5 Ways to Overcome PowerPoint Animations Not Working

PowerPoint animations can be modified in such a complex way as to produce beautiful and captivating animation effects. But maybe you’ve encountered a problem where the animation doesn’t run even though it’s been clicked (trigger).

Why doesn’t the animation in PowerPoint work?

The reasons can be varied. Therefore, here are five methods you can try to fix this problem.

INFO: The screenshot references in the following tips are based on PowerPoint 365. The appearance may differ slightly from other versions, but the placement of the menus should still be relevant.

#1 Check the trigger method used in the animation

Microsoft PowerPoint has three different trigger options. These options include Start on Click, Start With Previousand Start After Previous.

Make sure the animation uses the right type of trigger so it can run perfectly. Here’s how to check the trigger method in PowerPoint.

1. Go to tabs Animations.

2. Click Animation Pane.

3. On the right, a row of animations that you have created will appear.

4. Click the triangle facing downwards, then see what triggers are used in the animation.

The following is a brief explanation of each type of trigger:

• Start On Click — The animation starts when the mouse is clicked anywhere.
• Start With Previous — The animation starts at the same time as the previous animation.
• Start After Previous — The animation starts after the previous animation has finished.

#2 Also check the timing (delay) regarding when the animation starts

Incorrect timing can be the reason why the animation is not running. Actually, the animation might have run, but because the timing (delay) is too long, you think it’s not running.

To check the timing settings for each animation, see the following guide.

1. Go to tabs Animations.

2. Click Animation Pane.

3. On the right, a row of animations that you have created will appear.

4. Click the triangular icon facing down, then click timings

5. Look in section delays. The following is an example of an animation that will only start one second after being triggered.

You can change the animation delay from a fraction of a second to thirty seconds. Adjust the delay based on the needs of slides and other animations.

#3 Make sure PowerPoint settings aren’t blocking animations

This case is relatively rare where PowerPoint blocks the animation function so you won’t be able to see it even though it’s been created.

To view these settings, follow this guide.

1. Go to the menu Slideshow.

2. Click Set Up Slideshow.

3. Make sure the column Show without animation unchecked.

If the three methods above didn’t help you, maybe the next method is the best option.

#4 Update PowerPoint to get improvements

It is possible that there is a bug or error in PowerPoint that hinders the animation. In this scenario it is highly recommended to update PowerPoint to the latest version to get the fix from the developer.

Here’s how to update PowerPoint.

1. Click files.

2. Select Accounts.

3. In part Office Updatesclick Update Now.

4. Wait for the update process to finish.

This solution can generally solve technical problems in the form of bugs in the program.

#5 Reinstall PowerPoint

This is the last option. PowerPoint cannot be reinstalled alone, but will be a package with Word, Excel, Outlook, Access and other Office programs.

Consider this option only if none of the other methods can handle the animation problem.

I hope that at least one of the five methods above can restore the animation function in PowerPoint to the way it used to be.

One of the factors that makes animations look attractive in PowerPoint is your ability to arrange their order. Know how to set the chronological order of PowerPoint animations.