To make slides vertical in PowerPoint for Office 365 (Microsoft 365), click the Design tab, click Slide Size > Custom Slide Size, choose Portrait under Slides, and click OK. PowerPoint then asks how to fit your content. Choose Maximize to keep content large (some may be cut off) or Ensure Fit to shrink it so everything fits.
The orientation applies to every slide in the presentation. Below you’ll learn how to pick a size, what to do if you only want one vertical slide, and tips for designing portrait slides.
How to change PowerPoint to portrait
- Open the presentation and click the Design tab.
- Click Slide Size at the far right, then Custom Slide Size.
- Under Orientation, select Portrait for Slides.
- Optionally, pick a size from Slides sized for, like Letter Paper or A4 Paper.
- Click OK, then choose Maximize or Ensure Fit.
For a phone-style vertical slide (9:16), set Width to 7.5 in and Height to 13.333 in. For printed flyers, choose Letter or A4.
Maximize vs. Ensure Fit
| Option | What happens | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Maximize | Content stays large but may extend past the slide edges | You’ll redesign the slides anyway |
| Ensure Fit | Content shrinks to fit inside the slide | You want to keep everything visible |
Can I make just one slide vertical?
No. PowerPoint uses one orientation per presentation. Workarounds:
- Create a separate portrait presentation and link to it with a hyperlink or action button from your main deck.
- Rotate the content on a landscape slide instead of the slide itself.
Tips for designing vertical slides
- Check your layouts in View > Slide Master after switching. Placeholders may need resizing.
- Stack content top to bottom instead of side by side.
- Use larger fonts if the slides will be viewed on phones.
- Portrait slides are great for posters, flyers, infographics, and social media stories.
Frequently asked questions
How do I switch back to landscape?
Open Design > Slide Size and choose Widescreen (16:9) or Standard (4:3), or pick Landscape in Custom Slide Size.
Does this work on a Mac?
Yes. Go to Design > Slide Size > Page Setup and choose portrait.
Can I make vertical slides in PowerPoint for the web?
Yes. Go to Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size and choose Portrait.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.