How to Convert PowerPoint to PPTX

It is a simple process to convert PowerPoint 97-2003 documents to .pptx (PowerPoint 2007) documents.

Starting with Office 2007, Microsoft changed the default file extensions (sets of letters and/or numbers beginning with a period at the end of a file name) for Office documents, such as PowerPoint presentations. Now by default, presentations created in PowerPoint 2007 or later versions add an "x" to the end of the file extension. When you open a .ppt file (from versions of PowerPoint prior to 2007) in PowerPoint 2007, you have the option to convert it to a .pptx file. These instructions are valid for PowerPoint 2007 only.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 installed on the computer
• PowerPoint presentation with file extension .ppt

Instructions

1. Open PowerPoint 2007.

2. Click the Microsoft Office button at the top left corner of the PowerPoint window. A menu appears below the button. Click "Open" and a window appears. In this window, locate the presentation you want to convert, select it and click the "Open" button.

3. Click the Microsoft Office button at the top left corner of the PowerPoint window. A menu appears below the button. Click "Save As" and then click "PowerPoint Presentation" from the menu appearing to the right. Do not click "Save" instead, as this will save the presentation in its current format.

4. The "Save As" window appears. Navigate to the location in which you want to save the file. Change the file name, if desired. Click "Save." You have now converted your PowerPoint document into a .pptx file.

Tips & Warnings

• You can work with documents saved in previous versions of PowerPoint without converting them to .pptx files. You are working with a presentation created in an earlier version when you see the words "Compatibility Mode" in square brackets next to the document name in the title bar. If you incorporate features specific to .pptx presentations, such as SmartArt, these will save in compatible formats when saved as a presentation compatible with earlier versions of PowerPoint (for example, SmartArt graphics are converted to bitmaps).

• You cannot view files saved as .pptx in versions of PowerPoint before PowerPoint 2007. To ensure that you can work with a .pptx document in PowerPoint versions 97-2003, you should save it as a compatible document. Follow the above steps with your PowerPoint 2007 document, except click "PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation" at the end of step 2. Some features will not be accessible.

References

• "Microsoft Office Online: Use PowerPoint 2007 to Work With Presentations Created in Versions of PowerPoint"
• "Microsoft Office Online: Open a PowerPoint 2007 Presentation in an Earlier Version of PowerPoint"