how to reduce powerpoint presentation file size

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How to Reduce Powerpoint File Size

Last Updated: March 29, 2022

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd . Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 981,889 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to lower a PowerPoint presentation file's size by compressing its images on a Windows or Mac computer, or by clearing the editing data on a Windows computer. There is currently no option to delete the editing data of PowerPoint presentations on a Mac.

Compressing Images on Windows

• If your PowerPoint file isn't yet open, first open it by double-clicking it.
• It doesn't matter which picture you double-click, since all of them will open the appropriate tab.

Compressing Images on Mac

Removing Edit Data on Windows

Expert Q&A

• Using JPEG files rather than other file formats will cut down on your presentation's overall size. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• When formulating a presentation, using the default plain backgrounds in your slides will make your file smaller than if you upload detailed backgrounds. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you can't get your PowerPoint file to shrink down enough to send it via email, you can upload it to a cloud service (e.g., Google Drive) and send an email with a link to the file instead. Your recipient will be able to download the file from Google Drive. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Reducing your images' quality will make a noticeable difference in your PowerPoint's overall quality. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

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• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Reduce-your-file-size-631d1d48-a56b-4fd4-ad66-091dd201db10?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US&fromAR=1#bmpp
• ↑ http://www.isumsoft.com/it/reduce-powerpoint-file-size-in-office-2016/

About This Article

1. Double-click an image. 2. Click Compress Pictures . 3. Remove the check mark from “Apply only to this picture.” 4. Select a lower DPI. 5. Click OK . 6. Click File . 7. Click Options . 8. Click Advanced . 9. Click Discard editing data . 10. Click OK and save the file. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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10 Ways to Compress PowerPoint Presentations to Reduce File Size

10 Strategies to Compress or Reduce the Size of Large PowerPoint Presentations

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated September 11, 2024

Applies to: Microsoft ®  PowerPoint ® 2016, 2019, 2021 and 365 (Windows)

You can compress or reduce the size of large PowerPoint presentations in several ways. The most common strategy to reduce the size of a PowerPoint file is to compress pictures, video and audio. However, you can also use other methods to make files smaller including saving media and PowerPoint files in other formats and converting or removing embedded objects.

In this article, we'll look at 10 ways to compress or reduce the size of a PowerPoint presentation:

• Compress pictures
• Insert pictures instead of copying and pasting
• Use smaller image files
• Convert images to a different file type
• Save a copy of images with artistic effects
• Compress audio and video
• Link to audio or video files
• Convert Excel charts and other embedded objects
• Save a copy of large PowerPoint files
• Save a copy in PDF format

Note: Buttons and Ribbon tabs may display in a different way (with or without text) depending on your version of PowerPoint, the size of your screen and your Control Panel settings. For PowerPoint 365 users, Ribbon tabs may appear with different names. For example, the Picture Tools Format tab may appear as Picture Format.

To view file size in PowerPoint:

• Click the File tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Info. In the Properties area, file size is listed beside Size.

Once you've completed the following strategies, close and save the PowerPoint file, reopen it and check the file size again. You can also view file size in Windows 10 File Explorer or Windows Explorer in older versions of Windows.

Recommended article : How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

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1. Compress pictures

One of the most common ways to reduce file size is to compress one or all of the pictures in your PowerPoint file. You may want to try this with one picture at a time to be sure you are satisfied with the result after compression.

To compress a picture:

• In Normal View, select a picture on image on a slide.
• Click the Picture Tools Format or Format Picture tab in the Ribbon.
• In the Adjust group, click Compress Pictures. A dialog box appears.
• Select the check box to Apply only to this picture if you want to compress only the current picture or uncheck this option if you wish to compress all pictures in the presentation.
• Select the check box to Delete cropped areas of pictures if you have cropped images and want to permanently delete the areas you have removed by cropping.
• Choose the desired document resolution.

Don't forget to check pictures in Slide Master View (click the View tab in the Ribbon and then click Slide Master) as you may want to compress or delete those images as well.

Also, be sure to check image(s) after you compress them to be sure to are satisfied with the quality of the image(s). If you create a copy of the presentation before compressing the image(s), you can revert to the original if necessary.

