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PowerPoint Add-in

The NextGenPoll PowerPoint add-in lets you embed a live poll directly into your presentation. A content slide updates in real-time as participants respond — no switching between apps.

What the Add-in Does​

The add-in has two components:

ComponentWhat it does
Task Pane (Presenter Controls)Appears as a side panel in PowerPoint. Lists your polls and questions; lets you launch a question, switch charts, and control the session without leaving PowerPoint.
Content Add-in (Live Slide)Inserts a live-updating chart directly into a PowerPoint slide. The chart reflects real-time participant responses during the presentation.

Installing the Add-in (Local / Development)​

Windows​

  1. Fully close Microsoft PowerPoint.
  2. Open PowerShell inside the powerpoint/ folder and install the dev certificate: 
    npx office-addin-dev-certs install
  3. Start the dev server and sideload: 
    npm start
  4. PowerPoint will open with the add-in loaded. If the ribbon buttons do not appear, go to Home → Add-ins and select NextGenPoll.

Mac (Automatic)​

  1. Ensure the dev server is running (npm start in the powerpoint/ folder).
  2. The add-in is automatically sideloaded and PowerPoint opens.
  3. If it doesn't appear, go to Insert → My Add-ins and select NextGenPoll.

Mac (Manual Fallback)​

  1. Open Finder and press Cmd + Shift + G.
  2. Navigate to: ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Powerpoint/Data/Documents/wef
  3. Copy manifest.xml into that folder.
  4. Restart PowerPoint.
Production manifest

The production add-in is hosted at https://nextgenpoll.com/addin/. For organisation-wide deployment (Microsoft 365 Admin Center), see PowerPoint Add-in Enterprise Deployment.

Using the Task Pane​

Once the add-in is loaded:

  1. In PowerPoint, click the NextGenPoll button in the ribbon (Home tab).
  2. The Task Pane opens on the right side.
  3. Sign in with your NextGenPoll account if prompted.
  4. Select the poll you want to run from the dropdown.
  5. Use the question list to launch questions one by one.

Launching a Question​

  • Click Launch next to a question to make it active for participants.
  • The task pane shows a live response count and a real-time chart preview.
  • Switch the chart type using the format buttons in the task pane.

Ending the Session​

Click End Session in the task pane to close the poll. Participants will see a session-ended message.

Using the Live Slide (Content Add-in)​

The Live Slide inserts an always-updating chart into a slide:

  1. In PowerPoint, go to Insert → My Add-ins → NextGenPoll Live Slide (or use the ribbon button if available).
  2. The content add-in appears as an embedded frame on the current slide.
  3. It connects to the active poll session and displays the current question's live results.
  4. Advance to this slide during your presentation to show real-time results to your audience.
Best practice

Keep the Live Slide on a dedicated slide immediately after each question slide. Your audience will see results update as you present.

Troubleshooting​

ProblemSolution
Ribbon button missing (Windows)Go to Home → Add-ins, find NextGenPoll, and click to activate.
"The app took too long to load"Ensure the dev server is running on https://localhost:4000. Check that the dev certificate is trusted.
Certificate error in browserRe-run npx office-addin-dev-certs install in the powerpoint/ folder and restart PowerPoint.
Live Slide shows blankConfirm there is an active session running. The content add-in requires a live poll to be active.
Task pane says "Sign in required"Click sign-in; you will be redirected to the NextGenPoll login page in your default browser.