Adding a background image is a great way to set the look and feel of your presentation. Used strategically with the structure of your presentation, you can create an effective and memorable masterpiece that’s sure to win over your audience.
|
Adding and changing a background image
The background sidebar opens automatically on the right side of the editor when you create a new presentation. The current presentation background image appears at the top of the sidebar.
To open the background sidebar at any time:
1. Click the Style button at the top of your screen.
2. Click the Background button to open the sidebar.
3. From the "Background" sidebar, you can:
- Click Upload image to add an image saved on your computer or click the arrow next to the button to select a file from Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
- Search the Unsplash image library by keyword. Once you find the image you want to use, click on the thumbnail or drag and drop it onto your canvas.*
Alternatively, you can access the background sidebar by right-clicking on the canvas and selecting Change background.
*Paid feature: Access to the searchable Prezi icon and image library is available for users with a Standard or higher Prezi plan. Luckily it’s a breeze to upgrade your license and get access to this and all the other great features our Prezi plans have to offer.
Changing the background color
The background color of your presentation can set the mood for your audience or match your brand colors.
Pastel or dark shades are great using a solid color for your background. Also, we recommend avoiding strong colors like neons and bright reds or yellows. They might be overwhelming for your audience.§
To change your background color
1. Click the Style button at the top of your screen.
2. Click the Background button to open the sidebar.
3. From the "Background" sidebar, click on the color swatch near Background color.
4. Choose from the selection of scheme and global colors, use the color picker to select a color from anywhere on your screen or add a customized HEX or RGB code.
5. If you choose a Linear or Radial gradient instead of the Solid fill, you’ll have to choose the start and end colors.
Note: Your background color will be covered by any background images you apply. To delete an existing background image, hover over the background image preview and click the Trash icon.
Changing fit and screen ratio
To change the image fit from the background sidebar, select Fit or Fill on the Image fit dropdown menu.
The fit setting resizes the background image to fit within the presentation. This is helpful for showing large backgrounds without losing any part of the image.
The fill setting crops the background image to fit within the presentation. This often means that the edges of the image are cut off, but the center is larger and more in focus. This is helpful for highlighting a specific part of the background image.
Screen ratio affects how your presentation appears when presenting. It is marked on the canvas by a black and white rectangular outline.
There are three settings for screen ratio in Prezi Present: 16:9, 4:3, and Off. You can select a setting from the screen ratio dropdown menu at any time.
| Screen ratio | Explanation | When to use |
| 16:9 | A rectangular ratio that’s the default for modern screens. | If you’re presenting on a video call or normal screen. |
| 4:3 | An almost square ratio that was the default before HD screens. | If you’re presenting using old technology or want a zoomed-in look. |
| Off | A ratio that will fill the screen. | If you’re presenting using an uncommon ratio or screen size. |
To bring back the original background image that came with the template, hover over the background preview at the top of the sidebar and click the Revert to original icon. To remove the background image completely, click the Trash icon in the same area.
Adjusting background parallax
Background parallax is a subtle effect that mimics motion on the background image. It’s noticeable when panning around the presentation or navigating in and out of topics.
You can toggle background parallax using the toggle button labeled Background parallax at any time. It’s useful to turn off if you want to align parts of your presentation to exact areas of the background.
Supported background image files
Prezi Present supports JPG, PNG, and non-animated GIF files for background images. You can see a full list of our system requirements here.
Please keep in mind that Prezi presentations have a 16:9 aspect ratio so remember to use an image with these dimensions if you want your background image to fully fit the overview (e.g. 1600x900, 2000x1125, 2400x1350 etc.)