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A presentation that works in one language can fall apart in another. Titles wrap onto three lines, chart labels overlap, and speaker notes stay in the original language. A few habits make translated decks look as polished as the source.
Design Slides That Can Grow
Text expansion is the main reason translated slides look crowded. Leave room for it from the start:
- Keep around 30% empty space in text boxes.
- Prefer auto-fit text boxes over fixed font sizes.
- Avoid putting text inside shapes that cannot resize.
Do Not Forget the Hidden Text
Slides contain more text than what is visible on screen:
- Speaker notes, which presenters read from during the talk.
- Alt text on images, used by screen readers.
- Chart data labels and axis titles.
- Slide master placeholders, such as footers and section titles.
Translate all of them, or the deck will switch languages halfway through a presentation.
Charts and Numbers
Number formats change between regions. The same value is written differently depending on the audience:
| Region | Number | Date |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1,234.56 | 10/06/2026 |
| Portugal | 1 234,56 | 06/10/2026 |
| Germany | 1.234,56 | 06.10.2026 |
Check every chart after translation, especially when labels are typed directly into the chart instead of coming from the data.
A Quick Review Checklist
- Run the deck in presenter view and read every slide out loud.
- Look for text that overflows its box or overlaps an image.
- Check that fonts support the target language's characters.
- Confirm that links and embedded videos still work.
Translated decks rarely fail because of the translation itself. They fail because of layout and hidden text. Plan for both and your next global all-hands will feel local everywhere.