2. Insert pictures instead of copying and pasting

It's best to insert pictures, rather than copying and pasting (or dragging and dropping) into the PowerPoint file. When you copy and paste (or drag and drop) an image into a presentation, it can lose compression, change file type and also bring in other data that can increase file size.

To insert a picture onto a PowerPoint slide:

• In Normal View, display the slide where you want to insert a picture.
• Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon and click Pictures (2013 and later versions) or Picture (2010). You can also click the Pictures or Picture icon in a placeholder on a slide. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the location of the picture.
• Select the picture and click Insert or double-click the picture.

You also have the option of linking to a picture file by clicking the arrow beside Insert in the Insert Picture dialog box and then choosing Link to File. However, the picture is not actually "in" the file (which reduces file size) and if you email the document, the pictures will not be included. If you use this strategy, it's best to copy the picture to the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation and be sure to bring the entire folder with you when you deliver the presentation.

3. Use smaller image files

It's best to insert pictures in smaller sizes to reduce the size of your PowerPoint files. For example, if you are inserting pictures from a phone taken at a high resolution, this will result in larger PowerPoint decks. Create, save or send images at a lower resolution and insert the lower resolution images into your PowerPoint files.

If you're using stock images, select images at the lowest resolution (at the quality level you require). You can also open an image in an image editing program (such as Microsoft Picture Manager or Adobe Photoshop) and then save it at a lower resolution.

In PowerPoint 365, one of the biggest culprits causing inflated file size is 3D models. Although 3D models are not inserted as pictures but rather as 3D models, they are images. One 3D model we inserted took up 17 MB of space. You can't compress 3D models like other types of images so you may need to delete 3D models or use a picture instead of a 3D model if file size is an issue.

4. Convert images to a different file type

Prior to inserting an image in PowerPoint, you can open it in an image editing program (such as Microsoft Picture Manager or Adobe Photoshop) and then use Save As to save the image in another format.

The format that will result in the smallest size is usually JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group format) or JPG. The JPEG compression algorithm significantly reduces the file size of images.

You can also save images in PowerPoint in different formats:

• Right-click the picture. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Save As Picture. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the folder where you want to save the image.
• Enter a name for the file and select a format such as JPG or PNG.
• Click Save.
• In the PowerPoint presentation, delete the original image.
• Click Insert and then click Picture(s).
• Navigate to the location with the image you saved.
• Double-click the image.

5. Save a copy of images with artistic effects

When you apply an artistic effect to an image, PowerPoint retains two copies of the image (the original and a copy with the artistic effects). This allows the user to reset the image but can significantly increase file size. Compressing pictures also doesn't normally have any effect on images where you have applied artistic effects.

If you have applied an artistic effect (such as blur) to an image, you can reduce file size using the following method:

• Right-click the image with the artistic effect. A drop-down menu appears.
• Enter a name and select a file type (usually JPG or PNG).
• In the PowerPoint presentation, delete the image with the artistic effect.
• Navigate to the location with the image you saved with the artistic effect.

6. Compress audio and video

In 2010 and later versions of PowerPoint, audio and video files are copied into presentations rather than linked to the original files. You can improve playback performance and reduce PowerPoint file size by compressing audio and video files in your presentation.

Files can be compressed at different quality levels.

In PowerPoint 2013 and 2016, you can compress to the following quality levels:

• Presentation Quality – select this option to save space but maintain overall audio and video quality.
• Internet Quality – select this option and quality will be comparable to media which is streamed over the web.
• Low Quality – select this option if space is limited, such as when you are sending presentations via e-mail.

In PowerPoint 2019 and 365, you can compress to the following quality levels:

• Full HD (1080p) – select this option to save space while maintaining overall audio and video quality.
• HD (720p) – select this option to save space and the quality will be comparable to media which is streamed over the Internet.
• Standard (480p) – select this option when space is limited, such as when you are sending presentations via e-mail.

The following compression options appear in PowerPoint 2019 or 365:

Note: Some older video file formats may not compress or export properly. Embedded subtitles and alternate audio tracks will be lost in the compression process.

To compress media in PowerPoint:

• Open the presentation that contains the audio or video files you want to compress.
• Save a copy of the presentation so you can retain a copy of the file with the original media.
• In the copy, click the File tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Info.
• In the Media Size and Performance area, click Compress Media. A dialog box appears.
• Select the desired compression option. A dialog box appears indicating that media compression is in progress. PowerPoint will indicate how much space is saved.
• When compression is complete, click Close.

