Handout Master View in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac

The Handout Master is a view in PowerPoint 2011 where you can make changes to the look and layout of printed handouts. Changes made in this view affect the background, header, and footer of printed handouts.

Figure 1 shows the Handout Master within PowerPoint 2011. Within the Handout Master, you can format and reposition the handout header, footer, date and time, and slide number placeholders. You can also add objects, such as a picture (useful to add a logo to all your printed handouts).

Figure 1: Handout Master view

The Handout Master tab of the Ribbon provides several layout options for the number of slides that you want to print on each handout page. These individual slide placeholders cannot be repositioned or resized. You can however choose from the layout options. So if you wanted larger slide previews, you would access the Handout Master tab of the Ribbon, locate the Slides Per Page group, and then choose the option Two (this places two large slides on each handout page). Similarly, if you choose the option Six, you'll end up with six smaller slide previews on each handout page.

To access the Handout Master view, you can choose either of these options:

1. Choose the View | Master | Handout Master menu option.
2. Shift-click the Slide Sorter view button on the Status Bar (highlighted in red in Figure 1, above).

To go back to Normal view from Handout Master, choose either of these options:

1. Access the Handout Master tab of the Ribbon. Within Master View group, click the Close button (highlighted in blue in Figure 1, above).
2. Choose the View | Normal menu option.
3. Locate the yellow strip just below the Ribbon and above the Slide Area (see Figure 1). On the extreme right of this strip is the Close Master button. Click this button.