Powerpoint: restore factory settings

If PowerPoint stops working properly, you can restore the program to the factory settings. We'll show you how it works.

Preparation: Back up the Windows registry

If something goes wrong during the restore, you should restore the registry. To do this, you must first save them:

• You can read about how to back up and restore the registry in this practical tip.

Restore factory settings at PowerPoint

To restore the default settings of the Office software, you have to delete two registry folders:

1. To do this, open the start menu and enter "run" in the search field. In Windows 8, type "run" while on the home page. Click on the search result of the same name. Alternatively, the key combination [Windows] + [R] is sufficient.
2. Enter the command "regedit" in the new window and confirm with [Enter]. You may have to confirm a safety notice.
3. Find and open the paths "HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ xxx" and "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ xxx". Instead of "xxx" select the folder "11.0" for Powerpoint 2003, the folder "12.0" for Office 2007, select "14.0" for Powerpoint 2010 and the folder "15.0" for 2013.
4. Navigate through the structure by opening the folder with the small arrow on the left. Finally, right-click on "Powerpoint" in the corresponding folder and select the "Delete" option. Confirm the security question with "Yes".
5. If you have deleted both folders, you can close the registry. If you start PowerPoint now, the settings are reset to the factory settings.

In the next article, we will show you how to control your PowerPoint presentation via iPhone.