How to Make an A1 Size Poster in PowerPoint for Print

To make an A1 poster in PowerPoint, set the slide to 59.4 × 84.1 cm (23.39 × 33.11 inches), build the design at that size, then export it as a PDF for printing. Set the page size before laying out your content, and check the PDF before sending it to a print shop.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac.
Your poster text, images, logos and any required branding or print specifications.
A plan for the poster’s orientation: portrait is 59.4 cm wide by 84.1 cm high; landscape is 84.1 cm wide by 59.4 cm high.
A place to save a PDF and, if using a print shop, its requirements for bleed, colour, file format and delivery.

A1 is a standard ISO paper size, measuring 594 × 841 mm. PowerPoint can create a slide at these dimensions, although a print provider may request extra bleed or a different PDF setup. Ask the provider before designing if the poster will print edge to edge or must meet a specific specification.

Step-by-Step

Start a new presentation and choose the orientation. Open PowerPoint and create a blank presentation, or open the file you plan to use. Decide whether the poster should be portrait or landscape before arranging any content. Portrait suits many event, research and information posters; landscape can work better for wide diagrams or a presentation-style layout. Setting the page first prevents you from having to rebuild a design made for the wrong proportions.
Open the custom slide-size controls. In PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size. On current PowerPoint for Mac, use Design > Slide Size > Page Setup. The dialog lets you enter a custom width and height. If the menu wording differs slightly in your build, look for the Slide Size or Page Setup command on the Design tab.
Enter the A1 dimensions. For portrait, set the width to 59.4 cm and the height to 84.1 cm. For landscape, enter 84.1 cm for the width and 59.4 cm for the height. If PowerPoint displays inches, use 23.39 × 33.11 inches for portrait or 33.11 × 23.39 inches for landscape. Enter both values rather than choosing a preset such as A4, because a standard slide-size list may not include A1.
Confirm the slide orientation and scaling prompt. If the dialog has separate orientation controls, select Portrait or Landscape to match the dimensions. Click OK. When PowerPoint asks whether to maximize content or ensure fit, choose Ensure Fit if the slide already contains objects; it is the safer choice for avoiding cropped edges. You may then need to reposition or resize items. For a new, empty poster, there is no existing content to scale.
Set up a useful working view. Zoom out until the whole slide is visible, then zoom in when editing text or aligning objects. The slide may look small on screen because it represents a large printed page; that does not mean it will print small. Use View > Guides or View > Gridlines if alignment tools help you organize columns and margins. These are visual aids and do not appear in the exported poster.
Mark out a safe area for important content. Keep headings, logos, page numbers and essential text away from the slide edges. A starting margin of about 10–15 mm is practical for many posters, but check the print provider’s specification and allow more if the poster will be trimmed. PowerPoint does not provide a dedicated bleed setup in the slide-size dialog. If edge-to-edge printing is required, ask the provider how much bleed to add and whether it wants artwork larger than A1.
Build a clear layout before adding detail. Divide the page into a few logical areas, such as title, main content, supporting information and contact or source details. Use Insert > Text Box to place text, and use guides or the alignment controls on the Shape Format tab to line up sections. Keep reading order obvious: a viewer should be able to tell where to start and how to move through the poster without searching for the next section.
Use type that remains readable at full size. Choose a small number of fonts and establish a clear hierarchy: a prominent title, section headings and body text. Poster text is often viewed from farther away than a slide, so avoid shrinking paragraphs to make a crowded design fit. As a starting point, many A1 designs use a title around 60–90 pt and body text around 24–32 pt, but the right size depends on the amount of content, typeface and viewing distance. Print a sample section at actual size if legibility is uncertain.
Insert images at adequate quality. Use Insert > Pictures to add image files, then size them proportionally so they are not stretched. For crisp print, prefer original high-resolution images rather than screenshots or thumbnails. A useful target is approximately 300 pixels per inch at the image’s final printed size; 150 ppi can be acceptable for some large graphics viewed from a distance, but confirm with the printer. Enlarging a small image in PowerPoint does not create extra detail.
Check colour, contrast and object alignment. Make sure text contrasts strongly with its background and that colour is not the only way information is distinguished. Use Shape Format > Align to align selected objects, and group related items when that helps prevent accidental movement. PowerPoint commonly works in RGB colour; a print provider may convert the PDF to its printing process. Ask for its preferred colour settings when accurate brand colours are important.
Proofread and inspect the whole slide. Review spelling, dates, names, URLs, image credits and any required acknowledgements. Check that text boxes are not clipped, images are not covering text, and shapes or backgrounds reach the intended edges. Use Slide Show > From Beginning for a clean view, then return to editing and inspect the slide at a larger zoom. A second person can often spot errors the designer has overlooked.
Export a print-quality PDF. On Windows, use File > Export > Create PDF/XPS, or choose PDF from File > Save As. On Mac, use File > Export and choose PDF. Select the option intended for standard or print quality rather than minimum file size, if offered. Save the PDF and reopen it to check the page dimensions, layout, fonts and images. Send the PDF to the printer unless it specifically requests the editable PowerPoint file.
Confirm the print size with the provider. Tell the printer that the intended finished size is A1, 594 × 841 mm, and whether the file is portrait or landscape. If printing yourself, select A1 paper in the print dialog and use actual size or 100% scaling when available. Avoid options such as Fit to page unless you deliberately want the design reduced to fit a different sheet. A print shop can confirm whether it will print at 100%, add bleed, trim the page or adjust the file.

