Company Vaults
Many big businesses saved thousands of presentations in the 1990s and 2000s. They keep them in this format because changing them all would take too long.
PPT: Legacy Presentation
The classic slide deck format.
PresentationsPowerPointPPTLegacy
Explore the binary format that pioneered digital presentations and its enduring legacy in corporate environments.
getbetterat.work
Topic: Legacy File Formats
File Type Guide
What is a .ppt file?
A .ppt file is an older type of presentation file made by Microsoft PowerPoint. People used it to show slides with text, pictures, and charts to an audience.
Before 2007, this was how everyone shared presentations. Today, it has been replaced, but you will still find these files in old emails, old computers, and company archives.
.PPT
The Short Story
Created In
1987. It is a very old way to save computer files.
Made For
Business meetings and school lessons.
Replaced By
The .pptx file format in the year 2007.
Can I open it?
Yes. Modern software can still read these old files.
What lives inside a .ppt file?
When you open a .ppt file, it acts like a digital book. Each page is called a "slide". Here is what you can put on those slides:
Text
Words, titles, and bullet lists to explain ideas.
Pictures
Photos and drawings that make the slides look good.
Charts
Graphs that show numbers, like company profits or test scores.
Animations
Effects that make words or pictures fly onto the screen.
Speaker Notes
Secret text that only the person talking can see. It helps them remember what to say.
The History of .ppt
1987
The Beginning
PowerPoint is born. The .ppt format is created so people can show slides on big screens instead of using paper.
1997 - 2003
The Golden Age
Almost every business and school in the world uses .ppt files. It becomes the standard way to share ideas.
2007
The Change to .pptx
Microsoft realizes .ppt files are too heavy and hard to manage. They invent a better, lighter format called .pptx. The old .ppt starts to fade away.
Old vs. New (.ppt vs .pptx)
Why did we stop using .ppt? Here is the simple reason.
| Feature | The Old .ppt | The New .pptx |
|---|---|---|
| File Size | Very heavy. Takes up a lot of space. | Very light. Easy to email. |
| How it is built | Like a solid block of wood. Hard for a computer to fix if it breaks. | Like a folder of Lego bricks. Very safe and easy to fix. |
| Speed | Slow to save and open. | Fast to save and open. |
How to open a .ppt file today
Even though they are old, you can still open these files easily. You do not need an old computer.
Using Microsoft Office
If you have modern Microsoft PowerPoint on your computer, just double-click the file. It will open normally.
Using the Internet
You can drag the file into Google Slides on the internet. Google will read the old file and show you the slides.
Using an Apple Mac
Apple's free presentation program, called Keynote, can also open and read old .ppt files.
Why do people still use .ppt files?
Old Computers
Some schools, hospitals, or small offices still use very old computers with old software that cannot create the new .pptx files.
Habit
Some older workers are just used to saving files as .ppt. They might not realize there is a newer, better way to save their work.
Action Step
Make it modern: Convert your .ppt
If someone sends you a .ppt file, you should save it as a new file so it works better. Here is the safest way to do it.
- 1 Open the .ppt file in PowerPoint.
- 2 Click on "File" at the top left, then click "Save As".
- 3 Look for the "File Format" box. Change it from "PowerPoint 97-2003 (.ppt)" to "PowerPoint Presentation (.pptx)".
- 4 Click "Save". You now have a modern, safe file!
Things that can go wrong
Old files do not always play nice with new computers. Here are the most common issues you might see.
The text looks messy
Why: The old computer used a font (text style) that
your new computer does not have.
Fix: Highlight the text and choose a
new, common font like Arial or Calibri.
Pictures are missing or blurry
Why: Old .ppt files sometimes squashed pictures to save
space, ruining their quality.
Fix: You might need to ask the sender for
the original picture and insert it again.
Animations do not work
Why: Some old flying or spinning effects were removed
from modern PowerPoint.
Fix: Click on the object and apply a new, modern
animation from the menu.
Safety Warning
Be careful opening very old .ppt files from people you do not know.
