Working with Cards in Microsoft Sway

You can create a new Sway from scratch, or you can also import existing files such as PowerPoint, into Sway. Then you can add various media elements within your Sway using the options explained in our Insert Options in Sway tutorial. Other than the Insert option, you can also work with Cards to insert various elements.

So what is a Card? In Sway parlance, a Card is a container that contains text, images and videos. If you have used Microsoft PowerPoint before, then these Cards are similar to placeholders within that program. Unlike placeholders in PowerPoint though, these Cards within Sway are also available as pre-created Groups. We will explore all these features within this tutorial.

Make sure you first sign into your Sway account. Thereafter open an existing Sway where you can add Cards or create a new Sway. We choose to create a new Sway. Then follow these steps:

1. Figure 1 below shows a new Sway created. Note that by default there is Title Card available, shown highlighted in red within Figure 1. Also notice that the All Cards pane (highlighted in blue within Figure 1) is already active. If it is not active, click the Cards option within the Menu bar, as shown highlighted in green within Figure 1.
2. 
   Figure 1: New Sway being created
3. For now we'll first explore the All Cards pane, as shown in Figure 2, below.
4. 
   Figure 2: All Cards pane
5. Options within All Cards pane are explained below, as marked in Figure 2, above. Do note that all Cards are divided within three categories:

A. Text

6. These Cards relate to text containers. Learn more in our Text Cards in Sway tutorial.

B. Media

7. There are five Card types within this category, and they are Picture, Video, Tweet, Embed, and Chart (Preview). These are explained within our Media Cards in Sway tutorial.

C. Group

8. Again there are five Card types within this category. These are Automatic, Stack, Comparision, Slideshow, and Grid. These are all explained within our Group Cards in Sway tutorial.
2. To add a Card just click on it. Figure 3, below shows various Cards inserted within the Storyline area.
3. 
   Figure 3: Cards added