7. Link to audio or video files

You also have the option of linking to audio or video files. When you insert an audio or video file, click the arrow beside Insert in the Insert dialog box and then choose Link to File. Linked audio or video is not actually "in" the presentation (which reduces file size) and if you email the presentation, the media files will not be included if you have linked to audio or video files. Linking was the default behavior in PowerPoint 2007 and earlier versions for video and larger audio files.

If you choose to link to audio or video files, t's best to copy the media files to the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation and be sure to bring the entire folder with you when you deliver the presentation.

Note: You cannot apply certain types of formatting to linked video files.

8. Convert Excel charts and other embedded objects

Embedded objects such as Excel charts or worksheets can also increase file size. If you convert embedded objects to images, it can impact the size or your presentation. You can also reduce file size by breaking links to Excel files.

If you want to convert embedded objects into pictures, you can ungroup them or cut and paste them back into PowerPoint.

To ungroup an object:

• Select the chart or embedded object.
• Click the Format tab in the Ribbon. This tab may appear as Drawing Tools Format, Drawing Format or Shape Format.
• Select Group and then Ungroup. A dialog box appears asking if you want to convert the object to a PowerPoint object.

To cut an object and paste it back into a presentation as a picture:

• Select the embedded chart or object.
• Press Ctrl + X to cut it.
• Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
• Click the arrow below Paste to display the drop-down menu and then choose Paste Special.
• Select an image type (such as JPEG) and click OK.

If you have links to Excel files, you can reduce file size using Edit Links to Files. Check out How to Break, Update or Change Links to Excel Charts or Worksheets in PowerPoint for more information on how to break links.

9. Save a copy of large PowerPoint files

It's a good idea to save a copy of a large PowerPoint files periodically using Save As and give the file a different name (i.e. Sales Presentation and the date). If you save a copy using Save As, version history and some editing data is removed during the process and this will reduce file size. This can also help avoid corrupted files.

To save a copy of a PowerPoint presentation:

• Choose Save As. If necessary, click Options or More Options. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the desired location.
• Enter a new name for the presentation.

10. Save a copy in PDF format

It's also common to save a copy of a presentation as a PDF (portable document format) file to reduce the size and then share it with others. You can compress images during the process.

To save a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF (and compress images):

• Choose Save As and then click Options or More Options if necessary. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the desired location and enter a name for the file. You can use the same name since the extension will be different (PDF).
• Under File Type, select PDF.
• Click Tools on the bottom right of the dialog box. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Compress Pictures. A dialog box appears.
• Click the desired compression option.

Large file size is a common problem in PowerPoint and you can use these strategies to reduce the size of your PowerPoint presentations. Compressing the size of your decks should also help to improve speed and avoid crashes.

This article was originally published on November 6, 2016 and has been updated for clarity and content.

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Compress PPT Presentations Online

July 12, 2024 by Hung Nguyen

Learn how to reduce the size of your PPT files by more than half at no cost, using Smallpdf. No watermark, no registration, and no installation.

We’re well into the 21st century, but many email servers still have a 20–25 MB size limit for attachments. This isn’t an inconvenience when you’re sending or receiving simple documents or files. But it can be a severe impediment when you work on presentations and PPT files regularly.

Basic presentations of only a few text-based slides are rarely too large to send via email. But once you start adding charts and images to a PowerPoint presentation with more than 20 slides, the size can rapidly balloon past the email size cap.

Using the compression tools built into Windows and macOS might save you 1–2 MB. Cloud-based storage involves multiple steps for you and the recipient, and file transfer services usually require registration.

Smallpdf offers a simpler alternative that requires no registration and can reduce PowerPoint file size by more than half.

How To Compress a PPT File for Free

Upload your ppt to our compress tool ., choose “basic” once the compress panel appears., once compression is complete, select “export as” instead of “download.”, choose “powerpoint (.pptx),” and on the next screen select “convert selectable text only” and then the “convert” button., after conversion, you can download your document, share it, or save it..

Convert, compress, and download your PPT using Smallpdf

What Happens When We Compress PowerPoint Files

Smallpdf can compress PowerPoint files more effectively than zipping by first converting them to a PDF. During this process, our compressor looks for repeated patterns and data, replacing them with unique identifiers. This results in a much smaller file.

