A good old-fashioned workaround: Using portrait and landscape orientation in the same presentation

We listen to what you have to say, so we know that many of you want to use both portrait (shown here as image 1) and landscape slide orientation (image 2) in the same presentation. It makes sense, and presentations with both orientations look great.

And while we don't like to deliver news that you might not want to hear, a single PowerPoint presentation can't contain both. It has to be one or the other. Hopefully, we saved you some time by just coming out and saying that.  

Now for the good news - there's a workaround that you can use to make it look like one presentation contains both landscape and portrait orientation. And even better, your audience will never know the difference. We know it's not an ideal solution, but hopefully it'll help. Here's how it works:

By default, PowerPoint 2003, 2007, and 2010 presentations are set up in landscape orientation. But you can link two presentations (one in landscape, and the other in portrait) to display both portrait and landscape slides in what appears to be one presentation.

To link two presentations in PowerPoint 2010 or 2007

Note   Place both presentations in the same folder before you create links. That way, if the folder is copied to a CD or moved, the presentations will still link correctly. To change all the slides in your presentation to portrait orientation, on the Design tab, in the Page Setup group, click Slide Orientation, and then click Portrait.

First, create a link from the first presentation to the second presentation:

1. In the first presentation, select the text or object that you want to click to link to the second presentation.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Links group, click Action.
3. In the Action Settings dialog box, on either the Mouse Click tab or Mouse Over tab, click Hyperlink to, and then select Other PowerPoint Presentation from the list.
4. In the Hyperlink to Other PowerPoint Presentation dialog box, locate and click the second presentation, and then click OK. The Hyperlink to Slide dialog box appears.
5. In the Hyperlink to Slide dialog box, under Slide title, click the slide that you want to link to, and then click OK.
6. Click OK in the Action Settings dialog box.

Second, create a link from the second presentation back to the first presentation:

1. In the Hyperlink to Slide box, under Slide title, click the slide that you want to link to, and then click OK.
2. In the second presentation, select the text or object that you want to click to link to the first presentation.
3. On the Insert tab, in the Links group, click Action.
4. In the Action Settings dialog box, on either the Mouse Click tab or Mouse Over tab, click Hyperlink to, and then select Other PowerPoint Presentation from the list.
5. In the Hyperlink to Other PowerPoint Presentation dialog box, locate and click the first presentation, and then click OK. The Hyperlink to Slide dialog box appears.
6. In the Hyperlink to Slide dialog box, under Slide title, click the slide that you want to link to, and then click OK.
7. Click OK in the Action Settings dialog box.

To link two presentations in PowerPoint 2003

Note   Place both presentations in the same folder before you create links. That way, if the folder is copied to a CD or moved, the presentations will still link correctly.

First, create a link from the first presentation to the second presentation:

1. In the first presentation, select the text or object that you want to click to link to the second presentation.
2. On the Slide Show menu, click Action Settings.
3. Click Hyperlink to, click the arrow to open the list, and then click Other PowerPoint Presentation.
4. Browse to and select the second presentation, and then click OK.
5. In the Slide title list, select the slide title that you want to link to in the second presentation, and then click OK.

Second, create a link from the second presentation back to the first presentation:

1. In the second presentation, select the text or object that you want to click to return to the first presentation.
2. On the Slide Show menu, click Action Settings.
3. Click Hyperlink to, click the arrow to open the list, and then click Other PowerPoint Presentation.
4. Browse to and select the first presentation, and then click OK.
5. In the Slide title list, select the slide title that you want to link to in the first presentation, and then click OK.

-- Erik Jensen