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Microsoft 365 Insider Blog
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Placeholders get a makeover in PowerPoint

victoriatran's avatar
victoriatran
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Apr 29, 2025

Hi, Insiders! My name is Victoria Tran and I'm a Product Manager on the PowerPoint team. I'm excited to share with you that placeholders in PowerPoint for Windows and PowerPoint for Mac are getting a new, improved look and feel! 

Placeholders get a makeover in PowerPoint

Not only are placeholders getting a refreshed, more modern look, they also provide clear guidance on the object that can be inserted. When it comes to image placeholders, they  now allow you to pick from a variety of sources to easily find and insert any image you want. 

 

NOTE: This update will automatically become available in your templates based on the minimum required builds listed below. 

How it works

  1. Open an existing presentation in PowerPoint for Windows or PowerPoint for Mac. 
  2. To add an image, select Insert > New Slide , and then select a slide layout that includes an image placeholder. 

 

 

  1. Click the Insert Picture button, and then select an image source in the dropdown menu. 
  2. Insert the image you want.
  3. To add SmartArt, select Insert > New Slide , and then select a slide layout to which you can add SmartArt.
  4. Select the Insert SmartArt button, and then select the SmartArt you want.

 

Tips and tricks

  • Make sure to review your brand templates and ensure they look as desired with the refreshed placeholders.  
  • Be sure check out the rest of the updated placeholders: Cameo, Chart, Content, Media & Table.

Known Limitation

Because this feature is not yet available in PowerPoint for the web, expect some differences when opening and viewing templates created using the new placeholders on the web.

Availability

These new placeholders are available to all PowerPoint users running:

  • Windows: Version 2503 (Build 18623.20178) or later
  • Mac: Version 16.96 (Build 25040711) or later

Feedback

We’d love to hear from you. To share your thoughts, please select Help > Feedback.

Updated Apr 29, 2025
Version 1.0