The old .ppt format can carry hidden code called "macros". Bad actors used to hide computer viruses inside these files. If your computer asks to "Enable Macros" when opening an old file, always click NO unless you completely trust the person who sent it.
Can I view them on my phone?
Yes. If you download the free Microsoft Office app or Google Slides app on your phone, you can tap the file to look at the slides. However, the screen is small, so reading the text might be hard.
The best way to share a .ppt
Never email a .ppt file directly to someone else. They might not have the right software to open it.
Rule: Always save it as a .PDF before emailing.
A PDF file is like a digital photograph of your slides. Everyone can open a PDF, and the text will not get messy on their screen.
Free tools that read .ppt files
Google Slides
Works in your internet browser. Great for quick viewing.
LibreOffice Impress
A free program you can download to your computer.
Apple Keynote
Free for anyone who uses a Mac computer or iPad.
20 MB
The File Size Trap
Old .ppt files get very big, very fast. If you add a few photos, the file might become too heavy to send in an email. Most email systems will block files that are bigger than 20 Megabytes (MB).
Printing slides for a meeting
Do not print one slide per piece of paper. You will waste too much ink and paper. Do this instead:
- 1. Click Print in your software.
- 2. Look for the "Layout" or "Handouts" option.
- 3. Choose "3 Slides per page".
- 4. This puts 3 small slides on the paper, with lines next to them so people can take notes.
Hidden secrets in the file
Every .ppt file has a secret label attached to it. This label records:
Who made
it
When it
was made
Who
edited it last
If you send a .ppt file to your boss or a client, they can see this hidden information. This is another big reason to save the file as a PDF before sending it.
What if the file is broken?
Sometimes, PowerPoint will say the file is "corrupted" and refuses to open it.
The Fix: Do not give up! Open your internet browser, go to Google Slides, and upload the broken file there. Google's computers are very good at fixing old, broken .ppt files and showing you the text inside.
How to store them
If you are keeping old .ppt files for company records, put them in a cloud folder (like Google Drive or OneDrive) instead of your computer's hard drive. Hard drives break, but the cloud keeps them safe forever.
Should I create new .ppt files?
NO.
Always use .pptx for new work. The old .ppt format belongs in a museum.
Words you should know
Slide
One single screen or page in the presentation.
Deck
A business word for the entire presentation file (a "deck" of slides).
Handout
A printed copy of the slides given to the audience.
Your Final Checklist
- Open the .ppt file to see what is inside.
- Save it immediately as a new .pptx file.
- Check the text and pictures to make sure they look right.
- Delete the old .ppt file so you do not get confused later.
More in this series
Master more skills with other tutorials from the Presentations series.
Data Engineering
- DB: Generic Database File: The universal data container.
- SQLite: Portable Database: A database in a single file.
- SQL: Structured Query Language: The language of data.
- CSV: Comma-Separated Values: The universal data exchange format.
Spreadsheets
- NUMBERS: Apple Numbers Spreadsheet: Visual data storytelling.
- XLSM: Macro-Enabled Spreadsheet: Excel with automation power.
- ODS: OpenDocument Spreadsheet: The open spreadsheet standard.
- XLS: Legacy Excel Spreadsheet: The foundation of digital spreadsheets.
- XLSX: Modern Excel Spreadsheet: The data powerhouse.
Presentations
- ODP: OpenDocument Presentation: The open standard for slides.
- PPT: Legacy Presentation: The classic slide deck format.
- PPTX: Modern Presentation: The gold standard for slide decks.
Word Processing
- WPS: WPS Office Document: The lightweight contender.
- PAGES: Apple Pages Document: The designer's word processor.
- ODT: OpenDocument Text: The open text standard.
- DOC: Legacy Word Document: The classic document format.
- DOCX: Modern Word Document: The standard for office documents.
- RTF: Rich Text Format: The universal translator.
Digital Publishing
- TEX: LaTeX Document: The mathematician's choice.
- PDF: Portable Document Format: The digital paper standard.
Software Engineering
- TSX: TypeScript XML: The modern web component.
Markdown & Text
- MD: Markdown: The programmer's writer.
- TXT: Plain Text: The simplest file in the world.