Create your own template folder in PowerPoint 2000 and later
Normally, when you save a PowerPoint Template (.POT) file, PowerPoint points you by default at the \Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates folder, the root folder where it starts looking for templates.
After you do this, the converted templates appear in the General tab of the New Presentation dialog box you see when you choose File, New from the menu bar.
Wouldn't it be nice if you could categorize these templates to make it easier to find the one you need? Well, you can! In fact, you can add your own tabs to the New Presentation dialog. Let's say that you want to create new tab called My Templates.
- First, you'll need to work out where PowerPoint stores its templates. The simplest way to do this is to start a new blank presentation, choose File, Save As, pick "Design template (*.POT)" as the Save As type. When you do this, PowerPoint switches you immediately to its default Templates folder.
- Create a new folder within the Templates folder. You can do this from within the Save As dialog box: press Alt + 5 and type a name for the folder. The new folder opens automatically.
- Save your presentation into the new folder as a Design template (*.POT) or note the full path to the folder and later copy your other template (*.POT) files into it. If you click the down-arrow to the right of the folder name in the "Save in:" you'll see the full path from the current folder back up to disk drive letter. Add "\" characters as needed and you've got the path.
When you go to apply templates from your new folder, what you see depends on which version of PowerPoint you have:
PowerPoint 2000
The next time you choose File, New or Format, Apply Design Template from the PowerPoint menu bar, you'll see your new templates folder and within it you'll see all the the templates you copied there.
PowerPoint 2002
When you apply templates or start a new presentation, you'll see a "Browse" link at the bottom of the Slide Design task pane. Click this to open the Apply Design Template dialog box. There, you'll see your new template folder and in it, you'll find any templates you copied there.
Note: until you copy at least one template (*.POT file) into your new folder, PowerPoint will not display its folder.
PowerPoint 2003
Create a new folder in:
C:\Documents and Settings\XX\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
(Substitute your user name for XX above.)
Put at least one PowerPoint PPT/POT file in the new folder.
The next time you start a new presentation and click "On my computer" in the new presentation task pane, you'll see a new tab in the dialog box.
PowerPoint 2007
Follow the same instructions as for PowerPoint 2007.
When you start a new presentation, click "My templates..." on the left of the New Presentation dialog box, you'll see the old-style New Presentation dialog box, complete with your new tab.