What is a PPTM file?
PPTM stands for PowerPoint macro-enabled presentation. It was created by Microsoft and first released in 2007. A PPTM is a PPTX that is allowed to carry VBA macros, often used for interactive quizzes and training decks. PowerPoint disables the macros until you allow them, and many mail systems block PPTM attachments.
| Type | presentation |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless |
| In a browser | opens in PowerPoint, which asks before running its macros; LibreOffice Impress opens the slides |
| Common uses | presentations with macros for quizzes, automation or interactive training |
| MIME type | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.presentation.macroEnabled.12 |
How to open a PPTM file
Whether a PPTM file opens with a double click depends on the device. Here is what works on each, without buying software:
| Windows | PowerPoint or the free LibreOffice Impress opens PPT, PPTX and ODP. |
|---|---|
| Mac | Keynote opens PPT and PPTX; LibreOffice Impress opens ODP. |
| iPhone and iPad | Keynote and the PowerPoint app open PPT and PPTX; ODP needs an app such as Collabora Office. |
| Android | Google Slides and the PowerPoint app open PPT and PPTX; ODP needs an app such as Collabora Office. |
| Web browser | PPTM opens in PowerPoint, which asks before running its macros; LibreOffice Impress opens the slides. |
Want the technical details? See what a .pptm file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
PPTM compared with other presentation formats
How PPTM stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Usually contains | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPTM | Lossless | slides with text, images and animations plus VBA macros | 2007 | presentations with macros for quizzes, automation or interactive training |
| PPTX | Lossless | slides with text, images, charts, animations and speaker notes | 2007 | presentations for work, school and conferences |
| PPT | Lossless | slides with text, images and animations in a binary file | 1997 | older presentations and slide decks from legacy systems |
| ODP | Lossless | slides with text, images and transitions in a ZIP of XML files | 2005 | presentations made in LibreOffice and OpenOffice |
| Either | 1993 | documents, forms, invoices and print-ready files |
How to use the PPTM converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your PPTM files on the box, or press Choose PPTM files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. The file is converted on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back.
Tips for converting PPTM files
Converting a PPTM file keeps every slide and its text: what can change is fonts, effects and animations, where formats do not match feature for feature. A few habits keep the result close to the original.
- Keep the original presentation; a PDF cannot play animations, transitions or video.
- Unhide the slides you want included; hidden slides are left out, as they are when you present.
- Embed fonts in PowerPoint so unusual typefaces look the same in the PDF.
- Compress large photos in the deck to keep the file under the size limit and the PDF easy to email.
- Speaker notes are not included in a PDF of the slides; export notes separately if you need them.
Convert PPTM files from the command line
LibreOffice does the same on your own computer, without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to pdf input.pptmConverting 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.
PPTM converter FAQ
What is a PPTM file?
PPTM stands for PowerPoint macro-enabled presentation, a presentation format created by Microsoft in 2007. A PPTM is a PPTX that is allowed to carry VBA macros, often used for interactive quizzes and training decks. PowerPoint disables the macros until you allow them, and many mail systems block PPTM attachments.
How do I open a PPTM file?
PPTM opens in PowerPoint, which asks before running its macros; LibreOffice Impress opens the slides. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common PPTM conversion?
PPTM to PDF is the conversion people search for most. The PPTM is opened by LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, on our conversion server and exported to PDF with its layout: one page per slide, with the text, images, shapes and charts as they appear on the slide.
Does converting PPTM files here upload them?
Yes. PPTM conversions need LibreOffice, an open-source program that cannot run in a browser, so they run on our conversion 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.
Is the PPTM converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert PPTM files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your PPTM files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several PPTM files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.