Guides
How to Print a PowerPoint Poster at A0: An 8-Step Checklist
Quick answer: To print a PowerPoint poster at A0, set the slide to 84.1 × 118.9 cm (Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size) before you add content, use images that are at least 300 DPI at the final size, turn off image compression, and export a PDF rather than sending the .pptx file. For A1, use 59.4 × 84.1 cm.
Most academic posters in the UK are made in PowerPoint. It works well, but a few default settings can turn a sharp design on screen into a blurry or badly cropped print. This checklist takes you from a blank slide to a print-ready PDF in eight steps.
Step 1: Set the slide size first
Change the slide size before you add anything. If you change it later, PowerPoint stretches or squashes your content.
- Open a new blank presentation.
- Go to Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size (on a Mac: Design > Slide Size > Page Setup).
- Enter the width and height from the table below and choose portrait or landscape.
- Click OK. If PowerPoint asks, choose Ensure Fit.
| Poster size | Portrait (width × height) | Landscape (width × height) |
|---|---|---|
| A0 | 84.1 × 118.9 cm | 118.9 × 84.1 cm |
| A1 | 59.4 × 84.1 cm | 84.1 × 59.4 cm |
| A2 | 42.0 × 59.4 cm | 59.4 × 42.0 cm |
PowerPoint allows slides up to 142.24 cm (56 inches) on each side, so A0 fits at full size (Microsoft Support). Check whether your conference wants portrait or landscape before you start. Our A0 vs A1 guide explains how to choose.
Step 2: Keep a safe margin
Keep text, logos and figure labels at least 2 cm from every edge. Draw a temporary rectangle 2 cm inside the slide edge as a guide, and delete it before you export.
Step 3: Use text sizes that can be read from a distance
| Element | A0 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Title | 85–100pt | 60–72pt |
| Section headings | 36–48pt | 28–36pt |
| Body text | 24–32pt | 18–24pt |
| Captions and references | 18–20pt | 14–16pt |
Use common fonts such as Arial, Calibri or Helvetica. Unusual fonts may be swapped for a different font if they are not embedded in the PDF.
Step 4: Stop PowerPoint shrinking your images
By default, PowerPoint can compress pictures to keep the file small, which makes them blurry when printed at A0. On Windows:
- Go to File > Options > Advanced.
- Under Image Size and Quality, tick Do not compress images in file.
- Set Default resolution to High fidelity.
Do this before you insert your images. Newer versions of PowerPoint already use High fidelity by default, but it is worth checking (Microsoft Support).
Step 5: Insert images at the right resolution
- Photos and microscopy: at least 300 DPI at the printed size. A photo that will be 20 cm wide on the poster needs to be about 2,400 pixels wide.
- Graphs and charts: export from Excel, R, Python, GraphPad or Origin as PDF, SVG or EMF so the lines stay sharp at any size. Avoid screenshots.
- Logos: use the official high-resolution file from your university brand page, not an image copied from a website.
- Use Insert > Pictures, not copy and paste. Pasting can lower the quality.
To check, zoom to 100% in PowerPoint. If an image looks blurry or pixelated at 100%, it will print that way.
Step 6: Check colours
Screens are brighter than paper, so very bright colours may look slightly duller when printed. Avoid pale yellow or light grey text on a white background, and make sure there is strong contrast between text and background.
Step 7: Export a PDF, not a .pptx
- Go to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS (on a Mac: File > Export and choose PDF).
- Choose Standard (publishing online and printing), not “Minimum size”.
- Save the file and open it in a PDF reader to check it.
A PDF keeps your fonts, layout and images exactly as you designed them. Upload the PDF on our A0 poster printing or A1 poster printing page. We accept PDF (best), JPG or PNG files up to 150MB.
Step 8: Check the PDF before you order
- Open File > Properties in your PDF reader and check the page size is 841 × 1189 mm for A0 (or 594 × 841 mm for A1).
- Zoom in to 200% on text, graphs and photos and check nothing is blurry.
- Check that no text has moved, been cut off or changed font.
- Ask a colleague to read it for spelling, names and affiliations.
For a full list of final checks, see our academic poster checklist and artwork guide.
Common PowerPoint problems and fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Poster was designed on a normal 16:9 slide | Start a new file at the correct size and copy your content across, then resize and check every image. |
| Images look blurry in the PDF | Turn off image compression (Step 4), insert the originals again and re-export. |
| Fonts look different in the PDF | Use common fonts such as Arial or Calibri, or turn on File > Options > Save > Embed fonts in the file before exporting. |
| PDF is too large to upload | Re-export with Standard quality and make sure you have not inserted very large images at a tiny size. Files up to 150MB are accepted. |
| White border around the poster | Check the slide size matches the paper size exactly, and keep backgrounds inside the slide. |
Ready to print?
We print A0 posters from £34.99 and A1 posters from £29.99, including free UK delivery in 2–3 working days. Orders placed before 12PM Monday to Friday are printed the same day, with Next Day delivery available. Every file is checked before printing, and we contact you if we spot a problem.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a PowerPoint slide be for an A0 poster?
Set the slide to 84.1 × 118.9 cm for an A0 portrait poster, or 118.9 × 84.1 cm for landscape. Use Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size before you add any content.
Can I send my PowerPoint file instead of a PDF?
Please export a PDF. A PDF keeps your fonts, layout and images exactly as designed. We accept PDF, JPG or PNG files up to 150MB.
Why does my poster look blurry when printed?
Usually because images were compressed by PowerPoint, pasted as screenshots, or are below 300 DPI at the printed size. Turn off image compression, insert the original files and check them at 100% zoom.
Can I design an A0 poster at A1 size and scale it up?
Yes, because A-sizes have the same shape, but images must still be at least 300 DPI at the final A0 size. It is easier to set the slide to A0 from the start.
