How to Fade Text In and Out in PowerPoint

Fade Text In and Out in PowerPoint Using Animations

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated September 5, 2023

Applies to: Microsoft^® PowerPoint^® 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 365 (Windows)

You can fade text in and out in PowerPoint using animations. Both Fade entrance and exit animation effects will need to be applied to a text placeholder or text box and the animations can be set to start automatically or on click. The Fade effect will appear during a slide show. You can also combine fade animations with other Effect Options.

Recommended article: How to Make a Picture Transparent in PowerPoint

Do you want to learn more about PowerPoint? Check out our virtual classroom or in-person classroom PowerPoint courses >

To apply one animation to a text box or placeholder, you can use the Animations gallery in the Ribbon. If you want to apply more than one animation to a text object, you will need to use Add Animation in the Advanced Animation group (the same gallery options appear). Animations are typically added to text objects in Normal View but may be added in Slide Master View.

Fade text in using an entrance animation

To fade a text object in using a Fade entrance animation:

1. Select a text placeholder or text box on a slide in Normal View by clicking its edge. You can also select a picture on a master or layout in Slide Master View.
2. Click the Animations tab in the Ribbon.
3. In the Animations group, click the More down arrow on the bottom right of the Animations gallery.
4. Click Fade in the Entrance group.
5. If there are multiple bullets or paragraphs in the text object, in the Animations tab, click Effect Options in the Animations group and select an option (such as By paragraph). This will fade the bulleted text in one by one assuming the bullets are all level 1 bullets.
6. In the Animations tab, enter a time for the animation in the Duration box in the Timing group. You can click the up and down arrows to change the duration or type a duration. Durations are entered in seconds.
7. In the Animations tab, select an option in the Start menu in the Timing group (such as On click, After Previous or With Previous).
8. Click the Slide Show button on the bottom right of the screen to run a slide show. The Fade entrance animation will appear during the show. You can use the right and left arrows to move from slide to slide to start the animations (if they are set to on click).

To exit a slide show, press ESC.

The  Fade animation appears in the Animation gallery in the Entrance group as follows:

In the example below, the duration is set to 1 second for an entrance Fade animation:

Fade text out using an exit animation

You can also make text fade out. If you want to add more than one animation to a text object, you'll need to use Add Animation on the Animations tab in the Ribbon.

To fade a picture out using a Fade exit animation:

1. Select a text placeholder or text box on a slide in Normal View by clicking its edge. You can also select a picture on a master or layout in Slide Master View.
2. Click the Animations tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Add Animation in the Advanced Animations group (you must select Add Animation if you are adding more than one animation to an object). A drop-down menu appears.
4. Click Fade in the Exit group.
5. If there are multiple bullets or paragraphs in the text object, in the Animations tab, click Effect Options in the Animations group and select an option (such as By paragraph). This will fade the bulleted text in one by one assuming the bullets are all level 1 bullets.
6. In the Animations tab, enter a time for the animation in the Duration box in the Timing group. You can click the up and down arrows to change the duration or type a duration. Durations are entered in seconds.
7. In the Animations tab, select an option in the Start menu in the Timing group (such as On click, After Previous or With Previous).
8. Click the Slide Show button on the bottom right of the screen to run a slide show. The Fade exit animation will appear during the show. You can use the right and left arrows to move from slide to slide or start the animations (if they are set to on click).

To exit a slide show, press ESC.

The Fade animation appears in the Add Animation gallery in the Exit group as follows:

Make bulleted text appear in gray (or some other color) after animation

If you want each instance of bulleted text to appear in gray (or some other color) when the next bullet appears, you will need to customize the animation.

To make bulleted text appear in gray (or some other color) after animation:

1. Apply the entrance Fade animation to a text box or placeholder on a slide using the method outlined above.
2. Click the Animations tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Animation Pane in the Advanced Animations group. The Animation Pane appears on the right side of the screen.
4. Click the animation (Content Placeholder or Text Box appears) in the Animation Pane, click the arrow that appears and then select Effect Options from the drop-down menu. You can also double-click the animation in the Animation Pane. A dialog box appears with the Effects tab selected.
5. From the After animation drop-down menu, select gray or another color. You may also choose a color from More Colors.
6. Click OK.
7. Click Effect Options on the Animations tab in the Animation group. A drop-down menu appears.
8. Select By paragraph (each bullet is considered to be a paragraph).

In the following example, gray has been selected After Animation in Effect Options:

Understanding Start options for animations

Animations are set by default to start on click during a slide show. If you want an animation to start automatically, you will need to change the start setting.

To start an animation automatically, you can select one of two options in the Start drop-down menu:

• After Previous – the animation sequence will begin once a previous animation effect or effects is  completed. The start of a slideshow is also a previous effect.
• With Previous – the animation sequence will begin at the same time as a previous animation effect or effects. The start of a slideshow is also a previous effect.

Make animations global

You can apply fade animations to placeholders on layouts in Slide Master View. If you animate a placeholder on layouts in Slide Master View, all slides using those layouts will automatically animate. This saves alot of time, particularly with slides containing bullets.

Subscribe to get more articles like this one

Did you find this article helpful? If you would like to receive new articles, JOIN our email list.

More resources

How to Print a PowerPoint Presentation with Notes

How to Change Picture Brightness or Contrast in PowerPoint

How to Remove the Background of a Picture in PowerPoint (2 Ways)

How to Change the Background of PowerPoint Slides to a Color, Gradient or Picture

Where to Find Free Pictures for PowerPoint Presentations (10 Great Stock Image Sites)

Related courses

Microsoft PowerPoint: Intermediate / Advanced

Microsoft PowerPoint: Design for Non-Designers

Microsoft PowerPoint: Animations Bootcamp

Microsoft Excel: Intermediate / Advanced

VIEW MORE COURSES >

Our instructor-led courses are delivered in virtual classroom format or at our downtown Toronto location at 18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (some in-person classroom courses may also be delivered at an alternate downtown Toronto location). Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca if you'd like to arrange custom instructor-led virtual classroom or onsite training on a date that's convenient for you.

Copyright 2025 Avantix^® Learning

You may also like

Microsoft, the Microsoft logo, Microsoft Office and related Microsoft applications and logos are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in Canada, US and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of the registered owners.

Avantix Learning |18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 1C4 | Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca