How to Draw on PowerPoint Slides for iPad

Though you can import PowerPoint slides into certain apps like Keynote on the iPad, such apps are not optimal for annotating the slides -- you need an app specifically designed for the task. Several annotation tools are available for the iPad from iTunes and the App Store. Apps like the free SlideShark and the paid-for AnnotDoc and iAnnotate PDF enable you to display Keynote slideshows, PowerPoint presentations and PDFs on your iPad, and then annotate the slides as you present. Transfer your presentation to the tablet using iTunes or cloud storage, and then install the annotation app on the iPad.

Open the “App Store” app on the iPad, type “SlideShark” in the Search bar, and then tap the “SlideShark” thumbnail in the search results to open the SlideShark product details screen.

Tap the “Free” button. If the password prompt opens, type your Apple ID password to continue. The app downloads and installs to the tablet.

Open the presentation in your presentation app on the iPad. The "Open in SlideShark" button is now added to the main screen of the presentation.

Tap the “Open in SlideShark” button to open the presentation in the annotation software.

Browse to the slide to annotate, and then tap the “Annotate” icon. The Marker and Highlighter tools appear on the slide.

Click either the “Marker" or “Highlighter" tool, and then make your notations on the slide. You can also tap the “Eraser” icon to erase notations your have made on the slide; tap “Color” to open the color picker, and then select the desired Marker or Highlighter color; tap the “Size” icon to change the size of the annotation characters; and tap the left arrow to collapse all annotations in the slide.

Open the “App Store” app on the iPad, type “AnnotDoc” in the Search box, and then tap the “AnnotDoc” entry in the search results to open the app’s product details screen.

Tap the price button, and then type your Apple ID password at the prompt to continue. The app downloads and installs to the tablet.

Tap the “AnnotDoc” icon in the iPad home screen to launch the app. The File Management screen opens.

Tap the PowerPoint presentation to open the file in the AnnotDoc app. The first slide of the presentation displays in the AnnotDoc Editor window.

Browse to the first slide to annotate, tap the “Annotation Tools” icon in the top menu bar, and then tap a tool -- for example, tap “Pen” to open the Pen tool.

Draw your notes on the slide displayed in the Editor window using the tool.

Open the “App Store” app on the iPad, type “iAnnotate PDF” in the Search box, and then tap the “iAnnotate PDF” entry in the search results to open the app’s product details screen.

Tap the price button, and then type your Apple ID password at the prompt to continue. The app downloads and installs to the tablet.

Tap the “iAnnotate PDF” icon in the iPad home screen to launch the app. Turn the tablet to landscape mode.

Tap the “Add” icon in the left panel menu to add a document. Browse to and tap on the PowerPoint presentation to open in the app.

Browse to the first slide to annotate, tap a drawing tool from the top toolbar, and then make your notes on the slide.