Point at one of the corner sizing handles until you see the two-headed arrow, and then click and drag to resize the timeline. Click in the milestones Text or use the text pane instead. You can change the size of the graphic so it fits better on your slide. By default, the Simple timeline will show 3 milestones and placeholders for your text. Some of the options in the List and Process sections of the gallery are suitable for timelines. You can also try changing the layout by opening the layout gallery to the left of Change Colors. A vertical template of a timeline works well. Click the style or color you want to select it. Use an Excel timeline template to chart your work plan, or try a PowerPoint timeline template to track key dates. Select the SmartArt tab of the Ribbon, and then select either Change Colors or Styles to see a menu of available options for the timeline graphic. You can also choose a different graphic layout entirely.

You can change the color or style of the timeline graphic. Optionally, you can make a sub-item in the bulleted list by clicking the bullet with the text you want to use for a sub-item, and on the Smart Art tab, clicking Demote. In the text editor, enter the dates and descriptions, and then press Enter. On the slide, a text editor opens next to the graphic so you can easily add words to the graphic.

Pick a timeline layout from the gallery that appears, such as this Basic Timeline in the List section. Use a SmartArt graphic to create a timeline showing target dates for an assignment or project.

Timeline maker powerpoint