In PowerPoint, shapes placed on the Slide Master always go behind the objects
placed on the slides. If you want to keep the shapes from the Slide Master in
front of the slide objects, you need to use ActiveX controls. PowerPoint already
ships with some number of ActiveX controls that are usually used with VBA forms.
Those ActiveX controls are available for use on the slides too. The following
method uses the Image ActiveX control to place an image (like a logo) on the
Slide Master. The image will stay in-front of the slide objects. Use the method
as per your PowerPoint version.
First, we enable access to the ActiveX controls that are already available
with PowerPoint:
| PowerPoint 2013, 2010 |
PowerPoint 2007 |
PowerPoint 2003, 2002, 2000 |
- Select the File tab or press Alt+F key
combination.
- Click Options button in the left pane.
- Select Customize Ribbon in the left pane.
- Place a check on Developer box on the right box.
- Click OK button.
You would now get a Developer tab next to the View
tab in the Ribbon.
|
- In PowerPoint, click the Office button on top-left.
- Click PowerPoint Options.
- Place a check against the Show Developer tab in the Ribbon
box in the right pane.
- Click OK button.
You would now get a Developer tab next to the View
tab in the Ribbon.
|
- In PowerPoint, select View | Toolbars |
Control Toolbox menu item to show the Control Toolbox
toolbar.
|
Next, we use the Image ActiveX control to place an image on the Slide Master.
| PowerPoint 2013, 2010, 2007 |
PowerPoint 2003, 2002, 2000 |
- Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
- Click View | Slide Master button to switch to
the Slide Master.
- Select the Developer tab.
- Locate and select the Image (ActiveX Control) button in
the
Controls group.
- Click on the slide area to place the Image ActiveX Control on
the Slide Master.
- Right-click the Image ActiveX Control shape and select
Properties
menu item.
You would get a floating Properties toolbar.
- Select 3 - fmPictureSizeModeZoom in the
PictureSizeMode
dropdown box.
- Click the
button for the Picture property.
- Locate and select the image file. Click Open button.
- You can now dismiss the Properties toolbar by click the X
button on its top-right.
- Switch out of Slide Master view by selecting Close Master
View
button in the Slide Master tab.
|
- Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
- Click View | Master | Slide Master
button to switch to the Slide Master.
- Locate and select the Image button from the Control
Toolbox toolbar.
- Click on the slide area to place the Image ActiveX Control
on the Slide Master.
- Right-click the Image ActiveX Control shape and select
Properties menu item.
You would get a floating Properties toolbar.
- Select 3 - fmPictureSizeModeZoom in the
PictureSizeMode dropdown box.
- Click the
button for the Picture property.
- Locate and select the image file. Click Open button.
- You can now dismiss the Properties toolbar by click the X
button on its top-right.
- Switch out of Slide Master view by selecting Close Master
View button in the Slide Master View toolbar.
|
Your image would be in-front of shapes placed on the slide when you start the
slide show.