When (and when not) to use PowerPoint animations

So you’ve been reading our blog and learning some powerful tips on how to add animations to PowerPoint slides. You’ve even been practicing, and you're getting the hang of choosing the right effects and making sure they play smoothly.

But the question remains: When should you use PowerPoint animations—and when should you skip them?

The answer, like much of PowerPoint design, is: “it depends.” In this post, we’ll explore a range of common situations where animation might come to mind—and share our take on whether it helps or hurts your message.

Let’s dive in.

What kind of presentation is it, and who's watching?

Marketing or sales presentations

Is this a marketing presentation? Are you trying to sell a product or an idea? Is your audience a potential customer? This is literally where the ad industry term sizzle originates. So as long as you are free of any technical concerns (more below on this), you can definitely include some PowerPoint animations.

Final answer:  YES

Financial or Board presentations

If you are presenting to a more “buttoned up” audience, they may not see the value in animation the way other audiences do. If your audience is only interested in numbers, then that’s what you should give them. Instead of forcing animations, devote that time to improving your content.

Final answer:  NO

Human stories and emotional content

For storytelling, emotional content, or human-interest material, PowerPoint animations can be a powerful tool—but only if used tastefully. Overuse can make heartfelt messages feel cheap or theatrical.

Final answer:  DEPENDS

Where—and how—is the presentation being delivered?

Keynote stage or Large room

Keynotes might be the only time we pump up the animation for sheer sizzle. They are often used to build enthusiasm or hype, so drama and theatrics are right at home here. That said, all of our usual advice about designing for your audience and not overdoing slides still applies.

Final answer:  YES

Small room

For settings like most small to medium conference rooms, animation works well when kept simple. Use it to emphasize key points, clarify infographics, or for tasteful designs, but remember that bolder animations that would be at home in a keynote will feel like too much in this case.

Final answer:  SOMETIMES

Virtual PowerPoint presentations

Avoid animations for virtual PowerPoint presentations. Screen sharing often introduces lag and pixelation, ruining the effect and distracting from your message.

Final answer: NOT RECOMMENDED

Printed or Leave-behind

If your deck will be printed or shared as a PDF, PowerPoint animations won’t translate—and may even cause layout issues. For these versions, strip out the animations or prepare a separate file.

Final answer: NOT RECOMMENDED

How important is timing?

What’s the presenter's style?

Whether you are presenting or designing a deck for someone, it’s key to consider delivery style.

For people who like to control every click, YES

For people who like to improvise, NO

Is there a hard stop on the presentation?

If you’re presenting under a strict time limit or to a busy audience, skip the animation and get straight to the message.

Final answer:  NO

Will PowerPoint animations help tell the story?

Do Animations clarify or confuse?

Infographics and moments of emphasis can benefit from information moving and flowing in certain directions, or coming in at certain times.

Final answer: YES

Can your animation help set the mood?

Sometimes there is a lot of time spent on the opening slide of a presentation. In these cases, adding a looping movie or GIF to the beginning of presentation is a passive way to get a ton of extra sizzle in your deck before you’ve even spoken a word. It can set the tone for the meeting and get your audience tuned in to you.

Final answer:  YES

Will you reuse these slides later?

Are you the only person using these animations?

If your presentation will be shared, reused, or broken apart later, consider whether animations will still make sense without your live delivery.

If it's a custom, one-time-use presentation, then you are good to go.

Final answer:  SOMETIMES

As you can see, there are plenty of cases when PowerPoint animations enhance your message—and just as many where they detract.

When in doubt, return to this rule of thumb: “It depends.”

Think about your audience, your delivery style, and your presentation’s goals. Use animations intentionally, and they’ll become a valuable tool in your design arsenal—not a distraction.

Update (03/24): we’ve revised this article to add some new details on best practices for PowerPoint animations

Want to level up your presentation game?

Explore more of our expert resources on presentation visuals, storytelling, and PowerPoint best practices:

• Presentation Design 101 – Learn the basics of slide design that make the biggest impact

• Presentation Training – Tips to become a more confident, persuasive presenter

• Storytelling – Craft narratives that connect with any audience

• Presentation Design Tips – From layouts to colors, get smarter about slide visuals

About the author

Danielle John is the founder of VerdanaBold. She has more than 25 years as an award-winning designer and creative lead, directing the visual expression and production of thousands of high-value new business pitches, C-level presentations and internal presentations for major global brands. When she's not busy at VerdanaBold, she can be found antique shopping and spending time with her husband and two kids.