Getting Started with Motion Path Animations in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

Motion Path animations in PowerPoint enable you to make any slide object move within or outside the slide on a particular path. PowerPoint provides dozens of Motion Path presets, in every shape that you can imagine.

Follow these steps to add a Motion Path animation to any object in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows:

1. Select the object that you want to animate. You can select any object on your slide. We created and selected a shape.
2. Alternatively, if you just want to follow this tutorial step-by-step, launch PowerPoint 2010 for Windows. Most of the time, PowerPoint will open with a new slide in a presentation. PowerPoint 2010 users can change the slide layout to Blank by selecting the Home tab | Layout | Blank option. Then, insert a shape and select it.
2. With the slide object still selected, access the Animations tab of the Ribbon. Within the Advanced Animation group, click the Add Animation button to bring up the Add Animation gallery, as shown in Figure 1, below. Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the Add Animation gallery to see the Motion Paths section, shown highlighted in red within Figure 1.
3. 
   Figure 1: Motion Paths within the Add Animation gallery
3. Select any Motion Paths within this section, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 1, above, by clicking on it. Doing so applies the Motion Path animation to the selected slide object. Otherwise, if you want to explore more Motion Paths, click the More Motion Paths option within the Add Animation gallery, as shown highlighted in blue within Figure 1. Doing so brings up the Add Motion Path dialog box, as shown in Figure 2, below.
4. 
   Figure 2: Add Motion Path dialog box
4. Within the Add Motion Path dialog box, make sure the Preview Effect check-box is selected, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 2, above to view a Live Preview of the animation effect. If this dialog box covers the actual animated object, you will see no Live Preview. Thus, it is a good idea to place the Add Motion Path dialog box, in a position that is a little offset from the animated slide object on the slide. Play with the animations available until you find a suitable variant and click on the animation of your choice to apply.
5. Click OK within the Add Motion Path dialog box to get back to the slide. The animation is now applied to the shape.
6. Save your presentation often.