Download Article
Download Article
This wikiHow teaches you how to make a picture fully or partially transparent in a presentation slide in Microsoft PowerPoint, using Windows or Mac. On Windows, you can fill a shape with a picture and adjust its transparency. On Mac, you can adjust picture transparency without needing an extra element. [1] X Research source The desktop versions of PowerPoint allow changing transparency, but the mobile and online versions don't have this feature. [2] X Research source
Steps
-
Open a PowerPoint presentation on your computer. You can open a new slide show presentation or a saved document from your files.
-
Click the Insert tab at the top. This button is above the toolbar panel at the top of the app window. It will open your Insert tools on the toolbar.Advertisement
-
Click Shapes on the Insert toolbar. This button looks like a circle, a square, and a diamond in the "Models" section of the Insert panel. It will open a drop-down menu of shapes.
-
Select the shape you want to insert. This will allow you to add the selected shape to your current slide in any size and proportion.
- Make sure to select the same shape as the picture you want to add. You may often need a standard rectangle or a circle here.
-
Click, hold, and drag your mouse on the presentation slide. This will create and add your new shape to the slide.
- Make sure the shape is proportional to the picture you're inserting. Otherwise, your image may become skewed.
- After creating the shape, you can adjust its size and proportions. Just click and drag the white dots on the shape's selection outline.
-
Click the Format tab on the toolbar. You can find this tab above the toolbar panel when the shape is selected.
- If the shape is not selected, just click on it in the slide.
-
Click Shape Fill on the Format panel. It's listed next to a paint bucket icon in the "Shape Styles" section of the Format toolbar. This will open a drop-down menu of color and fill options.
-
Select Picture on the Shape Fill menu. You can find it towards the bottom of the drop-down menu. It will open your picture options in a new pop-up.
-
Select From a File in the pop-up. This option will allow you to select an image file from your computer, and add it to your slide.
- Inserting the picture as a shape fill will allow you to adjust its transparency as you like.
- Alternatively, you can select Online Pictures here to insert an image from a web link.
-
Select the picture you want to add. Click the picture in the File Explorer window, and click Insert or Open on the bottom-right. This will insert the selected picture inside the selected shape.
- You can adjust the shape from the white dots on its outline.
-
Right-click the picture in the shape. This will open your right-click options on a drop-down menu.
-
Select Format Picture on the right-click menu. This will open your formatting options on the right-hand side of the app window.
-
Click the paint bucket icon on the "Format Picture" menu. You can find this button near the upper-left corner of the Format Picture panel on the right-hand side.
-
Find the Transparency slider under the "Fill" heading. If you don't see this option, click the icon next to "Fill" to expand your options.
-
Click and drag the Transparency slider. This will allow you to manually adjust the transparency level of the selected shape and picture.
- Alternatively, you can manually type in a transparency percentage in the box here.
-
Right-click the picture in the slide. Your options will pop up.
-
Select Outline in your pop-up options. This button pops up on a separate toolbar panel at the top of the right-click menu when you right-click. You can find it next to "Style" and "Fill."
-
Select No Outline on the menu. This will delete the shape outline around the edges of your picture.
Advertisement
-
Open a PowerPoint presentation on your computer. You can open a new slide show, or a saved presentation file.
-
Select the picture or shape you want to make transparent. Just click on the picture or shape to select it.
-
Click the Picture Format or Shape Format tab. You can find this button on the tab bar above the toolbar panel at the top. It will open your formatting options.
-
Click Transparency on the formatting toolbar. This button looks like a picture icon with a dashed, vertical line in the middle. It will open a drop-down panel of your transparency options.
-
Click a transparency preset on the Transparency menu. This will instantly change your picture's transparency to the selected preset level.
-
Click Picture Transparency Options on the Transparency menu. You can find it at the bottom of the Transparency drop-down. This will open the picture formatting menu.
-
Find the Picture Transparency option on the formatting menu. If it's not extended, click the icon next to it, and expand your transparency tools.
-
Click and drag the Transparency slider. You can manually adjust the transparency level of the selected shape and picture in your presentation here.
- Alternatively, you can type in a transparency percentage in the box, or use the up and down arrows here.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
References
About This Article
Article Summary
X
1. Open your PowerPoint file.
2. Click the Insert
tab.
3. Click Shape
, and select your picture's shape.
4. Click and drag on the slide to create a shape.
5. Click the Format
tab.
6. Click Shape Fill
, select Picture
, and add your picture.
7. Right-click the picture, and select Format Picture
.
8. Click the paint bucket icon at the top.
9. Adjust the Transparency
slider.
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 120,788 times.
Advertisement
