How to Make a PowerPoint Loop Automatically (Self-Running Display)
A screen in reception, a stand at a trade show, a TV at an open day: you want slides that run on their own, go round and round, and don't stop if someone taps the keyboard. Three settings do it.
Quick reference
| What you want | How |
|---|---|
| Slides advance on their own | Transitions → After → [seconds] → Apply To All |
| Loop forever | Slide Show → Set Up Slide Show → Loop continuously until 'Esc' |
| Ignore clicks | Same dialog → Browsed at a kiosk |
| Open straight into the show | Save As → PowerPoint Show (.ppsx) |
| Stop it | Esc |
1. Set the time per slide
1. Go to the Transitions tab.
2. Under Advance Slide, untick On Mouse Click and tick After.
3. Type the seconds — 8 to 12 is about right for a slide with a few lines; longer if there's more to read.
4. Click Apply To All.
2. Under Advance Slide, untick On Mouse Click and tick After.
3. Type the seconds — 8 to 12 is about right for a slide with a few lines; longer if there's more to read.
4. Click Apply To All.
If some slides need longer, select them individually and change the number without clicking Apply To All.
2. Add a transition
While you're on the Transitions tab, pick a gentle one — Fade is the safe choice — and Apply To All. A cut between slides on a looping screen looks abrupt.
3. Make it loop and ignore the keyboard
1. Slide Show → Set Up Slide Show.
2. Choose Browsed at a kiosk (full screen). This locks the show so clicks and keys (apart from Esc) do nothing and it loops automatically.
3. Or keep Presented by a speaker and tick Loop continuously until 'Esc' if you'd still like to be able to click forward.
4. Make sure Using timings, if present is selected.
5. Click OK.
2. Choose Browsed at a kiosk (full screen). This locks the show so clicks and keys (apart from Esc) do nothing and it loops automatically.
3. Or keep Presented by a speaker and tick Loop continuously until 'Esc' if you'd still like to be able to click forward.
4. Make sure Using timings, if present is selected.
5. Click OK.
4. Add music if you like
Insert → Audio → Audio on My PC, then on the Playback tab click Play in Background. It plays across all slides and loops with the show.
5. Save it so it opens straight into the show
File → Save As, change the type to PowerPoint Show (.ppsx). Double-clicking that file starts the slideshow immediately, with no editing window. Keep your normal .pptx as well for making changes.
6. Stop the computer going to sleep
PowerPoint stops the screen saver while a show is running, but check the computer's power settings for "turn off the display after" and set it to Never for the day.
Troubleshooting
The show stops after the last slide. You didn't tick Loop continuously or choose kiosk mode.
The slides don't move on. After isn't ticked on some slides, or Set Up Slide Show is set to Manually. Reapply the timing with Apply To All.
Somebody keeps clicking it forward. Use Browsed at a kiosk. Then only Esc does anything.
Videos don't loop. Select the video → Playback → Loop until Stopped, and set the slide's After time to the video's length.
Wrapping up
After → 10 seconds → Apply To All, Set Up Slide Show → Browsed at a kiosk, save as a .ppsx. Plug the laptop into the screen, double-click the file, walk away.
