In PowerPoint, one way to "separate" content occurs when text overflows a placeholder box; the application provides an automatic option to split or continue that text onto a new slide.
When you add more text to a title, bulleted list, or other text-based placeholder than it can display within its current size, PowerPoint often detects this overflow. If the AutoFit feature is enabled for the placeholder, PowerPoint might first try to shrink the text size or reduce line spacing to fit the content. However, if the text still exceeds the box's capacity, or if AutoFit options are available, a special tool appears, allowing you to manage the excess text.
Managing Text Overflow with AutoFit Options
The primary method based on common PowerPoint functionality for separating overflowing text onto a new slide involves using the AutoFit Options tool. This tool provides quick ways to handle text that doesn't fit within its designated placeholder space.
Here's how you typically use this feature to separate text onto subsequent slides:
- Click the AutoFit Options tool at the lower-left corner of the placeholder box. This small icon appears when text overflow is detected.
- From the menu that pops up, select Split Text Between Two Slides or Continue on a New Slide.
Choosing one of these options will immediately create a new slide directly after the current one to accommodate the excess text.
Understanding the Separation Options
- Continue on a New Slide: This option typically moves all the text that overflows the original placeholder box onto a new slide. A new slide is created immediately after the current one. The original slide keeps the text that fits, and the new slide contains the rest.
- Split Text Between Two Slides: This option automatically divides the current text in two halves (or roughly so, depending on content structure like paragraphs or list items), placing the first half on the original slide and moving the second half to the newly created slide.
Utilizing this built-in feature helps maintain readability and prevents text from being hidden or becoming too small to read when you have substantial content for a single point or title.
