If you present in PowerPoint and want live polls, quizzes and Q&A without leaving your deck, Slido for PowerPoint is one option. This guide shows how to install it, what the free plan allows, and where it falls short. We also compare it with other PowerPoint add-ins, including our own, AhaSlides.
Slido add-in for PowerPoint: what you need to know
Slido for PowerPoint is an integration that adds Slido polls, quizzes and Q&A to your slides. Slido is now part of Cisco and Webex, but the PowerPoint integration is still a separate download from Slido’s own site.
- It is not in the PowerPoint add-in store. You download an installer from Slido and run it on the computer you present from. Your colleagues need to install it too.
- Windows and Mac are supported. Slido lists Windows 10 22H2 or later with PowerPoint 2016 or newer, and macOS 12 (Monterey) or later with PowerPoint 2019 or newer.
- PowerPoint Online is not supported. Slido says it does not currently support PowerPoint Online, so you need the desktop app.
- Participants need nothing. They join with a code, QR code or link.
The free Basic plan allows up to 100 participants, with up to three polls and one quiz per Slido event, according to Slido’s community answers. Paid annual plans lift those limits. Check Slido for PowerPoint for the current requirements before you install.
How to use the Slido add-in for PowerPoint
- Go to Slido for PowerPoint and click “Download for free”.
- Run the installer and follow the prompts. Close and reopen PowerPoint afterwards.
- Open a presentation and click the Slido button in the PowerPoint toolbar. Sign in or create a Slido account.
- Choose an activity from the Slido panel, such as a poll or quiz, type your question and add it. Each one becomes a new slide.
- Start the slideshow. The Slido slide shows the join code, and participants answer on their phones.
If the button does not show up, check that your PowerPoint version meets the requirements above and that the integration was installed on the computer you are presenting from.
Slido add-in alternatives for PowerPoint
If you need PowerPoint on the web, a store-based install, or a free plan with more room, these are the main options. The table uses each vendor’s own pages, checked on October 14, 2026.
Sources: Slido, AhaSlides pricing, Mentimeter plans and add-in help, ClassPoint pricing and download page.
AhaSlides and Mentimeter install from Microsoft AppSource, so there is no separate installer to roll out. ClassPoint is aimed at classroom teaching and lists Windows as its supported system. For a wider comparison, see our guides to Slido alternatives and Mentimeter alternatives.
How to use the AhaSlides add-in for PowerPoint
The AhaSlides add-in embeds live slides from your AhaSlides account into your deck. It works with every AhaSlides slide type, so polls, quizzes, word clouds, Q&A and the rest all run inside PowerPoint. It also works in PowerPoint for the web, so you can add and present AhaSlides slides from your browser with no desktop install. On the web, slides are added one at a time, while adding the whole AhaSlides presentation as one PowerPoint slide works on both web and desktop. The help article has the details.
- In PowerPoint, open the Home tab, select Add-ins, then More Add-ins. On older versions, use Insert, then Get Add-ins.
- Search for “AhaSlides” and click Add.
- In the add-in, sign in. If PowerPoint is signed in with a work or school Microsoft account, click Continue as with your email address and you are in, with no password or browser window. Otherwise click Log in: it opens your browser so you can connect your AhaSlides account, then returns you to PowerPoint.
- Select the presentation you want, tick the slides you need and click Add slides. To add the whole presentation as one PowerPoint slide, use the three-dot menu and choose Add presentation.
- Present as normal. When you reach an AhaSlides slide, participants join from their phones with a QR code or link.
Sharing the deck needs no extra step. Send the PowerPoint file to a colleague on your AhaSlides team or company email domain, and they can edit and present the AhaSlides slides as soon as they open it. How file sharing works.
A few limits to know. The add-in runs in the PowerPoint desktop app on Windows and Mac, not in PowerPoint for the web, and it needs PowerPoint 2019 or later. The free AhaSlides plan covers up to 50 participants, with up to 5 quiz questions and 3 poll questions per presentation. For the full steps, see the AhaSlides add-in guide. To build a deck from scratch, read our guide to making an interactive PowerPoint.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get add-ins for PowerPoint?
Open PowerPoint, go to the Home tab, select Add-ins, then More Add-ins, and search the store. On older versions the store is under Insert, then Get Add-ins. Click Add to install. Slido is the exception: it is a separate download from Slido’s site.
Is the Slido add-in free?
Slido has a free Basic plan for up to 100 participants, limited to three polls and one quiz per Slido event. Paid annual plans remove those limits and add features. See Slido’s pricing page for current plans.
Does Slido support PowerPoint Online?
No. Slido states that it does not currently support PowerPoint Online, so the integration needs PowerPoint installed on Windows or Mac.
Does Slido work on a Mac?
Yes. Slido for PowerPoint supports macOS 12 (Monterey) or later with PowerPoint 2019 or newer.
