Microsoft PowerPoint introduces ‘Blue Dots’ for collaboration tracking and Facebook-esque ‘Reactions’

Devesh Beri

microsoft teams

Microsoft has unveiled new enhancements to comments in PowerPoint for Mac, Windows, and the web – Reactions and Blue Dots – to provide users with improved collaboration tools. Last month, Microsoft also released enhancements for live camera embedding ‘Cameo’ in PowerPoint presentations.

Reactions:

  • Users can visually respond to comments using reactions, eliminating the need to type a reply.
  • This feature is especially useful for quickly expressing agreement or approval with a comment.
  • To apply reactions to comments in PowerPoint, open a presentation with comments already added. Once you view a comment, click on the “Like” button, which is located in the top right corner of the comment box. When you click this button, it will turn Yellow to indicate that you have acknowledged it. If you want to remove your reaction, click the “Like” button again.

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Blue Dots for Comments:

  • Users can identify new comments or replies with Blue Dots since their last viewing.
  • The blue dot on the comment indicates it’s new for you to review.
  • This feature aids in quickly identifying and reviewing new comments, improving collaboration efficiency.
  • To find changes made to your presentation, look for a blue dot to the left of the text on the slide thumbnail in the Comments window.
  • Hovering over the Like button or the blue dot allows you to see who added a comment or made an edit to the slide and when they made it.

Availability:

After updating to specific versions, PowerPoint users on the web and Current Channel (Preview) can now use Reactions and Blue Dots.

  • For Windows users, you’ll need at least Version 2305 (Build 16529.20226) or later.
  • For Mac users, you’ll need at least Version 16.76 (Build 23081101) or later.

These enhancements make collaboration in PowerPoint more intuitive and efficient, allowing users to express reactions and easily identify new comments or changes.

via Neowin