How to Add Icons to PowerPoint: 3 Methods for Professional Presentations

PowerPoint has over 2,000 built-in icons, but most users never find them—or waste time downloading icons from external sources when faster methods exist.

This guide covers three ways to add icons to PowerPoint: the native library you might be overlooking, external sources with millions of options, and add-ins that cut insertion time from minutes to seconds.

After testing all three methods across 50+ client presentations, we've measured exactly how much time each approach takes—and when each makes sense for professional presentation work.

Why Icons Matter in Professional Presentations#

Before diving into the how, let's address the why. Icons serve several critical functions in business presentations:

Visual shorthand for complex concepts. A target icon communicates "goal" faster than reading the word. A gear represents "process" instantly. This visual efficiency helps audiences process information more quickly—especially when scanning executive summaries or overview slides.

Breaking up text-heavy content. Even well-structured bullet points become walls of text without visual relief. Strategic icon placement creates breathing room and guides attention to key points.

Creating consistent visual language. When the same icon style appears throughout a deck, it signals professional attention to detail. Inconsistent icons—some thin outlines, some thick fills, some 3D—undermine that impression immediately.

Making data easier to understand. Icons in charts, process flows, and frameworks help audiences parse information at a glance. A timeline with milestone icons reads faster than one with just text labels.

We learned the importance of icons through client feedback. An early strategy presentation used no icons—just text and charts. The feedback: "Dense. Academic. Hard to follow." The same content with thoughtful icon usage in the next version: "Clean. Professional. You respect our time." Same analysis, different reception.

Method 1: PowerPoint's Built-in Icon Library#

Microsoft added a native icon library to PowerPoint that many users don't fully explore. If you have Microsoft 365 or PowerPoint 2019+, you already have access to over 2,000 icons.

How to Access Built-in Icons#

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation
2. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon
3. Click Icons in the Illustrations group
4. Browse categories or use the search bar at the top left
5. Click on icons to select them (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
6. Click Insert at the bottom right

The icons appear on your slide as SVG graphics, which means they can be scaled to any size without losing quality.

Searching Effectively#

PowerPoint's search can be hit or miss. Tips for better results:

• Use simple, single words: "target" works better than "business target"
• Try synonyms: If "growth" doesn't work, try "chart" or "arrow up"
• Browse categories: Sometimes browsing is faster than searching—categories include Business, Analytics, Arts, Communication, and more
• Check related sections: Looking for a process icon? Check both "Business" and "Arrows"

Formatting Built-in Icons#

Once inserted, you can customize icons extensively:

Resizing:

1. Select the icon
2. Drag corner handles to resize (hold Shift to maintain proportions)
3. Or use the Graphics Format tab > Size group for precise dimensions

Recoloring:

1. Select the icon
2. Go to Graphics Format tab
3. Click Graphics Fill or Shape Fill
4. Choose your color from the palette or use "More Fill Colors" for custom colors

Converting to Shapes (Advanced Editing):

1. Select the icon
2. Right-click and choose Convert to Shape
3. Right-click again and select Group > Ungroup
4. Now you can edit individual parts of the icon separately
5. When done, select all parts and use Group > Group to recombine

Pros and Cons of Built-in Icons#

Best for: Quick inserts when you need standard business icons and don't have time to search externally. Covers about 60-70% of typical presentation needs.

Our experience: The built-in library handles most routine icon needs. The icons are professional and consistent. But when you need something specific—a particular arrow style, a niche industry symbol, a specific metaphor—you'll need Method 2 or 3.

Method 2: External Icon Sources#

When PowerPoint's built-in library doesn't have what you need, external icon websites offer millions of options. The key is knowing which sources to use and how to insert icons efficiently.

Top External Icon Sources#

Flaticon

Website: flaticon.com

The largest icon database on the internet with over 10 million icons.

What you get:

• Massive selection across every category imaginable
• Multiple formats: SVG, PNG, EPS, PSD
• Icon packs with consistent styling
• Style matching suggestions

Pricing:

• Free tier: Requires visible attribution
• Premium: $9.99/month (no attribution, full access)

Best for: Finding specific or niche icons you can't locate anywhere else.

The Noun Project

Website: thenounproject.com

Curated collection of over 5 million icons from independent designers.

What you get:

• High-quality, thoughtfully designed icons
• Strong abstract and conceptual icons
• SVG format
• Drag-and-drop directly from browser to PowerPoint

Pricing:

• Free tier: Requires attribution
• Pro: $40/year (no attribution, full access)

Best for: Abstract consulting concepts like "synergy," "transformation," or "strategic alignment."

Lucide

Website: lucide.dev

Open-source icon library with 1,400+ icons.

What you get:

• Completely free, MIT licensed
• Clean, consistent line-art style
• No attribution required
• SVG format

Best for: Teams needing free, attribution-free icons with consistent styling.

