What happens when you convert POTX to PPT
- The POTX is opened by LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, on our conversion server and saved as a PPT file.
- Slides, text, images, shapes, charts and most transitions carry over. Complex animations, embedded media and some effects may change.
- The result is an ordinary presentation, not a template: opening it edits it directly instead of starting a new copy.
- PPT is the binary format of Office 97 to 2003. Very new features, such as some chart types and effects, have no equivalent in it and are simplified.
- Password-protected files cannot be converted, because they cannot be opened without the password.
- This conversion runs on our server: the file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert POTX to PPT online
- Press "Choose POTX files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to PPT". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each PPT with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your POTX and the PPT by then.
Why convert POTX to PPT?
POTX files usually come from company slide designs and downloadable presentation templates. People convert them to PPT because some older PowerPoint versions, school systems and kiosks only open the PPT format from PowerPoint 97 to 2003.
In short, POTX is good at what it was made for, and PPT is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. POTX opens in PowerPoint, where it starts a new presentation with its design; Google Slides and LibreOffice Impress open it too, while PPT opens in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote and LibreOffice Impress.
How to convert POTX to PPT on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your POTX files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each PPT is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the POTX files from Finder onto the drop zone and the PPT files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose POTX files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted PPT appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose POTX files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The PPT is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for POTX to PPT
There are no settings to choose: the POTX is opened and saved as a PPT file, keeping as much of its formatting as the format allows.
Check the converted file before deleting the POTX. Simple files convert exactly; unusual fonts, complex layouts and advanced features are where differences appear.
POTX vs PPT: the differences
| POTX | PPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | PowerPoint template | PowerPoint 97 to 2003 presentation |
| Type | presentation | presentation |
| Created by | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| First released | 2007 | 1997 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | slide masters, layouts, themes and sometimes sample slides in a ZIP of XML files | slides with text, images and animations in a binary file |
| In a browser | opens in PowerPoint, where it starts a new presentation with its design; Google Slides and LibreOffice Impress open it too | opens in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote and LibreOffice Impress |
| Common uses | company slide designs and downloadable presentation templates | older presentations and slide decks from legacy systems |
| MIME type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.template | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint |
About POTX and PPT files
What is a POTX file?
POTX is the template version of PPTX. Most downloadable PowerPoint designs come as POTX files: opening one starts a fresh presentation with the design, while the template itself stays unchanged.
What is a PPT file?
PPT is the binary PowerPoint format used before 2007. Current versions of PowerPoint still open it, but save new presentations as PPTX.
POTX to PPT not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images inside the file, or split it, and try again.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex files can pass the 90 second limit. Split the file and convert the parts.
- The file will not convert. It may be password protected, damaged, or saved in a newer or unusual version of the format.
Convert POTX to PPT from the command line
LibreOffice does the same on your own computer, without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to ppt input.potxConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
POTX to PPT converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting POTX to PPT?
The content is kept. Office formats do not match feature for feature, so complex layouts or advanced features in the POTX may shift slightly in the PPT.
Why is the PPT a different size from the POTX?
The two formats store content differently, and PPT is not compressed, so it is often larger. Images are carried over as they are.
Are my POTX files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful POTX to PPT conversion needs LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the PPT as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several POTX files to PPT at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a PPT file?
PPT opens in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote and LibreOffice Impress. PPT is common for older presentations and slide decks from legacy systems.
Is this POTX to PPT converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert POTX to PPT on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the PPT is saved to your Downloads folder.