If what you wanted was a smaller PDF, you can download this once the conversion and compression are complete. But to reduce PowerPoint file size, the “Export As” option allows you to turn the PDF back into a PPT file. The layout remains unchanged, and all fields can still be edited in PowerPoint.

Once your file has been compressed and converted, you can either download it to your device, share a link to the file, or save it to your Dropbox or Google Drive account. If you have a Pro subscription, you can also save it to your Smallpdf storage.

One caveat is that compression can sometimes affect non-standard fonts, special characters, and emojis. To reduce the risk of any text in your presentation from being changed, you can embed the fonts used in your PowerPoint file.

• With your presentation open in PowerPoint, select “Preferences.”
• Select “Save” under “Output and Sharing.”
• In the panel that opens, check the “Embed fonts in the file” option.

Emojis are usually replaced by the “undefined” glyph—a rectangle with an X—during compression. If your presentation must include emoji, turn them into images first and add the image to your slides.

Other Measures to Reduce PowerPoint File Size

There are a few other steps you can take to make your PPT file smaller before compressing it.

Each high-resolution image in your presentation can add 2 MB or more to the file size. Instead of removing images essential to the presentation, try optimizing them first. This guide will take you through the steps to using our Compress tool on your images. Once you have compressed all your images, replace the high-resolution version with the optimized version.

You can also compress images using PowerPoint. Go to File and select “Compress Pictures”. This will give you a variety of options that you can experiment with to see what effect it has on the image quality and the file size.

Embedding videos in your presentation will also inflate the file size. Although Smallpdf can’t help with compressing video files, there are other online services that can. Alternatively, consider uploading the video to YouTube and then adding a link to it in the presentation.

Once you have finished compiling your PowerPoint presentation, run through all the slides again to ensure all unused slides and slide masters have been removed. You can reduce PowerPoint file size substantially by following these steps, and then you can use our Compress tool to make it even smaller.

Maintaining Quality and Formatting

Whenever you compress PowerPoint files, there is always some risk of losing quality. Text and vector graphics will remain clear with well-defined edges, but other images could end up with slightly blurred edges. Opting for Basic compression reduces this risk while still giving you a much smaller file. But always check the results before sending your file.

Our compression tool also retains the original formatting. You can still edit any text in your presentation, along with shifting, resizing, or removing individual images.

When uploading a file to our Compress tool, you’re uploading a copy. The original file is never removed from your device. So, if you are unhappy with any results, you still have the uncompressed original to work with.

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Smallpdf is free to use, and you don’t need to create an account. However, you are limited to two downloads a day using any of our more than 20 tools . If you create a Smallpdf account, you unlock a 7-day free trial with unlimited downloads and access to other Pro features. You can also download our Windows app, allowing you to compress PowerPoint files, JPGs, and other file types offline. After 7 days, you can switch back to a free plan with limited downloads or subscribe to a Pro, Team, or Business plan.

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Compress PowerPoint Presentations

How to Compress PowerPoint Presentations

Many users, when sharing PowerPoint files via email, can end up realizing that the file is too big to be sent via their email service provider because of its excessive file size. While there are many third-party apps that enable sending large files via sharing links, not only can they be less secure to use for confidential documents, but the files might take a while to download by the recipient due to the heavy file size. therefore, Compressing a PowerPoint presentation can help you avoid such issues.

Compress a PowerPoint Presentation File

There are different methods by which you can compress a PowerPoint file and elements within the file to reduce the file size and make your slide deck more manageable.

1.  Compress Images in PowerPoint

The most common method to reduce the file size of a PowerPoint presentation is to compress slide images. This method is also quite useful if you’re wondering how to compress a ppt file for email since it provides the option to reduce the images down to a very low resolution of 96 PPI, which is usually sufficient to make the presentation small enough for an email attachment.

To compress one or more images in PowerPoint, select an image from the presentation, go to the Picture Format tab, and select Compress Picture from the Adjust menu.

From the dialog box that appears, you can choose various compression options. If you want only to compress the selected image, check Apply only to this picture checkbox.

The compression options available from the given dialog box can be used to reduce the size of the current or all images in the presentation file for print (220 PPI), web (150 PPI), and email (96 PPI), or you can choose the default resolution.