Icons8

Website: icons8.com

Large library with multiple style options.

What you get:

• 135,000+ icons in 36 different styles
• Multiple formats: SVG, PNG
• Style-matched icon packs
• PowerPoint integration available

Pricing:

• Free tier: Requires attribution and link
• Premium: $13/month

Best for: Finding style-matched icon packs for cohesive presentations.

How to Insert SVG Icons from External Sources#

SVG is the recommended format for icons in PowerPoint. Here's the step-by-step process:

1. Download the icon as SVG from your chosen source
2. In PowerPoint, go to Insert > Pictures > This Device (or "From File" on Mac)
3. Navigate to your downloaded SVG file
4. Select the file and click Insert
5. The icon appears as an editable vector graphic
6. Resize using corner handles (hold Shift to maintain proportions)
7. Recolor using Graphics Format > Shape Fill

How to Insert PNG Icons#

Sometimes SVG isn't available. For PNG icons:

1. Download the largest PNG size available (at least 256x256 pixels)
2. Go to Insert > Pictures > This Device
3. Navigate to your PNG file and click Insert
4. Resize carefully—PNGs can pixelate if enlarged too much
5. Note: PNG icons cannot be recolored in PowerPoint

Pro tip: If you need to recolor a PNG icon, download it in multiple colors from the source, or convert it to SVG using an online tool before importing.

External Source Comparison#

Pros and Cons of External Sources#

Our experience: We used external sources exclusively for two years. The selection is unmatched, and Flaticon or Noun Project will have virtually any icon you can imagine. But we tracked our workflow: average time per icon was 2.5 minutes (search, compare options, download, import, resize, format). For a deck with 20 icons, that's nearly an hour of icon work. For occasional icon needs, this is fine. For regular presentation building, it adds up quickly.

Method 3: PowerPoint Add-ins with Built-in Icons#

The third method eliminates the workflow interruption of external sources by putting icons directly inside PowerPoint. Several add-ins offer this functionality.

How Add-in Icon Libraries Work#

Instead of leaving PowerPoint to find icons, add-ins provide a panel within the application:

1. Open the add-in panel (usually via ribbon button or taskpane)
2. Browse or search the icon library
3. Click an icon to insert it directly onto your slide
4. Resize and recolor as needed

The entire process takes 5-10 seconds instead of 2-3 minutes.

Deckary Icon Library#

Deckary includes 600+ icons curated specifically for business presentations.

What you get:

• 600+ professional icons across key business categories
• Categories: strategy, finance, process, people, technology, arrows, status
• Accessible directly from the PowerPoint ribbon
• Consistent line weights and styling across all icons
• Instant recoloring and resizing
• No attribution required

How to use Deckary icons:

1. Click the Deckary tab in the PowerPoint ribbon
2. Open the Icons panel
3. Browse categories or use the search function
4. Click any icon to insert it onto your current slide
5. Resize using corner handles
6. Recolor using the Format options or Deckary's quick color picker

Pricing: Included with Deckary subscription ($49-119/year), which also includes waterfall charts, Mekko charts, Gantt charts, alignment tools, and other consulting features.

Best for: Consultants and professionals who build presentations regularly and need consistent, professional icons without leaving PowerPoint.

Other Add-ins with Icon Features#

Why In-PowerPoint Icons Save Time#

The math is straightforward. We tracked icon insertion times over 50 presentations:

The difference compounds. A 50-slide strategy deck might use 30 icons. That's 75 minutes with external sources versus 4 minutes with an integrated add-in. Over a year of presentations, you're looking at 10-20 hours saved—plus the mental energy preserved by not breaking your workflow.

Pros and Cons of Add-in Icons#

Formatting Icons Like a Pro#

Regardless of which method you use to add icons, proper formatting separates amateur slides from professional ones.

Maintaining Style Consistency#

The most common icon mistake is mixing styles. One slide has thin outline icons, the next has chunky filled icons, the third has 3D isometric icons. The result looks unprofessional.

Guidelines:

• Choose ONE icon style for the entire presentation
• All icons should have similar stroke weights (line thickness)
• Maintain consistent corner radius (sharp vs. rounded)
• Don't mix sources unless they visually match

Styles to choose from:

• Line/Outline: Thin strokes with no fill—clean, modern, professional
• Solid/Filled: Completely filled shapes—bold, high visibility
• Duotone: Two colors creating depth—contemporary, trendy
• Flat: Solid colors with no gradients—versatile, timeless

For consulting and executive presentations, we recommend line/outline icons in 90% of cases. They're versatile, professional, and work across virtually any context.

Color Best Practices#

Too many icon colors create visual noise.

Approaches:

• Single color: Most professional. All icons match brand primary color.
• Two colors: Primary for most icons, accent for emphasis items.
• Categorical colors: Different colors represent different categories (use sparingly).

