This tutorial shows how to insert a linked PowerPoint slide in Microsoft Word.
[Typewriter sounds]
Hello, my name is Erin.
This tutorial shows how to insert a linked PowerPoint slide in Microsoft Word.
Then, we’ll look at how to update the linked slide automatically or manually as the source PowerPoint file changes.
We’ll also look at how to prevent a linked slide from updating automatically,
and how to unlink the slide without removing it from your document
Today, I’ll be using Word for Microsoft 365.
These steps also apply to non-subscription versions of Word back to Word 2013.
These steps don’t apply to Word for Mac or Word for the web.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that this method isn’t appropriate for Word files that will be emailed to other people
because the link to the PowerPoint slide only works when the Word file and PowerPoint file are in their original storage location.
If the files move, the link will break and you may see an error message when you open your Word file.
One solution is to move the Word and PowerPoint files to cloud storage before creating the link.
Then, email a link to the Word file in the cloud storage rather than attaching the file itself.
To begin, open the PowerPoint file in PowerPoint.
And then right-click the slide in the thumbnails pane, and select Copy in the shortcut menu.
Alternatively, you can select the slide and press Ctrl + C on your keyboard.
Next, open your document in Word.
And place your cursor when you want to insert the PowerPoint slide.
Now, select the Home tab in the ribbon.
Followed by the Paste menu arrow.
From there, select Paste Special in the drop-down menu.
When the Paste Special dialog box appears, select Paste Link.
And then select Microsoft PowerPoint Slide Object in the As menu.
Ensure that Display as icon is not checked.
If this option is checked, you will see a PowerPoint icon in your Word document instead of the slide.
Finally, select the OK button.
The slide should appear in your Word document.
You can now select the slide and use the handles on the border to resize it as necessary.
With the slide selected, you can also use the Align Left,
Center,
or Align Right buttons in the Paragraph group to reposition it within your document.
If you want to open the slide in PowerPoint, right-click it,
select Linked Slide Object in the shortcut menu,
and then select Open Link in the submenu.
The link between PowerPoint and Word should update automatically when the Word file is saved and reopened.
It should also update automatically when the source PowerPoint file is changed while the Word file is open.
We'll test that right now by adding text to my slide in PowerPoint.
Now when we return to Word, we see that the linked slide is updated.
However, you may want to update the link manually.
To do so, right-click the slide in the Word file, and then select Update Link in the shortcut menu.
You can prevent a linked PowerPoint slide from updating automatically.
If you choose to do this, the slide can only be updated by using the manual method we used just a moment ago.
To begin, right-click the slide in Word,
select Linked Slide Object in the shortcut menu,
followed by Links in the Submenu.
Ensure that the correct slide is selected in the Links dialog box.
And then select Manual update.
Make sure that Locked is not selected because that option prevents the slide from updating automatically or manually.
Lastly, select the OK button.
You can remove the link between the PowerPoint slide in your Word file and the source PowerPoint file.
When you do so, the slide will remain in your Word file as a regular image.
To begin, right-click the slide in Word,
and once again select Linked Slide Object
followed by Links.
Ensure that the slide is selected in the Links dialog box.
And then select the Break Link button.
Now, select Yes in the dialog box asking if you are sure you want to break the link.
You can now modify the slide as you would a regular image.
I have created many other videos about Microsoft Word including “How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word.”
And, “How to Start Page Numbers on a Specific Page in Microsoft Word.”
Please see the complete list in the playlist titled “How to Use Microsoft Word”
which is linked in the description box below.
All the steps we just performed are listed with images on erinwrightwriting.com,
along with all my other writing-related software tutorials to help you succeed at work and in the classroom.
Feel free to leave me a comment if there’s a specific topic that you would like me to talk about in the future.
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And give this video a thumbs-up if you found it helpful.
Thank you so much for watching!
[Typewriter sounds]