How to Create a PowerPoint Template With a Subdued Picture

Using a custom picture to create a PowerPoint template can make the difference between an eye-catching presentation and one that looks like all of the others ever created with the Microsoft application. But when you bring a picture into PowerPoint as a background, it has the potential to completely overwhelm the text and other elements on the slide. Subdue the image by fading it using PowerPoint's image controls.

Instructions 1. Open PowerPoint. A blank white slide serves as the initial template. Click the "Design" tab at the top of the work area.
2. Click the "Background Styles" button on the right side of the ribbon below the tab. Click "Format Background."
3. Click the "Picture or texture fill" radio button. Click the "File" button under "Insert from." Browse to the picture to use for the template and double-click the image name. PowerPoint inserts the picture, but it is still 100 percent opaque. 4. Slide the "Transparency" arrow to the right to subdue the picture. The further to the right you slide, or the higher the transparency, the more subdued the picture will appear, making other objects on the slide more visible.
5. Click the "Close" button to close the "Format Background" window. Click the "File" tab. Click "Save As." Type a name for the template and click the "Save" button.