How-To

How to Install and Use Add-Ins in PowerPoint

By Adam Davidson

Updated October 3, 2023

Add-ins can help you create great PowerPoint presentations more easily. Learn how to install and use add-ins in PowerPoint in this guide.

Microsoft PowerPoint is packed with useful features to help you create stunning presentations quickly and easily. From embedding videos to getting tips on how to improve your presentation style, there are plenty of built-in tools to make your presentations pop.

Sometimes, however, you may wish PowerPoint had a function or feature that isn’t currently available within the application. Thankfully, there’s a huge collection of third-party add-ins that you can integrate into PowerPoint to offer even more functionality.

If you’re looking to give PowerPoint even more power, then learn how to install and use add-ins in PowerPoint.

What Are PowerPoint Add-Ins?

PowerPoint add-ins are third-party plugins that add additional functionality to Microsoft PowerPoint. These add-ins might offer additional assets such as images or videos, add features such as QR code generation, or offer additional design elements to make your PowerPoint presentations pop.

Many of these add-ins are offered free, but there are also a lot of add-ins that require payment of a fee to use. In fact, some of the more popular add-ins can set you back hundreds of dollars.

You can install add-ins directly from within PowerPoint, and there are a couple of ways to go about it.

How to Install Add-Ins in PowerPoint from the Office Store

The official way to install add-ins is by using the Microsoft Office Store. This is the easiest way to install add-ins, but some add-ins are not available through the Office Store and need to be added manually.

To install add-ins from the Office Store in PowerPoint:

1. Open PowerPoint.
2. Click the Insert menu.
   
3. In the ribbon, click Get Add-Ins.
   
4. In the Office Add-Ins window, find an add-in that you want to install and press Add.
   
5. Agree to the terms and conditions and click Continue.
   
6. Your add-in should now be installed. Many add-ins will open in a pane on the right-hand side of the PowerPoint window.
   

How to Install Add-Ins in PowerPoint from Other Sources

If the add-in you want isn’t in the add-in store, you’ll need to add it manually.

To install a PowerPoint add-in from another source:

1. Find and download the add-in you want to use from its official website.
2. Open PowerPoint and click the Insert menu.
   
3. In the ribbon, click the small arrow next to My Add-Ins.
   
4. Select Manage Other Add-Ins.
   
5. Click the Manage dropdown.
   
6. Select PowerPoint Add-Ins.
   
7. Click Go.
   
8. Click the Add New button.
   
9. Locate the downloaded add-in and click Open.
   
10. The add-in should now be added to PowerPoint.
11. You should now be able to use the add-in on PowerPoint following the creator’s instructions.
    

Useful PowerPoint Add-Ins

With so many PowerPoint add-ins to choose from, it can be hard to find great add-ins among the less useful ones. To that end, here is a list of some of the more useful add-ins that you can install.

Best Free Add-Ins for PowerPoint

The following add-ins are all free to use, although some of them offer paid tiers that add additional features.

• Pexels: A great add-in for finding stock images for your slides.
• Pickit: Another library of licensed images for use in your slides.
• PowerPoint Labs: Gives you useful design features to make your slides stand out.
• QR4Office: Quickly generate and insert QR codes in your PowerPoint presentations.
• Mentimeter: Add interactive polls and quizzes to your presentations.
• Icons by Noun Project: A large library of icons that are easily searchable.
• Office Timeline: Project planning and tracking tools.
• Pixton Comic Characters: Create slides in comic book style.

Best Paid Add-Ins for PowerPoint

The following add-ins offer powerful features, but they come at a cost. You’ll need to decide whether you think the additional features are worth the price tag. You can find current pricing by following the links, with prices ranging from a few dollars a year to several hundred dollars.

• SlideHub: A library of designer slides to help you quickly create presentations.
• ToolsToo: A useful suite of tools for creating consistently styled presentations.
• HTML5Point: Quickly convert your presentations to HTML5 for mobile devices.
• Speech-Over Professional: Add professional voice-overs to your presentations.
• PP Timer: Keep track of your timings as you’re giving a presentation.
• Office Timeline: Templates for creating timelines and schedules for project tracking.
• pptXTREME ColorPicker: Pick and select the perfect colors for your presentations.
• Lucidchart Diagrams for PowerPoint: Create flowcharts and diagrams for your slides.

Using PowerPoint Effectively

Learning how to install and use add-ins in PowerPoint allows you to create stunning presentations much more quickly and easily. You can also quickly add types of content to your slides that are complex to create in the app itself.

There are plenty of other ways you can get more out of the PowerPoint app. If you want to use charts or figures in your presentation, you can learn how to insert Excel data into PowerPoint. You can create unique designs by learning how to insert an image into a shape in PowerPoint.

If you want to create a presentation with a consistent theme, you can learn how to use the Slide Master in PowerPoint.