Recent Tab of Backstage View in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac

The Recent option within the Backstage view provides you with a list of recently opened presentations, so that you can quickly select the one that you want to work on. Additionally, the Recent option offers a few more useful functionalities.

Follow these steps to explore the Recent tab of Backstage view in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac:

1. To access Backstage view click the File icon, as shown in Figure 1, below. The File icon, as shown highlighted in blue within Figure 1, is placed at the left extreme of the Quick Access Toolbar.
2. 
   Figure 1: File icon in QAT
3. Alternatively, select the File | New from Template menu option, as shown in Figure 2, below.
4. 
   Figure 2: New from Template option
2. Either action opens Backstage view. Next, select the Recent tab, as shown highlighted in blue within Figure 3, below.
3. 
   Figure 3: Recent tab selected within Backstage view
3. Options within this Recent tab are explained below, as marked in Figure 3, above:

   A. All

   This is the default option and shows all recent presentations.

   B. Pinned

   Here, you can see presentations that you have 'pinned' to the Recent tab. If you want any presentation to be available easily to you, you will pin the presentation file by:

   1. Hover your cursor over any file listed in the All list, so that you can see the pushpin icon towards the right, as shown in Figure 4, below.
   2. 
      Figure 4: Hover to see the pushpin icon
   2. Now, click on the pushpin to pin your presentation file to the top of the All list, as shown in Figure 5, below. The same file will also show up in the Pinned list, as shown in Figure 6, later on this page.
   3. 
      Figure 5: Click the pushpin to add to top of list
   4. 
      Figure 6: Pinned presentation file
   3. To remove a pinned file, click the pushpin again.

   C. Search

   Type in a name or a partial name of a file to search the Recent files list.

   You can click the Open button to open a selected file, or click the Cancel button to dismiss the Recent tab.