How many slides should a presentation have?
Plan on about one slide per minute for a talk and fewer for a discussion: around 10 slides for a 10-minute presentation, 15 to 20 for 20 minutes and 20 to 30 for half an hour. More important than the count is one idea per slide; a pitch deck is usually about 10 slides, a board update 10 to 15.
Slides by length of talk
| Length | A talk (you present) | A discussion (they talk too) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 5–7 slides | 3–4 slides |
| 10 minutes | 8–12 slides | 5–7 slides |
| 15 minutes | 12–15 slides | 6–9 slides |
| 20 minutes | 15–20 slides | 8–12 slides |
| 30 minutes | 20–30 slides | 10–15 slides |
| 45 minutes | 25–35 slides | 12–18 slides |
| 60 minutes | 30–45 slides | 15–25 slides |
These are rules of thumb, not limits. A slide that holds a single word for three seconds and a slide with a chart you discuss for five minutes both count as one.
Slides by type of presentation
| Presentation | Typical length | Slides |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch deck | 20 minutes, or read alone | About 10, plus backup |
| Demo day pitch | 2–3 minutes | 5–8 |
| Board update | Read ahead, discussed for an hour | 10–15, plus appendix |
| Sales presentation | 30 minutes | 10–12 |
| Lesson | 45 minutes | 10–15 |
| Strategy recommendation | 45–60 minutes | 10–15, plus backup |
| Product launch keynote | 15 minutes | 10–15, very few words each |
| Conference talk | 20–30 minutes | 20–40, visual |
When to use more slides
- Visual talks. One photo or one number per slide moves fast; 40 slides in 20 minutes can feel calm.
- Step-by-step builds. Revealing a process one step at a time reads better than one crowded slide.
- Timed formats. PechaKucha is 20 slides shown for 20 seconds each; Ignite is 20 slides that advance every 15 seconds.
When to use fewer slides
- Decisions and discussions. A board or leadership meeting needs a few slides that frame the decision, not a lecture.
- Data-heavy reviews. One chart can carry ten minutes of conversation.
- Decks sent to be read. A deck nobody presents should be short; put the detail in an appendix or in detail cards that open on request.
How many words per slide?
For a slide you present, aim for a title of one full sentence and no more than about 30 words in the body. Your voice carries the explanation. For a deck sent to be read, slides can carry more text, but one idea per slide still holds.
A [15]-minute presentation for [audience] about [topic]. Make it [12] slides, one idea per slide, with titles that state each point and speaker notes for what I'll say.
Try this promptQuestions
How many slides for a 10-minute presentation?
About 8 to 12 slides if you present the whole time, or 5 to 7 if you expect questions and discussion.
How many slides for a 5-minute presentation?
Five to seven. In five minutes you can make one argument well; cut everything that doesn't support it.
How many slides for a 20-minute presentation?
Fifteen to twenty for a talk, or about ten if it's a pitch followed by questions.
Is it bad to have too many slides?
Only if each slide holds too much or too little to justify its time. Fast visual slides are fine; crowded slides read aloud are not.
Your next deck starts with a sentence.
Describe it, attach what you have, and get a finished deck in your own style. The free plan is yours to keep.
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