Common Mistakes

Designing on a regular widescreen slide. A standard presentation slide has a different shape from A1. Changing its size after the design is finished can move objects or leave large empty areas. Set A1 dimensions before building the layout.
Entering the dimensions in the wrong order. Width and height determine the orientation. For portrait A1, the smaller number goes in the width field; for landscape, it goes in the height field.
Assuming every image will print sharply. An image that looks clear on a laptop can appear soft when enlarged. Check the original file’s pixel dimensions and its final placed size, especially for logos, charts and photographs.
Putting essential content close to the edge. Printers may need room to trim the sheet, and some devices cannot print to the paper edge. Keep vital information inside a safe margin and ask about bleed for backgrounds or images that must run to the edge.
Using too much small text. A poster is not a report page. Long paragraphs and tiny labels are difficult to read from a distance. Edit for brevity, use clear headings and move nonessential detail to a QR code or companion handout if appropriate.
Printing the PDF with automatic scaling. A fit-to-page setting can shrink the design and change the intended output size. Check the print dialog and confirm the finished dimensions with the provider.

Tips

Keep an editable copy. Save the PowerPoint file as your working version and export a separate PDF for print. This makes later corrections easier without changing the copy already sent to a printer.
Use a simple grid. Consistent columns, spacing and alignment make a large poster easier to scan. Leave enough open space around sections rather than filling every part of the page.
Check type at realistic viewing distance. Zooming in on a screen can make small text seem more readable than it will be on a wall. Print a section at 100% on a smaller printer, or ask the print shop for a proof if the job is important.
Use the PDF as the final visual check. PowerPoint and PDF can render some fonts, transparency or effects differently. Inspect the exported version, not only the slide in edit mode.
Ask about fonts and colour early. Some fonts have restrictions that affect embedding, and print workflows may convert RGB colours. Standard fonts and a printer-approved PDF are safer when the design must look consistent on another system.

Troubleshooting

The custom size is rejected or changes unexpectedly. Check that width and height are entered in the correct units and that neither dimension has been mistyped. A1 is well within PowerPoint’s usual slide-size limits. If the app interprets a number as inches instead of centimetres, switch the displayed units or convert the values before entering them.

Objects move or get cut off after resizing. Choose Ensure Fit when prompted, then inspect each object near the edges. Resize or reposition items individually and check for text boxes whose contents no longer fit. Do not rely on the prompt to produce a finished layout; it can scale existing content but cannot redesign it for the new proportions.

The exported PDF has the wrong page size. Reopen the PowerPoint file and verify the dimensions under Design > Slide Size (or the Mac Page Setup dialog), then export again. In a PDF viewer, inspect the document properties or ask the printer to confirm the page size. Make sure the print shop is not applying a different paper size or scaling setting.

Text or symbols look different in the PDF. The font may be unavailable or may not permit embedding. Use a common font, check the PDF on another device, and ask the provider whether it can accept the file as exported. For important work, request a proof before approving the full print run.

Images look blurry or colours look different. Replace low-resolution images with higher-quality originals and avoid enlarging them beyond their useful size. Colour can vary between a screen and a printed process; ask the provider about its colour profile or proofing options if a close colour match matters.

The printer says the file needs bleed or crop marks. PowerPoint does not offer a complete professional bleed-and-crop-mark workflow for every print requirement. Ask the provider for exact specifications and whether it can add marks or prepare the file. If it requires artwork beyond the finished A1 edge, you may need a desktop-publishing application or a template supplied by the printer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the exact dimensions of an A1 poster?
A1 measures 594 × 841 mm, or 59.4 × 84.1 cm. In inches, that is approximately 23.39 × 33.11 inches. Reverse the width and height for landscape orientation.

Can PowerPoint create an A1 slide?
Yes. Enter the custom A1 width and height in the Slide Size or Page Setup dialog. The slide can then be exported as a PDF with the intended page dimensions.

Should I make my A1 poster portrait or landscape?
Choose the orientation that best fits the content and the place it will be displayed. Portrait offers a tall reading path; landscape gives more horizontal space for wide charts or side-by-side sections. Confirm any venue or printer requirements first.

What font size should I use for an A1 poster?
There is no single correct size because typefaces and viewing distances differ. A title around 60–90 pt and body text around 24–32 pt can be a starting point, but check the design at actual size and prioritize comfortable reading over fitting more copy.

Should I send the PowerPoint file or a PDF to the printer?
Usually, send a PDF because it is designed to preserve page layout across computers. Follow the print shop’s instructions if it requests another format, and check the exported PDF before delivery.

Can PowerPoint add bleed to an A1 poster?
PowerPoint can size the slide to A1, but it does not provide a full bleed setup for all professional print workflows. Ask the printer whether it needs bleed, how much, and whether it can prepare the file or provide a suitable template.

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