15 Minutes a Day: A Few Tips to Reduce PowerPoint File Size

Excerpt from http://www.ppt-to-video.com/blog/a-few-tips-to-reduce-powerpoint-file-size.html

  • Use compressed graphics file formats to reduce the size of PowerPoint. There may be many images in graphic formats like bitmap (.bmp) in your PowerPoint presentation. The suggestion is to open bitmap image with a program that converts images and save the image in one of the following graphic file formats: jpg, gif, tif, wmf.
  • Once your image has been saved under another format, you can reinsert it into your slide. If you do this for all your images, your presentation will be much smaller and it will run smoothly and fast.
  • Save your presentation under a new name to reduce the size of your presentation.  PowerPoint usually stores lots of redundant information (earlier drafts, previous used images). Once your presentation has been saved as another file, the unnecessary redundant information is purged.
  • Choose E-mail (96 ppi) output to reduce the size of PowerPoint.
    • Tools >>Format >> Compress Pictures >> Options >> Target Output >> E-mail (96 ppi)

Compression Settings Screenshot

  • For PowerPoint XP and 2003, right-clicking the image >>Format Picture >> Compress >> Web/Screen) This will change all the pictures used in your presentation to an optimal size.
  • Insert a hyperlink instead of inserting an object to reduce the size of PowerPoint.  Remember, you will need the Internet for this option!
  • Insert >> Picture >> From File >> Select the image you want to insert >> Click the little down arrow besides Insert >> Link to File