Users of Microsoft PowerPoint on Apple's Mac devices are getting a new update this week. Users of the popular Office presentation application can also see what changes Microsoft has coming in future releases.
Perhaps the standout additions on the “coming soon” list is a tool that allows Microsoft PowerPoint to record videos of a presenter during a slideshow.
As the world continues to shift to a remote work and education environment, this seems like a timely tool. It allows the presenter and presentation be on the screen at the same time. Certainly, it will help to make presentations and classes more dynamic and interesting.
According to Microsoft, PowerPoint on Mac will also support the recording of inking on a slide, as well as laser pointer movements. Again, this is a good feature for presenters, especially those who make recorded work to show later or online.
It is worth noting this record ability is currently in preview. Office Insiders on Mac can check it out, but regular users will need to wait a bit.
New Features
Don't worry, though, Microsoft has some PowerPoint features rolling out now. Specifically, users can now record audio files and insert them directly into a presentation in real-time. Furthermore, presentations can now be exported as animated GIFs, including being able to set the quality and time for each frame.
Another very useful new addition is the ability to create links for individual slides in a presentation. All these features are available no for Microsoft PowerPoint on Mac.
While this is not an extensive change, the new features can be filed under “extremely useful.” In fact, all of them notably enhance the PowerPoint experience. It is worth noting all the new tools are already available on the Windows 10 version of the app.