How to Adjust Image and Object Transparency in PowerPoint

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Use transparency to jazz up your PowerPoint presentations

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: August 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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This wikiHow teaches you how to make a picture or object fully or partially transparent in a presentation slide in Microsoft PowerPoint, using Windows or Mac. The desktop versions of PowerPoint allow changing transparency, but the mobile and online versions don't have this feature. ^{[1]
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Quick Steps

Open a PowerPoint presentation.
Select the image you want to change the transparency of.
Click the Format tab.
Click the Transparency option.
Select a transparency.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Windows

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You can open a new slide show presentation or a saved document from your files.
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It'll be surrounded by white boxes to indicate that it's selected.

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3
Click the Format tab on the toolbar. You can find this tab above the toolbar panel when the shape is selected.
- Depending on the type of object you selected, the wording will vary slightly. You might see "Picture Format" instead, for example, if the object you want to make transparent is a picture.
- If the object is a shape or another element, right-click it and select "Format Shape."
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4
Click Transparency (pictures only). It's in the Adjust category.
- If you're editing a different element, like the slide background or a shape, skip this step.
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5
Select a transparency level. If you don't want a picture to be opaque, drag the transparency slider on the right side of the window.
- If you are adjusting a picture, click to select a transparency level. For more options, click Picture transparency options .

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Mac

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You can open a new slide show or a saved presentation file.
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Just click on the picture or shape to select it.
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You can find this button on the tab bar above the toolbar panel at the top. It will open your formatting options.
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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.
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This will instantly change your picture's transparency to the selected preset level.
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You can find it at the bottom of the Transparency drop-down. This will open the picture formatting menu.
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If it's not extended, click the

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icon next to it, and expand your transparency tools.
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8
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. ^{[2]
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How to Adjust Image and Object Transparency in PowerPoint

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