Powerpoint Design Suggestions Substantially Decrease after adding Copilot

Designer (now called Design Suggestions for Copilot users) is the same underlying feature in both cases, but several conditions can reduce or block the number of suggestions shown in the subscription/Copilot account even though more ideas appeared in the non‑subscription account.

From the documented behavior, the most likely reasons are:

1. Slide/content conditions that block suggestions
   When Design Suggestions can’t generate high‑quality options, it shows fewer (or no) ideas at all. In the Copilot-enabled account, any of these can reduce suggestions:
   • The slide doesn’t use a built‑in Title or Title + Content layout.
   • The slide has shapes or manually drawn text boxes instead of placeholders. Designer “isn't able to suggest design ideas when a slide has a shape or text box drawn on it.”
   • For picture slides: more than four images, images smaller than 200×200 px, or extra objects/shapes on the same slide.
   • For process slides: extra photos/objects/shapes on the same slide as the process text.
2. Co‑authoring or editing state
   If the file is shared and more than one person is actively editing the same slide, Designer/Design Suggestions will not offer ideas on that slide until only one person is editing and performs a trigger action (like inserting a photo).
3. Theme or template differences
   Designer works best with built‑in PowerPoint themes. If the subscription account is using a custom corporate template or a different theme than the non‑subscription account, Designer may offer fewer ideas.
4. Connectivity, privacy, or admin settings
   Designer/Design Suggestions requires:
   • An active internet connection (it goes online to get ideas).
   • Connected experiences enabled under File → Account → Account Privacy → Manage Settings.
   • The feature not being disabled by an administrator in an education/organizational tenant.
5. Copilot branding change, not extra capacity
   For Copilot users, Designer is simply renamed to Design Suggestions and surfaced on the Home or Design tabs. Copilot does not increase the number of Designer layouts; it adds AI text/image assistance. So the non‑subscription account is not actually “more capable”; it is just that in the subscription context, one or more of the conditions above is likely limiting what Designer can show.

To improve results in the Copilot account:

1. Use a built‑in PowerPoint theme.
2. Ensure slides use Title or Title + Content layouts and avoid extra shapes/text boxes.
3. Keep to ≤4 sufficiently large images per slide and remove extra objects.
4. Confirm internet connectivity, connected experiences, and that no one else is editing the same slide.

References:

• Troubleshoot Designer in PowerPoint
• Create professional slide layouts with Designer
• Get design ideas for slides with PowerPoint Designer
• Frequently asked questions about Copilot in PowerPoint
• Microsoft 365 Copilot release notes