Question 1

How do I convert a PowerPoint to PDF without PowerPoint?

Accepted Answer

Open the file here and choose Print or save as PDF, then pick "Save as PDF" (or "Microsoft Print to PDF") as the printer. Each slide becomes one page at the slide's own size, and the text stays as text, so it can be searched and copied in the PDF.

Question 2

Why does a slide look a little different from PowerPoint?

Accepted Answer

The slides are redrawn from the file by the browser, not by PowerPoint, so a font you do not have is replaced by a similar one and line breaks can fall slightly differently. Animations and transitions are not played, SmartArt and charts are drawn more simply, and pictures stored as Windows metafiles (EMF or WMF) cannot be drawn by a browser and are shown as a labelled box. Text, layout, colours and pictures come through for most presentations.

Question 3

Can it open old .ppt files?

Accepted Answer

No. A .ppt file from PowerPoint 97-2003 is a different binary format. LibreOffice Impress (free) opens it and can save it as .pptx, which then opens here.

Question 4

The file will not open, or PowerPoint says it is damaged. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

A .pptx is a ZIP archive of XML files, and a download that was cut short or a bad save can break it. Repair Office File rebuilds what it can of a damaged .pptx in your browser; open the repaired copy here.

Question 5

Is my presentation uploaded?

Accepted Answer

No. The file is read and drawn by your browser, using a copy of the reader served from this site, so confidential decks stay on your computer.

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