Many people have been using PowerPoint presentations for decades without ever considering the various file types it offers. However, by understanding PowerPoint’s file formats and settings, you can do a far better job of making presentations, backing them up, transferring them to coworkers and securing the information.
Have you ever thought about what all those file extensions mean? Should you be mindful of which file format can be added to a PowerPoint show?
Let us take a deeper look at which file formats can be added to a PowerPoint show and how they can be helpful.
Standard PowerPoint Presentations
When you keep a PowerPoint presentation, you name it and PowerPoint appends the .pptx file extension. Marketing Presentation .pptx is the extension for your marketing Presentation file.
If you include macros in the PowerPoint presentation, PowerPoint will identify their existence and save your presentation as a .pptm file format. You can enable PowerPoint to hold a presentation using macros as a .pptx file; however, PowerPoint will not allow you to playback the macros in the slide show. As a result, it is better if you enable it to save the file with the .pptm extension.
Save your slides as a .ppt file if you want to share your presentation with a coworker who is using an old version of PowerPoint. PowerPoint 97 to 2003 is unable to access or process .pptx or .pptm files.
If you are using PowerPoint 2007 or higher version, save your work in .pptx format if you have utilized macros in the presentation. The alternatives listed in this guide are additional methods for saving your work. Before saving them in any of these other formats, make sure to save them as .pptx or .pptm files first.
PowerPoint Shows
If you are wondering which file format can be added to a PowerPoint show to deliver the PowerPoint presentation to a team member without allowing them to edit anything, keep it as a PowerPoint Show file. The teammates can view the slides, but they cannot alter anything in your presentation.
PowerPoint Shows are classified into three types: Create a .ppsx file from a simple presentation. If the presentation contains macros, keep it as a .ppsm file. Create a .pps PowerPoint Presentation file if you are delivering your slide show to someone who has PowerPoint 97 2003.
Save your presentation as either a basic .pptx format or a macro-enabled .pptm file. You will not be able to make modifications to your presentation if you simply save the Show file.
PowerPoint Picture Presentations
Picture Presentations provide an extra level of security for your work. To the casual onlooker, a PowerPoint Picture Presentation seems to be a standard PowerPoint slideshow. When you keep the work as a Picture Presentation, every slide is transformed into a basic image.
Text objects, picture objects, transitions, animations and other special effects can be found in slides. On the other hand, Picture Presentations comprise simply of the images of your slides.
Someone can easily copy your work by looking at each image and retyping the text. They can also capture pictures. However, they can not capture any of the brilliance of PowerPoint.
If you want to make a Picture Presentation, give it a distinctive name. You cannot alter your presentation if you merely save the Picture Presentation with a .pptx file.
1. Windows Media Videos
You can save your presentation as a Windows Media Video (.wmv) file and playback it using the Windows Media Player or another video player application. Windows or Mac users can view your .wmv file, even if they do not have PowerPoint on the system.
2. Outline/RTF
PowerPoint allows the conversion of the presentation slideshow into plain text. This is useful if you want to copy portions of the presentation’s text to the blog or site.
When you generate a rich text format (.rtf) file, you store only the text. You will not see the graphics, animations, slide transitions and non-text objects.
3. PDF Files
Your presentation can be easily saved as a pdf file. These .pdf files are viewed on any platform that supports Windows, iOS, Unix/Linux, or Android. However, the generated file is an unmoving document. The slides will not fade up and down. The animated objects will all become motionless.
4. PPSX (PowerPoint Show)
Presentations are saved as a slide show in this file type. This is identical to a PPTX file, except when double-clicked, it opens in Slide Show mode rather than Normal view.
5. PPS
This file type stores presentation as a slide show in PowerPoint 97 to 2003; it is identical to a PPT file except that when double-clicked, it opens in Slide Show mode rather than Normal view.
Templates
If you like this year’s sales outcomes slideshow and wish to utilize the same font size, colours and fonts in next year’s presentation, save your presentation as a template and reuse it.
1. POTX
This file type is a presentation template you can use as a starting point for subsequent presentations. This file type is compatible with PowerPoint 2007 and the latest versions.
2. POT (PowerPoint 97�2003 Template)
In PowerPoint 97 through 2003, this file type is a template. These can still be opened and used in subsequent versions of PowerPoint.
3. POTM (PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Template)
This file format is a template but with macros enabled.
Office Themes and Backups
As Microsoft PowerPoint is a component of MS Office, you can keep the PowerPoint work in two different file formats.
The presentation theme can be saved as an Office .thmx file. This Office theme can be used to customize the fonts and colours of PowerPoint presentations, Word documents and Excel spreadsheets. This ensures that all of the Office documents you provide to potential customers have a similar look and experience.
PowerPoint Add-Ins
- PPAM
This file type launches the presentation as an add-in using custom commands or VBA code. Used in PowerPoint 2007 and subsequent versions.
- PPA
This launches presentations as an add-on that you can use with PowerPoint 97 through 2003. Typically used in PowerPoint 2003 or older versions.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
Every slide from the presentation is saved as GIF graphic files that you can use on the web or in an image editing tool. These are static GIFs, not animated GIFs. PowerPoint 365 versions support animated GIF outputs.
JPG
The JPEG File Interchange Format keeps individual presentation slides as JPG graphic files that you can use on the web or access in an image editing tool.
PNG
Every slide from the presentation is saved as Portable Network Graphics Format graphic files that you can use on the web or in an image editing tool.
EMF
Every slide from a presentation is saved as EMF graphic files in this file format. These are usually higher-quality 32-bit vector graphics files that can be manipulated in illustration tools like CorelDRAW.
WMV
This file format stores a presentation as a video that can be viewed on the web or with a media player. Only PowerPoint 2010 has this feature.
FAQs on Which File Format Can Be Added to a PowerPoint Show
The following FAQs will give you a better understanding of the PowerPoint file formats.
Can you import mp4 files into PowerPoint?
PowerPoint allows you to insert offline movies in mp4, m4v, or mov video files.
How do I save a PowerPoint Slide Show?
Click on the FILE > Save, go to a folder, give a name for your presentation in the File name box, then click Save or use the Ctrl S shortcut key.
Is it possible to import files into PowerPoint?
Yes, it is possible to import files into PowerPoint. Click Object in the Text group on the Insert tab. Choose to Create from File. In the File box, input the file’s name or click Browse to choose from a list.
What is PowerPoint Formatting?
PowerPoint formatting transforms a rough presentation into something more visually appealing and acceptable to the audience. It can also be characterized as a method of giving slides a redesign.
What is a PowerPoint show file?
PPS and PPSX files are PowerPoint Slide Show files. These files open directly in slide show/presentation mode and can be viewed on any computer with PowerPoint for the web or the mobile app.
It is not necessary to become well acquainted with PowerPoint presentation file extensions and options. However, make certain that all of these files are included in the usual on and off-site backups. You can mark which file format can be added to a PowerPoint show guide to check out when you want to save or access a PowerPoint presentation in any of these formats.
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