How to Send a Presentation as a PDF (and What Gets Lost)
Sending a presentation to a client, a lecturer or a committee? If you send a PowerPoint file, there's a good chance it will look different on their end. A PDF solves that. Here's when to send a PDF, how to convert, and what gets lost along the way.
What can go wrong with a PPTX
- Fonts: a font the recipient doesn't have is replaced, and text overflows its boxes.
- Right-to-left text: Hebrew text boxes can flip in other versions, in Google Slides or in Keynote.
- No PowerPoint: on a phone or a computer without Office, the file opens partially or not at all.
- Size: decks with images and videos are heavy and hit email limits.
- Accidental edits: the recipient can change something without noticing.
How to convert
From PowerPoint: File, Save As, PDF. The options let you include speaker notes or print several slides per page.
Online: Word to PDF also accepts PPT and PPTX files, one slide per page. Handy when you don't have Office or you're on your phone.
What gets lost
A PDF is a static document, so:
- Animations and transitions disappear. A slide with elements that appear step by step shows everything at once.
- Video and audio won't play.
- Links usually survive and stay clickable.
If the deck relies on animation to explain something, like a diagram that builds up step by step, consider splitting that slide into several slides before converting.
When to send the PPTX anyway
When the recipient needs to edit it or present it with the animations. In that case, send both: the PDF for reading and the PPTX for working.
File too large?
Image-heavy decks make heavy PDFs. Run the result through Compress PDF.
Going the other way
Received a deck as a PDF and need to present it or add your own slides? The guide to presenting a PDF as slides explains how.