How to Create a Microsoft Sway Presentation
You can create an array of content types using Microsoft Sway, the digital storytelling app available online or with Microsoft 365. While there are some differences between the versions, making a basic presentation is essentially the same whether you use Microsoft Sway on your desktop or online. Once you log in to or open the Sway app, you can start from scratch or base your design on one of the many templates provided.
Work With Cards in the Storyline
The Storyline is what makes Sway unique. Unlike other Office applications, Sway uses cards in which you create or import a variety of content. A card is a container that holds content within a Sway presentation, similar to a placeholder in PowerPoint. The arrangement of the cards determines the appearance of your Sway presentation. You can easily rearrange the cards whenever you want to modify the way your Sway looks.
Use Templates in Sway
Like other Microsoft applications, Sway offers built-in templates you can use to make polished presentations quickly.
Text and Images
Enter the text and photos or graphics you want to use to create the bones of your Sway presentation. You can enhance your Sway by incorporating a range of content types from numerous sources.
Preview and Edit
Give your Sway presentation a good look before you share it with others. Customize the appearance further by changing the style.
Share Your Sway
You can share your design with others on a variety of platforms using numerous methods. Select Share in the upper-right corner to view sharing options, including:
A shareable link.A visual link with a preview of the Sway.Direct share to Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.An embed code.
Collaborate on a Sway Presentation
Microsoft Sway is ideal for collaborative designs. Whether you need to pitch in with classmates on a school project or work with colleagues on a company report, everyone involved can work together on a Sway presentation. It doesn’t matter where they are located, provided they have internet access. One of the sharing options is to Add an Author. When you use this feature, Sway generates a unique link. You can share this link by email, social media, or any other way you want with the people you want to collaborate with on the presentation. They can view the Sway using this link, and they can edit the file. Suppose you change your mind. You can manage editing permissions on any Sway presentation.
Other Sway Presentation Features
Microsoft Sway isn’t just another version of PowerPoint or Google Slides. PowerPoint is best suited for offline, static content such as graphs, flowcharts, and bullet points. Sway is ideal for dynamic, online content. Like Google Slides, Sway lives online. But unlike Google Slides, Sway allows you to embed other Office files, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, and individual charts and tables from Excel. Sway has other features and tools that might be beneficial when you want to enhance a presentation.
Record narration or other audio to any Audio card. Select the Record button and give Sway permission to use your microphone to begin recording. Press the Stop button when done and then choose to Add an Audio File.Access Navigation View by selecting the Navigation button in the lower-right corner while in Design view.Autoplay for users with a Microsoft 365 subscription. Select the ellipses in the upper-right corner of the window and choose Settings for This Sway to turn on Autoplay.
