How to Create a Word Cloud in Microsoft PowerPoint

Word clouds are a simple, striking way to highlight key themes or ideas. Whether you’re presenting survey results, summarizing a speech, or spicing up your slide deck, a word cloud can grab attention fast.

But here’s the catch — Microsoft PowerPoint doesn’t have a built-in word cloud feature.

No problem. You can still create one in just a few steps. Here’s how.

Step 1: Collect Your Words

Start by compiling the text you want to use. This could be:

• Answers from a survey
• Comments from a meeting
• A body of text (like a paragraph or transcript)
• Keywords from a brainstorm session

Tip: The more a word appears in your list, the larger it will show up in the cloud — so repetition matters.

Step 2: Use an Online Word Cloud Generator

Since PowerPoint can’t make word clouds on its own, you’ll need a free external tool. Two good options:

• WordArt.com (formerly Tagul)
• WordClouds.com

Here’s what to do:

1. Go to one of those sites.
2. Paste in your text.
3. Adjust your settings — font, shape, colors, layout.
4. Click “Visualize” or “Generate.”
5. When it looks good, download the word cloud as a PNG image (transparent background recommended).

Step 3: Insert the Word Cloud into PowerPoint

Now that you’ve got the image, jump into PowerPoint:

1. Open your presentation.
2. Go to the slide where you want the word cloud.
3. Click Insert > Pictures > This Device and select the word cloud file.
4. Resize and position as needed.

That’s it — you’re done.

Optional: Add Animation for Extra Impact

To make your word cloud more dynamic:

1. Select the word cloud image.
2. Go to the Animations tab.
3. Pick something subtle like Fade In or Zoom.
4. Set the timing to fit your presentation flow.

Final Thoughts

Word clouds may be simple, but they’re powerful. They instantly show what matters most — and they look good doing it. Even without built-in tools, PowerPoint makes it easy to drop one into your deck if you use the right workaround.

Got feedback or another tool you like better? Drop it in the comments!