Is there a way to make a text or object of a slide master be on top level of a child item?

Question

Is there a way to make a text or object of a slide master be on top level of a child item?

Ex:
- Master slide have a text or table
- Layout (Master Child) have a square

The text must be on the top of the square, so I can read it...

Is there any way to do that? Bring to front does not work, it seams that everything that comes from the master will be on the bottom of the Layout.

Answer 1

Use the footer to put text on the slide master and layouts. The master footer will sit on the slide; if you send the slide's other content to back, the footer text will sit above it.

Answer 2

You can insert an image on a master slide that is shown in front of everything else by inserting it as an ActiveX image control.

1. If you are using PowerPoint 2010 or later, show the Developer ribbon group by going to File>Options>Customize Ribbon, and selecting Developer in the right-hand list.
2. Open the Slide Master view.
3. From the Developer ribbon tab, Controls group (or equivalent with older versions of PowerPoint), click on the Image control (looks like a mountain with the sun above it) and click on the slide to insert it.
4. Right-click on the inserted image control and choose Properties to obtain its Properties dialog.
5. Click on the … button on the Picture line and select the picture you want to show.
6. Optionally, modify PictureSizeMode to fmPictureSizeModeZoon so that the loaded image resizes to fit the control.
7. Optionally, modify BorderStyle to remove the border, and BackStyle to make any part of the control not covered by the picture transparent.
8. Drag the image control to the size and position that you want.

For text, you could do a similar thing using a label control instead of the image control.

Answer 3

You can also just insert a placeholder for text or image (or any other placeholder) on the slidemaster, and then fill-in the placeholder on the master. The placeholder can be positioned on top of the placeholders for slide contents.

1. View Slidemaster and edit top slidemaster or a sub-slidemaster layout

2. Insert Placeholder (Slidemaster Tab, command Insert Placeholder). Choose Text or Image

3. Place the placeholder in front or in back or in between other objects on the layout as you wish.
4. Insert a picture in a picture placeholder: While in View Slidemaster mode, select the placeholder, use Home tab, Shape Fill, and choose a picture.
5. Insert a text in a text placeholder: While in View Slidemaster mode, just edit and format the text.

Answer 4

I wanted to be able to do this for a PowerPoint template where my client needs to be able to insert photos into slides but have the company graphics (i.e. logo and graphic elements) sit on top of the photos. I found the ActiveX control unhelpful as you can only see the slide master image when you're running the presentation, which may be confusing for some users.

The most elegant/simple solution I can come up with is as follows:

1. Open your PowerPoint template.
2. Insert a blank slide, with no graphics (you may need to hide background images).
3. Create the slide layout you want, with the picture placeholder and company graphics.
4. Make sure the company graphics are brought forward and the picture placeholder is sent to back.
5. Save the file as a new template, e.g. 'Picture Layout, Graphics on Top' and place it in a folder that is easily accessible to the clients/users.

Then provide the clients/users with these instructions for when they want to insert a slide layout that allows them to put a picture underneath the graphics:

1. Click in the left panel where you want the new slide to go, either before, between or after the other slides.
2. On the Home tab, in the Slides group, select New Slide – Reuse Slides.
3. Under Insert slide from: select Browse – Browse File.
4. Locate and select the file: Picture Layout, Graphics on Top.
5. Select OK.
6. The layout will appear on your right. Click on it to insert the slide.
7. Click on the prompt ‘Click icon to add picture’.
8. Select your photo.
9. Select Insert. The photo will sit behind the graphics.

I hope this can help someone else!

Answer 5

In PowerPoint, to make a Slide Master element (i.e., background element) appear on top of an element on the slide AND remove the placeholder icon, you will need to create a placeholder, then follow this work-around:

To have a master placeholder with no visible icon: Go to View>Slide Master>Master Layout>Insert Placeholder>Smart Art. Draw the desired shape and fill with solid color, pattern,or some other identifying trait (this will ultimately not be visible on the slide.) Close Master View. Then on slide, click the Smart Art icon, select any Smart Art, and “Cut” all elements from the Smart Art. Select the placeholder, right-click and choose "Format Object". Fill the shape with final color, image, pattern, etc.

Be sure the placeholder is stacked properly on the Master Slide so that it appears on the slide as expected. To change the order, go to View>Slide Master>Home>Arrange>Order Objects. Exit Slide View. The newly created placeholder will appear above anything added in Normal View, but in the correct sequence of all master elements.

To help future users of the template, on the Slide Master, add the following text to the newly created placeholder: "Do not change this element. If it gets changed on the slide, simply reapply the master." It may be helpful to also add the above instructions, in case the placeholder needs to be recreated.

Answer 6

Super old thread, but there's an easier way to do this now without fiddling with ActiveX https://youtu.be/VaKQOAywANA