Link to another presentation and then return to your main presentation

For greater flexibility when you present, you can link to other presentations. The flexibility comes about because you can decide on the fly whether to use the links. If you have extra time or a member of the audience asks a relevant question, you click on a presentation’s link to go to the presentation on that topic.

When you're done covering that topic, you just press [Esc] to exit the second presentation. You’ll find yourself back on the same slide that contained the link.

Set up the hyperlink

First, create your main presentation. Then you’re ready to link to another presentation.

To link to another presentation:

1. Move the other presentation, if necessary, to the same folder as your main presentation. Keeping the presentations in the same folder avoids broken links that can occur if you take your show on the road or share it with others.
2. In your main presentation, insert an AutoShape (called a shape in PowerPoint 2007) and enter text to indicate the topic of the second presentation. Format the text and colors so that they’re clear and legible.
3. Press [Ctrl]K to open the Insert Hyperlink dialog box.
4. Click the Existing File Or Web Page button on the left side of the dialog box. Navigate to the second presentation and click OK.

Always test your hyperlinks in Slideshow view to make sure they work. When you click the hyperlink, the second presentation opens. You may see a dialog box (which varies according to your version of PowerPoint) requiring you to allow the hyperlink.

Run through the presentation and press [Esc] to end the presentation. You’ll automatically return to the slide in the original presentation containing the hyperlink. You can now continue the original presentation.