Share via

PowerPoint - Setting up multiple on-click triggers keep displaying the same text box instead of designated text boxes

Anonymous
2025-05-21T20:12:32+00:00

Hi-

I'm trying to create a slide where I have multiple rectangles "highlighting" a screenshot of a program to indicate a user's clicks throughout the page. My goal is for each rectangle to trigger an animation to pop up a text box. The slide has a total of 4 rectangles and 4 text boxes, all of which have been labeled in the selection pane to ensure the proper pairings. I manually create an on-click animation that triggers the text box. For example, selecting rectangle 1 triggers an Appear animation for Text Box 1. I repeat this setup for rectangles and text boxes 2 through 4. However, when I preview the slide, clicking any rectangle displays text box 3.

I reviewed each triggered animation and they all point to the correct elements, but the animation appears broken. I noticed each animation under the Animation Pane displays a 1, rather than 1, 2, 3, 4. Assuming this could be the issue, but can't seem to locate a way to change those numbers.

Is there a reason PowerPoint is not following the specific click triggers as setup?

Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | Other | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Accepted answer
  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-21T21:14:21+00:00

    Hello, Hoang-D,

    Thank you for this thorough explanation. I discovered 2 major factors that were causing my issue:

    Factor 1 (Resolved): I accidentally labeled the Background Image as "Rectangle 3," resulting in clicking on any part of the page to display Text Box 3. I corrected the element names and pointed the on-click trigger to the true Rectangle 3 for Text Box 3.

    Factor 2 (Resolved): If the shape is set to having "no fill," the space within the shape's outline doesn't exist, resulting in having to click precisely on the outline. I added a semi-transparent fill to each box, allowing the entire shape to be clicked.

    I tested the slide and it's working as intended.

    Thank you, again for your response!

    Zerepd86

    0 comments

2 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-21T21:01:05+00:00

    Hi Zerepd86,

    Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community and providing a clear explanation of the issue. This is quite common issue that you are experiencing. But you're on the right track by using the Selection Pane and Animation Pane to manage your elements. The problem you're describing—where clicking any rectangle triggers the same text box (Text Box 3)—is likely due to how PowerPoint handles trigger animations.Even though you've set up each rectangle to trigger a different text box, PowerPoint may be assigning all animations to the same trigger (e.g., Rectangle 3) if the trigger wasn't properly updated for each animation.Also, the number "1" next to each animation in the Animation Pane doesn't indicate the trigger order—it just means they are all triggered animations, not part of the main click sequence.How to Fix It

    1. Open the Animation Pane
      Go to Animations > Animation Pane.
    2. Check Each Trigger
      • Click on each animation in the pane.
      • In the ribbon, go to Animations > Trigger > On Click Of.
      • Make sure each animation is correctly linked to its corresponding rectangle (e.g., Text Box 1 appears on click of Rectangle 1).
    3. Rename Carefully in the Selection Pane
      • Double-check that each rectangle and text box has a unique and clear name (e.g., Rect1, Text1, etc.).
      • Sometimes PowerPoint reverts to default names if elements are copied and pasted.
    4. Avoid Grouping Issues
      • If any rectangles or text boxes are grouped, triggers may not behave as expected.
      • Try ungrouping them and reassigning the triggers.
    5. Test One at a Time
      • Temporarily disable all but one animation to test if it works correctly.
      • Then re-enable and test the others one by one.

    Bonus tips:

    • Use the Selection Pane to confirm you're selecting the correct object.
    • Then use the Animation Pane to assign the trigger to that exact object.

    We hope this information will be useful to you. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any further questions or concerns.Thank you for your understanding and patience. Best regards

    Hoang-D - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2025-05-26T23:11:29+00:00

    Hi Zerepd86,

    Thank you for your update. We are glad to hear that. If you think my reply is helpful to you, please remember to mark it as an answer.  

    This helps others in the community facing similar problems. Thanks for your understanding. 

    Best regards,

    Hoang-D - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

    0 comments