How to Create After Effects-Style Animation in PowerPoint?

Are you looking to create impressive after effects-style animation right in Microsoft PowerPoint? While PowerPoint is primarily known as a slideshow and presentation software, it also has powerful built-in animation tools that allow you to create dynamic, engaging animations that resemble the professional look of Adobe After Effects.

In this article, we’ll show you step-by-step how to unleash your creativity and create stunning After Effects-Style Animation in PowerPoint. No prior animation experience required!

Understanding PowerPoint’s Animation Tools

Before we jump into creating after effects-style animations, let’s first get familiar with the animation tools available in PowerPoint:

• Animations Tab: This is where you’ll find all the animation presets and options. You can choose from subtle Entrances and Exits to flashy Emphasis and Motion Paths effects.
• Animation Pane: This pane allows you to manage all the animations on a slide. You can reorder animations, adjust timing, and tweak effect options.
• Preview: The Preview button lets you watch your animations in action without having to play the entire slide.
• Trigger: Trigger animations start when you click on a specific object. This is useful for creating interactive presentations.
• Timeline: In the newest versions of PowerPoint, the Animations tab includes a Timeline that gives you even more control over your animations.

Step 1: Plan Out Your Animation

Before animating anything in PowerPoint, it helps to first plan out your animation on paper or in your mind. Break down your slide into individual elements and think about how you want each object to move. Consider things like:

• The order in which objects should appear
• The direction objects will animate in from (left, right, top, bottom, etc.)
• How long each animation should take
• Any special effects you want to use (spin, pulse, glowing, etc.)

Having a clear vision will make it easier to create your animations in PowerPoint. Let’s animate a simple slide with a title and three icons as an example:

Step 2: Create Your Slide Content

Now it’s time to build out your slide in PowerPoint. Insert your text, images, shapes, icons, or any other elements you want to include. For our example, we’ll create a simple title and add three icons below it.

Remember to size and position your objects where you want them to end up after animating in. If you want an object to fly in from the left, then it needs to be positioned on the left side of the slide, outside of the slide area.

Step 3: Add Entrance Animations

With your slide elements in place, it’s time to start animating! Go to the Animations tab and select an object. Then choose an Entrance animation from the menu, such as Fly In or Fade. In the Animation Pane, you can adjust the effect options like direction and duration.

For our example slide:

1. Select the title and add a “Fly In” entrance, coming in from the left for 1 second.
2. Select icon 1 and apply a “Fade” entrance set to 0.5 seconds with a 1 second delay.
3. Select icon 2, apply a “Fade” entrance for 0.5 seconds with a 1.5 second delay. Then add a “Pulse” emphasis effect.
4. Select icon 3, apply a “Fade” entrance for 0.5 seconds with a 2 second delay, and add a “Spin” emphasis effect.

As you add animations, preview how it looks using the Preview button. Continue adjusting the options until you’re happy with the result.

Step 4: Apply Motion Paths

To create a sense of movement, Motion Path animations are essential. These allow you to make an object travel along a custom path you draw.

In the Animations tab, select Add Animation > Motion Paths. Choose one of the preset paths or select “Custom Path” to draw your own using the Freeform or Scribble tools.

With the path selected, you can edit the motion path in various ways:

• Drag the path to reposition it
• Add points and curves to change the shape
• Adjust the start and end points
• Control the timing and duration
• Specify whether the object rotates along the path

Motion paths open up endless animation possibilities in PowerPoint. Experiment with animating objects along different trajectories to create dynamic visuals.

Step 5: Customize with the Animation Pane

The Animation Pane is your central hub for managing and fine-tuning animations. Here you can:

• Reorder animations using drag-and-drop to change the sequence
• Adjust start times and durations by expanding an animation and editing the controls
• Set start triggers, such as On Click, With Previous, or After Previous
• Add and remove animation effects from objects
• Access effect options to customize individual animations

Get familiar with the Animation Pane controls and options. Taking time to craft your animation timings and triggers here is what will take your animation from mediocre to stunning. Aim to create seamless flow from one animation to the next.

Step 6: Leverage the Animation Timeline

If you have Microsoft 365, the newest versions of PowerPoint have an updated Animations tab that includes an Animation Timeline. This makes it even easier to create after effects-style animations.

The Animation Timeline gives you an overview of all your animations on a slide in a timeline format. You can drag the start time and end time of an animation block directly on the timeline to adjust its timing and duration.

Having the timings of all your animations visualized on a timeline allows you to coordinate complex animation sequences more easily than with just the Animation Pane. Use the timeline in conjunction with the pane to perfect your animations.

Step 7: Combine Multiple Animation Effects

One key to creating after effects-style animations in PowerPoint is to combine multiple animation effects on a single object. This allows you to create more intricate, multi-stage animations.

For example, you could have a shape that fades in, pulses once while growing in size, then spins while changing colors before shrinking back down and fading out. Applying 4-5 animation effects like this to an object can produce a professional-looking animated sequence.

To combine effects, select an object that already has an animation applied to it. Then use the Add Animation button to apply additional effects, which will be added in sequence after the initial effect.

Keep in mind that too many effects can become overwhelming. Aim for a balance between visual interest and clarity. Multiple effects work best for featured pieces of content you really want to highlight.

Step 8: Incorporate Transitions

In addition to object animations, PowerPoint also has slide transitions. While often overlooked, creative transitions can help make your animations more seamless and cohesive.

Think about how you want to transition from one slide to the next. Do you want the next slide to simply appear, or would an effect like a fade, push, or glitter help maintain a sense of flow?

You can find transition options on the Transitions tab in PowerPoint. Pay attention to the timing and duration of transitions so they align well with your animations.

Step 9: Polish and Refine

Creating stunning after effects-style animations in PowerPoint is an iterative process. It requires plenty of small adjustments and tweaking to get the timing and flow just right.

After building a draft version of your animations, watch it over a few times. Does the pacing feel natural? Are there any awkward pauses or jumps? Refine your start times, durations, and effect options until the animations are seamless.

It can help to get feedback from others too. Show your animated slides to colleagues or friends. A fresh set of eyes can provide valuable perspective and catch details you may have overlooked. Continue revising until your animations look polished and professional.

Step 10: Add Music (Optional)

For a final touch of after effects flair, consider adding background music that syncs with your animations. Dynamic music can make your slides more immersive and impactful.

You can add an audio file to a slide using the Insert tab in PowerPoint. Use animation timings to coordinate key transitions with the beat or tempo of the music. Aim to have important animations align with musical peaks.

Be sure to preview your entire presentation with the music to ensure the timing is on point. You may need to make subtle adjustments to your animation timings so they sync perfectly with the music.

Final Thoughts

By leveraging PowerPoint’s built-in animation tools and thinking like an after effects animator, you can create stunning motion graphics without needing expensive professional software. The key is to plan out your animations, combine effects creatively, and refine the timing and flow until everything looks seamless.

Start simple and iterate. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at creating captivating after effects-style animations right in PowerPoint. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different effects and techniques to see what works for your content.

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Trish Dixon

Trish Dixon is the founder of PPTBliss and a PowerPoint expert with over a decade of experience in presentation design. Passionate about visual storytelling, Trish shares her expertise through easy-to-follow tutorials on slide design, animations, transitions, and best practices, helping professionals create impactful presentations across industries.

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