Create and Customize Columns in Beamer

Learn how to create columns, add content and specify alignment in beamer.

1. Creating columns with different widths

To create columns in beamer, we use the columns environment. Then, at the point to begin a column we use the \column command followed by the width of the columns (or \begin{column} ... \end{column}).

In the following example, we have created two columns with different widths:

% Columns in beamer
\documentclass{beamer}

% Theme choice:
\usetheme{CambridgeUS}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{Columns in beamer}
    \begin{columns}
    \column{0.6\textwidth}
        \centering
        This is column one with 0.75 text width.
    \column{0.4\textwidth}
        \centering
        This is column two with 0.25 text width.
    \end{columns}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

Compiling this code yields:

Comments:

• We used CambridgeUS theme, loaded by the command \usetheme{CambridgeUS}.
• The frame has the title “Columns in beamer”.
• We created two columns: one with 60% of text width and the second with 40% text width.
• Text inside each column is centered using the command \centering.

2. Figure next to text in beamer

With the same manner as above, we can add text and image in the same slide as follows:

% Image and text in beamer (same slide)
\documentclass{beamer}

% Theme choice:
\usetheme{CambridgeUS}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{Text and Image in beamer}
    \begin{columns}
    \column{0.4\textwidth}
        This is an example of text and image in the same slide using columns environment.
    \column{0.6\textwidth}
        \begin{figure}
        \centering
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Neural-Network.jpg}
        \caption{Neural Network with 5 neurons in the hidden layer. }
        \end{figure}
    \end{columns}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

Compiling this code yields:

The image of the Neural Network can be downloaded from here: NN.jpg. This illustration is drawn in LaTeX using TikZ package, read this post!

3. Vertical line between columns

To distinctively separate the two (or more) columns from each other we can create a vertical line between them. This can be done simply by adding a \rule command in an intermediate column with a small width. In the example below two columns are separated with a vertical line using this method.

% Vertical line between columns
\documentclass{beamer}

% Theme choice:
\usetheme{CambridgeUS}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{Vertical line between columns}
    
\begin{columns}
% Column 1
    \begin{column}{0.49\textwidth}
     
     \begin{itemize}
         \item Input layer: 2 neurons.
         \item Hidden layer: 5 neurons.
         \item Output layer: 2 neurons.
     \end{itemize}
     
    \end{column}

% Column 2 (vertical line)
    \begin{column}{.02\textwidth}
        \rule{.1mm}{0.7\textheight}
    \end{column}

% Column 3    
    \begin{column}{0.49\textwidth}
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Neural-Network.jpg}
    \end{column}
    
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

Compiling this code yields:

Comments:

• We have created 3 columns of widths 0.49, 0.02, 0.49 of the slide text width, respectively.
• The first column has an unordered list, the second column contains the vertical line and the third column contains an image.
• The vertical line has a width of 0.1mm and a height of 70% of the text height. This is achieved by the command \rule{<width>}{<height>}.

4. Vertical alignment of columns

The vertical alignment of column content is very important for the beautification of a presentation. The text and the figures can be placed in three position in a frame, i.e. top, bottom, and center. By specifying [c ], [T], or [b] after beginning the column environment will a automatically position the short content to the center, top, or bottom respectively.

– Top alignment

% Vertical alignment columns
\documentclass{beamer}

% Theme choice:
\usetheme{CambridgeUS}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{Vertical alignment (top)}
    
\begin{columns}[T]
% Column 1
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
     This is a neural network with two inputs and two outputs. It has the following parameters:
     \begin{itemize}
         \item Input layer: 2 neurons.
         \item Hidden layer: 5 neurons.
         \item Output layer: 2 neurons.
     \end{itemize}
     The neural network is drawn in \LaTeX{} using Ti\textit{k}Z package. Check latexdraw.com for more details.
    \end{column}

% Column 2    
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Neural-Network.jpg}
    \end{column}
    
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

which yields to top alignment of different columns’ contents. In this case, we have text and an image as shown below:

– Center alignment

% Vertical alignment columns
\documentclass{beamer}

% Theme choice:
\usetheme{CambridgeUS}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{Vertical alignment (center)}
    
\begin{columns}[c]
% Column 1
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
     This is a neural network with two inputs and two outputs. It has the following parameters:
     \begin{itemize}
         \item Input layer: 2 neurons.
         \item Hidden layer: 5 neurons.
         \item Output layer: 2 neurons.
     \end{itemize}
     The neural network is drawn in \LaTeX{} using Ti\textit{k}Z package. Check latexdraw.com for more details.
    \end{column}

% Column 2    
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Neural-Network.jpg}
    \end{column}
    
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

which yields to center alignment of different columns’ contents as shown below:

– Bottom alignment

% Vertical alignment columns
\documentclass{beamer}

% Theme choice:
\usetheme{CambridgeUS}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{Vertical alignment (bottom)}
    
\begin{columns}[b]
% Column 1
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
     This is a neural network with two inputs and two outputs. It has the following parameters:
     \begin{itemize}
         \item Input layer: 2 neurons.
         \item Hidden layer: 5 neurons.
         \item Output layer: 2 neurons.
     \end{itemize}
     The neural network is drawn in \LaTeX{} using Ti\textit{k}Z package. Check latexdraw.com for more details.
    \end{column}

% Column 2    
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Neural-Network.jpg}
    \end{column}
    
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

Compiling this code yields:

Summary

• Creating columns in beamer can be achieved by column environment. We can create columns inside the main column with a predefined width which is achieved using \begin{columns}{<width>} ... \end{columns}
• Vertical line between columns can be created using the command \rule{<width>}{<height>} inside an intermediate column with a small width.
• Content alignment of different columns can be achieved by adding [T], [b] or [c] for top alignment, bottom alignment and center alignment, respectively, just after the main column environment.

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