How to Make PowerPoint Portrait Step by Step

How to Make PowerPoint Portrait Via 5 Easy Methods (on Windows & Mac)

If you want to change your PowerPoint slides from landscape to portrait, I can tell you that it takes only a few clicks. PowerPoint is set to landscape by default, but portrait orientation is better for posters, certificates, etc. In this guide, I show you how to make PowerPoint portrait step by step to keep your layout clean and professional.

So, first let me explain the reasons behind this procedure.

Why You Need Portrait Orientation in PowerPoint?

Before jumping into the steps, I want to briefly explain when portrait mode makes more sense:

Designing a certificate or award

Creating a poster or flyer

Content is more vertical, like documents or reports

Planning to print slides as A4 or letter-size pages

Creating mobile-friendly slides

Overall, switching to portrait mode can significantly improve readability and layout for these types of projects. In the next section, I’ll share the methods on how to create a portrait PowerPoint.

How to Make PowerPoint Portrait Step by Step?

Changing PowerPoint from landscape to portrait is a straightforward and quick task if you know the right solution. For the same, here are the four methods that I personally used to create a PowerPoint portrait:

#Method 1. How to Create a Portrait PowerPoint (Windows & Mac)?

This is the most preferred and free method for creating a portrait PowerPoint:

#Step 1. Open your PowerPoint file and load a new blank presentation or an existing one.

#Step 2. Go to the Design Tab, and click on Slide Size.

#Step 3: From the dropdown, select Custom Slide Size

#Step 4. A new window appears. Under Slides, select Portrait instead of Landscape. Click OK.

#Step 5. Lastly, choose the Ensure Fit or Maximize option. I prefer to select Ensure Fit to avoid distortion.

Now, your PowerPoint slides are in portrait orientation.

#Method 2. Setting Portrait Size for A4 or Letter Format

If you’re creating a document-style slide, match standard paper sizes.

For A4 Portrait:

Go to Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size

Set Width to 8.27 inches (21 cm)

Set Height to 11.69 inches (29.7 cm)

Select Portrait

Click OK

For Letter Portrait (US standard):

Width: 8.5 inches

Height: 11 inches

Select Portrait

Click OK

This is especially useful if you plan to print the slides later.

#Method 3. Making Only One Slide Portrait

PowerPoint does not natively support mixed orientations in the same file. However, sometimes use a workaround:

Create a separate PowerPoint file in portrait mode.

Design your portrait slide there.

Export it as an image (PNG or JPEG).

Insert that image into my landscape presentation.

This is not ideal, but it works when necessary.

#Method 4: How to Make PowerPoint Portrait With AI

Another fast way I use most of the time, especially when I’m in a hurry and need to create a complete slide deck in portrait form is MagicSlides AI PPT Maker. Instead of manually changing slide size, let the tool generate a portrait presentation from start to end.

For the same:

#Step 1. Open MagicSlides AI in your browser and sign in (or continue as a guest for free).

#Step 2. Enter your topic, for example: “Create a portrait presentation on project status report” or upload content.

#Step 3. Now, click the RIGHT ARROW button to let AI Generate Slides.

#Step 4. When it generates your slide deck, preview it. If you need to change anything, don’t do it manually; instead, give a prompt to this that changes this layout, adds visuals or anything you want.

#Step 5. Once the slides are ready as desired, download the file as a .pptx PowerPoint presentation, or you can export it as a PDF image of PDF also.

After your presentation is downloaded, open it in Microsoft PowerPoint and check how it looks.

If you design in Canva instead of PowerPoint, you can also learn how to download Canva as PPT and then adjust it in PowerPoint.

When do I Prefer This Method?

I find this approach useful when I need:

Portrait deck quickly

Don’t want to manually design every slide

Want consistent, AI-generated layouts

Creating reports, posters, or vertical-style presentations

Best Practices When Using Portrait Slides

Here are a few tips to make portrait slides look professional:

Avoid wide horizontal layouts and instead use vertical content.

Make sure the text is large and readable.

Leave enough white space on all sides so the content does not look cramped.

Centre-align titles and important elements for a clean look.

When planning to print, always check the print preview before finalising.

If you prefer designing in a vertical-first tool, you can also check how to create a presentation in Canva, which is great for portrait-style slides.

When Should You Use Portrait vs Landscape?

From my perspective:

Use Landscape for:

Presentations
Meetings
Screen sharing.

Use Portrait for:

Posters
Certificates
Reports
Printed materials.

Author’s Verdict

Making a PowerPoint portrait is simple, but choosing the right orientation can save you time and effort. By following the steps above, you can confidently switch between landscape and portrait whenever you need. I hope you have now learned how to make PowerPoint portrait clearly. For the same, you can opt for any of the methods discussed above, as all are tried and tested.