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The free downloads on this site are simple JPEG images which you
can apply as backgrounds to your presentation frames. The following
instructions apply to PowerPoint 2000. Other versions (both earlier and
later) work very similarly but may differ in minor details. It should be
possible to follow this basic setup procedure in any version.
 Start
a new presentation and click through the menu items: [View] [Master] [Slide
Master]. Right-click on the slide background (but outside any of the text boxes
on screen) and choose [Background...].
In the drop down box below the small image of the screen, (see diagram) click
the downward pointing triangle. Choose [Fill Effects...].
At the top of the next screen (see diagram below) click on the
[Picture] tab, then [Select Picture]. A normal Windows dialogue box will
open so you can browse for the picture you have saved.
Find it, select it, and click [Insert]. The picture will appear in the
"Fill Effects" window (see below). Choose [OK]. You are
now back at the menu above, but you should see your new picture in the frame
under the words "Background Fill". You now have the choice as to
whether you wish to apply this background picture all the frames of just to the
one you were working on. If you want to use this background picture across
your whole presentation, click [Apply to All].
 If
the picture is too small or large it will be scaled to fit the background.
It is best therefore, to select pictures of the correct "aspect ratio"
for a computer screen - 4 units wide by three units high - i.e. 800w by 600h or
1024w by 768w. All the images on this site are 4x3.
If the template you originally chose has graphic pieces or other images across
the new picture and you do not wish to keep them, simply click on them and
delete them, one by one. Finally, click on the menu items [View] [Normal]
to go back to creating your new slides.
There is much more to be said about setting up Master Slides but there are other
far better tutorials on the web and of course Microsoft's excellent help screens. My
intention is not to duplicate all that information here, but rather to tell you enough
so that you can start using the backgrounds you will find here.
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Downloads
