Presentation Slide Text Guide — Words Per Slide

Effective presentations rely on slides that support the speaker rather than replace them. Overloading slides with text is the most common presentation mistake. This guide covers optimal word counts per slide and techniques for creating visually clear, impactful presentations.

Words Per Slide Guidelines

Slide Type	Recommended Words	Notes
Title slide	5–15 words	Title + subtitle + presenter name
Content slide	25–50 words	Key points only, not full sentences
Data/chart slide	10–30 words	Chart title + key takeaway
Quote slide	15–30 words	The quote + attribution
Section divider	3–8 words	Section title only
Summary slide	30–60 words	3–5 bullet points

The widely cited "6×6 rule" (no more than 6 bullet points with 6 words each = 36 words max) provides a useful upper bound. Guy Kawasaki's "10/20/30 rule" recommends 10 slides, 20 minutes, and minimum 30-point font — which naturally limits text per slide.

Font Size and Readability

Minimum font sizes for readability in a typical conference room: titles at 36–44pt, body text at 24–32pt, and footnotes at 18–20pt. Larger fonts force brevity, which is a feature, not a limitation. If your text doesn't fit at 24pt, you have too much text.

The "Billboard Test"

Each slide should pass the "billboard test" — if someone glanced at it for 3 seconds while driving, could they grasp the main point? This means one key message per slide, expressed in as few words as possible.

Common Mistakes

Reading slides aloud — If your slides contain everything you plan to say, the audience reads ahead and stops listening.
Full sentences on slides — Use keywords and phrases, not paragraphs.
Too many bullet points — More than 5 bullets per slide overwhelms the audience.

Conclusion

Aim for 25–50 words per content slide with a minimum 24pt font. Use Character Counter to check your slide text and ensure conciseness.