2. Compress Video and Audio in PowerPoint

Video and audio files can take up a lot of space and make PowerPoint presentations difficult to manage due to their large file size. If you have media files added to PowerPoint that are heavy, your presentation might also lag in SlideShow mode.

To compress video and audio files in PowerPoint, go to File > Info > Compress Media . Select a lower resolution of the media files from the drop-down menu to reduce their file size.

This will shrink the PowerPoint file size and reduce the file size for video and audio files, with information regarding how much the files were compressed.

You can play to preview the media files to ensure the quality of the converted media files is satisfactory. Suppose you aren’t satisfied with the compression quality and reduced file size.

In that case, you can also compress the media files using third-party tools, including online converters like CloudConvert and ZamZar or media file conversion apps like HandBrake, Xilisoft audio/video converter, Freemake audio/video converter, etc.

It is also important to note that if you use audio in your presentations, MP3 files typically compress the audio more than WAV files. To reduce the file size of your presentations with audio, consider inserting MP3 audio files into your presentation, over the WAV format. Check out our article how to add audio to PowerPoint presentations to learn more about the available audio formats.

3. Remove Heavy Graphics and Slide Elements

Another easy method to compress PowerPoint and shrink its size is to remove unwanted elements to reduce the file size. You can either do this directly from slides or edit the layouts of the deck via View > Slide Master .

4. Replace Media Files with Links and Embedded Content

You can also replace certain files that might be making your slides heavy. Embedding the media files directly via online sources like YouTube or by adding links to media instead of embedding files in your presentation will significantly reduce file size.

5. Convert PowerPoint File Type to Compress File Size (E.g. Export to PDF)

If you don’t need to present your slides as a PowerPoint file, Converting PowerPoint presentations to a different format, such as PDF, can compress the file size. This will also remove media files such as audio and video files that you can instead add as a clickable link for the recipient prior to conversion. This process could also shrink PowerPoint file size. Learn how to save a PowerPoint presentations to PDF .

6. Compress a PowerPoint File using a File Compression Format

To share a PowerPoint file online in a compressed format, you can convert it to a ZIP file or use a number of formats supported by your operating system or third-party apps such as RAR, 7z, GZIP, TAR, XZ, WIM, etc. The compression feature is often integrated via the right-click context menu or long tap for mobile operating systems.

Some of the most famous tools known to provide a high file compression ratio and various security features for file compression include 7-Zip, WinRAR, WinZIP, PeaZip, etc.

Compressing your PowerPoint presentation can help reduce the file size, making it easier to share via email, improve loading times, and reduce storage space. It also ensures that the recipient can quickly download and access the presentation.

The most common method is to compress the images in your presentation: – Select an image in your presentation. – Go to the Picture Format tab. – Click on Compress Pictures in the Adjust group. – Choose the desired compression options (e.g., for print, web, or email).

If the media quality is unsatisfactory, you can compress the media files separately before adding them back to your presentation using third-party tools. Tools like HandBrake, Xilisoft, and Freemake can help you achieve better compression results.

To reduce the file size by removing unnecessary elements: – Review each slide and identify heavy graphics, images, and other elements that can be removed or simplified. – Use the Slide Master view to make global changes to the slide layouts, reducing the number of heavy elements across all slides.

Yes, you can replace media files with links to online sources or embed content directly from websites like YouTube. This reduces the file size significantly by not storing large media files within the presentation.

You can convert your PowerPoint presentation to a PDF: – Go to File > Save As. – Choose PDF from the file format options. – Save the file. This will remove media files and significantly reduce the file size.

Yes, you can use file compression tools like 7-Zip, WinRAR, or WinZIP: – Right-click on the PowerPoint file. – Select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. – Alternatively, use third-party tools to compress the file into ZIP, RAR, or 7z formats.

The potential downsides include: – Loss of media quality due to compression. – Incompatibility issues if the recipient does not have the required software to decompress the file. – Reduced functionality if converting to a different format like PDF, as interactive elements may be lost.

To work with full compatibility: – Use common compression formats like ZIP. – Provide instructions or links to software if using less common formats like RAR or 7z. – Consider sharing a link to an online version of the presentation if possible.

