Embed diagrams in PowerPoint

draw.io 13 May 2021

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Embed images of your diagrams in Microsoft PowerPoint slides with the free draw.io branded add-in. The add-ins can be used in all Microsoft 365 Office applications on both Windows and macOS, and in older versions of PowerPoint, Word and Excel.
Select the diagram, then drag the grab handles to resize and rotate it in your PowerPoint slide

While the built-in diagramming features in PowerPoint allow you to create simple diagrams, a dedicated diagramming tool makes it easier and faster to create and update more complex diagrams.

Note: Your diagram data is only ever stored in your browser and either on your device, or in your cloud platform (OneDrive or Google Drive) - the draw.io servers never store your diagram data.

Install the diagramming add-in

Install the draw.io add-in for PowerPoint from Microsoft AppSource: https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/product/office/wa200000113.
Install the draw.io diagrams add-in via Microsoft and AppSource

Click on Get it now, log in, complete the AppSource registration, and click on Open in PowerPoint.

A read-only example slide will be opened in your PowerPoint application, and the draw.io tool in the ribbon will be available under Insert when the add-in has been successfully installed.
The draw.io add-in instructions and the draw.io tool in the ribbon will be displayed after a successful installation

Note: If you are using Microsoft 365 at work, ask your administrator to approve the draw.io add-in first. Then install the draw.io add-in in your PowerPoint application.

  1. Select the Insert tab in PowerPoint, then click My add-ins.
  2. Click on ADMIN MANAGED, select the draw.io add-in, then click Add.
    Install the draw.io add-in after your administrator has approved it for use in your workplace's Microsoft 365 applications

Add a diagram to a PowerPoint slide

Embedded diagrams are displayed in your PowerPoint slides as images. This image is generated at the time you insert a page from your selected diagram file into a slide.

  1. Select the Insert tab, then click on the draw.io tool.
    In the panel that appears on the right, click on the location where your diagram file is stored: OneDrive, Google Drive or a file on your local Device.
    Click on the draw.io tool under the Insert tab in PowerPoint, Excel or Word and select the location where your diagram file is stored
  2. Navigate to and select your diagram file.
    Tip: You may need to authorise draw.io to access your cloud storage.
    • Google Drive will display a separate pop-up dialog. Select the file, then click Select to see a preview in the panel on the right.
      Navigate to the diagram file in Google Drive and click Select to see a preview
    • OneDrive will display your files at the top of the panel on the right. Select the file to see a preview.
      Navigate to the diagram file in OneDrive at the top of the panel on the right to see a preview
  3. If your diagram has multiple pages, use the arrows above the diagram preview to select the page you want to insert.
  4. If your diagram has multiple layers, click on the layers button to select which to display (all layers are selected by default).
    Select the diagram page and layers you want to display in your PowerPoint slide, Excel sheet or Word document
  5. Click Insert to add your diagram to the PowerPoint slide.
    Insert a diagram into a PowerPoint presentation using the free draw.io add-in
    Tip: If you inserted the diagram into PowerPoint, select a slide design from the list that appears on the right.

Change the size and position of your diagram

  • Drag the diagram into another position in the slide, sheet or document.
  • Resize the diagram by dragging the grab handles in the corners.
  • Rotate the diagram by dragging the circular rotate arrow at the top.
    Select the diagram, then drag the grab handles to resize and rotate it in your PowerPoint slide

Format embedded diagrams

You can format the embedded diagram in PowerPoint like any other embedded image file.

Right-click on the diagram, then select Format Picture to display the panel on the right.
Format the embedded diagram in PowerPoint, Excel or Word as you would an embedded image via right-click > Format Picture

  • Fill & Line tab: Change the background colour and transparency, or add an outline.
  • Effects tab: Add a shadow or other effects.
  • Picture tab: Add a colour filter to change the colours in the diagram, sharpen or soften the lines and text, change the brightness or contrast and more.
    • Use the Crop values under this tab to add whitespace between the image border and the diagram, offset the diagram within the border or crop the diagram.

Note: If you are using an older version of Microsoft Office, the Picture Format options will appear as a new tab on the ribbon.

Use MS Office-compatible SVG labels

MS Office has some quirks when it come to image formats, especially SVG. When you embed diagrams in PowerPoint and resize them, the label text will have cleaner edges if you set the simpleLabels option.

  1. Select Extras > Configuration in the draw.io editor menu.
  2. Add the following code to the Configuration text box: { "simpleLabels": true }
    When you are embedding a diagram in PowerPoint, to ensure it can be resized cleanly, set the simpleLabels option in the editor configuration
  3. Click Apply.

Update embedded diagrams

After you edit the diagram files in draw.io, re-insert the diagrams into your PowerPoint slide to regenerate the embedded image.

Microsoft Word lets you import changes to your diagram files and update the images in your document using the draw.io add-in.
Updated the embedded diagrams after you have edited them in draw.io in Word via the draw.io add-in tools under the Insert tab on the ribbon

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