How to Indent Citations in PowerPoint

How to Indent Citations on PowerPoint

Updated on:

May 25, 2026

By:

Use this interactive demo to learn how to add hanging indents to citations in PowerPoint.

Quick summary

Indenting citations in PowerPoint requires using the Line Spacing Options dialog to set a custom indentation value for selected text. This method gives you precise control over citation formatting without needing third-party tools.

Steps

Highlight the citation you want to indent inside the slide canvas of your PowerPoint presentation.
Go to the Home menu and click Line Spacing.
Tap Line Spacing Options to open the advanced formatting dialog.
In the Indentation section, set your preferred indent value before the text by typing a specific number or using the spin buttons.
Click OK to apply the indentation changes to your citation.
The selected citation in your PowerPoint presentation will now appear indented based on your configured settings.

📌 Why this matters

Properly indented citations — such as hanging indents for APA, MLA, or Chicago style — are essential for academic and professional PowerPoint presentations. PowerPoint does not offer a one-click hanging indent button, so knowing how to use the Line Spacing Options dialog to set custom indentation values saves time and ensures compliance with citation formatting standards. This feature matters because correctly formatted references improve credibility and readability, whether you are presenting research, submitting coursework, or delivering a business report.

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