PowerPoint : Create a Macro

PowerPoint 2007 - Windows
21 May 2009, by Virinia Smith


This lesson will show you to create a macro in PowerPoint. Macros let you simplify tasks that ordinarily require many keystrokes or commands, such as creating a header or footer, or changing line spacing and indents for a paragraph. Once you record a macro, you can run it at any time to repeat the recorded actions. You can use macros for tasks as simple as opening and printing a document, or for more complicated tasks such as creating a new document, inserting a table, entering text, and applying an AutoFormat. Macros are a great tool for saving time and eliminating errors.


The macro recorder is not available in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007. Instead, you can use Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to create or edit macros.

Access the Developer Tab

Click on the Office button in the left hand corner of the window. Then click PowerPoint Options.

This will open the PowerPoint Options. Select the Popular category, and then place a check in the box next to Show Developer tab in the Ribbon. Click OK to continue.

The Developer tab should now be visible.

Enable Macros

By default, PowerPoint 2007 is configured to disable all macros to avoid contracting a virus from an unknown source. However, you should not worry about using a macro from a trusted source. Just remember to use an antivirus program to scan macro files before using them. To enable macros, click on Macro Security in the Developer tab.

Adjust the Macro Security Settings

Once you click on the Macro Security button, a Trust Center window should appear. Make sure the Macro Settings button has been selected. Check the boxes next to the options Enable all macros and Trust access to the VBA project object model. Click OK when finished to exit the window.


If you're still concerned about contracting a virus, and you plan on viewing several third-party presentations that contain macros, you can narrow down which macros will run by selecting Disable all macros except digitally signed macros instead of Enable all macros. This will offer some security when dealing with third-party macros, but it still should not be used as a replacement for scanning macro files for viruses, but as an additional tool to help you judge the validity of the file.

Save as a Macro-Enabled Presentation

Click on the Office button and choose Other Formats under Save As. A shortcut to access this option is pressing the F12 key.

When the Save As window appears, select PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Presentation from the drop-down list next to Save as Type. Click Save to continue.

View Macros

Open the Developer tab and click on the Macros button.

Name your Macro

When the Macro screen appears, you will need to give your macro a name. It is also a good idea to give a short description of the macro for future reference. Click Create when you are finished and the Visual Basic Editor Window will appear on your window.

Write the Macro Code

Any commands you want the macro to perform should be typed or copied in between these lines (the Sub and End Sub commands). Ignore the green text; this is not a specific command but text that has been commented out.


You can paste macros that have already been made from the internet or you may follow the steps outlined below for creating a basic macro.

Write "Active Presentation."

To begin with, type "Active Presentation." As soon as you hit the period key, a list of options should appear. Either try typing the action you would like performed or browse through the list to find it. Here, we choose the action SaveAs.

Give the File a Name

In this particular task, you will need to give the file a name and type. First, type a quotation mark to enclose the file path name. Here, the "c" stands for the hard drive, "tutorial," the file name, and "html," the file type. After you enclose the file name with quotation marks, type a comma and a dropdown list will appear. In this case, since we are creating a macro that will save as an html file, we will want to select ppSaveAsHTML. Finally, type a comma and select msoTrue.

Finish and Save

The code for your macro should now look something like this. More tasks may be included in a single macro and have many lines of commands. Once you are done writing your macro code, save the file by either pressing Ctrl + S or choosing the Save option from the File menu on the Visual Basic Editor toolbar.

Exit the Editor

After saving, you can exit the editor by pressing Alt + Q or selecting Close and Return to Microsoft PowerPoint from the File menu.