reduce file size of powerpoint presentation

Reduce the file size of your PowerPoint presentations

If the file size of your presentation is too large, try the following tips to make it more manageable.

Compress pictures in your presentation

Select a picture in your document. The Picture Format tab appears.

On the Picture Format tab, in the Adjust group, select Compress Pictures .

Under Compression options , do any of the following:

Make sure that Apply only to this picture is not selected so that the changes you make here will apply to all pictures in the document.

Select Delete cropped areas of pictures . This option removes the cropped picture data but note that if you delete the cropped picture data, you won't be able to restore it.

Under Resolution , select Use default resolution .

Under Compression options , do either of the following:

Select Delete cropped areas of pictures . This option removes the cropped picture data but note that if you delete the cropped picture data, you won't be able to restore it.

Delete image editing data and lower default resolution

By default, when you edit an image, the data from the original is retained (to ensure the image can be restored). Discarding it means that you can't restore the changes you make, but it will reduce your file size. Lowering the default resolution for images also reduces your overall file size.

Go to File > Options > Advanced .

Under Image Size and Quality , do the following:

Select Discard editing data . This option removes stored data that's used to restore the image to its original state after it's been edited. Note that if you discard editing data, you won't be able to restore the image after you edit it.

Make sure that Do not compress images in file is not selected.

Reduce the character set of embedded fonts

To make your presentation more sharable with others who don't have the same fonts in their system, it's typical to embed the fonts you use. However, embedded fonts will increase your file size. To minimize the file increase, embed only those characters used in the presentation.

Go to File > Options > Save .

Note:  If you've used custom fonts and want others to edit the presentation, select Embed all characters .

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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 976,609 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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Compress PPT Presentations Online

May 8, 2023 by Hung Nguyen

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

We’ve come across many large PPT files in our years of compressing digital documents, from sales pitches to lecture material and business proposals. Usually, the need to reduce the size of these files comes from having to share them via email, where the file size cap is around 20 MB. Compressing PowerPoint files also comes in handy to save storage space, be it on your local computer or an otherwise pricey cloud service such as Dropbox. You can use our online compress tool to shrink your PPT down significantly and thus make your life easier and save some money.

How to Compress a PPT File for Free

Upload your ppt to the compress tool ., choose “basic compression.”, click on “export as” and choose powerpoint..

Convert, compress, and download your PPT using Smallpdf

You can get started with compressing your PowerPoint presentation for free right away. You don’t need a Smallpdf account—just go to the tool and drop your file in!

Will the Document’s Formatting Remain the Same?

We aim to maintain the layout and quality of your document as close to the original PPT as possible. We actually first turn your PowerPoint into a PDF document; then, our compressor looks for repeating patterns in the data and replaces them with unique identifiers. This is actually what makes your file smaller. This process doesn’t touch attributes like fonts and the layout of your PPT, so they should stay just as they are.

Smallpdf caters to millions of users every month and uses the most reliable software on the internet to convert, edit, and compress files. So, you can trust that we’ll produce only the absolute best conversion quality.

There are extra measures that you can take to be absolutely sure that the final content resembles its original form. You can “embed” the fonts of the text in your PowerPoint presentation. You’ll find this option under “Preferences” in PowerPoint. Doing this will ensure that the fonts remain the same, even when we don’t have the same ones on our servers.

You can repeat the above process for each file if you need to compress multiple PowerPoint files or want to compress images and other formats. Smallpdf accepts all Microsoft Office files and JPG images. If you go Pro, you can also compress files in batches, and we’ll conveniently store them in a zip file for you. Why not sign up for a 7-day free Pro trial before fully committing?

And that’s all there is to it! Enjoy compressing your PPT and be sure to explore the many other tools we offer.

Hurray for smaller presentations!

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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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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.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to compress a powerpoint file on a pc.

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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• Main content

How to Reduce the File Size of Your PowerPoint Presentation

Learn how to reduce the file size of a PowerPoint presentation without making any major difference to the person viewing it.

A PowerPoint Presentation is a great way to get an idea across. Whether you're pitching a product or teaching kids, you'll find slideshows helpful.

However, if your presentation is long, or you have many visuals, you might find that your PowerPoint file has become too large. That makes it difficult to attach it as an attachment. And it could even take too long to download for your clients.

To solve this problem, here are seven tips to reduce your presentation file size.

1. Use Insert Picture—Don't Drag and Drop

When you want to add a photograph from your hard drive to your presentation, the easiest and most common way is to copy it off File Explorer and paste it onto PowerPoint. Alternatively, you can also drag and drop it from your folder to your slideshow.

However, doing this potentially increases your presentation's file size. That's because when you copy-paste or drag-and-drop a file directly into PowerPoint, it converts your image to either a BMP or PNG file type.

Although these file types allow you to retain transparent backgrounds, like the ones you find in icons, they also increase your photo's file size. But if you use the Insert Picture function, PowerPoint will add your image without changing its file type, thus avoiding larger file sizes.

2. Crop Photos With an Image Editor

There are times when you don't have to use the entire image you just added. You may want to remove a section to make it more impactful. But if you do that, don't crop it using PowerPoint's built-in cropping tool.

When you crop an image inside PowerPoint, the app will simply hide the part of the image you cut out. Although this is helpful if you want to undo the crop you made in the future, if you're final with the cut you made, this just adds to your presentation's file size.

Instead of cropping images in PowerPoint, you can use dedicated image editors. You can use Microsoft's built-in Paint app for simple crops, or you can use free online tools, like Canva. Once you've cropped your photo to your liking, you can then use the Insert Picture tool to add it to your presentation.

Related: How to Use the Canva App: A Beginner's Guide

Remember to save your file as JPG or JPEG, not PNG or BMP. JPG files provide the most compression on your images while retaining reasonable quality. This way, you get to save a few more kilobytes per photo. This adds up to a lot of space when you have many pictures.

3. Edit Images Outside PowerPoint

Building upon the previous point, you should edit your photos using an image editor instead of PowerPoint. While the app does provide relatively advanced photo editing tools, it's still not as powerful as dedicated photo editing software.

You can use Microsoft's built-in basic photo editing function to edit your image. Alternatively, there are several easy-to-use photo editing software to give you advanced edits while remaining simple to use.

You should do this because PowerPoint retains all your photo's information. For example, if you convert an image from colored to black and white, the app will still keep all the color information of your file, thus making it larger. But if you convert it using an image editor, all color information is lost once you save the file, thus making it smaller.

4. Compress Your Pictures

Even if you've done all the above, there is still a way to reduce your presentation's file size further. You can do that by optimizing all your slideshow images for the screen size you expect to show your presentation.

This is because PowerPoint tends to keep your images at the maximum allowable quality. After all, the app is preparing your slideshow for all types of display sizes. It's even considering that you're going to print it. That's why it keeps your photos at the best possible quality.

And while this is a good thing, it does add a lot of size to your presentation. That's why you need to optimize your file for your intended audience.

To do that, click on any image in your slideshow. Then, in the menu ribbon, select Picture Format . Press the Compress Pictures button, and a Compress Pictures window will pop up. Under Compression options: remove the tick mark for Apply only to this picture to compress all images.

Under Resolution: , pick the appropriate points per inch (PPI) for your application. If your presentation is for personal consumption—i.e., for viewing on smartphones, tablets, and computer monitors only—then a 96 PPI resolution is enough.

But if you plan to display it on a medium-sized projector or a screen larger than 50 inches, then you should choose 150 PPI. If you're planning to print your presentation as a handout, then go for 220 PPI. Finally, if you're going to use a large-format projector or LED screen board, go for 330 PPI.

5. Link Videos

Videos are the most significant items in your presentation that will bloat its file size. A typical 1-minute full HD video has an approximate 124MB file size. So instead of embedding your videos into your PowerPoint file, you can link them instead.

Upload your videos on a video hosting website like YouTube, then just link it into your slideshow. Once you've uploaded the video, don't forget to copy its web address to add it to your presentation.