Compressing PowerPoint files can have pros and cons, including loss of media quality or inability of the recipient to open the file if it’s in a compression format that requires a specific app that he/she might not have. Therefore, you should pick a mode of compression that is convenient enough for you and the recipient of the file.

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Filed under Presentation Ideas • October 3rd, 2024

Icebreaker Questions for Presentations: Engaging Your Audience from the Start

Presentations are not just about conveying information; they are about connecting with your audience, sparking interest, and fostering an environment conducive to learning and collaboration. One of the most effective tools to achieve this is using icebreaker questions. These questions serve to “break the ice” by easing tension, encouraging participation, and building rapport among participants, […]

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Blog > Compress PowerPoint to reduce the file size

Compress PowerPoint to reduce the file size

02.12.20   •  #powerpointtips.

Sometimes, the file size of your PowerPoint presentation can get very big. In some cases, that can be annoying, e.g. when trying to send the slides via email, but not being able to do so because the file is too large. Usually, pictures and videos are the reason why presentations become too big. The good news are that you can easily compress pictures and embedded media files by following the steps listed below.

Compress images

Compress videos and audios.

• Convert PPT into a PDF file
• Get rid of 3D-models

Compress PPT as ZIP- file

PowerPoint offers the option to compress all images at once or choose single pictures to reduce their file size. Keep in mind, that compressing an image will automatically reduce its quality as well. If you don't need to reduce the file size, better use the highest quality resolution as possible.

There are two ways to compress images within your PPT file which nearly work the same way:

Compress selected pictures

• Select the image you want to compress or any picture if you wish to reduce the size of all graphics
• Navigate to the Picture Tools Format tab and select Compress Pictures

• A new menu pops up. Choose your compression options and make sure to check "Delete cropped areas of pictures" and uncheck "Apply only to this picture" (if you want to compress all images)
• High fidelity: preserves quality of the original picture
• HD (330 ppi): good quality for high-definition (HD) displays
• Print (220 ppi): excellent quality on most printers and screens
• Web (150 ppi): good for web pages and projectors
• E-mail (96 ppi): minimize document size for sharing
• Use default resolution

Compress all images while saving the PPT file

• Open your presentation. Go to File in the PowerPoint menu
• Click Save as and then Browse
• In the window that opens, click on Tools (right beside Save )
• Select Compress Pictures and choose the resolution you need To save even more space, you can additionally choose Delete cropped areas of pictures to remove the parts of pictures which you cropped in PowerPoint.
• Click OK and then Save

Video and audio files can increase your PPT size a lot. It's a good idea to compress those if you want to make some space. Some PowerPoint versions make it possible to decrease the media size in PPT but if this option is missing in your program, online video compressors are the solution.

Compress videos and audios in PPT

• Go to File in the PowerPoint menu
• Open the Compress media drop down
• Choose a compression file size. Don't reduce the quality too much and check if the appearance of your media doesn't look too grainy on the actual projector you will be presenting on

Online video compressor

There are plenty of online video compressors which you can use to reduce the video size in advance. For example, the website FreeConvert makes it easy to decrease the file size without having to download anything. This way you can integrate a smaller media file into PPT.

Links instead of videos

Instead of importing a video to your PPT slides, including a link to your PowerPoint presentation can save a lot of space. If your video is somewhere on YouTube or other online video-sharing platforms, include a link and use it when you're presenting. But notice: a link can only be used, if you're connected with wifi. Watching videos online, can take time and a bad connection might give you some unwanted breaks during your presentation. In this case, saving the video on your disk and opening it separately can save time and still reduce the size of the PPT.

Convert PPT to PDF

By converting a PowerPoint file into a PDF, the size will reduce automatically. During the process, images get compressed and some media (audio, videos, 3D models..) get removed. If you want to change the PowerPoint slides at all time, this method might not be the right one for you, as PDF files can't get edited the way a PowerPoint can. Hence, converting PPT into PDF only makes sense if your presentation will work as a handout and if the PDF files options are enough for you.

• Click Export
• Hit the Create PDF/XPS button
• Choose a location in which you want to save your PDF file
• Click Publish

Get rid of 3D models

The Office 365 subscription makes it possible to add 3D models to your PowerPoint slides. Nevertheless, those media require much space since they transport a lot of information. In order to minimize the PPT file, exchanging the 3D model with a normal image will easily reduce the size of your PowerPoint file.

