Office Settings & Configuration

How to Enable Advance Slide Timing in PowerPoint

Elise Williams Oct 13, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs a slide to remain visible for exactly 20 seconds, but the option to configure slide advance timing is missing.

How to Enable Advance Slide Timing in PowerPoint

Product: PowerPoint
Device & OS: Web, macOS, Windows
Scenario: Setting up automatic slide transitions for a timed presentation.
Observed behavior: The 'Advance Slide' timing option is completely unavailable when attempting to configure slide transitions in PowerPoint for the web.

Before you start

Verify whether you are using PowerPoint for the web or the desktop application. PowerPoint for the web does not currently support configuring timed transitions, so you will need to open the presentation file in the desktop version for Windows or Mac.

Solution 1Recommended

Switch to Desktop PowerPoint and Set Advance Slide Timings

Because PowerPoint for the web lacks advanced timing features, you must open the presentation in the desktop application to manually set the exact slide duration.

The web version of PowerPoint is excellent for quick text edits but lacks full presentation controls, including precise transition timings. Switching to the desktop application resolves this limitation immediately.

Open the desktop app

Launch your presentation in PowerPoint for Windows or PowerPoint for macOS.

Select your slide

In the left thumbnail pane, click on the specific slide that requires the 20-second timing.

Navigate to Transitions

Click on the 'Transitions' tab located on the top ribbon menu.

Configure Advance Slide timing

On the far right of the ribbon in the 'Timing' group, check the box next to 'After' under the 'Advance Slide' heading, and type 20.00.

Switch to Desktop PowerPoint and Set Advance Slide Timings

Apply to All: If you want every slide in your document to advance automatically after 20 seconds, click the 'Apply To All' button in the Timing group after setting the duration.

Solution 2

Use Rehearse Timings to Record Durations

If you prefer to naturally pace your presentation rather than manually typing in seconds, use the Rehearse Timings feature on the desktop application.

Seamless Presentation Tool

Set Exact Slide Timings Easily with WPS Presentation

Don't let web-version limitations slow you down. WPS Presentation offers a complete suite of professional transition and timing tools natively on all platforms, absolutely free.

1. Open WPS Presentation: Launch WPS Office on your computer and open your existing presentation file.
2. Go to Transitions: Select the target slide in the left pane and click on the 'Transitions' tab in the top ribbon.
3. Set Auto Advance time: In the 'Advance Slide' section on the far right, check the box for 'Auto After' and input your desired time (e.g., 20 seconds).
4. Save your presentation: Click 'Apply to All' if you need the same timing across the whole deck, then save your document. The timings will execute perfectly in any standard presentation mode.

Fully compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt and .pptx) formatsEasily set precise slide advance durations in secondsFeature-rich desktop application for Windows, Mac, and LinuxFree to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate interface

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Advance Slide option missing in PowerPoint?

The Advance Slide timing option is not supported in PowerPoint for the web. If you are editing your presentation in a web browser, this feature will be unavailable. You must open the presentation in the desktop version of PowerPoint for Windows or Mac to access these settings.

How do I make my slides advance automatically?

To make slides advance automatically, open the desktop version of PowerPoint, navigate to the Transitions tab, find the Advance Slide section, check the box for 'After', and enter the number of seconds you want the slide to remain on screen.

Does advance slide timing work when exporting to video?

Yes. When you export your PowerPoint presentation as an MP4 or WMV video file, any durations you have set in the Advance Slide settings or through Rehearse Timings will dictate exactly how long each slide is displayed in the final video.

How do I stop PowerPoint from auto-advancing slides?

Go to the Transitions tab on the ribbon and look at the Advance Slide options on the far right. Uncheck the 'After' box, and ensure the 'On Mouse Click' box is checked instead. This guarantees you maintain manual control over all slide transitions.

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