Inserting a New Slide in PowerPoint 365 for Windows

Think of your PowerPoint presentation like a box of donuts. Each slide is a donut — some have sprinkles, some are filled with jelly, and some are just plain (but still important). Now, when you want to add another delicious donut (ahem, slide), PowerPoint gives you more than one way to do it — just like a bakery gives you more than one flavor!

The cool part? There’s no one right way to add a slide — just pick the one that works best for you. So go ahead — build your presentation, one tasty slide at a time! Want sprinkles? Pick a layout. Want it quick? Use a shortcut. PowerPoint makes it easy, and you’re the master chef.

Follow these steps to insert a new slide in PowerPoint 365 for Windows:

1. When you launch PowerPoint, it automatically creates a brand-new presentation with one lonely slide, as shown in Figure 1, below. Think of this slide as the cover slide of your amazing presentation deck.
2. 
   Figure 1: New presentation with a single slide
3. Not in the mood to start from scratch? No worries! Just open an existing presentation. Once you’ve got your presentation (new or old) open, you’re all set to proceed with this tutorial.

Fun Fact: Title Slide

The very first slide you see when starting a new presentation is often called the Title Slide. It's like the name tag at a party — it tells people who you are and what you’re talking about!

PowerPoint 365 for Windows Interface

If you want to learn more about the PowerPoint 365 interface, see our PowerPoint 365 for Windows interface tutorial.
2. Hereafter, when you want to add new slides, you can choose from three options:
   1. Insert from the Home tab of the Ribbon
   2. Insert via Right-click
   3. Insert by a Keyboard shortcut

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   1. Insert from the Home tab of the Ribbon

   Head over to the Home tab of the Ribbon. This tab is like your main menu — the comfy living room of PowerPoint where all the basic stuff hangs out. Now, look for the New Slide button — it's usually hanging out right near the top left, as shown in Figure 2, below.

   
   Figure 2: New Slide button

   The New Slide button in PowerPoint is a lot like standing in front of a donut counter. You’ve got two choices — grab a classic plain donut and go or take your time and pick the perfect one with frosting, sprinkles, and maybe even chocolate!

   Option 1: Click the Top Half (Red Zone) – Grab-and-Go Donut

   Click the top half of the New Slide button, highlighted in red within Figure 2, above, and PowerPoint hands you a default layout — just like quickly picking up a regular glazed donut. No decisions, no fuss, just a fresh new slide added to your deck.

   Option 2: Click the Bottom Half (Blue Zone) – Build Your Own Donut

   Click the bottom half of the New Slide button, highlighted in blue within Figure 2, and you bring up the Slide Layout drop-down, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 3, below. Think of this like the “donut customization” station — now you can pick from slides with titles, content, comparisons, or even blank ones for your own creative frosting.

   Just click your favorite layout, and you’ve got a new slide ready to go, exactly how you like it.

   
   Figure 3: Slide Layout drop-down gallery

   Fun Fact: Slide Layouts

   PowerPoint has more than 9 standard slide layouts — there’s something for everyone! And if you really want to go wild, you can design your own custom layout — like inventing a maple-pineapple-donut-slide!

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2. Insert via Right-click

3. Here’s another sweet way to add a slide — right from the Slides Pane. That’s the panel on the left side where all your slides are stacked like donuts in a display case. Let’s say you want to slip a new slide between two existing ones — kind of like sneaking an extra donut onto the tray between a jelly-filled and a chocolate-glazed. Nobody notices, but suddenly your lineup looks even more delicious!

   Step 1: Right-click in the Empty Area

   Hover your mouse in the blank space between two slides (or below them), and right-click. Doing so opens a contextual menu, as shown in Figure 4, below. Think of this menu as the secret stash of options.

   
   Figure 4: New slide option

   Step 2: Click “New Slide”

   From the menu, click New Slide, shown highlighted in red within Figure 4, above, and just like that — a fresh new donut (err, slide) is added right where you wanted it!

   Fun Fact: Slides Pane

   The Slides Pane is like your donut display rack — you can rearrange, swap, or add new flavors anytime. And guess what? There are no limits on how many you can have. Zero calories, too, since you cannot eat slides!

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   3. Insert by a Keyboard shortcut

   Want the fastest way to add a new slide? Just hit Ctrl + M on your keyboard — it’s like using the donut shop’s drive-thru window. No menus, no browsing — just press and bam! You’ve got a hot, fresh slide delivered right into your presentation! This shortcut is perfect when you're on a roll (or a glazed donut 🍩) and don’t want to break your creative flow.

   

   PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

   Do you want more keyboard shortcuts?

   Explore our PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts and Sequences Ebook that is updated for all PowerPoint versions.

3. No matter which method you used — Ribbon, right-click, or the good ol’ Ctrl + M shortcut — you’ve now added a brand-new slide to your presentation. And guess what? PowerPoint makes it super easy to spot.
4. Your new slide shows up in the Slides Pane with a bright orange border, as shown in Figure 5, below. The new slide is saying, “Hey! Look at me, I’m the new kid on the block!”
5. You’ll also see this same slide show up big and proud in the Slide Area — that’s the main space where you edit your content, dress it up, and make it shine.
6. 
   Figure 5: New slide inserted

Fun Fact: Orange Border

That orange border isn’t just for show — it tells you which slide is currently selected. It’s like a neon “You Are Here” sign in your donut shop of slides.
4. Now that your brand-new slide is in place, it’s like an empty donut box — time to fill it with all the goodies!
5. You can add a title to tell people what it’s about, type in some text to share your ideas, pop in pictures to make things visual, or even toss in charts, videos, or shapes if you're feeling fancy. So go ahead, click into those boxes, and start creating. Your slide is your canvas!

Fun Fact: More than Bullet Points

PowerPoint slides aren’t just for bullet points — you can even insert 3D models and live web content. That’s some next-level donut magic!
5. Make sure to save your presentation.