Count down timer with VBA in PowerPoint

Learn how you can create a simple count-down timer for a PowerPoint presentation with Visual Basic for Application (VBA).

| Disclaimer: VBA ended its life cycle a very loooooong time ago. The alternative is Office.js

First, enable the Developer tab by right-clicking anywhere on the ribbons > Customize the Ribbon…

Then tick the checkbox Developer > OK

Now we need to add new Macros. Click the Developer tab on the ribbon, then click Macros.

Enter an easy to remember name > Create

In the above picture, there are two existing macros

A new window appears, allowing you to start writing the macro’s code.

Enter the following code, then click save

Sub TwoMinCountDown()
    Dim time As Date
    time = Now()
    
    Dim count As Integer
    count = 120 '120 seconds ~ 2 minutes
    
    time = DateAdd("s", count, time)
    
    Do Until time < Now()
        DoEvents
        ActivePresentation.SlideShowWindow.View.Slide.Shapes("TwoMinCountDown").TextFrame.TextRange = Format((time - Now()), "hh:mm:ss")
    Loop
End Sub

Sub TenMinCountDown()
    Dim time As Date
    time = Now()
    
    Dim count As Integer
    count = 600 '600 seconds ~ 10 minutes
    
    time = DateAdd("s", count, time)
    
    Do Until time < Now()
        DoEvents
        ActivePresentation.SlideShowWindow.View.Slide.Shapes("TenMinCountDown").TextFrame.TextRange = Format((time - Now()), "hh:mm:ss")
    Loop
End Sub

Now a few things to notice here. In this line:

ActivePresentation.SlideShowWindow.View.Slide.Shapes("TenMinCountDown").TextFrame.TextRange = Format((time - Now()), "hh:mm:ss")

The text TenMinCountDown is the name of the shape that this macro affects.

Now to apply this macro, head back to your slide.

On the Home tab, near the end of the ribbon, click Select > Selection Pane

Now draw a simple textbox, or a shape you want, then double click its name in Selection Pane. Change its name to the name of the shape in the macro’s code.

When you click on the shape, the timer will count down, and clicking it again will reset it.

That’s it.