Can I Learn PowerPoint For Free?

PowerPoint has long been the industry-standard presentation software in industries as diverse as education, healthcare, FinTech, and the fine arts, so knowing the program well will allow users to create dynamic, persuasive, and powerful slide decks that meet a multitude of needs. One of the best features of PowerPoint? It’s a part of the Microsoft suite that also includes Word and Excel, two programs whose ubiquity guarantees nearly everyone has used them at some point. As a result, PowerPoint will feel familiar to many users. This is mostly a good thing, as it can mean there’s a low barrier to entry-level use--but it can also instill overconfidence. 

There are plenty of free resources available for learning PowerPoint fundamentals. From videos to books to podcasts, there’s something for every learning style. While there are ways to learn the basics through experimentation and free resources, however, understanding PowerPoint at a more advanced level is best done through an in-person or live online class. This article will explore the ways you can learn PowerPoint for free--and how to uplevel your skills once those free resources have been exhausted.

What Free Resources are Available for Learning PowerPoint?

Because PowerPoint has so many uses, it’s important to determine your particular needs before deciding how best to learn the software. Do you expect to make slideshows to share with extended family after you take a trip abroad? Are you wanting to help your elementary-aged child build a class presentation? If so, you will probably be able to learn enough by checking out PowerPoint tutorials on the Microsoft support website. These tutorials are free and produced by the very folks who designed the program, so they’re comprehensive and well made. YouTube videos are another great resource. There are lots of content creators designing YouTube tutorials, so you can find someone whose style works well for you and you can get specific about which skills you’d like to master in which order.

It may sound counterintuitive to choose a low-tech method of learning a tech-based skill, but it can be a way of addressing your individual learning style. Look for books that teach the basics of PowerPoint, some of which may be available for free at your local library--perhaps your brain will process the information better reading it off the page than watching videos. For auditory learners, you can find podcast episodes that break down how to build effective presentations using PowerPoint. Learning the basics should be straightforward with these types of resources, but you’ll want to be cautious about creating gaps in your knowledge. Be sure to work as sequentially as possible so that you don’t miss out on important skills.

Noble Desktop offers a ​​free PowerPoint Presentation Design seminar, which is a great option if you want a straightforward introduction to the software without a major commitment--it’s only an hour long, and you can’t beat free. It’s also a nice introduction to Noble Desktop, the NYC-based computer training center which also offers in-person and live online PowerPoint classes. Trying out the PowerPoint Presentation Design seminar may encourage you to jump to the next level and try a class. The same holds true for such course providers as Udemy and Coursera, which offer free classes that can act as an introduction to both PowerPoint and the service providers offering the courses. Perhaps your best option is to try out the free courses from each one, gleaning what you can and deciding whether you need to pursue a paid class--and if so, whose platform and style might work best for you.

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How to Make Use of Free PowerPoint Resources

You may be a total PowerPoint novice, or you may have some experience. You can find free resources that will help, whether you’re looking to start from scratch or supplement your current training. For complete beginners, one of the best ways to start is to learn by doing. Open the program and create a new document. Choose a template that matches the style and authority you’d like to project. Begin experimenting with typefaces, try to upload an image, play with color. Give yourself an hour to play around in this way, and see how much you’ve learned. What questions do you have? From there, you can explore the tutorials on Microsoft’s website, or check out a few YouTube videos, or watch the webinars from Noble Desktop, Udemy, or Coursera, and see what questions can be answered.

If you already have experience with PowerPoint but are looking to master advanced skills, you’ll need to be a bit more calculated in how you make use of available resources. Your knowledge and abilities are beyond the scope of PowerPoint for Dummies, but there will certainly be books that can take you to the next level. In looking at online tutorials, you’ll want to search for “advanced PowerPoint webinars” or use similar language that makes it clear you’re not looking for the basics. If you have a specific advanced skill you’d like to learn--like including animation in a presentation, using custom shows, or incorporating charts and tables from Excel--type that into your browser and see what pops up--you may find you have multiple options. 

