Microsoft Word’s presentation mode is an excellent feature for collaborating on documents in real-time. This mode allows presenters to walk meeting attendees through a Word document, enabling remote collaboration.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to use presentation mode effectively, including:
Enabling Presentation Mode
The first step is enabling presentation mode within Word:
- Open the Word document you wish to present. Ensure all attendees have access to this file.
- Navigate to the Share tab on the ribbon.
- Click Present Online.
- Select Office Presentation Service from the dropdown menu.
- Check the box to Enable remote viewers to download the document if desired. This allows attendees to save a copy of the document locally if needed.
- Click Present Online to begin the presentation.
Once enabled, Microsoft Word will provide a meeting link that presenters can send to attendees. When attendees access this link, they’ll be able to follow along in real-time as the presenter navigates through the document.
Enabling presentation mode in Word
Presenting with Word’s Collaboration Tools
With presentation mode enabled, Microsoft Word unlocks powerful real-time collaboration tools:
Communicating with Attendees
The presenter can communicate with attendees using the built-in Send In Email and Send In IM options. This opens up communication channels, allowing the presenter to field questions and feedback during the presentation.
Presenters should monitor these communication channels closely during the presentation to identify and respond to attendee questions promptly.
Viewing Attendee Status
Microsoft Word provides attendee status updates in real-time so presenters can track whether attendees are actively following the presentation. If an attendee loses their place in the document, status indicators will show:
- Following Presenter – The attendee is viewing the same content as the presenter currently.
- Viewing Slide X – The attendee has navigated away from the content the presenter is actively viewing.
If the status shows attendees are not following along, presenters can pause and allow attendees to catch up before continuing.
Controlling Attendee Views
Beyond monitoring status, Microsoft Word also allows presenters to control attendee views to ensure everyone is seeing the same content during the presentation.
Presenters can enable Follow Presenter through the collaboration toolbar. This automatically syncs an attendee’s view to match the presenter’s location within the document.
With Follow Presenter enabled, attendees cannot scroll away or lose their place. Their view is controlled completely by the presenter.
Annotating Content During Presentations
Presenters can also annotate document content in real-time during the presentation, highlighting or calling out important information for attendees:
- Draw tab – Enables pen and highlighter markup options
- Type tab – Adds text boxes for callouts/annotations
Annotations appear for all attendees, allowing the presenter to guide the audience’s attention effectively.
Wrapping Up the Presentation
Once a presentation is complete, presenters should conclude the session:
- Navigate to the Present Online tab
- Click End Online Presentation
Ending the session closes collaboration channels and attendee access to the document.
Following this simple process allows presenters to enable and leverage Microsoft Word’s excellent built-in presentation mode during meetings and remote collaboration sessions. The powerful tools help presenters guide and collaborate with audiences in real-time.
Key Takeaways:
- Access presentation mode under the Share tab
- Communicate with attendees via email/IM
- Track attendee status
- Control attendee views
- Annotate content during the presentation
- Conclude the session when finished
With these steps, anyone can master Microsoft Word’s robust presentation capabilities for impactful remote collaboration.
