How to loop a PowerPoint or PDF on a projector.

1. In PowerPoint

1. On the Transitions tab, check After and set how many seconds each slide stays up. Click Apply To All.
2. On the Slide Show tab, choose Set Up Slide Show and check Loop continuously until ‘Esc’.
3. Start the slide show. It repeats until you press Esc.

2. In Keynote or Google Slides

Keynote: in the Document inspector, set the presentation type to Self-Playing, choose a delay, and check Loop slideshow.

Google Slides: start the presentation, open the options menu in the presenter toolbar, choose Auto-play, pick a speed and check Loop.

These work for a single deck. They get awkward when you need video in the loop, more than one loop for different parts of the day, a logo screen, or a preview of what the room sees.

3. With LoopCast

LoopCast is a free player built for this job. It loops images, PDFs and video, and gives you separate playlists, a live preview and one-key logo and black screens.

1. Export your deck as a PDF. PowerPoint: File › Export › PDF. Keynote: File › Export To › PDF. Google Slides: File › Download › PDF.
2. Put the PDF in a folder, along with any videos or images you want in the same loop. Each page of the PDF becomes a slide.
3. Open LoopCast and choose the folder. Click Show on projector, then play. Use Fullscreen here if there’s only one screen.

Tips for a slideshow that reads well from the back of the room

• Use a 16:9 slide size to match most projectors and TVs.
• Keep text large and short. Eight to ten seconds per slide is a good starting point.
• For video, export MP4 (H.264). It plays everywhere.