For formal executive presentations, use single-color icons matching the client's brand. For internal strategy sessions, you might use color to differentiate categories (initiatives in blue, risks in orange).

Sizing Guidelines#

Icons should support content, not dominate it.

Common mistake: Making icons too large because there's space. Oversized icons draw disproportionate attention and unbalance slides.

Alignment and Spacing#

Misaligned icons undermine professionalism. Use PowerPoint's alignment tools:

1. Select multiple icons (hold Ctrl and click each)
2. Go to Format > Align
3. Choose alignment option:
   • Align Middle: Horizontal alignment
   • Align Center: Vertical alignment
   • Distribute Horizontally: Equal horizontal spacing
   • Distribute Vertically: Equal vertical spacing

Spacing rule: Give icons breathing room. Minimum 0.1" margin between icon and adjacent elements. Comfortable margin is 0.2" - 0.3".

For faster alignment, learn PowerPoint alignment shortcuts.

Converting Icons to Shapes for Advanced Editing#

Sometimes you need to customize icons beyond simple recoloring. Here's how to get full control:

1. Select the SVG icon
2. Go to Graphics Format tab
3. Click Convert to Shape
4. Right-click the converted shape
5. Select Group > Ungroup
6. Now you can edit individual parts:
   • Change colors of specific elements
   • Delete unwanted parts
   • Resize specific components
   • Add elements
7. When done, select all parts (Ctrl+A on the icon area)
8. Go to Format > Group > Group to recombine

Warning: Once converted to shapes, you lose the ability to recolor the entire icon with a single click. Only convert when you need advanced customization.

Common Icon Mistakes to Avoid#

1. Mixing Icon Styles#

Using outline icons next to filled icons next to 3D icons creates visual chaos. Your audience will notice something feels "off" even if they can't articulate it.

Solution: Pick one style and stick with it throughout. If you find an icon you love in a different style, either find an alternative in your chosen style or don't use it.

2. Inconsistent Sizing#

Icons at different sizes without intentional hierarchy look like oversights, not design choices.

Solution: Set standard sizes for each context (bullets, headers, features) and apply them consistently across all slides.

3. Overusing Icons#

Not every bullet point needs an icon. Overusing icons dilutes their impact and creates visual clutter.

Solution: Use icons for:

• Section differentiation
• Abstract concept visualization
• Breaking up text-heavy slides
• Process steps and flows

Skip icons for:

• Every single bullet point
• Already-clear concepts
• Slides with adequate visual interest

4. Using Literal Interpretations#

Searching for "synergy" and using a literal image of hands shaking is clip-art thinking from 2005.

Solution: Abstract representations (connecting arrows, merged shapes, overlapping circles) often communicate concepts more effectively than literal imagery.

5. Ignoring Accessibility#

Icons that are too small, low-contrast, or rely solely on color to convey meaning fail for some viewers.

Solution:

• Keep icons large enough to be clearly visible (minimum 0.3")
• Ensure sufficient contrast with backgrounds
• Don't rely only on color to convey meaning
• Add text labels when meaning isn't immediately clear

Which Method Should You Use?#

Here's a decision framework based on your situation:

Our workflow: We use Deckary for 80% of icons (speed and consistency), the built-in library for quick additions, and Flaticon for specific niche needs. This combination covers virtually every presentation scenario while minimizing time spent on icon hunting.

Summary#

Adding icons to PowerPoint comes down to three methods:

1. Built-in Icons: Insert > Icons gives you 2,000+ free icons without leaving PowerPoint. Best for quick inserts and standard business concepts.

2. External Sources: Flaticon, Noun Project, Lucide, and others offer millions of icons. Best for finding specific or niche icons, but slower workflow.

3. Add-in Libraries: Tools like Deckary provide icons directly in a PowerPoint panel. Fastest workflow for regular presentation builders.

Regardless of method, remember the formatting fundamentals:

• Maintain style consistency (one style per presentation)
• Use a limited color palette (1-2 colors)
• Size appropriately for context
• Align precisely using PowerPoint's tools
• Don't overuse icons

The best icons are ones that support your content without drawing attention to themselves. They make presentations clearer and more professional without making viewers think about the icons at all.

For consultants and professionals building presentations regularly, investing in a curated, integrated icon solution pays back in saved time and improved visual consistency. Try Deckary free for 14 days to access 600+ professional icons directly in PowerPoint, along with waterfall charts, alignment tools, and other consulting-grade features.

Related Guides#

• Icons for PowerPoint: 2000+ Free and Premium Options — Complete comparison of icon sources and best practices
• 12 Best Free PowerPoint Icon Sources — Deep dive into free icon options with no attribution required
• How to Align Objects in PowerPoint — Master alignment for professional icon layouts
• Business Icons for PowerPoint — Curated icons for strategy, finance, and operations