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When PowerPoint 2003 is launched -- or when you create a new presentation -- you typically see the first slide of the presentation, as shown in Figure 1. This slide is known as the Title slide -- it contains placeholders for the slide title and the slide subtitle. Note that this layout is different from other slides which typically have a title placeholder with another placeholder for bulleted text (or a chart, graphic, etc.). All these other slides are influenced by the Slide Master, which governs their appearance and layout. The appearance and look of the Title Slide is influenced by the Title Master -- this is a separate Master that is a subset of the Slide Master.


Figure 1: The first slide of a new presentation is usually a Title slide

To access the Title Master you first need to get into the Master editing mode. Follow these steps to learn more:

1. Launch PowerPoint 2003 and choose the View | Master | Slide Master menu option, as shown in Figure 2.
   
   
   Figure 2: Slide Master option within the Master sub-menu of View menu
   
   
2. This opens the Slide Master view, as shown in Figure 3.
   
   As you can see, there's a solitary slide preview in the Slides pane (highlighted in blue in Figure 3). If you find a similar, single slide within the Slides pane, choose the Insert | New Title Master menu option (highlighted in red in Figure 3).
   
   
   Figure 3: New Title Master menu option within Insert menu of Slide Master view
   
   
3. On the other hand, if you see two interlinked slides in the Slides pane as shown in Figure 4 below -- then you need not insert a new Title Master. Either way you will end up with a Title Master (highlighted in red in Figure 4). This is placed right below the Slide Master within slide pane -- also note the linking line between the Slide Master an Title Master. Click the Title Master preview in the Slides pane to view it as the active Master slide.
   
   
   Figure 4: Title Master added within the Slide Master view
   
   Within the Title Master you'll find several placeholders:
   1. Title Placeholder: Influences the look, position, and formatting of your slide title.
   2. Sublitle Placeholder: Influences the look, position, and formatting of your subtitle.
   3. Date: Format how the date appears on your title slide (most of the time, this is not visible).
   4. Footer: Format how you want your footer text to look.
   5. Slide Number: Format the appearance, font, and position of the slide number.
Tip: Just because you format your Date, Footer, and Slide Number placeholders, do not expect them to show on your Title slide. The Title Master only changes their appearance -- you have to individually make these three placeholders visible on your slides.
See Also: Text Placeholders vs. Text Boxes


4. Once you have made the changes in the Master view, you can go back to Normal view choosing any of these options:
   1. Click the Close Master View button (highlighted in red in Figure 5 below) within Slide Master View toolbar.
      
      
      Figure 5: Close Master View button within Slide Master View toolbar
      
      
   2. Select the View | Normal menu option.
      
      
   3. Click the Normal View button, the first button among the three view buttons located right beneath the Slides and Outline pane within PowerPoint 2003 interface.

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