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PechaKuchaGuide
Bauhaus Abstract Background

Delivery Mode

It's showtime.
Practice your timing. Perfect your flow. 20 seconds per slide.

The Golden Rule

The 45-Word Rule

You speak at roughly 135 words per minute. This means you have a "budget" for only ~45 words per slide.

The Math:

Speaking Rate135 wpm
Slide Duration20 sec (0.33 min)
Max Word Count45 words

*Tip: Aim for 25-35 words in your notes to allow for pauses and breathing.

Bauhaus style delivery illustration

Interactive Practice Timer

Use this tool to simulate the auto-advance. It beeps every 20 seconds so you can practice your flow without looking at the clock.

Practice Timer
Slide1/20
Seconds20
Total: 0:00 / 6:40

Want a bigger challenge?

Try Pecha Roulette — random images, random topic, clock running. No prep, no pause.

Try Pecha Roulette
Setup Guide

Set Up Auto-Advance in Your Slides

The slides must advance automatically every 20 seconds — no clicking. Here's how to set that up in PowerPoint and Keynote.

PowerPoint

  1. 1Open your presentation and select all slides (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A in the slide panel).
  2. 2Click the Transitions tab in the ribbon.
  3. 3In the Timing group on the right, uncheck "On Mouse Click".
  4. 4Check "After" and type 00:20.00 (20 seconds).
  5. 5Click Apply to All to set every slide to 20 seconds.
  6. 6Press F5 to test. Slides should advance automatically every 20 seconds.

Keynote (Mac)

  1. 1Select all slides in the slide navigator (Cmd+A).
  2. 2In the right panel, click the Animate tab.
  3. 3Click Add an Effect → choose any transition (e.g. Dissolve).
  4. 4Under Start Transition, select Automatically.
  5. 5Set the delay to 20.0 seconds.
  6. 6Press Play → Play Slideshow to test. All slides advance at 20 seconds.
Pro tip: After setting up auto-advance, do one full run-through without speaking to confirm every slide advances at exactly 20 seconds. Then do a full rehearsal with the practice timer above running simultaneously.

Rehearse Like a Dance

Auto-Advance

Always rehearse with auto-advance ON. You cannot pause the slides, so you must learn to flow with them.

Finish Early

It's better to finish a slide 2 seconds early and breathe than to be cut off mid-sentence. Silence is powerful.

No Script

Don't memorize word-for-word. Know your key points so you can adapt if you fall behind or get ahead.

Technical Setup Checklist

Create 20 Slides

Ensure you have exactly 20 slides in your deck.

Set Transitions

Go to Transitions tab → Uncheck "On Mouse Click" → Check "After" and set to 20.00 seconds.

Apply to All

Click "Apply to All" to ensure every slide has the same timing.

Test Run

Run the slideshow once without speaking to verify timing.

Need Inspiration?

Watch examples of great PechaKucha presentations.

View Resources