Learn PowerPoint 2016 for Windows
Slide Area
Many new changes have happened within PowerPoint 2016 and several other versions released in the past. However, one thing that has not changed in the last 20 years is PowerPoint's tri-paned interface! So why is the interface called tri-paned -- are there three distinct regions within the PowerPoint 2016 interface? Yes -- the Slide area is one of three principal regions in PowerPoint 2016 -- the other two are the Slides Pane and the Notes Pane.
Task Pane
The Task Pane is a docked area within the PowerPoint 2016 interface that provides more options than dialog boxes. Also unlike most dialog boxes which cover the Slide Area, you can view both the active slide(s) and the Task Pane at the same time -- thus the Task Pane provides a more streamlined experience. In fact, all the options within the Format dialog boxes from older versions of PowerPoint are now available within the new Format Task Panes in PowerPoint 2016.
Presenter View
PowerPoint 2016's Presenter View is a purpose-built view that accompanies Slide Show view. This view is beneficial in an environment that has at least two displays such as a laptop and a projector. The projector then shows the actual slides - that is what we commonly call Slide Show view. However, you see the Presenter view on the laptop. You get to see much more than just the slide -- rest assured that the audience viewing the projector output see only the slide!
Slides Pane
PowerPoint 2016's work area below the Ribbon continues to be tri-paned -- these three panes comprise the Slides Pane, the Slide Area, and the Notes Pane. The Slides Pane is the thin strip on the left side of the PowerPoint 2016 interface that contains thumbnails of all your slides. Within Normal view, the Slide Pane allows you to move slides easily from one position to the other just by dragging and dropping.
Normal View
PowerPoint 2016 continues providing several views that enable you to view and edit your slides. Unarguably, Normal view is the default and most often used view. This view displays one slide at a time in the Slide Area, and is used mainly for editing and creating slides, and shows PowerPoint's typical tri-pane interface that includes the Slides Pane, the Slide Area, and the Notes Pane. If you cannot see the Slides Pane in Normal view, scroll down this page to read a tip that will
help you restore that pane.
