How to Open a PowerPoint 2007 Document With Office XP

PowerPoint 2007 files use a slightly different format from PowerPoint 2003 files. The file extension for PowerPoint 2007 files is ".pptx," while the file extension for PowerPoint 2003 files is ".ppt." You cannot open a PowerPoint 2007 file with only Microsoft Office XP because the system does not recognize the file. To open ".pptx" files in Office XP, you must install the Office XP compatibility pack to add functionality to PowerPoint 2003.

Instructions

1. Close PowerPoint 2003 and any other open Office XP programs.

2. Click "Start" and select "All Programs." Choose "Windows Update" from the list. Microsoft recommends checking for and installing any updates before installing the compatibility pack. If an update is available, click "Install Updates" to download the update.

3. Visit the Microsoft Download Center to download the Office XP compatibility pack. Click "Download."

4. Wait a few minutes for the download to complete. When it finishes, a dialog box appears. Double-click on "Run."

5. Check the box next to "Click Here to Accept the Microsoft Software License terms." Click "Continue," then "OK." Click "OK" when the progress bar shows the installation is complete.

6. Double-click on the PowerPoint 2007 file. It should automatically open in PowerPoint 2003. If it doesn't, right-click the file and select "Open With." Choose "Microsoft PowerPoint."

References

• Microsoft: Support

Resources

• Microsoft: Compatibility Pack Download
• Microsoft: Homepage