PowerPoint slide sizes
PowerPoint measures slides in inches and centimetres, not pixels. That surprises people who expect a number like 1920×1080 — a slide has no fixed pixel size, only a physical size and whatever resolution you export it at.
Modern PowerPoint defaults to widescreen 16:9 at 13.333 × 7.5 inches. The older standard 4:3 is 10 × 7.5 inches, and Microsoft ships several presets named after paper sizes — which, as the paper-slide page below explains, do not actually match the paper they are named after. Every preset here comes from Microsoft's own documentation, and every pixel figure is derived from an export resolution Microsoft publishes.
Quick reference
| Format | Size | Pixels | Ratio | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widescreen Slide | 13.333 × 7.5 in | 1280 × 720 px | 16:9 | — |
| Standard Slide | 10 × 7.5 in | 960 × 720 px | 4:3 | — |
| On-Screen Show Slide | 10 × 5.625 in | 960 × 540 px | 16:9 | — |
| Paper-Named Slide | 10.833 × 7.5 in | 1040 × 720 px | 1.44:1 | — |
Widescreen Slide1280×720px
The modern PowerPoint default is widescreen 16:9 at 13.333 × 7.5 inches (33.867 × 19.05 cm). Microsoft specifies slides in inches rather than pixels: exported as an image at PowerPoint for Windows' default 96 DPI, that slide is 1280 × 720 pixels. Windows uses a registry setting for higher resolutions; Mac lets you enter the export width and height directly.
PowerPoint is a print-lineage application, which is why its slide dimensions are physical rather than digital. Microsoft's presets are given in inches and centimetres, and the pixel figure depends entirely on the resolution you export at. That is the source of most confusion about "the" PowerPoint pixel size: there isn't one.
Dimensions
1280×720
Aspect ratio
16:9
Formats
PPTX, PDF, PNG, JPG
Also supports
Best practices
- •Design at 13.333 × 7.5 inches. Export resolution decides the pixel count, not the slide.
- •Do not assume 1920×1080 — PowerPoint for Windows exports at 96 DPI by default, giving 1280×720.
- •Change the slide size before you build. Resizing afterwards rescales every element and usually breaks layouts.
Standard Slide960×720px
PowerPoint's standard 4:3 slide is 10 × 7.5 inches (25.4 × 19.05 cm) — 960 × 720 pixels when exported at PowerPoint for Windows' default 96 DPI. It was the default before PowerPoint 2013 and remains useful for legacy projectors and for decks that will be printed.
4:3 was the PowerPoint default until 2013, when widescreen 16:9 replaced it. It survives for two reasons: older conference projectors that still run at 4:3, and printed handouts, where the squarer proportion wastes less paper than a widescreen slide.
Dimensions
960×720
Aspect ratio
4:3
Formats
PPTX, PDF, PNG, JPG
Also supports
Best practices
- •Only choose 4:3 if the venue's equipment requires it or the deck is primarily for print.
- •4:3 and 16:9 share a 7.5in height, so switching changes width only.
- •Set the size before building; switching afterwards triggers a rescale prompt.
On-Screen Show Slide960×540px
On-screen Show (16:9) is 10 × 5.625 inches (25.4 × 14.288 cm). It is the same 16:9 ratio as the widescreen default but at a smaller physical size, which matters when a deck is printed, when type sizes are compared across decks, or when exporting — the smaller slide yields fewer pixels at any given DPI.
Microsoft ships two 16:9 presets. Widescreen is 13.333 × 7.5 inches; On-screen Show (16:9) is 10 × 5.625 inches. On screen they are indistinguishable — identical ratio, and the projector scales either to fill the display. The difference becomes real at print, at export, and when font sizes are compared between decks built on different presets.
Dimensions
960×540
Aspect ratio
16:9
Formats
PPTX, PDF, PNG, JPG
Also supports
Best practices
- •Identical on screen to widescreen; the difference is physical size, which matters for print, type scale and export resolution.
- •Point sizes are not comparable between this preset and widescreen — the slide is smaller.
- •Prefer widescreen 13.333in unless a template was authored against this one.
Paper-Named Slide1040×720px
PowerPoint's paper-named presets do not match the paper they are named after. The A4 Paper preset is 10.833 × 7.5 inches, not A4's real 8.27 × 11.69. The Letter Paper preset is 10 × 7.5 inches, not 8.5 × 11. They are landscape slides that hold a 7.5-inch height, sized so a slide fits a sheet when printed rather than being that sheet.
This is the most surprising thing about PowerPoint's slide sizes, and almost nobody publishes it: choosing "A4 Paper" or "Letter Paper" under Custom Slide Size does not give you a slide the shape of that paper. Letter Paper is 10 × 7.5 inches — identical to the standard 4:3 slide. A4 Paper is 10.833 × 7.5. Both are landscape, and both keep the 7.5-inch height that most PowerPoint presets share.
Dimensions
1040×720
Aspect ratio
1.44:1
Formats
PPTX, PDF, PNG, JPG
Also supports
Best practices
- •The paper presets are landscape and do not match real paper — Letter Paper is 10 × 7.5in, not 8.5 × 11.
- •For a true portrait page, set a custom size to the real paper dimensions and switch orientation separately.
- •Export print-bound decks to PDF to keep text selectable.
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Start designing →Frequently asked questions
What size is a PowerPoint slide?
Widescreen 16:9 is 13.333 × 7.5 inches (33.867 × 19.05 cm), which is the modern default. Standard 4:3 is 10 × 7.5 inches (25.4 × 19.05 cm).
Is a PowerPoint slide 1920×1080 pixels?
Not by default on Windows. PowerPoint for Windows exports slides as images at 96 DPI unless you change it, which gives 1280×720 for a widescreen slide. Getting 1920×1080 requires setting ExportBitmapResolution to 144 on Windows or entering 1920×1080 in the Width and Height boxes when exporting on Mac.
How do I export a PowerPoint slide at higher resolution?
On Windows, add an ExportBitmapResolution DWORD to the PowerPoint Options registry key; Microsoft documents values including 150 and 300 DPI. On Mac, choose File → Export and enter the desired pixel dimensions in the Width and Height boxes.
How do I change the slide size in PowerPoint?
Design → Slide Size → Custom Slide Size. PowerPoint accepts inches, centimetres or pixels, from 1 inch (2.54 cm / 120 px) up to 56 inches (142.24 cm / 720 px).
Should I use 16:9 or 4:3?
16:9 for anything shown on a screen — it matches modern displays and projectors. 4:3 only for legacy equipment or when a venue specifically requires it.
Other platform guides
Sources
Guide last verified: August 28, 2026. This hub summarizes 4 formats and cites 6 sources across this page and the linked format pages.
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