Limitations of Free Resources

While it can feel like a big win to learn a new skill without spending a dime, there are limitations to using free resources to learn PowerPoint. Ironically, even though saving money can feel good, for some students it can also be a deterrent to learning the material. The psychological principle of “sunken cost” encourages people to stick with something if they’ve invested time and/or money into it--and it’s a very real phenomenon. This can mean that free or inexpensive products and services are more likely to be abandoned than those that require some initial outlay of money. (It’s similar to the argument that explains why you’re more likely to go to the gym if you’ve already paid for the membership than if you have to pay each time you go.) If you’re the type of person who can’t imagine quitting a class halfway through--but who might lose interest after a few hours of tutorials--a live class will be better for you.

Another reason why live in-person or online classes tend to work better for many people is the ability to get immediate feedback from the teacher and the other students.
Working independently, whether with books, free tutorials, or even a low-cost on-demand class, can feel like working in a vacuum: you learn the skill, you implement it, and you move on. The encouragement of your classmates and instructor can go a long way toward building your confidence and inspiring you to keep going.

If you’re simply picking up bits and pieces of PowerPoint knowledge from various online sources, you may also be missing out on crucial information that could save you time and energy--as well as help you avoid frustration. A class will work sequentially, teaching you what you need to know, in order, so that you can build on your knowledge and skills as you go along. This scaffolding will allow you to gain confidence and truly master the software by the time you’ve finished, meaning you’ll walk away ready to take on the complicated PowerPoint projects you’ve been pushing off. 

What to Do After Utilizing Free PowerPoint Resources

Once you’ve exhausted the free PowerPoint resources you’ve found online or at your local library, it may be time to level up. The best way to do that is to invest in a live class. While PowerPoint classes are not free, they do tend to cost less than many classes in the tech sphere. The software has been around for nearly four decades and is incredibly widely used, so it stands to reason that you can find a reasonably-priced class--usually no more than a few hundred dollars. It’s also worth noting that paying a freelancer to build a high-quality slideshow could cost anywhere from $35 to $150 an hour. In other words, taking a class might save you or your company in the long run.

You’ll want to start with a class that meets you where you are. Noble Desktop's PowerPoint Level I class provides you with the fundamentals to build dynamic slide decks by adding text, images and shapes, tables and charts, SmartArt, and transitions. Available in-person at Noble Desktop’s New York City campus or live online, the one-day class means you won’t have to take a lot of time out of your life to see a marked improvement in your use of PowerPoint. You’ll also have lifetime access to a suite of customized videos that will help you review material after you’ve completed the class. If you’ve already gained some fluency in PowerPoint by training yourself, Noble Desktop's PowerPoint Level II class will be a better choice. You’ll learn how to use SlideMaster, experiment with theme colors and theme fonts, customize slide layout and backgrounds, and incorporate animation and morph transitions.

A major advantage of taking an in-person or live online class is the presence of an instructor. A good teacher can direct your learning, help build your confidence, and impart all the most important skills in a way that feels exciting rather than scary or hard. Unlike teaching yourself through online tutorials or troubleshooting with your browser search bar, a PowerPoint class will lay out all the information in a straightforward way. The instructor can help you take your skills to the next level, which holds true for both on-demand and live classes--either way, you’ll want to seek out a teacher whose style is dynamic and engaging. The energy of a live or virtual classroom can also be a boon for many students. There is nothing quite like surrounding yourself with other people equally intent on learning the material, who can chat with you as you learn the ropes. This peer-to-peer relationship is different from that of the instructor-student relationship: even the best teacher may initially seem slightly intimidating, whereas you’re more likely to feel comfortable with your classmates right away. 

Noble Desktop's PowerPoint Bootcamp is the perfect choice if you want to cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. The bootcamp starts with the fundamentals of how to design a presentation and moves to advanced features, all through hands-on projects. Over the course of two days you’ll cover what could take weeks or months in a less immersive setting. Noble Desktop’s PowerPoint Bootcamp is offered live online via Zoom or in-person at their New York City campus, and the instructors are industry professionals with years of PowerPoint experience. You’ll have access not only to instructor direction and feedback over two days, but to a supplemental refresher video suite, self-paced training videos, and proprietary workbooks--so you can refer back to your course materials long after the bootcamp has ended. Noble Desktop provides you with a certificate of completion, so you can let your higher-ups know that you’re taking professional development seriously. Who knows: improving your PowerPoint game could tip the scales and get you that raise or promotion you’ve been hoping for.