealing but not overly distracting. As PowerPoint guru, Ellen Finkelstein, suggests, "Use color, design, and graphics to make your points, but keep the design and the colors simple and the graphics easily understandable.”

Enhance Null With ClassPoint

For more robust control over timers in PowerPoint, ClassPoint can be an excellent tool. It's in-built timer feature allows seamless integration of timing functions within your presentation, providing professionalism and accuracy. ClassPoint's timer retains visual appeal while retaining functionality, creating a balance that is perfect for any presentation challenge.

Final Wisdom

A timer in your PowerPoint presentation can be a simple yet highly effective tool. It helps maintain discipline, engage your audience, and enhance the overall professionalism of your speech or presentation. Thus, do not fear the ticking minute hand; instead, control it to your advantage. As the famous author, Lewis Carroll, once said, “If you knew Time as well as I do, you wouldn’t talk about wasting it as a joke.”

So embrace the power of well-managed time, get out there and add that timer in your PowerPoint presentation!