What happens when you convert PPS to PPT
- The PPS 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 PPT opens in the editor rather than straight into a slide show, so the slides can be changed.
- 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 PPS to PPT online
- Press "Choose PPS 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 PPS and the PPT by then.
Why convert PPS to PPT?
PPS files usually come from slide shows sent by email to play full screen. 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, PPS 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. PPS opens in PowerPoint straight into the slide show; LibreOffice Impress and Keynote open it too, while PPT opens in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote and LibreOffice Impress.
How to convert PPS to PPT on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your PPS 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 PPS 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 PPS 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 PPS 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 PPS to PPT
There are no settings to choose: the PPS 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 PPS. Simple files convert exactly; unusual fonts, complex layouts and advanced features are where differences appear.
PPS vs PPT: the differences
| PPS | PPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | PowerPoint 97 to 2003 slide show | PowerPoint 97 to 2003 presentation |
| Type | presentation | presentation |
| Created by | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| First released | 1997 | 1997 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | slides with text, images and animations in a binary file | slides with text, images and animations in a binary file |
| In a browser | opens in PowerPoint straight into the slide show; LibreOffice Impress and Keynote open it too | opens in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote and LibreOffice Impress |
| Common uses | slide shows sent by email to play full screen | older presentations and slide decks from legacy systems |
| MIME type | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint |
About PPS and PPT files
What is a PPS file?
A PPS is a PPT saved to open straight into a full-screen slide show instead of the editor. The contents are identical to a PPT, which is why renaming it to .ppt lets PowerPoint open it for editing.
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.
PPS 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 PPS to PPT from the command line
LibreOffice does the same on your own computer, without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to ppt input.ppsConverting 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.
PPS to PPT converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting PPS to PPT?
The content is kept. Office formats do not match feature for feature, so complex layouts or advanced features in the PPS may shift slightly in the PPT.
Why is the PPT a different size from the PPS?
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 PPS files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful PPS 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 PPS 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 PPS 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 PPS 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.