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Microsoft PowerPoint on the web is getting some nice drawing tool improvements

A PowerPoint graphic

Microsoft has been making some small but regular updates for its PowerPoint web users over the past few months. That included adding a way to upload and save locally stored videos into PowerPoint presentations and also some improvements to its accessibility ribbon.

Today, Microsoft announced a number of new features and improvements for PowerPoint web users that prefer to draw digitally on their presentations. One of those improvements is the addition of a ruler in the app.

powerpoint ruler

Microsoft stated:

The new digital ruler helps you create and insert straight lines accurately. You can also use the built-in angular display to create accurate angles between lines.

There's also a new feature in the app's Draw tab. Users can now undo and redo ink strokes from the tab directly, instead of having to head to the Home tab.

powerpoint on the web

You can also help make PowerPoint presentations better with the new laser pointer feature in Slideshow. Microsoft stated:

The new laser pointer in Slideshow mode lets you easily draw the attention of your audience to important sections in a given slide. It also enables you to temporarily ink on slides to further help focus on the key elements of your content.

Microsoft notes that people who might be afraid slides will have that digital ink placed on them permanently with the laser pointer can rest easy as the ink is just temporary and will fade away after a few seconds.

Finally, PowerPoint on the web can now let users create straight lines with a digital pen or mouse by just pressing and holding the Shift key while highlighting or inking slides.

Microsoft also said that the PowerPoint team is working on an upcoming feature that will let users partially erase ink strokes with the Point Eraser tool. The feature will be added to PowerPoint on the web in the second half of 2023.

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