If you’re creating a PowerPoint presentation with many images that you need to add citations for, you’re probably wondering how to do so. We’ll explain how to cite photos in PowerPoint along with how to use Plus AI to add your references or works cited slide.
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About photo citations in slideshows
While most casual presentations don’t cite photos, it can be required for certain academic or professional presentations.
For example, you may have a requirement from your instructor or client to cite your images. And it can be considered copyright infringement to use an image without the owner’s permission.
One exception may be if a photo does not require attribution. For instance, some websites like Pixabay and Pexels offer many images that are free to use without citing the source.
Whatever your situation, you can add a simple citation below the photo on the slide to cover your bases. You can also include a reference slide to list the citations for all images (and other media as needed) in your presentation.
When in doubt, add a citation.
Let’s look at the steps for obtaining the details, adding the citation, and creating a reference slide.
1. Obtain the photo information
To get started, grab the details for the image you want to use including the following:
- Creator or author
- Title or description
- Source or website URL
- Publication date
Make note of the license for the image. If you see that attribution is not required, then you can minimize the details in the citation. But if attribution is required, you’ll need to include all information and a citation in your reference list.
2. Add the photo citation in PowerPoint
With the photo on your slide, the next step is to add the citation below the image. You can do this by inserting a text box, adding the details you obtained, and formatting the font and text box.
Insert the text box
- Go to the Insert tab and select Text Box in the Text section of the ribbon.
- Use your cursor to draw the text box keeping in mind that you can resize and move the box as needed.
- To include a figure number and/or title above the image, follow the same steps to insert that text box.
Enter the citation
Enter the citation in the text box. If you’re asked to use APA or MLA formatting, the requirements vary depending on the type of source, whether or not the image is simply illustrative, if the photo is a stock image or clipart, and if attribution is required.
Let’s look at a few examples.
Photo without attribution
Here we have a citation for a photo from Pixabay where the image does not require attribution. You can place the Figure number above the image and a caption with a Note for the title or description beneath it. These details are optional.
Photo citation in MLA format
If the same image does require attribution, you would include the additional information. Using MLA format, you include the Figure number, creator, title/description, source, date, and URL in sentence form:
Figure 1. iPicture, Water bottle on a rock, Pixabay, 27 June 2024, https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ai-generated-water-bottle-water-8854229/.
Photo citation in APA format
Maybe you have a copyrighted photo that you need to cite in APA format. Include the Figure number above the image with the title. Then, add the creator, type, title, date, source, URL, and copyright in a figure Note beneath:
Note. From Bibeyjj [Photograph], Reusable Water Bottle, 2020, Wikimedia Commons
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ReusableWaterBottle.jpg). CC BY-SA 4.0.
Format the font
After you add the citation, select the text box or specific text within it and use the options in the Font section of the Home tab to format it.
For instance, you can select the source and click the Italic button or select the entire box and use the Font Size setting to resize it.
Tip: Need to use certain text formatting elsewhere in your slideshow? Learn how to apply superscript and subscript in PowerPoint.
Link to the web source
Next, you can add a link to the web source by hyperlinking the URL in the citation.
- Select the specific text in the text box.
- Right-click, pick Link, and select the URL. If you don’t see the URL, click Insert Link and go to the next step.
- Choose Existing File or Web Page on the left and enter the URL in the Address box at the bottom.
- Click OK and you’re set.
Adjust the text box
Optionally you can adjust the text box using the following:
- To move the text box, select it and when you see the four-sided arrow, drag it where you want it.
- To resize the text box, select it and drag in or out from an edge or corner.
- To align the text box on the slide, select it, go to the Home tab, open the Arrange menu, and use the Align options.
3. Add a reference slide with Plus AI
The easiest way to add a bibliography, reference slide, or works cited list in PowerPoint is using Plus AI.
- Go to the Home tab and select Plus AI in the ribbon.
- Pick Edit with AI and choose Insert.
- Enter a Slide title and the Description. Then, choose the Layout and pick Generate Slide.
You’ll then see your new reference slide with your photo citation. As you can see, Plus AI automatically included the other citations from our presentation as well!
Conclusion
For your next PowerPoint slideshow where you need to add citations for your images, bookmark this how-to. Be sure to gather the information for the photo, check for attribution, review the formatting requirements, and then add what you need to the presentation along with the reference slide using Plus AI.
FAQs
How to cite pictures from Google on PowerPoint?
Pictures that you find on Google are no different than those you find from other sources. You must still locate the source of the photo, check for the copyright and attribution details, and add a citation like other images.
Are images in PowerPoint copyright free?
The stock images and clip art in PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office applications are free to use in those applications without attribution. However, you cannot use them in other applications outside of MS Office, and again, it’s always best to include an image citation when you’re unsure.
How to cite a personal photo?
If you want to add a citation for a photo you capture yourself and use in a PowerPoint presentation, you can keep it simple: Last name, First name, “Title or description.” Date or year created.
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