What is an appendix slide in presentations?

A woman in an office adds an appendix slide to her presentation.

Learn how to make an appendix in presentation decks with our guide.

Time is of the essence when giving a presentation. That’s why you often can focus only on the main points of your message. But there’s so much more useful information on the topic — how can you share it with your audience?

The answer is to include a presentation appendix. Read on to learn what a presentation appendix is and what’s the best way to implement it.

What is an appendix in presentation decks?

A presentation appendix is a collection of additional information or content like a book appendix. An appendix can contain deeper insights on key topics, links to useful websites, or names of important books. It can help interested audience members learn more about your presentation topic.

Where does the appendix slide in presentations appear?

An appendix slide appears at the very end of a presentation, following the references, footnotes, and any tables, graphs, or figures included at the conclusion of the document.

What’s included in an appendix in presentation decks?

Here is a list of some of the most useful things you can include in the appendix of your presentation deck:

Metrics
Links to websites
Names of books or studies
Figures, tables, equations
Footnotes
Other visuals

Steps for how to make an appendix in a presentation.

Creating an appendix slide for your presentation can be an easy task if done the right way.

The easiest way to make a presentation appendix is to draft it while creating your presentation. You can add the appendix on one or two slides at the end of the slideshow. Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to hide slides, so you can use the same file to give your presentation without worrying about distracting your audience with the appendix.

Step 1: Collect content for the appendix slide.

To start writing an appendix slide, you can either use a template or create the slide from scratch.

To begin, add a new slide by right-clicking the space below your presentation’s last thumbnail. Then, go over your presentation again and identify the content that needs additional visuals, graphics, references, or further information.

After gathering your sources, add the content to your appendix slide.

Step 2: Format the appendix in a presentation.

You can format the text as you prefer by using the Home menu options or by right-clicking the text and using the dropdown menu. You can also insert more slides if you need more room.

Step 3: Polish the appendix in your presentation.

Once you’re done adding all the information and visuals you want to include in your presentation appendix, you can choose whether you want to hide or display the appendix page or pages. To hide the slides, right-click the appendix thumbnail.

Convert your slides to a PDF file first. Unlike PowerPoint files, PDFs work on any device, and your audience can read them when and where they want.
Include your appendix at the end of your presentation. You can do this by unhiding the appendix slides and converting your PowerPoint file.
Split the appendix into a separate PDF. This way, your audience doesn’t have to scroll through the entire presentation to get to it.

With an appendix, you can concentrate on making your presentation brief and to the point. You can then share the appendix as a PDF to give more information to those who genuinely care about your topic.

Do I always need an appendix in presentation decks?

Although you don’t always need an appendix in your presentation deck, there are occasions when adding one can be a great idea.

If you have additional details related to the content you were providing but don’t necessarily want to present them, you can add an appendix. This way, you can still offer that extra information without making it a distraction from your presentation’s main point.

Quick tips on how to make an appendix slide perfect.

Even if you've already converted your PowerPoint to a PDF, your audience can review and annotate the presentation slides on any device. Even though an appendix slide can serve the purpose of including additional information in your presentation, they’re not meant to be overcomplicated or crowded with information or visuals. Read about these tips to make sure you create the perfect appendix slide:

Focus on simplicity. Add what’s necessary but don’t overdo it.
Don’t forget to proofread the appendix slide. Although you may choose to hide this slide during your presentation, if you’re planning on sharing the deck, make sure this last slide is free of grammar mistakes or typos.
Include quality graphics or pictures. If you’re adding visuals to the appendix slide, check that they are easy to understand and not blurry.
Add links. Including links to offer more information can be a good idea, especially because it allows you to add more content without filling the page with text.