What would you do if you were asked to create an official PowerPoint presentation, to be shared amongst a group of people, before you make the actual presentation?
For people working in corporate organizations where files and documents have to pass through numerous hands before a physical presentation is done, the primary concern would be the security of the data contained in the document.
In order to secure data that you have prepared in a PowerPoint presentation before sharing it with others, it is advisable to save the file in a Portable Document Format, also known as PDF.
In today’s article, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how to save a PowerPoint presentation with notes as a PDF file. We will also answer the following questions about why you should consider saving your PowerPoint documents in PDF format at all times:
Why Should I Save My PowerPoint Presentation as A PDF?
In today’s cut-throat corporate world, it is highly advisable for you to consider securing any data you share with others. Saving your PowerPoint file as a PDF is the only way to ensure that your presentation reaches your audience in the exact shape that you, as the author intended while creating it.
Saving your PowerPoint file as a PDF file helps you to:
If you want to share your files freely without worrying that someone in your audience may alter your data, then you can consider saving your PowerPoint file as a PDF. A PDF file displays your document in the same layout as you created it, in a format that cannot be modified once it is saved. It also allows you to create a password to further protect your data.
Unlike PowerPoint, PDF allows you and others to access the shared file from any computing device. The PDF file format is enabled by Adobe Reader, a free digital file interchange that is available for all versions of operating systems.
- Make Your Presentation More Interactive
PDF format allows you to view a file in its original layout, including any images, text or graphics you may want included in the document. It also allows you to hyperlink your data, or add more features like movies and music. You can also attach other files to your PDF document.
- Access Sections of The Document easily
PDF allows you to organize your data in an easy to access fashion. You can create a table of contents for your file, which can link you to the sections in your preferred pages of the document.
- Optimize Your File For Sharing
PDF format allows you to adapt your file to your preferred standard before sharing it. It also allows you to adjust your slides as you desire to make the presentation more appealing to your audience.
What Is The Difference Between A PowerPoint Presentation and A PDF Presentation?
PowerPoint Files
- A PowerPoint file, also known as PPT, is an editable slideshow that allows you to input text, images, sound effects, music, movies, bullet points and any other feature to enhance your presentation.
- PowerPoint files can be made from scratch on a PowerPoint template only.
- PowerPoint files can only be viewed on the PowerPoint platform.
PDF Files
- PDF is a non- editable format for saving documents with the purpose of sharing with others for publishing or printing.
- PDF files can include formatted text, images, sound effects, bullet points, music and other features you might need for a slideshow presentation.
- PDF files can be made from a PowerPoint template and converted to PDF, or created from scratch.
- PDF files can be viewed on multiple platforms.
How Can I Save My PowerPoint Presentation with Notes as A PDF on Windows?
You can save your PowerPoint file with notes as a PDF on your Windows machine following these steps:
- Open your PowerPoint file
- Click on FILE on the top left side of your Windows computer
- Click EXPORT on the dropdown menu that appears
- Select CREATE PDF/XPS DOC
- Under CREATE PDF/XPS, select OPTIONS
- Click PUBLISH AS PDF or XPS
- In the dropdown menu that appears, select NOTES PAGES
- Click OK to complete the conversion and save.
How Can I Save My PowerPoint Presentation with Notes as A PDF on Mac?
You can follow these steps to save your PowerPoint file with notes as PDF on Mac:
- Open your PowerPoint presentation
- Click on FILE on the top left side of your Macintosh computer
- Select PRINT
- On the LAYOUT option, click the dropdown menu
- Select NOTES
- Click on SAVE AS PDF option
- Click SAVE.
How Can I Save My PowerPoint Presentation with Notes as A PDF Online?
You can save your PowerPoint presentation as a PDf using a free online PDF editor like Adobe Reader. Here’s how:
- Open your PowerPoint file.
- Choose SELECT A FILE button on your computer
- Drag your selected file in the provided drop zone
- Select the PowerPoint file you want to convert to PDF
- Once the file has been converted to PDF, DOWNLOAD and share it as you wish.
Will Saving My PowerPoint Presentation with Notes as A PDF Change the Appearance of The File?
Converting your PowerPoint file to PDF does not change the appearance of your presentation. You will be able to showcase your intended text, images and videos just as you would in a PowerPoint slide show.
Some files increase in size when converted as PDF files. This is especially common for PowerPoint files that have multiple large images and videos included in the presentation.
Once you have successfully converted your file to PDF, you can reduce its size by using the SAVE AS button instead of SAVE when saving it. The SAVE AS button overwrites the file and can help you to eliminate unused objects in your presentation. It can also eliminate accumulated changes on the presentation, resulting in a smaller, manageable PDF file.
You can choose to change the appearance of your new PDF presentation once you are done converting it from PowerPoint.
What Can I Do to Optimize My Document After Saving It as A PDF?
Oftentimes, PowerPoint to PDF files are large… and can take a long time to download or share with coworkers.
If you would like to optimize your PDF file on Windows for sharing as an email attachment only:
- Click the OPTIMIZE FOR button on the bottom-right window on your machine
- Select the MINIMUM SIZE button.
Minimum Size option lowers the quality of your PDF file so that it can be shared via email. The lower quality PDF version can also be published as the file becomes smaller and manageable.
To optimize your PDF file for publishing online or printing it:
- Click the OPTIMIZE FOR button
- Select STANDARD SIZE button
Optimizing your PDF document to standard size gives you a high-quality version of the file so you can publish it online or print it out to share in hard copy. A standard size PDF file is not shareable via email as it would be too heavy to store as open as an attachment.
You can choose to further adjust the appearance of your PDF file by clicking on the Options button available below the Optimize For button. The adjustment options available include:
- Range Option- This option helps you to export the current slide, all your slides or a few select slides from your PDF presentation.
- Publish Options- This option allows you to select the exact data you want published in your document. The Publish What option allows you to include handouts, comments or the outline view of the document in your final PDF document.
You can also choose the number of slides you want to appear on each page of your document using the Publish Options button. The Publish Option button also allows you the freedom to put frames on your slides if you so wish. You can also opt to flip your slides horizontally or vertically as you desire.
- Include Non-Printing Information Option: This option allows you to include the structure tags and other accessibility properties of the document in your final look PDF file if you so wish.
- PDF/A Compliant: This option allows the PDF document you create to be reproduced with all the information embedded in it exactly as you created it, regardless of what software is used to reproduce it.
Saving a PowerPoint file with notes as a PDF gives you peace of mind when sharing your document with others. It also allows you the freedom to adjust your document to suit the needs of your audience, while keeping it safe from outside manipulation.
