PowerPoint provides several ways to quickly tweak the built-in templates. This feature makes it very easy to add your own signature look and feel to slide decks.
One of those ways is to create a custom picture placeholder on a Master slide.
How to Create a Custom Picture Placeholder
It's all pretty straightforward... after you learn how to access the PowerPoint master slides by going to View | Slide Master.
Once you're there, get started by adding a new layout.
Here are the exact click steps:
1. From the Slide Master tab, choose Insert Placeholder | Picture.
2. Now, just move the shape wherever you want on the master slide. Resize using the selection handles.
3. Add a second shape (or edit the points of the existing shape) to the master.
4. Select the image placeholder first, then select the second shape you've added. From the Drawing Tools Format tab, choose Group, and group the two slide objects.
Close the Master view and you're done. You can now add this custom layout to your slide decks, and drag and drop pictures into the customized placeholder.
Just a couple of clicks and you're on your way to using slides that go miles beyond a simple rectangular placeholder.
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The full video walk-through is below.
Have fun customizing your PowerPoint slide decks!
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