Fiddly to build and edit
Each reveal needs its own animation and its own trigger, set in the Animation Pane, which Microsoft's steps require you to open. Six reveals on one slide means six pairs to keep straight.
The built-in way to click to reveal in PowerPoint is a trigger animation: give an object an animation, open the Animation Pane, then choose Trigger > On Click of and pick the object that should start it. It works, but it is fiddly to build and edit, and the revealed content still takes up room on the slide. SparkSpotlight takes another route: the detail appears in a card beside the element only when you click it, and closes on the next click.
Click to Reveal in PowerPoint, Without Trigger Animations
Show the detail only when someone asks for it, and keep the slide calm until then.
Click to reveal is a simple idea: the slide stays clean, and the detail shows up when you, or a viewer, click for it. It suits Q&A, training and self-paced decks. PowerPoint can do it natively, so this page explains how first, then where it gets awkward.
The alternative here is SparkSpotlight, a click-to-open spotlight effect in PowerPoint. It is not the same as revealing hidden text in place, and the differences are spelled out below.
Launching soon
See how it worksHow trigger animations work, fairly
A trigger animation makes one object start another object's animation when you click it. Select the object you want to reveal, then on the Animations tab choose Advanced Animation > Add Animation and pick an effect. Open the Animation Pane (Animations > Advanced Animation > Animation Pane), select the animated object, choose Trigger > On Click of, then pick the object that should start it. On a Mac the same steps use the Animations tab and a Trigger > On Click menu.
It is a good choice when the reveal is small and the deck is yours alone. It needs nothing installed, and it works on text and pictures alike.
Where trigger animations fall short
The text stays on the slide
The revealed content has to sit on the slide all along, hidden only by its animation, so the layout must leave room for everything you plan to reveal.
Easy to break
A trigger is tied to the two objects that make it. Delete or replace either one and you rebuild the pairing. Every reveal is set up by hand, slide by slide.
Three steps to a reveal without triggers
01
Select the element
Click the element that should open the detail: a box, a picture, a chart or a text box. Leave it on the slide as it is.
02
Write the detail
Type a title (up to 60 characters) and the detail as a key point (up to 240). Choose where the card sits, or leave it on Auto. The card holds the detail, so the slide itself stays uncluttered.
03
Click Add spotlight
In slide show, click the element: the slide dims, the element stays bright inside a white ring, and a card shows the detail. Click anywhere to close it. There is no animation to order and no trigger to set.
Where it earns its place
Details on demand in Q&A
Keep one slide of elements, each one a likely question. Click the one that was asked and its answer opens, then close it and take the next question.
Training quizzes
Put the question on the element and the answer in its card. The room thinks first, then you click to show the answer.
Self-paced decks
Viewers open the detail they care about, when they want it, with a click. Everything else stays out of the way.
Touchscreen decks
A tap opens a spotlight on a touchscreen, and a click or tap closes it, so the deck works without a keyboard.
What to know before you use it
Not hidden text in place. The element is already visible on the slide. The click opens its detail in a card and dims the rest; it does not make hidden text appear where it sits. If you need text to appear in place, a trigger animation is the right tool.
Whole elements. A spotlight lights one whole element: a box, a shape, a picture, a table, a chart or a text box. One element carries one spotlight.
Click to open. Spotlights open with a mouse click, or a tap on a touchscreen. A clicker's Next button continues the deck and does not open a spotlight.
Microsoft 365 to add, any PowerPoint to present. Adding spotlights needs Microsoft 365 PowerPoint on Windows (version 2601 or later) or Mac (16.105 or later). Presenting works in any PowerPoint on Windows or Mac, with no add-in.
On Teams or Zoom. Run the slide show in desktop PowerPoint and share your screen or window.
Common questions
How do I make something appear when I click it in PowerPoint?
Add an animation to the object you want to reveal, open the Animation Pane, select the animated object, choose Trigger > On Click of, and pick the object that should start it.
Can I reveal text that is hidden until the click?
Not in place. The element stays visible, and the click opens its detail in a card. For text that appears where it sits, use a trigger animation.
Does a clicker open a spotlight?
No. A clicker's Next button continues the deck. Open a spotlight with a mouse click or a tap.
Can viewers open the details themselves?
Yes, in slide show, with a mouse click or a tap. Anyone can present or view the deck in PowerPoint on Windows or Mac, and no add-in is needed.
How many details can one slide open?
One per element, and as many elements as you like.
Show the detail when it is asked for.
SparkSpotlight is a one-time purchase, with no subscription. The price is announced at launch.
Launching soon
See how it worksKeep reading
More on the methods for spotlighting a slide, and where else this fits.