Are you using the dev version? Try using the nightly,
but without a reference-doc.
https://github.com/jgm/pandoc/actions/runs/1648435353

"ivo....-xwz7R8GQi1g@public.gmane.org" <ivo....-xwz7R8GQi1g@public.gmane.org> writes:

> I just found out by experimentation in macos PowerPoint 16.56 (2021,
> Microsoft 365 subscription) something really strange.
>
> Put the cursor on any of the bullet points, and you see that the bullet
> text is all 32pt.
>
> However, if you now type a single character, all bullet points change
> instantly from 32pt to 22pt.
>
> This has to be a bug somewhere...
>
>> pandoc --reference-doc ~/.pandoc/templates/default.pptx -s -t pptx
> bullet-points.md -o bullet-points.pptx
>
> and
>
> ---
> title: "test bullets"
> author: "me"
> ---
>
> # Simple Slide
>
> * 1 bullet
> * 2 bullets
> * 3 bullets
> * 4 bullets
> * 5 bullets
> * 6 bullets
> * 7 bullets
> * 8 bullets
> * 9 bullets
>
> # Another slide
>
> On Sunday, January 2, 2022 at 6:31:25 PM UTC-8 John MacFarlane wrote:
>
>>
>> I just tried it, and I got eight bullets on the screen.
>> Font size seems to be around 24pt. I think Powerpoint
>> scaled it automatically when I changed the aspect ratio.
>>
>> "ivo....@ucla.edu" <ivo....@ucla.edu> writes:
>>
>> > apologies for all the comments. I am guessing that the 16:9 format is
>> > useful only if you / one can also change the defaults for the PowerPoint
>> > font sizes.
>> >
>> > on PowerPoint macos, the default 16:9 font size for first-level bullet
>> > points seems to be Calibri 28pt. This means the default vanilla
>> > presentation has 8-9 lines of bullet points.
>> >
>> > on pandoc, the output default font-size for first-level bullet points is
>> > Calibri 32pt.
>> >
>> > - in 4:3, pandoc thus also has about 8-9 lines of bullet points;
>> > - in 169, the font remains the same 32pt, which now means only 6-7 lines
>> > of bullet points.
>> >
>> > 6-7 lines is too few IMHO. Ergo, 16:9 output should go with slightly
>> > smaller fonts. For reference, the powerpoint defaults that I am getting
>> are
>> >
>> > - title: 60pt
>> > - subtitle: 24pt
>> > - header title: 44pt, Light
>> > - body points, level 1: 28pt
>> > - body points, level 2: 24pt
>> >
>> > regards, /iaw
>> >
>> >
>> > On Sunday, January 2, 2022 at 2:01:21 PM UTC-8 ivo....-xwz7R8GQi1g@public.gmane.org wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> I tried to change the default font size in the default (reference)
>> pptx,
>> >> but pandoc did not pick this one up. :-(
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Sunday, January 2, 2022 at 1:37:39 PM UTC-8 ivo....-xwz7R8GQi1g@public.gmane.org wrote:
>> >>
>> >>>
>> >>> mille grazie.
>> >>>
>> >>> given that powerpoint itself has moved to 16:9, I think it would
>> probably
>> >>> be a better default.
>> >>>
>> >>> the template trick is supercool. I had not realized this. I will try
>> to
>> >>> stick a modified version into my .pandoc/templates folder. Is there a
>> >>> standard name (like default.pptx) that pandoc picks up?
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> On Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 11:44:45 AM UTC-8 John MacFarlane
>> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> You can change this by using a reference-doc.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> pandoc --print-default-data-file reference.pptx > reference.pptx
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Now open reference.pptx with Powerpoint.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Go to Page Setup and change the aspect ratio.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Save.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Now use
>> >>>>
>> >>>> pandoc --reference-doc reference.pptx input.md -o output.pptx
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Maybe we should change the default to 16:9. Comments welcome on
>> >>>> this.
>> >>>>
>> >>>
>> >
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>>
>
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