Add speaker notes directly in PowerPoint
PowerPoint has a built-in notes section below every slide where you can type reminders, talking points, or details you don't want visible to your audience. These notes appear only on your screen during a presentation — they won't show on the projected slide or in handouts unless you print them that way on purpose.
The notes area sits at the bottom of the slide editor by default. If you don't see it, you may need to expand it or switch to a view that shows it. Once you find the notes section, click inside it and start typing. Everything you write there stays attached to that specific slide.
Key Takeaways
- Speaker notes live in a section below each slide and only you see them during the presentation.
- You can access notes in Normal view by clicking the notes pane at the bottom, or switch to Notes Page view for a full-screen editing experience.
- Notes sync across your devices if you use PowerPoint online or save your file to OneDrive or SharePoint.
- You can print notes alongside your slides by choosing the Notes layout in the Print dialog.
Find and open the notes pane in Normal view
When you open PowerPoint and start editing a presentation, you're in Normal view. This view shows your slide in the center, with a thumbnail panel on the left and a notes section at the bottom. The notes pane is the white area below the slide preview.
If the notes pane is too small to read or type in, position your cursor on the line between the slide and the notes area until it becomes a resize arrow, then drag upward to make the notes section larger. You can now click inside and type your notes for that slide.
If you don't see the notes pane at all, go to the View tab at the top of the ribbon and click Notes in the Presentation Views group. This switches you to Notes Page view, which shows one slide per page with a large notes area below it — useful if you have a lot to write.
Switch to Notes Page view for easier note-taking
Notes Page view fills your screen with one slide and a large notes section underneath. This layout works better if you're writing detailed notes or if the Normal view notes pane feels cramped.
To get there, click the View tab, then select Notes Page. You'll see your current slide at the top and blank lines below for typing. Use the navigation arrows or scroll to move between slides, and type your notes in the lined area.
When you're done taking notes, return to Normal view by clicking View and then Normal. Your notes stay saved to each slide regardless of which view you were in when you wrote them.
Type and format your speaker notes
Click in the notes area and type whatever you need — full sentences, bullet points, timing cues, or reminders about what to say. There's no character limit, so you can write as much detail as you need.
You can format your notes the same way you'd format text in a document: select text and use Bold, Italic, or underline from the Home tab. You can also change font size or color. However, most people keep notes plain and simple so they're easy to scan quickly during a presentation.
If you need to add a note to a slide you're not currently viewing, click that slide's thumbnail on the left panel, then type in the notes area. The note attaches to whichever slide is selected.
Print your slides with notes included
If you want a physical copy of your slides with your notes printed below them, go to File and click Print. In the Print dialog, look for the section labeled Settings or Print Layout.
Click the dropdown that currently shows Full Page Slides and select Notes Pages. This tells PowerPoint to print one slide per page with your speaker notes underneath. You can then adjust the number of copies and click Print.
If you only want to print certain slides, enter the slide numbers in the Print Range field before clicking Print. This saves paper if you only need notes for specific slides.
Access your notes across devices
If you save your presentation to OneDrive or SharePoint, you can open it in PowerPoint on your phone, tablet, or another computer and your notes will be there. The notes sync automatically when you save the file.
If you use PowerPoint online (the web version), you can also add and edit notes in the Notes pane. Open your presentation, click the slide you want to add notes to, and look for the Notes section at the bottom of the screen. Type your notes and they save automatically.
If you email your presentation file to someone else or share it in a folder, your notes travel with it. The person who opens the file will see your notes if they look at the notes pane or print the Notes Pages layout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my audience see my speaker notes during the presentation?
No. Speaker notes appear only on your screen, not on the projected slide. Your audience sees only the slide content. If you want them to see your notes, you would need to add that text directly to the slide itself.
Can I add notes to a slide in PowerPoint on my phone?
Yes, if you use the PowerPoint mobile app and your file is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint. Open the presentation, tap the slide, and look for a Notes option. The mobile app's note-taking experience is more limited than the desktop version, but you can add and edit basic notes.
What happens to my notes if I convert my PowerPoint to a PDF?
Speaker notes don't automatically appear in a PDF unless you specifically export them. When you export to PDF, you can choose to include notes, but the default is to export only the slides. Check your export settings if you want notes included in the PDF.
Can I delete notes from a slide without deleting the slide itself?
Yes. Click in the notes area for that slide, select all the text (Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac), and press Delete. The slide stays; only the notes are removed.
Do notes take up extra file size in my PowerPoint?
Yes, but not much. Notes add a small amount to your file size, but it's usually negligible unless you've written extremely long notes on every slide. If file size is a concern, you can delete notes before sharing or emailing the presentation.