Delivering a presentation can be nerve-wracking. One of the most common mistakes presenters make is rushing through their slides, reading the text on the screen verbatim, or using too many filler words like “um” and “uh.” To help users improve their public speaking skills, Microsoft integrated an artificial intelligence tool directly into PowerPoint called Presenter Coach (sometimes labelled as “Rehearse with Coach”).
Presenter Coach listens to you practice your presentation through your computer’s microphone and provides real-time, on-screen feedback regarding your pacing, pitch, and vocabulary.
How to Start a Rehearsal Session
Presenter Coach requires an active internet connection to process your speech, and it is most effective when used with a headset microphone to prevent audio feedback.
- Open your completed presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Click the Slide Show tab located in the top ribbon menu.
- In the “Set Up” group, click the button labelled Rehearse with Coach. (If you do not see this button, ensure you are signed in with a Microsoft 365 account, as this is a premium feature).
- The presentation will launch in full-screen mode, and a small “Welcome to Presenter Coach” dialog box will appear in the bottom right corner of your screen.
- Ensure the box next to Show real-time feedback is checked.
- Click Start Rehearsing and begin speaking out loud as if you were presenting to a real audience.
Understanding Real-Time Feedback
As you speak and advance through your slides, the Coach will listen to your audio. If it detects a bad habit, a small, unobtrusive toast notification will pop up in the bottom corner of your screen.
The Coach monitors for several specific issues:
- Pacing: If you are speaking too quickly (a common symptom of nervousness), the Coach will prompt you to slow down. If you are speaking too slowly, it will prompt you to pick up the pace.
- Filler Words: If it detects excessive use of “um,” “ah,” or “like,” it will gently remind you to pause instead of using filler words.
- Reading the Slides: If the AI determines that you are simply reading the bullet points off the slide word-for-word, it will prompt you to “avoid reading the slide” and instead summarize the information or provide additional context.
- Inclusive Language: The Coach will flag potentially insensitive or non-inclusive phrases (e.g., suggesting you use “police officer” instead of “policeman”).
- Pitch and Monotone: It will analyze the modulation of your voice and warn you if you are speaking in a flat, monotone drone that might bore an audience.
Reviewing the Rehearsal Report
The real-time popups are helpful, but the most valuable part of Presenter Coach occurs after you finish.
When you reach the end of your slideshow and exit the presentation (by pressing the Esc key), PowerPoint will immediately generate a comprehensive Rehearsal Report dashboard.
This report provides a detailed breakdown of your performance. It will show you exactly how much time you spent practicing, your average speaking rate (in words per minute), and a graph detailing your vocal pitch over time. It will also highlight specific slides where you struggled with filler words or read from the screen, allowing you to focus your subsequent practice sessions on those specific problem areas.