Tech Reference

How to save a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF to lock in formatting and allow anyone to view it

Written by Steven John
businessman using graphs on screen in meeting presentation
Saving a PowerPoint as a PDF locks its formatting in place so that your presentation appears as you intended. Compassionate Eye Foundation, Robert Daly/Getty Images
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Microsoft PowerPoint presentations remain one of the best ways to share information in a manner that's visually clear and digestible. 

That is, so long as no one alters the formatting and content of that deck you worked on for hours, ruining the slides critical for helping you communicate your Q3 initiative or messing up that interactive family photo album.

When you save a PowerPoint as a PDF, you lock the document so no further changes can be made. This is ideal for ensuring the content remains as you wanted it. And as PDFs can be viewed almost universally regardless of what software or operating system someone has, a PowerPoint presentation saved as a PDF can be viewed even by someone who doesn't have PowerPoint.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Microsoft Office (From $149.99 at Microsoft)

Apple Macbook Pro (From $1,299.00 at Apple)

Windows 10 (From $139.99 at Best Buy)

How to save a PowerPoint as a PDF on Mac

1. Open the PowerPoint to be converted, then click "File."

2. Select "Export" from the dropdown menu.

PPT as PDF 3
In the "File" tab, click "Export."  Steven John/Business Insider

3. Then choose the file name, destination, and change the file format to PDF. Then click "Export."

PPT as PDF 2
Make sure to change the "File Format" to PDF before you export.  Steven John/Business Insider

On a Mac, you can also choose to "Save As…" and then set the File Format as a PDF to get the same result.

How to save a PowerPoint as a PDF on Windows

1. With the PowerPoint deck to be converted open, click "File" then "Export." You can also opt to save only select slides from a deck as PDFs.

2. Click "Create PDF/XPS" on the menu, then hit that again on the window that pops up.

3. Choose the destination for the PDF and change the name if you wish, then hit "Enter."

How to save a PowerPoint as a PDF from the web

Saving a PowerPoint as a PDF from the web is simple. Just click the "File" tab, then choose "Download As" from the dropdown and select "Download as PDF." The language of the "Save As" or "Download As" option differs slightly depending on your OS.

PPT as PDF 4
If downloading from your email, the button may be called "Download Linked File As..."  Steven John/Business Insider


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Headshot of Steven John
Steven John
Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.