Microsoft is replacing a feature in PowerPoint with something called either “Slide Starters” or “Design Suggestions” using Copilot AI. It offers pre-populated slide templates with structured content such as titles, placeholders, tables, and timelines, tailored to match the user’s chosen layout.
“Design Suggestions” replaces “Designer” which has been in PowerPoint for the last few years. The new AI replacement is called “Slide Starters,” in Microsoft promotion but “Design Suggestions” on the ribbon … go figure.
How Design Suggestions Work
To use Slide Starters / Design Suggestions:
- Open or create a presentation in PowerPoint for Windows or Mac.
- Click the Home | Design Suggestions button.
- Go to Insert > New Slide > Title and Content to add a new slide
- In the Design Suggestions pane, Slide Starters will appear, offering suggestions tailored to your slide type.
Choose a slide design you like and it’ll be applied to the slide.
Some design suggestions have animation, look for the ‘Star’ logo on bottom left of a suggestion.
Then add more text or change the slide design from the look Copilot has given you. Just like Designer, you’re welcome to change the slide look from the starter offered by Microsoft.
Currently, Slide Starters are available for common slide types like agendas, timelines, content, and tables, with plans to expand to more types in the future.
Copilot warning
Unlike the previous “Designer” feature, “Design Suggestions” is part of Copilot which means:
- Only Microsoft 365 plans with some form of Copilot (not Classic plans) have Design Suggestions.
- For Microsoft Personal and Family plan owners, applying a Design Suggestion will use one of your AI Credits monthly quota.
Availability
Design Suggestions or Slide Starters is rolling out to Beta Channel and Current Channel (Preview) users of PowerPoint for Window and Mac. Also now in PowerPoint for the web. Firstly with an Enterprise Copilot license but it’s now showing up for Consumer Copilot customers. Ensure you’re running:
- Windows: v2502 build 18526.20110 or later
- Mac: v16.96 build 25041326 or later
All about AI Credits in Microsoft 365