To add it to your slideshow, go to Insert on the menu ribbon, click on Video , and in the dropdown menu, choose Online Videos… . A new window will pop up and in the Enter the address for the online video bar, paste your video link.

Once your selected video has loaded, you'll see a preview of it on the main screen. If you're satisfied that it's the correct video, click on Insert . You will now find your video embedded into your slideshow.

You have to note, though, that your viewer or audience must have an active internet connection for them to see your embedded video. Otherwise, they won't be able to see it.

6. Use the Latest Formats

If you're using the latest version of Microsoft Office, it's best to use the latest file formats. The old file format called PPT, designed for Microsoft Office 2003 and older, uses up more space than the newer PPTX file format.

While older versions of PowerPoint may not be able to open your file, the smaller file size means your presentation would fit in your email as an attachment. Furthermore, those who don't have the latest version of PowerPoint can instead use Microsoft Office Online, or even Google Slides, to view your presentation.

As a last resort, you can compress your presentation's file to reduce its size. You can use several free tools to do just that . They're also widely popular, so your recipient won't have much trouble decompressing your file.

Save on Space

If your PowerPoint presentation is too large to attach to your email, you can reduce its size by following the above steps. They're simple, quick, and easy to do. And if in case you find your presentation's file size bigger than your allocated limits, you still have a couple more solutions.

The first one is to upload it onto the cloud and just share the file's link with your recipient. The second is to cut your presentation into two and then send them in two separate emails. Be sure to add a slide to your first file indicating there's a part two!

But no matter what you choose, reducing your file's size should be the last thing on your mind. Focus on your content and make it your best presentation ever first. All the other things you need to do will soon fall into place once you've finalized your output.

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How to reduce the file size of your PowerPoint Presentation

Home > All Tutorials >  PowerPoint Tips > PowerPoint File Size

Let me ask you as question…

Why do you want to reduce the file size of your PowerPoint slide deck?

I am sure, the issue is not ‘lack of space’ in your hard disk. You can always buy space in the cloud for a negligible price these days.

The real reasons why you may want to reduce file size of your PowerPoint presentations could be the following:

• Your file is too big to be emailed as an attachment
• The file is so big that every time you hit the ‘save’ button – it takes forever to save
• The file is so big that the laptop struggles to process the file and hence your computer slows down

Before I show you simple tricks that will solve your problem, it is important to know the reasons that cause your PowerPoint file to bulk up.

There are two main culprits that cause the trouble. They are:

• The large images you stick on your slides
• The fonts you embed in your presentation

Here are 4 simple tips you can follow to solve the problem:

#1 Save your PowerPoint file as a PDF document

If you want to email your file to people, you may consider saving the file as a PDF document. This drastically reduces the file size. The added benefits are –

• Your fancy fonts will remain unaltered
• Your document can’t be edited by people – so you retain control over the content
• Your file can be viewed by people even if they don’t have PowerPoint installed on their computers.

This is usually my preferred way to email my presentations.

To do this in PowerPoint…

Go to File > Save As…and select the File Type as PDF

The screenshot below shows the steps.

#2 Save and insert your pictures instead of pasting them directly on your slides

Instead of cutting and pasting images from computer, save the pictures on your desktop and insert them back as pictures. The reason is – when you paste an image on your slide, you also get a metafile that can’t be compressed by your software. By saving and inserting the pictures – you avoid this issue. So, the file size reduces a lot.

#3 Compress pictures in your presentation

To compress a picture, first select the picture. Go to the ‘Format’ tab in PowerPoint ribbon. In the ‘Adjust’ group in the far left of the ribbon, you’d find an option called ‘Compress pictures’.

When you click on it, a dialog box pops out. You can select your compression options (i.e. you can choose whether you want to compress just the one picture you selected or all the pictures in the presentation) and your Target output options (i.e. the resolution of the output).

Compressing pictures reduces the file size of your presentation because – the weight of the cropped portion is removed. The quality of the original picture is reduced to match the dimensions of your slide size. You can’t see any difference in the way your pictures look on your slides. But, the file size reduces drastically.

#4 Embed only the characters used in your presentation

When you save your presentation with embedded fonts, choose the option called ‘Embed only the characters used in the presentation’, instead of ‘Embed all characters’ option. This reduces the file size dramatically.

To do this in PowerPoint, go to File > Options and Scroll down in the Menu to find the Font Embed option. The screenshot below shows the menu:

These simple tips should help you reduce the file size of your PowerPoint presentations significantly. So, go ahead and try them in your existing presentation and see the difference it makes.

Did you like the tips?

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How to compress PowerPoint files.

Want to save space on your computer? Learn how to compress a PowerPoint to save space and make your presentation easier to share.

Need to learn how to compress Microsoft PowerPoint files but not sure where to begin? Whether you want to save space on your device or avoid file size issues in an email, compressing your PowerPoint is a great way to keep file sizes to a minimum and make your presentation easier to store and manage.

When is compressing a PowerPoint file beneficial?

While a PowerPoint in its original quality is great for presenting, it may not always be the easiest to share and store on your computer. Compressing PowerPoint files is a great way to save space while keeping your hard work.

Here are a few reasons you may want to compress your PowerPoint:

• Improve shareability over email. Most email platforms limit the file sizes that you can share. If your Powerpoint contains a lot of content, especially photos and videos, it may be more difficult to share over email. Compressing the PowerPoint ensures that the same content is shared, just as a smaller file size.
• Have more storage space on your computer. By compressing your PowerPoint file, you leave room for more important documents to be stored on your computer.
• Boost productivity. By spending less time waiting for a file to upload, you can place your attention on other important tasks.

Steps: How to compress a PowerPoint file.

There are a few different methods you can try within the PowerPoint application and outside of it to reduce your PowerPoint file size and easily be able to share and save your content.

You can reduce the size and quality of any images in the presentation, reduce audio and video content, compress the PowerPoint as a PDF, compress it as a zip file, or swap any 3D models with static images.

Compress a PowerPoint file by reducing the size and quality of your images.

While there’s no way to compress the entire file in PowerPoint, you can reduce the size and quality of all the images to reduce the whole presentation’s size.

Instead of going through your complete presentation and editing your images one by one (which you can do if you want), there’s an easy way to compress all your image files at once:

• Open the presentation in PowerPoint.
• Click File on the top toolbar and choose Options > Advanced.
• Check “Discard editing data.”
• Uncheck “Do not compress images in file.”
• Select 150 PPI or lower in the Default resolution dropdown menu.

These steps will reduce the file size of all the images in your presentation, effectively compressing the entire PowerPoint. The more pictures you have, the more it’ll compress the file.

Compress a PowerPoint file by reducing the size of audio and video files.

Audio and video content takes up a lot of storage space in a presentation.

You can reduce the size of audio and video files by following these steps:

• Click on the File tab in the upper-left corner.
• Select Info from the dropdown menu.
• Click Compress Media. There are three options for compression.
• Choose your compression option. Click Close once the file is done compressing.

Ensure the file is compressed to your liking. If the compression does not meet your standards, adjust the settings as needed.

Compress a PowerPoint file as a PDF.

An easier way to compress a PowerPoint is to first convert the PPT to a PDF using an online PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat online services. PDF files are smaller and easier to share than PowerPoints.

To convert your PowerPoint to a PDF, follow these easy steps:

• Visit the online PDF converter tool.
• Upload the PowerPoint you want to convert.
• Let the software do its magic.
• Download your new PDF file.

The PDF file should be much smaller than the original PowerPoint, making it easy to store and share. If the file size is still too big, you can reduce it even further by compressing the PDF online .

Compress PowerPoint files as a ZIP file.

By changing the PowerPoint to a ZIP file, the whole presentation size will be reduced.

Use these steps to transform your PowerPoint into a ZIP file:

• Click File in the upper-left corner.
• Choose the Open option.
• Right-click the project you wish to compress. Additional options will appear.
• Choose “Send to” and more options will appear.
• Find the option named “Compressed (zipped) folder.” Choose this option to compress the file.

Compressing PPT files on macOS and Windows.

In the macOS PowerPoint, you can reduce the file size of images but not music or videos.

Here are the steps to compress your PowerPoint on a Mac:

• In PowerPoint, click File. If you only want to compress certain images, select them before you click File.
• From the dropdown menu, click Compress Pictures.
• Printing — highest quality.
• Viewing on Screen — reduces image quality by 30%.
• Sending in an email message — compresses images by another 30% or so.
• Choose whether or not you’d like to delete portions of the photos that have been cropped out. By doing this, you can reduce the file size.
• Decide whether you want to compress every photo in the slideshow or only the ones you already selected. Click OK when done.

For Windows, follow these instructions:

• Click File and make sure Info is selected in the left sidebar.
• Click Compress Media. Depending on the version of PowerPoint, the button will either say Multimedia or Media Size and Performance.
• Choose the highest quality option if you want to maintain the presentation quality for in-person presentations.
• Choose the middle option for a presentation best suited for the internet.
• Choose the lowest quality option for the highest compression so you can easily share the PowerPoint over email.

Tips on how to reduce PowerPoint file size.

There are a few methods that can help reduce your PowerPoint file size.

• Analyze image quality. Presenting high-quality images, audio files, and videos can create a more engaging experience for your audience. Each time you compress images, double-check to be sure they still look presentation-ready.
• Replace 3D models. While 3D models are a unique component of presentations, they take up more storage space. Opting for similar static images may be the best option for sharing your presentation.
• Convert images to JPEG. If your photos are in the PNG format, you may want to make them JPEGs. You can easily do this in PowerPoint by right-clicking the pictures and then choosing “Save as Picture.” From there, under “Save as Type:,” choose the option named JPEG. Save, and you’re done.

More resources to work with your files.

After compressing PowerPoint files, here are additional ways to work with your documents:

• Learn two ways to convert a PDF to Google Slides for presentation.
• Discover how to delete a slide in PowerPoint .
• Learn how to redline documents in Word .
• Discover how to convert a PPT to Google Slides .

Discover what more you can do with Acrobat online services to simplify editing and managing your PowerPoint and PDF files.

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Why compress ppt files.

PPT also goes by the name of PowerPoint Presentation and are used in all walks of life including the home, school and at work. PPT files can range in size depending on the content of the presentation. If a presentation contains a lot of images or videos then the file size can be especially large. Even just one high resolution image - such as a BMP - can increase the size of a PPT file tenfold. When a user complains that they have run out of space in their mailbox it is typically because they've been sent one too many large presentations. It is not surprising then that there is such a need to compress PPT files so that they do not take up as much storage and can be more easily shared. Using the Zamzar PPT compression tool, individual (and sizeable) elements - such as pictures and videos - are compressed bringing the overall file size down. Once compressed, the PPT (including the images and video within it) does not suffer from any noticeable loss in quality despite the file size being shrunk. It's worth remembering that if you receive a PPT file and need to send it on you can always put it through the Zamzar compression tool before you do so.

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5 Methods to Reduce the File Size of a PowerPoint Presentation

In some cases, especially when creating large presentations, the file size of your project may go up to a rather large number. This can make it difficult to share your finished presentation, especially if you’re using email services or a USB to store it on.

To help combat this issue,  PowerPoint  comes with options to compress various elements and reduce the file size or projects. You can compress images, videos, convert 3D objects to static images or even use the PPTX or ZIP formats to further optimize file size.

Our article focuses on all the methods to help you compress PowerPoint files and create more shareable presentations.

Jump to Solution

Method 1: compress images in powerpoint, method 2: compress videos in powerpoint, method 3: swap 3d models with static images, method 4: convert your presentation to pptx format, method 5: compress powerpoint presentations as a zip file.

The first way to reduce the file size of your presentations is definitely compressing the images used in your slides. Images with large resolution can quickly start generating large file sizes.

Oftentimes when making a presentation, there’s no need for large images to be displayed on the screen, so compressing your images won’t harm the final outcome. According to our tests, correctly compressed images can help you reduce the file size of your presentation by 17 times.

• Select the picture you want to compress. This will open up the  Pictures Tools Format  tab in the ribbon on top of your screen.
• Click on the  Compress Pictures  button.
• Select the desired picture quality and options. The lower the PPI number, the more compressed your image will be.
• Make sure to check “ Delete cropped areas of pictures ” and choose whether you want to apply the compression to all pictures in your presentation, or selected pictures only.
• Click the  OK  button. You should immediately see the changes in quality and notice the reduced file size.

It’s not a secret that video files can be huge. If you have videos embedded into your presentations, it’s not uncommon that you’ll end up with a large file size that’s hard to transfer between devices, USB’s and email. To make sure your presentation doesn’t exceed file size limits, you can try to compress the videos in it.

• Open your presentation in PowerPoint, then navigate to the  File  tab and go to the  Info  page within the backstage view.
• When video files are detected in your presentation, you'll be able to see the  Compress Media  button. Simply click on it, then choose the desired quality. In most cases, compressing to  1080p  or  720p  will significantly reduce the file size of your presentation.
• A new window will open up showing the progress of the compression and determining how much space was saved. Wait for the process to finish.
• Check your video and make sure you’re happy with the quality. If you want to undo the compression, navigate back to  File  >  Info  >  Compress Media , and choose to  Undo  the last compression.

(Source: Nuts & Bolts)

While 3D models are definitely useful and give your presentations more visual interest, they definitely increase the file size of the finished product. If you’re working with a limited amount of space, we recommend swapping 3D models with static images. You can use images from the internet, or even take a  screenshot  of the model and insert it manually.

• If you want to replace the 3D model entirely, simply select it and press the Delete button on your keyboard. This will remove all traces of the model from your presentation as soon as you save it, and significantly reduce the file size.
• Insert an image in place of the 3D model by using the  Insert  >  Image  menu. You may choose one from your computer, or look for one online within PowerPoint.

If you want to replace the 3D model with a static image of the model itself, follow these steps.

• Create a new, blank slide with a white background.
• Insert the 3D model you want to use and position it in any way you want to.
• Take a screenshot using the  Windows  +  Shift  +  S  keyboard shortcut. This shortcut allows you to select a region of the screen instead of screenshotting the entire desktop. Select your 3D model on a white background.
• On Mac, you can use the  Command  +  Shift  +  4  shortcut to do the same.
• Delete the 3D model and the blank slide, then insert the screenshot of your model in place of the original.
• If needed, select the screenshot and click on  Picture Format  >  Remove Background . This will get rid of the white background, creating a transparent static image of your 3D model.

Your presentation might be saved in the PPT format. This format is quite large compared to PPTX, which is the format used in files created post-2007, alongside the release of PowerPoint 2007. The optimized format aims to reduce the file size of presentations, making transfer much less of a hassle.

If you saved your presentation in the PPT format, don’t worry. There are plenty of free, online tools you can use to convert a PowerPoint presentation into the PPTX format. Here’s how.

• Open the  Convertio PPT Converter  in your web browser. This is an entirely free-to-use website that allows you to convert a PPT file into PPTX online.
• If your file is over 100 MB, click on the  Sign Up  button and create a free account. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
• Click on the  Choose Files  button and select your PPT presentation.
• Make sure to select  PPT to PPTX  using the drop-down menus for file types.
• Follow on-screen instructions and convert your presentation into the PPTX format. You should immediately see a decrease in file size.

As a last resort, you can save some space by sharing your presentation as a ZIP file. These compressed files are handy if you want to keep all of your original images, videos, models, and other elements, but still need to reduce the file size.

Here’s how you can convert a PowerPoint presentation into a ZIP on  Windows 10 . Make sure to scroll to the next section if you’re on a Mac system!

• Open the  File Explorer  and navigate to the location of your saved presentation.
• Right-click on the presentation file and hover over the  Send to  option.
• Choose the  Compressed (zipped) folder  option.
• Wait for Windows to finish compressing your file. When finished, you’ll be left with a ZIP file that has a reduced file size and provides better shareability.

The instructions for  Mac  systems are as follows.

• Open the  Finder  and navigate to the location of your presentation.
• Right-click on the presentation and select  Compress “(Presentation name)”
• Wait for the process to finish. You should see a smaller ZIP file with the same name as your original presentation created.

We hope that this article helped you compress PowerPoint presentations and reduce the file size for easier sharing. Show your world the hard work you put into your presentations without having to sacrifice quality!

Keep Learning 

»  What Is PowerPoint Viewer? How Can I Use It? (Part 1) »  What Is PowerPoint Viewer? How Can I Use It? (Part 2) »  What Is PowerPoint Viewer? How Can I Use It? (Part 3) »  How To Use PowerPoint Design Ideas: A Complete Guide »  7 Useful Tips to Build More Creative MS PowerPoint Templates

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How to Reduce the Size of a PowerPoint Presentation

Sometimes, after creating a presentation, you come to realize that its size is bigger than what you expected and, thus, you need a way to reduce the space it takes up on your drive or storage device.  In this Slidesgo School tutorial, we are going to give you some hints on how to decrease the size of a PowerPoint file . 

Reducing the size of the images

Changing the resolution, lowering the amount of characters from embedded fonts, exporting the presentation as a pdf.

• Open your PowerPoint presentation.
• Select an image.
• The Format tab will appear at the top of the screen. Go to that tab and click Compress Pictures.

A dialog box will appear, where you can choose whether to:  

• Apply the changes only to the selected picture or all of them.
• Delete all cropped areas (please note that if you choose this option, these areas will be deleted and you will not be able to restore the image to its original state).
• Under “Resolution”, we recommend that you select “Use default resolution”.
• Open your PowerPoint presentation, go to the File tab and click Options. Then, select the Advanced tab.
• Under “Image Size and Quality”, check “Discard editing data” and uncheck “Do not compress images in file”.

There’s an option that allows you to set the default resolution (measured in ppi). We recommend that you choose one that suits your presentation mode. 

To minimize even more the size of the file, you should embed only the characters used in the presentation. This, however, will limit some editing capabilities for other users who do not have the same font already installed on their computers. To do this, go to: 

• File tab > Options > Save.

Under “Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation”, check the following boxes: 

• Embed fonts in the file.
• Embed only the characters used in the presentation.

Pro Tip: If you have used fonts that you would like to keep or you think other users will need when editing this presentation, check “Embed all characters” instead of “Embed only the characters used in the presentation”. 

If you want to reduce the size of the file even more, you can convert it to PDF. This will generate another file with the same contents, but lighter. It’s a good solution, especially if you need to send the file to other people. 

To do this, go to: 

• File tab > Save as Adobe PDF.
• If you do not have Adobe PDF installed, this option will not appear. In that case, go to the File Tab, click Save as and select “PDF” from the “Save as type” drop-down list.

For more information on how to set up the different options for exporting as a PDF, please refer to our How to Export Your Presentation as a PDF File tutorial.  All the GIFs for this tutorial show our Cool Birthday Party template. If you like it and you want to use it to organize a nice party, just click on the title and you will be able to download it.  Note: Regarding the instructions listed on this tutorial, we are assuming you are using the PowerPoint version included within Office 365. If you have a different version, some of the options might change. Please visit Microsoft Support for more information if that is the case. 

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Why do PowerPoint Files get So Big & How to Reduce the Size!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Microsoft PowerPoint is convenient, user-friendly, and easily accessible. It has reshaped the methods of digital content presentation in schools, offices, or elsewhere all over the world. One of the most talked-about problems that users face while using PowerPoint is large-sized PowerPoint files. 

Some of the most common reasons for PowerPoint file size to increase are using multiple images, using large images, or embedding elements such as fonts, video or audio directly in the presentation file. An easy way to reduce the file size is to use special compression programs designed for PowerPoint files.

There are many methods to reduce a PowerPoint file size and make it suitable for sharing with others. Almost all the methods aim towards the same objective of reducing the file sizes. Also, some expert use of PowerPoint mechanics could help with reducing file size as well. 

Large file sizes can be a real pain in the rear end. So, let’s look at how can we deal with this problem.

A Quick Note Before We Begin – if you want to make jaw-dropping presentations, I would recommend using one of these Presentation Designs . The best part is – it is only $16.5 a month, but you get to download and use as many presentation designs as you like! I personally use it from time-to-time, and it makes my task of making beautiful presentations really quick and easy!

Why do PowerPoint File Sizes become So Large?

It is not uncommon to have a presentation that is really big in size! If you have dealt with such a PowerPoint file, you know how annoying it is when you are unable to send such a file over an email!

But, what exactly causes the PowerPoint presentation to increase in size?

Well, as it turns out, there is no one single reason for the file size to increase. There could be several possible reasons. Sometimes, there may be multiple reasons at play for increasing the file size of a PowerPoint file.

However, in my experience, I’ve seen that the single most common cause of an increase in file size of a PowerPoint presentation is using too many images or using images that are extremely large in size or both !

Some of the other reasons include –

• High-resolution image files 
• Not converting the file to PPTX format 
• Direct Copying and pasting of Videos 
• Usage of audio files in PowerPoint 
• Usage of embedded fonts 
• Embedding video files instead of using links 

These are some of the mistakes that users make which causes the file size to increase. Not only beginners, many advanced users also overlook these issues rather than solving them.

A few tweaks while preparing your PowerPoint presentation could make your hard work more fruitful.

How Big is Too Big for a PowerPoint File?

Before we understand how to fix the file size issue in PowerPoint, it is perhaps important to know how big is too big when it comes to a PowerPoint file size!

On average, most PowerPoint presentation files range between 4 MB to 10 MB in size. PPT files with over 50 MB can be considered too big in size as it increases the load time. A good size for your PowerPoint file is 4 MB or less.

The reason I recommend keeping your file sizes below 4 MB is that it is easier to share your presentation with employees in a corporate organization. Many businesses use Microsoft Outlook as their primary email client and set the 4 MB limit for accepting files from external sources.

That said, PowerPoint files with up to 10 MB will also work just fine other than the above reason.

Generally, anything above 50 megabytes is considered too big. For all practical purposes, it slows down the PowerPoint application on your computer and increases the load times. This can be really frustrating.

To combat this issue, ensure that the embedded images should not exceed 250 kilobytes each. PowerPoint presentations that include audio files should be kept under 2 megabytes per slide.

How to Reduce the Size of a PowerPoint File?

Now that you have understood what causes large file size in PowerPoint, it is important that we fix the problem and reduce the file size. However, knowing how to overcome this problem could be a bit tricky for beginners at first.

There are some basic yet highly valuable workarounds to keep file sizes at a minimum. I am going to talk about those tweaks descriptively so you don’t have to struggle anymore!

1. Use PPT Compressors Apps or Websites

Removing or replacing any content of your file can solve the problem but it may not be viable all the time.

Furthermore, removing some sections of your file can also be frustrating and it can hamper the way you designed your presentation. You may perhaps not find a suitable image for your project available in lower size. Even if you do find it, the process can be timeconsuming and tedious.

In such cases, you can use PPT compressor apps or websites to decrease the overall file size.

There are plenty of PowerPoint compressing apps and websites available. Most of them offer paid plans and free service but with limited features.

The free version, in most cases, will do the job for you so you don’t have to worry about the cost.

This is perhaps the easiest method of all the described solutions in this article. Although success is not guaranteed, it is still worth a try as the process is very simple and doesn’t take too much of an effort.

Later in this article, I am going to discuss the best ppt compressors available . You just have to pick the one that suits your requirement.

2. Compress Existing Images in your PowerPoint file

Images are the most space-consuming components of a PowerPoint file. Thus, compressing image files can be one of the quickest ways to reduce PowerPoint file size. When it comes to compressing an image in PowerPoint, there are two ways –

2.1 Compress Select Images in PowerPoint

PowerPoint allows you to compress images directly in PowerPoint. You can choose to compress certain pictures and leave the more important ones. This will make sure your presentation remains more relevant.

To compress images in PowerPoint, follow the below process –

Step 1 – Select the Image and Choose to Compress

To compress any particular picture, select the picture. Then click the “ Picture Tool “, and then click “ Format “. Then, select the “Compress Pictures” option.

For Mac users, select the image by clicking on it. Then, go to the “ Picture Format ” tab, and then click on “ Compress Pictures ” icon.

It may be difficult to locate the icon for “Compress Pictures” option at first, but you can follow along as indicated in the above image.

Step 2 – Change the Settings and Compress

Now a pop-up menu shall appear. 

Here you can change the settings for picture compression.

First, based on how you are going to give the presentation, you may want to choose the picture quality. Here’s a decision matrix to help you choose the right picture quality option –

If you cropped the image, make sure Delete cropped areas of pictures is checked.

Lastly, make sure you select the “ Selected Pictures Only ” option.

You can compress as many images as you want using this process. If anything goes wrong, just undo then repeat the above process.

2.2 Compress All Images in PowerPoint

Sometimes, we need to compress all the images on the presentation. For such cases, this method is rather easier to implement.

The steps for this method are exactly the same as described in the previous method. You just need to make a minor change.

In the pop-up menu after selecting “Compress Pictures” , uncheck “Apply only to these pictures” and select “ All pictures in this file “, and then click “ OK “. Make sure you choose your desired output PPI settings. This will compress every picture in the PowerPoint file.

3. Use Links for Videos

Videos are great to deliver your presentation emphatically. So you may consider including video files to your PowerPoint presentation.

Embedding videos directly into your PowerPoint file will greatly increase its size. So an alternative way to do it is just linking the video to your PPT file. This will serve the same purpose as embedding a video but without increasing the file size.

How to Link Videos in PowerPoint on Windows PC?

To link videos on Windows PC, click “ Insert “, then choose “ Video “, and finally “ Video on my PC “ .

From here on out, you can choose to directly insert the video in your file or link the video. To link the video, click on the arrow on the right side, click ‘link to file’ from the drop-down menu. This will link the video to your PowerPoint file.

The process is similar to that on a Mac with marginal difference. In case something is unclear, make sure to check out the screenshots below.

How to Link Videos in PowerPoint on Mac?

Inserting Video Links in PowerPoint on Mac is pretty simple.

First, click on “ Insert ” tab. Then, click on “ Video “, and then choose “ Video from File ” option.

A window will pop-up which will ask you to choose the file.

In the window, first click on the video file that you want to import in PowerPoint.

Then, click on “ Options ” button in the lower left corner of the window. Finally, make sure the “ Link to file ” option is checked before you click “ Insert “.

As mentioned above, this will have the same effect as embedding a video file, however, the size of the presentation file will not increase.

Pro Tip: Make sure that you keep the PowerPoint presentation file and the video file in the same folder. Furthermore, when linking the video to your PowerPoint file, you will also need to share the video file along with presentation in the same folder.

4. Compress the Embedded Videos

If you prefer directly inserting your videos and embedding it in PowerPoint instead of using links and don’t want your files to increase in size, you can try compressing the videos. This will make sure that your presentation runs smoothly while also the file size remains fairly small.

You can use PowerPoint built-in video compressor or any third party website or software. To compress your video file using PowerPoint on Windows, follow the steps mentioned below –

• Open the folder that contains the video and embed the video in PowerPoint
• Click on the “ File ” tab.
• Then, click “ Info “
• Under the “ Multimedia ” section, select “ Compress Media “
• Select the required resolution to reduce the file size and click “ Compress “.

Now your video will compress to your desired suitable size.

It is important to note that PowerPoint on Mac currently does not support video compression.

However, you can use any third-party software or any online tool to compress videos. They are super easy, so you are less likely to face any difficulties.

While there are quite a few applications that can do the job for you, my favorite ones are ApowerCompress and HandBrake , and follow the tutorial on how to compress videos.

These apps are designed for basic users, not advanced ones. They are super easy, you can’t miss it. Both these applications are super helpful!

HandBrake is great for both Windows and Mac, while ApowerCompress works best with Windows.

5. Save the Presentation in Low PPI (Windows Only)

Saving a low PPI copy serves the same purpose as image compression, although it’s not the same. This reduces the overall quality of the PowerPoint presentation instead of certain images. It’s a bit more hassle-free since you don’t have to decide which images to compress and which not.

Many PowerPoint templates available on the internet are very high resolution which isn’t necessary for presenting your project. You can use them and later just reduce the PPI for optimal file size.

When saving your PowerPoint file, select “ File “, then click “ Save As “. In the window that pops-up, look for the “ Save Options “. Click on the “ Advanced Tab “, and make sure that the “ Discard Editing Data ” is checked.

Finally choose the default resolution, the lowest one, or the one that balances both file size and quality. This will save your file in a low PPI and you won’t face any stuttering or playback issues during the presentation.

6. Save the PowerPoint File as PDF

Generally, PowerPoint files are saved in pdf format. This ensures that the file remains universal, user, and device friendly.

Saving as pdf also offers the lowest file size than any other format. Huge file sizes can be a major hindrance to a successful slide presentation. So saving in pdf format serves multiple purposes such as keeping the file size minimum and being device friendly.

To save a file as pdf, click “ File “, then choose “ Save As “. In the dialogue box that appears, enter a name for the file. Select the file type as “ PDF “, then click ok.

Note that you can also compress images in this process. Just click on the tool button at the bottom of the dialogue box. Select “Compress Pictures” from the drop-down menu. Thus you can save files as pdf as well as compress images if necessary.

If the file is already saved in any other format, you can easily convert them to pdf. The PPT compressor tools discussed later in this article also offer a pdf conversion facility. You can choose the one that suits you and convert it easily, thanks to its super user-friendly interface.

7. Delete the Images and Graphics in the Notes Master

High-resolution images and videos may not be the only reason behind the big file size. Hidden images and graphics in the master view section can also contribute to this cause. Notes master is a feature in PowerPoint that allows you to tweak the ‘notes pages’ view to conveniently modify your presentation.

If you forget to clean unnecessary files from notes master views before saving your file, the final file size can be unnecessarily huge. You can simply remove all the graphics or images that you don’t need in your presentation to lower the file size.

To go to the notes master view of your presentation, click on ‘view’ then select ‘notes master’ . Check for any unnecessary graphics and pictures and remove them. You can ignore any default PowerPoint templates as their impact on your file size is minuscule.

8. Remove Images from the Slide Master

‘Slides master’ is another of the three options in the master view feature besides ‘notes master ’ and ‘handout master’ . This feature lets you modify your PowerPoint slides easily without any hassle.

Any images in the slide master that you use and don’t, all are included in the final version of your presentation. The only thing they do is increase the file size and nothing else. So removing any unused images from the slide master can decrease the file size.

Click “ View “, then click “ Slide Master ” to navigate to the slide master. Look out for unused pictures or media files and delete them. This will help you reduce file sizes without making any major changes to your PowerPoint presentation.

9. Check for Embedded Fonts or Graphics

Embedding anything, graphics, videos, or even fonts shall increase the file size. If you need to share the PowerPoint file with anyone, there is no way other than directly embedding these kinds of stuff into your file. Because if they don’t have that particular font or graphics, links will not work.

However for your personal use or any presentation always you can opt to not embed fonts. This will save a lot of space in your device. Go to file>options and select the ‘save’ tab. Uncheck the ‘ Embed fonts in the file’ .

When adding any picture, use the ‘insert’ tab on the ribbon instead of ‘drag and drop’ . Because doing so might cause the image to lose compression. Also, you can link them to the file instead of adding them to the file to reduce size. Click on the arrow beside the Insert dialog box and then select ‘Link to File’ .

Why Does PowerPoint File Size Increase after Saving it as PDF?

A common problem that users often face is pdf files increasing in size (contrary to what we want to do). This issue is prevalent in the Mac operating system. Sometimes file size increases up to 7 times. This is a very frustrating problem for mac users. 

One of the explanations of this problem is that ppt files are zip files that are compressed by default. When converted to pdf, the file loses compression resulting in a large file size. This is due to the disruption of the built-in XMP code in the PPT format which works great for Windows but doesn’t work as well for Mac OS.

Another explanation is that this can sometimes occur due to embedded fonts. Files that include embedded fonts rather than linked fonts increase in size after conversion to pdf.

If you are a Mac user, you can also reduce the print quality to ‘medium’ to compensate for the size increase.

Best PowerPoint File (PPT) Compressor Applications

Overall compressing ppt files is always better than removing contents. There are plenty of ppt compressors available. But finding the right one at the right time can be a headache if you’re not familiar with these tools. So, let me share with you my TOP 3 PPT compressor applications –

1. WeCompress

WeCompress is one of the highest-rated PPT compressors out there. It is online and free. Besides PPT compression, they also offer other large varieties of file compression services. They are free without any advertisement or any other terms and conditions. Wecompress is serving over two million customers worldwide for more than a decade.

WeCompress is partnered with Adobe® PDF Library to work inside a pdf file with ease. This shows their dedication and enthusiasm toward their job. You can try them anytime as they are always free.

2. SmallPDF

Smallpdf is an online compression tool provider from Switzerland. Although they are fairly new, they’ve managed to build a customer base of more than twenty million worldwide in just five years. They offer a free limit of 5 GB which is more than enough for pdf files.

They also have a conversion, editing, split, and merge tools available for their customers. Smallpdf has visitors from every country in the world and this is not an exaggeration. This may be the reason they offer their service in 24 languages for the convenience of every user.

While SmallPDF is simply awesome at the tools that it provides, the only drawback of using this tool for PPT compression is that the output file is a PDF file. That may not necessarily work for some of you.

3. CloudPresso

Cloudpresso is another online ppt compressing tool that provides fast and reliable service. Its user interface is simple and easy. You just need to upload the file and click to convert. It’s that easy!

Cloudpresso uses state of the art compression technology that retains the original quality while reducing the size to a noticeable extent.

If you were to pick one of the above 3 tools, my favorite option would be WeCompress. That’s what I use, and that’s exactly what I would recommend.

Problems with Large PowerPoint Files

By now, you have surely realised that there are a number of ways in which you can compress the file size of a PowerPoint presentation. If that is not enough, let me share with you some of the issues of having a PowerPoint file with a large size (and hopefully motivate you to compress your files going forward).

Large PowerPoint files can cause several problems. Some of them are as listed below –

• Occupy Precious Hard Disc Space
• Hamper the performance of other applications
• Difficult to email  
• Playback performance might lag
• Longer download and upload time
• Longer load and save times causes frustration while working on a presentation
• Can cause PowerPoint to Freeze
• Can cause other software to run slow
• Can make your file corrupt

Final Thoughts

Large-sized PowerPoint files can be frustrating for anyone. Preparing PowerPoint presentations is time-consuming and takes hard work. If playing the file or mailing it to a colleague or coworker is hampered due to excessive size then all that hard work could be foiled in an instant.

Some common reasons behind this are mentioned here. Also basic solutions like Converting formats, image compression, linking videos are discussed.

Online ppt compressor tools are highly useful to reduce file size. They are very common but can be difficult to source in times of need. Keeping that in mind I also talked about the top PPT compressors that you can use.

Creating a perfect presentation is an arduous task, so you wouldn’t want to be bothered with this common problem when it has so many common workarounds.

If you have finished reading this article you should not worry about why do PowerPoint files get so big & how to reduce the size. 

I sincerely hope that PPT size will not be an issue for you after reading this article. Do check out some of the other articles on our website. We’ve got some amazing content so make sure you bookmark this site!

Optimize PowerPoint File Size: 5 Tips for Reducing the Size of Your Files!

It is still a common issue in offices today: employees from your company’s overseas branches send you the “latest presentation” via email. However, what arrives in your inbox is a 30-megabyte attachment that not only clogs your email but also slows down your computer when opened.

Furthermore, many companies still impose fixed maximum sizes for email attachments. As a result, there are instances where you may not receive the presentation at all. However, this scenario can be prevented with a few simple measures. Today, we’ll share 5 tips on how to optimize file sizes.

File Size Optimization: Here’s How!

Aim for a target size of approximately 5 megabytes or less for your presentations. This ensures that your PowerPoint file will reach the recipient as an email attachment. Follow these simple tips to reduce the file size of your PowerPoint files:

1. Remove Unused Slides, Pictures, and Videos

This is especially relevant for presentations that are edited by multiple people over an extended period. Often, there are numerous hidden old slides that may still contain images and videos, which can significantly impact the file size.

In such cases, delete all irrelevant slides and content from the presentation and save a new version. This can noticeably reduce the file size.

2. Compress Inserted Images

PowerPoint provides an integrated function to compress images in a presentation. To do this, open the presentation and go to “File,” then select “Save As.” Click on “Browse” in the newly opened window, then click on “Tools” at the bottom and choose “Compress Pictures.”

Select the option “Delete cropped areas of pictures” and set the target output to 150 or 96 ppi. If your recipient plans to print the presentation, leave the target output at 220 ppi. For more information on compressing images in PowerPoint, check our article on the subject.

You can find more information in our articel “ Compress Images “.

3. Discard Editing Data for Images

This option can further reduce the size of presentations. Go to the “File” tab, then select “Options. ” Under “Advanced,” check the box next to “Discard editing data” under “Image Size and Quality.” Keep in mind that after enabling this option, changes made to images cannot be undone.

4. Avoid Creating Image Effects with PowerPoint

Avoid using PowerPoint’s image tools to edit your graphics and photos. For example, the image tools offer the option to apply “Artistic Effects” to your images. However, PowerPoint creates two image files – one for the original and one for the edited image with the artistic effect.

As a result, the overall file size increases with more images attached to the presentation. Instead, use a separate image editing program for effects and other adjustments. Insert the finished edited images into your presentation.

5. Check the Master Slide

When copying a slide from one presentation to another, it’s possible to unintentionally include the master slide from the source presentation in the target presentation, thus increasing its file size. To avoid this unnecessary increase in file size, always paste copied slides into the target presentation using the right-click option “Use Destination Theme.”

After completing your presentation, it’s always a good idea to check the master slide view. There, you can verify if any unnecessary master slides have been inadvertently included through copying and delete them if necessary.

Extra Tip: Use File Size Optimization Tools

There are various tools available that allow you to reduce the size of PowerPoint and other Office files. A popular tool is for example PowerShrink . Both software options allow you to shrink file sizes without any loss of quality. If you want to try out these tools, you can download and test their free trial versions.

Conclusion: Easily and Quickly Optimize Your File Size with Our Tips!

In presentations, file sizes can quickly become too large. To ensure that you and your colleagues can edit and send the presentation without any issues, it’s important to keep the file size below 5 MB. With our tips, you can easily and quickly optimize your file size! Give it a try!

If you have any questions about optimizing file sizes or general questions about PowerPoint, feel free to contact us at [email protected] . We’re here to help!

Are you looking for professionally designed slide templates to support your key message ? Visit our shop for a wide range of slides on various (business) topics available for download. Explore our shop today! ► Go to Shop

You may also be interested in other articles:

• Compressing PowerPoint Images
• Standardizing Image Sizes

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How to Compress Images in PowerPoint to Reduce File Size (10 Strategies)

10 Strategies to Compress Images in Large PowerPoint Presentations

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated July 21, 2020

Applies to: Microsoft® PowerPoint® 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

There are many strategies you can use to compress images in PowerPoint presentations to reduce file size. It's common to use built-in compression features in PowerPoint to make large files smaller but you can also reduce image size before you insert pictures on your slides. If you're using 365, 3D models can cause a significant increase in file size.

The following are 10 ways to compress images in PowerPoint presentations:

• Compress pictures using Compress Pictures on the Ribbon
• Compress pictures when saving a PowerPoint file
• Change default compression settings in PowerPoint Options
• Insert pictures instead of copying and pasting
• Use image files at a lower resolution
• Convert images to a different file type
• Replace 3D models with 2D alternatives
• Save a copy of images with picture effects
• Discard editing data
• Link to images

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 : PowerPoint Slide Show Shortcuts (50+ Shortcuts)

Do you want to learn more about PowerPoint?  Check out our virtual classroom or live classroom  PowerPoint courses >

1. Compress pictures using Compress Pictures on the Ribbon

One of the most common ways to reduce file size is to compress one or all of the pictures in your PowerPoint file using Compress Pictures. 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, display the slide with the image or picture you want to compress. You can't compress shapes that draw in PowerPoint.
• Select the image or picture on the slide. You can Shift-click multiple images if they are on the same slide.
• Click the Picture Tools Format or Picture Format 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 want 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.

Select the target output resolution that is most appropriate for the way you want to use the file. Select E-mail (96 ppi) for maximum compression. Use Web (150 ppi) if you plan to post your presentation online or project it. Choose Print (220 ppi) if you intend to print. HD options (such as 330 ppi) are available in newer versions for high-definition displays.

If a picture has already been compressed, higher-resolution compression options may not be available. For example, if you've saved a presentation and the default 220 ppi compression in PowerPoint options is set, you won't be able to compress an image again using 330 ppi (HD). Use Document Resolution refers to the resolution specified the Set Up Slide Show settings on the Slide Show tab . Normally, this resolution is the same as your computer screen.

Images that are downloaded from the internet may already be compressed so higher-resolution compression options may not be available for an image. Also, although PowerPoint will allow you specify compression settings for CMYK images, it won't actually compress them.

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 those images as well.

2. Compress pictures when saving a PowerPoint file

You can also compress all images when you save a PowerPoint file.

To save a PowerPoint file and compress images:

• Choose Save As. If necessary, click Options or More Options. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the desired location and name the file with a different name (such as OurServices2).
• Click Tools. A drop-down menu appears.
• Click Compress Pictures. A dialog box appears.
• Select the desired resolution.
• Click Save.

3. Change default compression settings in PowerPoint Options

PowerPoint compresses pictures by default based on settings in PowerPoint Options. If you set the default to a lower resolution, this should reduce file size. It's important to note that the compression settings are applied when you save the PowerPoint presentation and only for the current file.

To change automatic compression settings:

• Click Options. A dialog box appears.
• In the categories on the left, click Advanced.
• In the Image Size and Quality settings, choose an option for Default resolution. If you turn off compression completely, your file size would not be compressed.

Below is the PowerPoint Options dialog box with resolution settings in 365 (resolutions are different depending on version):

Higher resolution options are not available in older versions of PowerPoint. You can change the automatic picture compression for the current file only so it's best to change compression settings when you first create a PowerPoint file.

4. 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.

5. Use image files at a lower resolution

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 stock photo site, select the lowest resolution possible at the quality level you require. It you're taking pictures with a phone, save or send images at a lower resolution and insert the lower resolution images into your PowerPoint decks

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.

6. Convert images to a different file type

You can save pictures in PowerPoint, delete them, and reinsert them into the PowerPoint file. For example, you could save a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) image as a JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or PNG (Portable Network Graphics) and reduce the size of the image.

To save an image in a different format and reinsert it into PowerPoint:

• 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 (PNG supports transparent backgrounds).
• 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.

7. Save a copy of images with picture effects

When you apply picture effects, including artistic effects, to an image, PowerPoint retains two copies of the image (the original and a copy with the picture 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 picture effects  (such as blur ) to an image, you can reduce file size using the following method:

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

8. Replace 3D models with 2D alternatives

In PowerPoint 365, you can insert 3D models which can be very large in size. Although 3D models are not inserted as pictures but rather as 3D models, they are images. One model we inserted took 17 MB of space. You can't compress 3D models like other types of images so you may need to delete them or use a picture instead if file size is an issue.

To replace a 3D model with a 2D picture:

• Right-click the 3D model. A drop-down menu appears.
• In the PowerPoint presentation, delete the 3D model.

Below is an example of a 3D image saved as a picture:

The 3D model is on the left and the image on the right has been saved as a PNG file and then inserted back into PowerPoint.

You also have the alternative of cutting the 3D model and pasting it back onto the slide as a picture.

To replace a 3D model with a 2D picture by cutting and pasting:

• Click the 3D model.
• Press Ctrl + X to cut it.
• Press Ctrl + Alt + V. The Paste Special dialog box appears.
• Click a picture format (such as JPG, PNG or Enhanced Metafile).

If you use either method, you will lose the 3D functionality so you may want to store a copy of the 3D model in another file (or a copy of the file).

9. Discard editing data

You can also discard the copy of images that PowerPoint retains if you want to reset an image.

To discard editing data:

• In the Image Size and Quality settings, select Discard editing data.

This setting is applied only to the current presentation.

Below is the PowerPoint Options dialog box with Discard editing data selected:

10. Link to images

If you are creating presentations for a conference, large company event or a social event (such as a graduation) with hundreds of pictures, you can link to the picture files instead of copying them into your presentation. If you copy hundreds of images into a presentation, PowerPoint may crash if it hits the memory limit for Office so consider linking instead.

To link pictures:

• Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Picture(s).
• Click the picture. A dialog box appears.
• On the bottom right of the dialog box, click the arrow beside Insert.
• Select Link to File.
• Repeat for other pictures.

If you choose to link to images, it's a good idea to keep the images in a folder in the same folder as the presentation and then copy the entire folder if you are going to present on another device.

For more ways to reduce presentation size, check out How to Compress PowerPoint Presentations to Reduce File Size (10 Ways).

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How to Highlight Text with Emphasis Animation

How to Insert a Check Mark in PowerPoint (4 Ways)

How to Crop an Image Into a Circle in PowerPoint (Crop to Shape Method)

How to Add Animation in PowerPoint (Animate Images, Text and Other Objects)

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15 PowerPoint Tips & Tricks To Improve Your Presentations

Creating a presentation in PowerPoint will be significantly easier if you know a few tips and tricks. We’ve shown you how to change the size of your slides, insert a PDF , add music , and how to make your PowerPoint more engaging. 

Whether you’re brand new to creating PowerPoint presentations or you’re a pro, you can improve further by incorporating new PowerPoint design ideas. 

1. How to Lock an Image in PowerPoint

Locking an image in a PowerPoint presentation will prevent the image’s proportions or aspect ratio from getting distorted or out of scale.

To lock an image in PowerPoint, follow the steps below:

• Right-click on the image and select Size and Position .

• Check the box labeled Lock aspect ratio .

It’s also possible to lock an image or object so it cannot be resized or moved around the slide at all. This feature may be missing from most PowerPoint desktop versions. You might be able to right-click on an image, shape, or object and select Lock .

If you don’t see that option, one workaround is to place objects into the master slide. To learn how, read how to edit master slides in PowerPoint . 

2. Loop a Slideshow in PowerPoint

If you plan on continuously running a PowerPoint slide show, you can set the slideshow to loop instead of having to restart it manually.

• Open the PowerPoint you want to loop.
• Select the Slide Show tab.
• Select the Set Up Slide Show button.

• Check the box labeled Loop continuously until ‘Esc.’

• Select the OK button.

You’ll need to press the Esc key to end the looped PowerPoint presentation. Clicking on the final slide in your deck or pressing the right arrow key on your keyboard will cause the slideshow to restart.

3. How to Reduce the Size of a PowerPoint

PowerPoint files can become large if you’ve inserted high-resolution images or media files. We’ve got a few PowerPoint tips and tricks that can help reduce the size of your PowerPoint file.

• Embed only the font characters used in your presentation by selecting File > Options > Save in the menu on the left.

• If you’ve chosen to embed fonts in the file, select the Embed only the characters used in the presentation option.

• Select File > Options > Advanced .
• Under Image Size and Quality , check the box labeled Discard editing data .
• To further reduce the size of your PowerPoint, uncheck the box labeled Do not compress images in file and opt for a lower default resolution for your images.

• In the Picture Format tab, select the Compress Pictures button. You can choose whether to apply compression options to all images or only the picture you’ve chosen.
• Check the box labeled Delete cropped areas of pictures , and select Use default resolution . Press OK .

By reducing the size of your PowerPoint file, you’ll make the file easier to store and email.

4. How to Add and Print PowerPoint Notes

Add speaker notes to help the presenter remember what to say during the presentation by selecting the Notes button at the bottom of the PowerPoint. Type a script or just a few notes as reminders.

To print the presentation with the notes, select Notes Pages in the Settings section of the Print dialog box.

5. How to Edit PowerPoint Backgrounds

To add, remove, or edit a background graphic from your slides using the PowerPoint desktop app, you’ll need to select Slide Master from the View menu. Then, on the left, select the slide master or one of the layouts that appears below it: Right-click and select Format Background . Check a box labeled Hide background graphics .

If you’re using PowerPoint in a browser, you might have noticed there is no slide master. When you use the online version, you can directly add, remove, or edit any graphics that appear on a slide.

6. How to Link to Another Slide in the Presentation

Linking to another slide in the same presentation can be helpful if you anticipate the need to skip part of your presentation due to time constraints or refer back to a previous slide. It is as simple as adding a hyperlink.

• Select the text, image, or shape you want to use as a link.
• Select Insert > Link or right-click and select Hyperlink .
• In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, under Link to , select Place in This Document .

• Choose which slide you want to link to and press the OK button.

7. Stay Consistent by Using the Format Painter

Consistency is a hallmark of a well-designed PowerPoint presentation. For example, slide headings should have the same color, font, and font size throughout the deck. Using the format painter makes standardizing all the headings and element labels in your presentation quick and easy.

• Select the content that has the formatting you like.
• In the Home tab, select the Format Painter .
• Next, select something else, and the formatting of the first element will automatically be applied.

Simple. To apply formatting to multiple elements, double-click the Format Painter and repeat step #3 above until you’ve applied the formatting to all the elements you want. Press the Esc key to stop using the Format Painter.

8. Look Smart with SmartArt

PowerPoint’s built-in SmartArt feature will help take your presentations to the next level. With SmartArt, you can convert plain, boring text to engaging graphics.

• Select the text you want to convert into a graphic.
• On the Home tab, select Convert to SmartArt .

• Select the option you like the most. As you move your mouse over the different options, you’ll see what your text looks like converted to that SmartArt option.
• If you’d like a SmartArt option that allows you to add pictures, select More SmartArt Graphics .
• In the menu on the left, select Picture .

• Select the option you like best.
• To add an image, select an image icon in a SmartArt element and choose whether to insert an image from a file on your computer or from an online source like Bing.

The SmartArt gallery has dozens of options to choose from. One of them is bound to make your slide more engaging.

9. Align Your Objects

You’ve used the Format Painter to ensure your formatting is consistent throughout your presentation. While you’re at it, make sure all your objects are perfectly aligned using PowerPoint’s Align tool.

• Select the objects you want to align by holding down Shift as you select each object.
• In the Format tab, select Align .
• Choose how you want the selected object to align.

• To distribute three or more objects evenly, select the objects, and then select Align and either Distribute Horizontally or Distribute Vertically .

Being intentional about how objects on your slides are aligned goes a long way to making a professional-looking presentation.

10. How to Use Picture Layout

When you’re working with a slide with one or more images, try using PowerPoint’s built-in Picture Layout tool. It’s SmartArt for images.

• Select all the images on the slide (hold down Shift to select multiple images).
• In the Picture Tools menu, select Format > Picture Layout .

• Mouse over the options to find the Picture Layout you like best, and select it.

If you decide you don’t want to use a Picture Layout, you can convert your images back to Shapes by selecting Design > Convert > Convert to Shapes .

11. Be Sparing with the Slide Transitions

Once you discover that you can add animations between slides, you might be tempted to try them all. However, you should remember the cardinal rule of PowerPoint presentations: less is more. If you absolutely must use a transition, stick to the simple ones like Cut and Fade .

• Select a slide.
• From the Transitions tab, select a transition.

• Select Effect Options if it’s available to choose additional settings for the transition.

• Select Preview to see the transition in action.

12. Use Animations Wisely

While you’re toning down your slide transitions, make sure you’re using animations judiciously, too. Animating text or objects on a slide can help the flow of your presentation, but too many animations can be distracting. Be discerning about when and where you use them.

To add animations and effects:

• Select the text or object you want to animate.
• On the Animations tab, select an animation.

• Next, select Effect Options to choose an effect. Note, the Effect Options will be different depending on which animation you have selected.

You can select different ways to start the animations. In the Timing section of the Animations tab, choose when to start the animation.

• On click . This option will start the animation when you click the slide.
• With previous . Choose this option if you want the animation to play at the same time as the previous animation in the sequence.
• After previous . The animation will begin immediately after the prior one concludes.
• Duration . This option allows you to make an effect last longer or shorter.
• Delay . Add some time before an effect begins.

To change the order your animations play:

• Select an animation marker on a slide (or toggle on the Animation Pane by selecting it in the Advanced Animation section of the Animation tab and select an animation in the list.)

• In the Timing section of the Animation tab, select either Move Earlier or Move Later .

To add an animation to a group of objects:

• Press Ctrl and select multiple objects.
• Select Format > Group > Group to create a group.
• Choose an animation from the Animations tab.

If you use them the right way, animations can make your presentation clearer and easier for viewers to understand.

13. K.I.S.S.

PowerPoint slides are most effective when they’re simple. When you include only the most important information on your slides, you make it easier for people to digest and remember your message. You can always say more about the topic, but don’t pack the slide with more content than you need. After all, your audience should be listening more than reading.

14. Seek Out High Quality Templates, Images, and Graphics

When you keep it simple, that means using images and graphics that look good. We’ve rounded up some great stock photo sites and places to get beautiful PowerPoint templates .

15. Export the Presentation as a Video

When you’re happy with your presentation, export it as a video:

• Select File > Export .

• Choose Create a video .

• Select the quality of the video and whether to use recorded timings and narrations.

• Set the duration of each slide.
• Select the Create Video button.
• Navigate to the folder where you want to save the video file.
• Select the Save button.

By implementing these tips and tricks, you’ll take your presentations to the next level!

However, perhaps despite all the tips and tricks you’ve learned, you’ve decided to swear off the software entirely. So many PowerPoint presentations have put audience members to sleep that we now have a term for it: “death by PowerPoint.” In that case, say goodbye to Powerpoint, and check out these seven alternatives to PowerPoint that you can use online. 

Maggie Marystone is a freelance technology writer, human rights worker, and storyteller based in Chicago. Read Maggie's Full Bio

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How-To Geek

How to compress images in microsoft powerpoint.

If you want to reduce the file size of your PowerPoint presentation and save disk space, compress the images in the slideshow. Here's how.

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Compress images in powerpoint for windows, compress images in powerpoint for mac.

Compressing images in your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation can help reduce the overall file size of the presentation and save disk space on the device it’s stored on. Here’s how to compress images in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Note that this feature is only available for desktop versions of Office and not Office for the web.

Open the PowerPoint presentation that contains the images you’d like to compress and then select a photo.

Once selected, you’ll automatically be in the “Picture Format” tab. Here, click the “Compress Pictures” button in the “Adjust” group.

The “Compress Pictures” window will appear. In the “Compression Options” group, you can choose if the compression applies only to the selected picture. If you uncheck this option, PowerPoint will compress all of the images in the presentation, which overrides any changes you may have made to those images.

Related: How to Reduce the Size of a Microsoft Word Document

In the “Resolution” group, choose which resolution you would like to use. Once ready, click “OK.”

The image or images will now be compressed.

Open the PowerPoint presentation that contains the images you’d like to compress and then select a photo. Once selected, click “Compress Pictures” in the “Picture Format” tab.

The “Compress Pictures” window will appear. Select the picture quality you’d like to use, then select if you’d like to apply the compression to all images in the presentation or only the selected image. Also, if you want to delete the cropped areas of the pictures, check the box next to that option.

When ready, click “OK.”