How to Make Images Transparent in PowerPoint

You might know how to apply transparency to the shapes because you read the article – Free images for powerpoint presentations: the definitive guide – but how do you make images transparent in PowerPoint?

Historically, there was no function that allowed to make transparent images in PowerPoint.

However, there is a little trick that allows you to take advantage of the transparency function of the shapes that you learnt. 

Let’s try to reconstruct a well known graphic effect: superposition of formulas, do you know what it is?

I’ll give you an example, let’s start with the image of a full-page researcher.

Imagine wanting to create a transparent effect of superimposed formulas to enrich the base image.

Check the result in the following slide:

An image overlay is an image over another one in which we apply a transparency effect. So that it integrates perfectly with the base image.

How did I do it? Follow me because it is super simple.

First of all, I draw a rectangular shape next to the image of the formulas (which you will find in small blue in the following image).

Make sure that the rectangular shape has the same dimensions as the image, otherwise you risk distorting the image.

I will soon explain you why this happens.

Take note of the size of the image and apply it to the form with a simple copy paste of height and width.

To go faster, MLC PowerPoint Addin has a function that is called “Make Same Size“, which allows you to create two objects in a PowerPoint slide the same size with a single click.

Cut the image by selecting it and applying the shortcut CTRL + X.

Where was the image?

It is in the Windows “Clipboard“, which means you can’t see it, but you can find it stored in the memory.

In fact, if I had to paste (keyboard shortcut CTRL + V), the image would jump immediately from the clipboard.

Select the shape with the right mouse button and open the “Format Shape” menu.

Now it comes the magic.

Instead of applying the usual full color background, we apply a background of type “Picture or texture fill“.

The image comes directly from the “Clipboard” and applied to the shape as a background. Finally, you will have a form that contains the image of the formulas in the background

We desaturate it to remove all the color that could create dissonance during the superposition and eliminate the contour.

By selecting the background menu of the image, you will see that the transparency option will be available.

Let’s apply a transparency of 50%. Then, drag the image to the whole page to overlay it perfectly to the background one.

Here I obtained the effect of superimposing images with an image in transparency.

Not that difficult right? 

However, PowerPoint evolved and it has recently been released a function to apply transparency to images straight away. 

How to do that? 

It’s very simple, just follow me. 

All you need to do is to double click on an image and select the transparency button. 

You’ll be able to choose between different level of transparency or to apply a custom one.

GO BACK: HOW TO USE FREE IMAGES FOR POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE