How many slides do you need?
The right slide count for your talk length.
Slides by talk length
| Minutes | Pitch | Class | Update | Talk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3-5 | 1-3 | 2-3 | 3-10 |
| 10 | 5-10 | 3-5 | 3-7 | 7-20 |
| 15 | 8-15 | 4-8 | 5-10 | 10-30 |
| 20 | 10-20 | 5-10 | 7-13 | 13-40 |
| 30 | 15-30 | 8-15 | 10-20 | 20-60 |
| 45 | 23-45 | 11-23 | 15-30 | 30-90 |
| 60 | 30-60 | 15-30 | 20-40 | 40-120 |
Questions
- How many slides for a 10 minute presentation?
- Most 10 minute talks use about 5 to 10 slides, roughly one every 1 to 2 minutes. A visual conference talk can go higher, and a class that explains each slide in depth can use fewer.
- How many slides for a 20 minute presentation?
- About 10 to 20 slides for a pitch, 7 to 13 for a business update and 5 to 10 for a lecture. Keep each slide to one idea so you aren't rushing.
- How many slides for a 30 minute presentation?
- Usually 15 to 30 for a pitch style talk and 8 to 15 for a teaching session. Leave a few minutes for questions and count them out of the total.
- Is there a rule for slides per minute?
- There is no single rule. One slide for every 1 to 2 minutes is a common starting point; slides with a single image or phrase can move faster, and dense charts need longer.
- What if I have too many slides?
- Merge slides that make the same point, move detail into speaker notes or an appendix, and cut anything you wouldn't miss if it were gone.