A slide that looks comfortable on a large desktop monitor can become difficult to read inside a video meeting. Participants may have faces, captions, and a chat panel beside the shared presentation. Design for less than the entire screen. The useful target is the smallest view in which someone should still be able to follow your explanation.
Put the message before the volume
Write one central statement for each slide. If a slide answers three different questions, split it. One statement may need several pieces of evidence, but it does not require a complete page of meeting notes next to them. Detailed figures can live in a companion document that the slide identifies clearly.
For a process diagram, the current step, its input, and its output may be enough during the explanation. Briefly show the whole process for orientation, then enlarge the relevant section. This preserves context without forcing every label to remain tiny throughout the presentation. Keep the overview available for readers who need to revisit the wider sequence.
Work at the viewing size
Reduce the slide to approximately the size it will occupy in a shared meeting window. Can you still read the chart axes? If a note underneath a screenshot matters, it must remain legible at that size too. A fixed minimum font size cannot solve the problem alone because typeface, contrast, spacing, and position all affect readability.
Crop screenshots to the relevant area while retaining enough context to identify the application or task. Mark an important control discreetly and explain its function aloud. Avoid long crossing arrows that obscure the very labels they are meant to clarify. A close-up on a separate slide is often easier to understand.
Offer another way to access the information
Color should not be the only distinction between statuses. Add labels and provide appropriate text descriptions for informative visuals. Check reading order with the tools available in your presentation application. Passing an automated accessibility check does not establish that the explanation itself is clear.
Finally, inspect an exported copy on a phone or in a narrow window. If an important point disappears, revise the slide rather than merely telling the audience to zoom. When necessary, provide a readable companion version containing the details and links while keeping the presentation slides focused on the spoken explanation.