This is an excerpt from Velsoft’s March computer course release: Sway.

Create Cards

In the last section, we learned that a Microsoft Sway project is made up of cards. These cards provide an easy way to create, organize, and group content. A card can include text, images, video, and/or audio.

Topic Objectives

You will learn:

  • About the title card
  • How to edit and create a card
  • How to add text and images to a card
  • How to set card emphasis

About the Title Card

Let’s take a closer look at the title card, which defines the main heading of your Sway project:

The main part of the card is where you will enter your project’s title (1). You can use the commands (2) above this box to add formatting or a link to the title of your project.

On the left side of the card, you can add a background image (3) by clicking the related section. You can also change the card view by clicking the Details (4) heading. (This will show an additional option to add a logo to the Sway project.)

Creating a Card

To add a new card, click the card type from the Cards pane:

(If this pane is not visible, click the Cards button.)

You can also click the plus sign in the card list:

And then click the type of card you want to add:

With either method, the card will be created:

Now, you can enter your content:

We’ll learn more about the other features on a card in the next lesson.

Adding Images to a Card

If we had chosen to create a card with media (such as an image or video), the Insert pane would open with suggested searches and appropriate results:

Let’s take a closer look at the top of the Insert pane:

You can use the Insert and Cards commands (1) to toggle between the respective panes. Or, close the pane (2) with the X.

By default, Sway will perform a web search using the terms in the Search field. However, you can change the source using the Suggested menu (3) and enter new terms into the Search field (4).

Below these commands, you can use the tabs (5) to search for images, video, or both. As well, you can search for Creative Commons media (6) only, which typically allows you to freely re-use images and video. However, note that you are responsible for obtaining proper copyright permissions where necessary.

To add an image to a card, just click and drag it:

The image will then be added to the card:

Here’s what it looks like when we play the project:

Setting Card Emphasis

You can change how each card will appear in your Sway project by setting the emphasis:

From left to right, the options are Subtle, Moderate, and Intense. (Text cards only offer Subtle and Moderate options.) Simply click an option to select it.

Use Nonverbal Communication is an excerpt from Velsoft’s new course Sway, Microsoft’s cloud-based storytelling and presentation application.