MS-PowerPoint / Getting Started

PowerPoint 2007 File Types

PowerPoint 2007 (and Office 2007 more generally) introduces a slew of new file types, complete with unfamiliar file extensions. Here they are, in a nutshell:

  • .pptx(PowerPoint 2007 presentation). Most of the time, you want to save your file in this format.
  • .potx(PowerPoint 2007 template). Lets you save a presentation as a reusable design template.
  • .potm(PowerPoint 2007 macroenabled design template). Lets programmers save a macro-filled presentation as a design template.
  • .ppsx(PowerPoint 2007 show). Lets you save this file as a PowerPoint show that folks can run using the PowerPoint viewer.
  • .ppsm(PowerPoint 2007 macroenabled show). Lets programmers save a macro-filled presentation as a show.
  • .ppam(PowerPoint 2007 add-in). Lets programmers save presentations that actually add to PowerPoint's interface.
  • .pptm(PowerPoint 2007 macroenabled presentation). Lets programmers save presentations that contain macros.
  • .thmx(Microsoft Office Theme). Lets you save your presentation as a reusable collection of colors, fonts, and graphic effects so that you can apply it to another PowerPoint slideshow, Word document, or Excel spreadsheet.
  • .ppt(PowerPoint 2003and earlierpresentation). Lets you save your presentation in a form that folks running PowerPoint 2003 can edit.

PowerPoint 2007 also handles the same file types as earlier versions, including .ppt, .pps, .htm, and so on.

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