Getting Started with the Morph Transition in PowerPoint
3PowerPoint provides two types of movements: animations and transitions. In simple terms, when the movement happens on the slide itself, it is an animation. However, when the movement happens as a process of changing one slide to another, it is a transition.
Morph is essentially a PowerPoint transition, but really speaking, it is a transition in name only because rather than see one slide changing to another, the viewer only sees slide objects metamorphose from one state to another. So technically, Morph is a transition but visually, it is more of an animation.
We will have many more tutorials about Morph, but in this getting started tutorial, let us cover just the bare basics so that we can build upon these basics in future tutorials. But make no mistake. The basics you will learn now are also very powerful and may be all you need to express your ideas and deliver your message to your audience.
Before we get started though, let us understand what you need to use the Morph transition. Look in your PowerPoint version’s Transitions tab, and you will see the Morph transition listed. Is there no Morph option available in your Transitions tab? This feature is only available in PowerPoint 2019 and higher, and updated features are only available in PowerPoint 365 for Windows and Mac, the versions that are part of Microsoft 365.
You see that I have a single slide presentation that’s already saved. This is helpful, and I always save the file when I get started because I don’t have to worry about finding a save location or providing a name when I am being creative. Just saving along the way is enough by using the Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut if you are using Windows, or Cmd + S if you are on a Mac.
Let’s begin by drawing a small circle in the top left of the slide. Next, we will duplicate this slide by selecting it in the Slides Pane and choosing the Ctrl + D keyboard shortcut on Windows. If you are using a Mac, you will use the Cmd + D keyboard shortcut to achieve the same result.
Do you want to discover more keyboard shortcuts? Get a copy of our PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts and Sequences ebook. I’ll leave a link to the ebook page in the description area below if you are watching on YouTube. If you are watching this video embedded elsewhere, click on the video itself to reach the YouTube page.
https://geetesh.in/ppt-shortcuts
Getting back to our slide, notice that both the original and the duplicated slide are identical. We will now move the circle rightwards in the second, duplicated slide and also make it larger.
Let us repeat the slide duplication process again so that slide 2 has a copy created, which is now slide 3. We will move the circle to the bottom right of the slide and make it smaller.
We will duplicate slide 3 to create slide 4, and just drag the circle to the bottom left. Note that when I am dragging the slide, I am pressing the Shift key as I drag so that the circle moves in a straight line. The resultant Morph transition will also show the circle moving in a straight line.
Finally, we duplicate the slide one more time, and drag the circle to the top left. This time, we won’t change the size, but just change the color of the circle to orange.
Now, let’s save this file by using the keyboard shortcut to save.
We next go to Slide Sorter view and press the Ctrl + A keyboard shortcut to select all slides in PowerPoint for Windows. Mac users will use the similar Cmd + A keyboard shortcut.
Now, we access the Transitions tab of the Ribbon, open up the Transitions gallery and choose the Morph transition effect.
In the Effect Options drop-down list, there are three options: Objects, Words, and Characters. We will choose the Objects option, which is selected by default. We will soon upload similar video tutorials on using the other Words and Characters options. To be notified when newer videos are uploaded to this channel, click the Subscribe button, and don’t forget to click the Bell icon to be notified when there’s a new video uploaded.
Getting back to the Morph transition, you can set a transition duration. I’m choosing 3 seconds, but you should choose what works best for you. Also, be aware that I am choosing the same duration, Effect options, and the same transition for all 5 slides. There’s no reason why you cannot customize these options separately for all slides.
Save your presentation again. Now play your slides to test them. Make changes if needed, and you will see that the results are amazing, yet so easy to achieve.
Did you have fun watching this tutorial? I hope to see you soon again. Have an interesting day.