How to use Whitespace in Presentations [PowerPoint Tips]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Jul 17, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: May 12
Anouk, one of our clients, asked us a question while we were working on their sales deck:
"How much space should we leave empty on a slide? Won’t it look incomplete?"
Our Creative Director answered immediately: "Whitespace isn’t empty space—it’s breathing room for your message."
As a presentation design agency, we work on countless presentations throughout the year, and we’ve observed a common challenge: Many people try to fill every inch of a slide with content, thinking it makes their presentation more compelling. In reality, it does the opposite—it overwhelms the audience and buries the message.
So, in this blog, we’ll cover why whitespace is essential in a sales deck and how to use it effectively in PowerPoint to make your presentations look sleek, professional, and persuasive.
In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.
What Is Whitespace in Presentations?
Whitespace (also known as negative space) is any unmarked area in a design. It’s not just the literal white areas; it can be any blank space—margins, gaps between text, spaces around images, and even line spacing. Think of whitespace as the pause between your sentences; it’s what allows your audience to process and retain information.
In presentations, whitespace serves multiple roles. It creates hierarchy, emphasizes key points, and improves readability. Imagine a crowded slide with text squeezed to the edges versus one with a clean, open layout where your eyes instinctively know where to look. The difference isn’t just aesthetic—it’s functional.
Why Whitespace Matters
Makes Content Actually Readable
Cramped slides are a nightmare. Whitespace gives your audience a chance to breathe and absorb information without feeling like they’re decoding a puzzle.
Directs Attention Where It Matters
If everything screams for attention, nothing stands out. Whitespace isolates key points, making sure your audience focuses on what truly matters.
Establishes Visual Hierarchy
A slide without whitespace is just a cluttered mess. Smart spacing instantly clarifies what’s important and what’s supporting information.
Makes Your Deck Look Like It Means Business
Sloppy, overcrowded slides scream amateur hour. Clean layouts with intentional whitespace exude confidence, credibility, and professionalism.
Prevents Mental Overload
No one enjoys a visual assault of text and graphics. Whitespace acts as a pause, giving your audience’s brain time to process before moving to the next idea.
How to effectively use whitespace in your PowerPoint presentations.
1. Start with a Clean Slate
The first step in mastering whitespace in presentations is to start with a clean, minimalist template. PowerPoint offers several built-in templates, but many are cluttered with pre-designed elements. Instead:
- Choose a blank template or create your own
- Set a consistent color scheme (limit to 2-3 colors)
- Select 1-2 complementary fonts for headers and body text
Example: Create a template with a white background, dark gray text, and blue accents for emphasis. Use Arial for headers and Calibri for body text.
2. Apply the Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a fundamental principle in design that can dramatically improve your use of whitespace in presentations. Here's how to apply it:
- Imagine your slide divided into a 3x3 grid
- Place key elements along these lines or at their intersections
- Leave the rest of the slide as whitespace
This technique creates a balanced, visually appealing layout that guides the viewer's eye naturally across the slide.
3. Embrace Margins
One of the most common mistakes in PowerPoint presentations is cramming content right up to the edges of the slide. To use whitespace effectively:
- Set consistent margins on all sides of your slides (at least 0.5 inches)
- Increase margins for more breathing room and a modern look
Example: For a standard 16:9 slide, set margins to 0.75 inches on all sides. This creates a frame of whitespace around your content, making it feel more intentional and organized.
4. Group Related Elements
Grouping related elements and surrounding them with whitespace is a powerful way to organize information on your slides. Here's how:
- Identify elements that are related (e.g., a heading and its supporting bullet points)
- Place these elements close together
- Surround the group with ample whitespace
This technique, known as proximity in design principles, helps viewers quickly understand which pieces of information are connected.
5. Use Alignment for Clean Lines
Proper alignment is crucial for creating a sense of order and maximizing the impact of whitespace in presentations. PowerPoint offers several alignment tools:
- Use the "Align" feature in the "Format" tab to line up objects
- Utilize PowerPoint's gridlines and guides for precise placement
- Consistently align text (left-aligned text often works best for readability)
When elements are well-aligned, the whitespace around them appears more intentional and effective.
6. Leverage Line Spacing
The space between lines of text is an often-overlooked aspect of whitespace in presentations. To improve readability:
- Increase line spacing for body text (1.2 to 1.5 is often ideal)
- Use even more space between paragraphs or distinct sections
Example: In PowerPoint, select your text box, go to the "Paragraph" settings, and adjust the "Line Spacing" to 1.3. This small change can significantly improve the look and readability of your text.
7. Utilize Contrast with Whitespace
Contrast is a powerful tool when used in conjunction with whitespace. Here's how to leverage it:
- Use dark text on light backgrounds (or vice versa) for maximum readability
- Create focal points by surrounding key elements with extra whitespace
- Use color sparingly to draw attention to specific elements
The contrast between your content and the surrounding whitespace helps guide the viewer's eye to the most important information.
8. Implement the "One Idea per Slide" Rule
To truly master whitespace in presentations, embrace the "one idea per slide" rule:
- Focus each slide on a single concept or piece of information
- Use the extra space to emphasize this key point
- Create multiple slides instead of cramming everything onto one
This approach not only improves the visual appeal of your slides but also enhances audience comprehension and retention.
9. Use Images Effectively
Images can be powerful in presentations, but they need to be used wisely to maintain effective whitespace:
- Choose high-quality, relevant images
- Allow images to bleed off the edge of the slide for a modern look
- Use images as backgrounds with semi-transparent overlays for text
When using images, ensure there's still enough whitespace around text and other elements to maintain readability and focus.
10. Create Visual Hierarchy with Whitespace
Whitespace is an excellent tool for creating visual hierarchy in your presentations:
- Use more whitespace around important elements to make them stand out
- Gradually decrease whitespace for less critical information
- Maintain consistency in your use of whitespace across slides
This technique guides your audience's eye through the information in order of importance.
11. Avoid Using Text Boxes
PowerPoint's default text boxes often lead to cluttered slides. Instead:
- Use the built-in slide layouts (Title Slide, Title and Content, etc.)
- Modify these layouts to suit your needs while maintaining consistent spacing
- If you must use text boxes, align them carefully with other elements
This approach ensures consistent spacing and alignment across your presentation, enhancing the overall use of whitespace.
12. Utilize Smart Guides
PowerPoint's Smart Guides are invaluable for maintaining consistent whitespace:
- Enable Smart Guides (View > Show > Smart Guides)
- Use these guides to align objects and maintain equal spacing
- Pay attention to the spacing suggestions provided by Smart Guides
These tools help you create a polished, professional look with well-distributed whitespace.
13. Implement the 2/3 Rule
A good rule of thumb for whitespace in presentations is the 2/3 rule:
- Aim to leave about 2/3 of your slide as whitespace
- Use the remaining 1/3 for your content
This ratio ensures your slides don't feel overcrowded and allows your key messages to stand out.
14. Use Grids for Complex Layouts
For slides with multiple elements, consider using a grid system:
- Create a custom grid in PowerPoint (View > Gridlines)
- Align your content to this grid
- Leave empty cells to create whitespace between elements
Grids help maintain consistency and balance in your use of whitespace across complex slides.
15. Embrace Asymmetry
While balance is important, don't be afraid of asymmetry in your use of whitespace:
- Experiment with off-center layouts
- Use large areas of whitespace to create visual interest
- Balance text-heavy areas with open space on the opposite side of the slide
Asymmetrical designs can create dynamic, engaging slides when used thoughtfully.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.