A lot of presenters complain about the audience dozing off during their presentations and being unable to figure out why. If you’re in this same boat, the most likely reason is that your presentation is boring. You can have a great topic or content and still deliver a boring presentation. Many times, it’s because you’re presenting with plain or unprofessional slides.
What about adding that extra touch to instantly improve your presentation? An infographic as a background image? In this post, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process for adding a PowerPoint background image to your presentations, even if you’ve never used PowerPoint before.
Why Add a PowerPoint Background Image for Better Presentations?
Adding a background image to your PowerPoint presentation does a lot more than just make it “not boring.” It helps amplify your message and keep the audience focused throughout your session.
Let’s use a table to better explain the benefits of using a PowerPoint background image in various types of slides.
| Use Case | Key Idea |
| Branding | Allows people to quickly recognize you |
| Visual Storytelling | Adds an emotional appeal with pictures |
| Professional slides | Makes content feel polished |
How to Add a Background Image in PPT Step by Step
Whether you’re experienced or just starting as a beginner on PowerPoint, you’ll find the process of adding background images to your presentations very easy. It takes only a few clicks when you know where to look.
Now, let’s go through a step-by-step procedure to insert an image in PPT as a background.
Step 1: Open Your Presentation
The first thing is to open Microsoft PowerPoint on your computer or iPad. Then, go ahead and create a new presentation or open an existing one.
After that, click on the slide where you want to add the background image.
Step 2: Access the Format Background Pane
Hover over an empty area of the slide and right-click to open the menu. Scroll down the options and left-click on Format Background to select it.
This will open a small pane on the right side of your screen. Use the pane to control all background settings.
Step 3: Select “Picture or Texture Fill”
Go to the Format Background pane you just opened and click Picture or texture fill from the Fill options.
What this option does is allow you to replace the plain background in your slide with an image. When you select it, you’ll be able to use new image options.
Step 4: Insert Your Image
This is the stage where you add your image. To do this, select Insert from the Picture source tab as shown here.
PowerPoint offers four different options to insert your image as a background. You can choose from the following sources:
- From a File: Upload a picture saved on your computer or network drive.
- Stock Images: Use PowerPoint’s built-in stock image library.
- Online Pictures: Search for images on the web.
- From Icons: Insert a picture from the icon collection.
Select the option that fits your needs. Once chosen, the image will appear as the slide background.
Step 5: Adjust the Image
As soon as you add an image to the background, one thing you should check for is readability. If the text on the image is difficult to read, consider adjusting the transparency slider in the Format Background pane.
You can also resize or replace the image if needed. The goal is balance. The image should support your content, not overpower it.
Step 6: Apply the Background Image to All Slides
If you want the same background image you just added on every slide in your PPT, click Apply to All at the bottom of the Format Background pane.
If not, simply close the pane to keep it on one slide.
Best Practices for Inserting a Background Image in PPT
By now, you know how to make an image background in PowerPoint. However, you must also know how to use these images effectively, not just technically.
As a beginner, here are some common mistakes you want to avoid:
- Choosing busy images that distract your audience from the text.
- Using poor contrast makes your slides blurry.
To get the best out of background images in PPT, check out the best practices:
- Stick to high-quality or high-resolution images.
- Adjust the transparency on the picture so the text isn’t difficult to read. You’ll also want to keep the fonts simple.
- Use consistent background styles across your slides.
Enhance Your Slides by Adding Background Images with AI
Want to go a step further and instantly make a photo a background on PowerPoint with AI? This is for you.
AiPPT, an AI presentation maker, offers an incredible option to introduce background images to your slides effortlessly. This tool features a built-in AI image generator for creating backgrounds easily, instead of inserting images manually. And you can select from the most advanced text-to-image models, such as Nano Banana Pro, Flux, Imagen, Seedream, etc.
In addition, AiPPT boasts an extensive library of PPT background templates, allowing you to download these PPT templates with refined image backgrounds for free.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to generate and upload an image as your background on AiPPT:
Step 1: Go to AiPPT and choose a preferred sign-in or sign-up option. (Google, email, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft).
Step 2: Click on AI Image in the left pane and describe the kind of image you want to create. Then click Generate.
Download your image after it’s generated.
Step 3: To add the generated image to the slide, create a new presentation on AiPPT or open an existing one.
In the workspace, click Background, hit the drop-down, and select Image, then click Replace.
If you prefer using a ready-made template, go to AiPPT’s library, search, and download your preferred template.
Conclusion
You must be surprised seeing how easy it is to add a PowerPoint background image to your presentations now. You can insert any picture from a file (if you already saved it on your computer), stock pictures, the web, or icons.
The whole process of adding the image takes place in the Format Background pane, which appears when you right-click on a space in your slide.
Increase your productivity by using AiPPT to generate an image and instantly add it as a background for your PPT presentation. If you prefer ready-made slides with background images, download them from AiPPT’s template library.
FAQs About Adding an Image Background in PowerPoint
Perhaps you still have some questions that you would like to ask. If so, check our answers to common inquiries on the subject.
1. How to put a background image in PPT on mobile?
PowerPoint on mobile devices has limited controls and options compared to its desktop version on desktop. However, you can still put a picture as a background on PowerPoint on mobile using the web version.
To do this:
- Go to PowerPoint Web on your mobile device.
- Open a new presentation and select a slide.
- Long-tap an empty area on the slide and tap Background.
- Click Insert Picture.
- Then, select an Insert option: From Device or Stock Images.
2. How to set the background image in PPT for all slides?
In some cases, you’ll want to use consistent background images for your slides, especially in branding or themed presentations.
Here’s how to set a picture as a background on PowerPoint for all slides:
- Open your presentation and select a slide.
- Right-click and choose Format Background.
- Add your image using Picture or texture fill.
- Then, click Apply to All.
3. How to make an image a background in PowerPoint for one slide?
Sometimes, only one slide in the deck needs that unique background. To make an image a background in PowerPoint:
- Select the specific slide in your presentation.
- Right-click to open the Format Background pane.
- Then, proceed to insert your image.
- Close the pane. Do not click Apply to All.
