How to Insert a Drop-down Menu in PowerPoint

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PowerPoint provides the ability to create attractive presentations that business professionals use to support lectures, training, sales and other events. Effective presentations allow presenters to describe their points clearly and concisely. Inserting a drop-down menu in your PowerPoint presentation allows you to get quick access to specific slides in your presentation. You can also use menus on forms you create in PowerPoint. PowerPoint provides the ability to add sophisticated functions to PowerPoint presentations by using developer tools, such as Microsoft Visual Basic. Saving your file as a macro-enabled presentation allows you to use these controls to facilitate the display of slides.

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Step 1

Open PowerPoint and create a new, blank presentation. Right-click the slide and select the "Layout" option. Choose the "Blank" option.

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Step 2

Enable the "Developer" tab: click the "Microsoft Office" button, click the "PowerPoint Options" button, click the "Popular" option and then select the "Show Developer tab in the Ribbon" checkbox.

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Step 3

Click the "Developer" tab. Click the "Combo Box" in the Controls area to insert a drop-down menu in your PowerPoint presentation. For example, draw the control in the center of the slide.

Step 4

Add code to add the menu choices. Right-click the control and select the "View Code" option. The Microsoft Visual Basic window opens. Select the "GotFocus" option from the drop-drop down menu for the combo box. For example, add the Visual Basic code below.

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Me.ComboBox1.AddItem ("Menu Option 1") Me.ComboBox1.AddItem ("Menu Option 2") Me.ComboBox1.AddItem ("Menu Option 3")

Step 5

Select the "Change" option from the drop-drop down menu for the combo box. Add code to associate an action with each menu choice. For example, add the code below to go to slide 2 in the presentation when any selection is made.

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With SlideShowWindows(1).View .GotoSlide 2, msoTrue End With

Step 6

Add a direction. Right-click the control and select the "ComboBox Object" option, then select the "Edit" option. Enter text, such as "Click the down arrow to display the menu" in the "Value" field.

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Step 7

Add another slide: from the "Home" tab, click the "New Slide" button.

Step 8

Click the "Slide Show" tab. Click the "From the Beginning Option" to test your menu.

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Step 9

Click the "Save" button to save your presentation. In the "Save as Type" menu, select the "PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Presentation" option. Click the "Save" button. When you open the presentation again and click the "Slide Show" button, click the "Enable this content" toggle button and click the "OK" button to display the menu.

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