Why would you convert a PowerPoint file to PDF?
The most common reason is for security. (See the end of this tip for other ways to protect your presentation.) For example, you may want to send your slides to a colleague or potential customer for review, but not allow changes.
Note that people with Adobe Acrobat can make changes to PDF files. They can delete pages and add hyperlinks, for example. Moreover, there are PDF to PowerPoint conversion programs available, so PDF format is not entirely safe.
Another reason is to let people who don’t have PowerPoint view the presentation. True, there’s a PowerPoint viewer, but people may not have it or want to install it. Almost everyone has the Adobe Reader to view PDF files.
When you convert a PowerPoint file to PDF format, you lose all animation. Basically, you’re turning your slides into pictures.
How to convert a PowerPoint file to PDF format
There are a number of options that you can use. Here are a few:
- PowerPoint 2010 and later let you create a PDF from within PowerPoint. Just choose File>Save & Send or Publish or Export>Create PDF/XPS Document. Then click the Create PDF/XPS button.
- Adobe Distiller. Adobe’s Distiller program works like a printer driver and it comes with Adobe Acrobat. You choose File> Print and choose Adobe PDF as the printer. Distiller uses its current settings. You can open Distiller directly to change those settings. Watch the video below.
- A free PDF creator (such as PDF995 or PrimoPDF). These PDF creators are printer drivers and work like Adobe Distiller, although you won’t have as many settings.
- Prep4PDF: Steve Rindberg’s Prep4PDF software works with your PDF creation software, but keeps hyperlinks, action buttons, and more.
Hi,
You might also want to convert to PDF in the event you are using a non-traditional or non-TrueType font in your presentation, as a non-standard font would most likely not be installed on another user’s machine. I also find this useful if I submit a deck to slideshare.net, and I am using non-traditional fonts.
Thanks – Matt Gambino
Great Article. On occasion, i have lost my original PowerPoint and have only been left with the PDF i created. A product; PDF Converter from Nuance not only converts Powerpoint (and any other document to PDF) but will actually convert PDF’s back to their original format. Sometimes useful if your original PPT has corrupted or been lost.
If you feel the PDF files is not so convenient to use. you could convert the PDF to ebooks by yourself with the help of the tool of flip book maker.It create flash page turning flip books from PDF, and converts your PDF files to online magazines, e-newspaper, online catalogs, digital booklets, and other publications for online sharing.
Excellent website. A lot of helpful information here. I’m sending it to a few friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And naturally, thank you to your effort!|