If you need to share your PPT with someone, a ZIP- file format might help you to reduce the size of the PowerPoint. Even though, this method can save some place temporally, it might not be enough to send it via email. Uploading it to file-sharing platforms, such as GoogleDrive, DropBox, OneDrive or other websites and sharing its link to download the PPT, can be the better option. (Using an USB for sharing the presentation without the need to decompress anything would be the best solution)

Here's how to convert a PPT into a ZIP- file format:

• Select the file you want to minimize in the File Explorer
• Right-Click the file and hit Send to
• Choose the Compressed (zipped) folder option

If you want to decompress a ZIP- file into its original PowerPoint format:

• Right-Click on your ZIP- folder
• Select Extract All... or the similar operation of your program
• Choose a File Location to extract your file to, or extract it at the place you are currently at

How can I reduce the size of a PowerPoint file?

There are several ways to reduce the file size of a PowerPoint. You can compress images, videos and audios, convert your presentation into a PDF file, get rid of 3D models or compress the PowerPoint as a ZIP-file. We explained for you how all of this works in our blog.

How do I compress a video in PowerPoint?

To compress videos in PowerPoint, go to "File" in the PowerPoint menu and then click on "Info". Then open the drop-down menu "Compress media" and select the size of the compression file. Be careful not to reduce the quality too much and check that the quality of your video on the projector you will be presenting on is not too bad.

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About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

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How to compress a PowerPoint file so that it loads faster and doesn't take up as much space

• You can easily compress a PowerPoint file's size, which makes it easier to share and save.
• When you compress your PowerPoint, you'll have to reduce the quality of any music, videos, or pictures you have in your slideshow.
• Once you've compressed your PowerPoint, it will load faster, but the media in it may not look as good.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

At some point in your slideshow-creating life, you've probably saved a PowerPoint presentation and realized that the file size is entirely too large. 

Larger file sizes make PowerPoints more difficult to send and save, and they also make each slide take longer to load.

One of the easiest ways to quickly reduce a PowerPoint presentation's file size is to compress it. When you compress a PowerPoint, you'll reduce the quality and size of every media file in the presentation. This includes videos, audio clips, animations, and photos.

If you compress them down to an appropriate size, your file size will be much smaller. However, your photos, videos, and other media probably won't look or sound as sharp.

Here's how to compress your media files in PowerPoint on a Mac or PC.

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1. In the ribbon or menu bar at the top of the screen, click "File." Make sure that "Info" is selected in the left sidebar.

2. Click "Compress Media." Depending on whether your version of PowerPoint was made before or after 2016, this button will either be next to the label "Multimedia" or "Media Size and Performance."

3. Choose one of the three options for media quality from the dropdown menu. These will differ based on which version you have as well, but they boil down to: 

• Select the highest quality option if you want to maintain high quality media for in-person presentations. 
• Select the middle option for quality akin to media found on the internet. 
• Select the lowest quality option if your file needs to be as compressed as much as possible — for example, if you need to send it via email.

How to compress a PowerPoint file on a Mac

In the Mac version of PowerPoint, you can only reduce the file size of images, not videos or music.

To do this:

1. Open your PowerPoint slideshow and click "File" in the menu bar at the top of the screen. If you only want to compress specific images, select them before clicking "File."

2. In the dropdown menu, click "Compress Pictures..."

3. You'll be shown a "Compression Table," which lists all the different ways you can compress the file. You'll have three main options:

• "Printing" will keep your pictures at the highest quality possible.
• "Viewing on screen" will reduce the quality of your pictures by about 30 percent.
• "Sending in an e-mail message" will compress them by another 30 percent or so.

You can also pick the fourth and last option, which will keep each picture's current resolution, but try to reduce the file size in other areas.

4. Select whether you'd like to delete parts of your pictures that have been cropped out — doing so will help reduce the file size.

5. Choose whether you'd like to compress every picture in the slideshow, or just the ones that you selected beforehand. Once you've decided, click "OK."

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

How to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to embed a youtube video into your microsoft powerpoint presentations using a mac or pc, how to convert google slides to a powerpoint presentation in 4 easy steps, how to convert a powerpoint to google slides in 2 different ways, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow.

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