• 4-minute read
• 24th January 2024

How to Download a PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint is Microsoft’s presentation software. It’s frequently used by families, students, and businesses to create slideshows that use text, images, art, and videos.

Whether you want to access lecture slides or presentations showing essential business insights, in this post, we’ll walk you through you how to download PowerPoint presentations so you can work with them offline. 

1. Get the Software

If you don’t already have PowerPoint, you will need to download it. Microsoft PowerPoint is part of Microsoft 365. This is a subscription service, so it does come with a cost.

A free alternative for working with PowerPoint files may be Google slides.

If you choose to download PowerPoint, first make sure your computer will be able to run it: 

• Windows Users: Check that your computer is running Windows 10 or higher that your system has the required hardware specifications to run PowerPoint smoothly.
• Mac Users: Confirm that your Mac is running a version of macOS that supports Microsoft’s software.

2. Connect to the Internet

This may seem obvious, but it’s good to make sure you have a reliable internet connection before you try to download anything. 

3. Download Your PowerPoint Presentation

Once you’ve got PowerPoint or Google slides set up, you’re ready to download PowerPoint presentations.

First, find the PowerPoint you want to download. This could be in an email, on a website, or on a platform like Google Drive or OneDrive. 

Next, make sure you have access to the file and permission to download it. For some websites, you may need to create an account and login. 

Downloading a PowerPoint from Email

While each email provider is a little different, the basic steps for downloading a PowerPoint are the same:

1. Open the email that contains the PowerPoint presentation.

2. Click on the Attachment icon to download the file.

3. Once the file is downloaded, click on it to open it with PowerPoint.

4. To save a copy of the presentation, click on the File tab. 

5. Select Save As and choose where you want to save the file.

6. Give the file a name and hit Save.

Downloading a PowerPoint from a Website

You can download a PowerPoint presentation from a website in just a few steps:

1. Right-click the presentation link or select File if you are viewing the presentation.

2. Select Save As.

3. Give the file a name and choose the file format you want to save it in.

4. Click Save.

Some websites use PowerPoint for the web, which is one of Microsoft’s online tools. The steps to download these PowerPoint files are slightly different: 

1. Click on the File tab of the main ribbon.

2. Select Download As.

3. From the panel of options on the right, select Download a Copy.

4. A dialog box will confirm that the copy is ready to be downloaded to your computer.

5. Select Download to continue. 

Downloading a PowerPoint from OneDrive or Google Drive

You can download a PowerPoint presentation from OneDrive or Google Drive for offline use:

1. Open the appropriate website and sign in to your account.

2. Locate the PowerPoint presentation you want to download.

3. Right-click on the file and select Download.

4. When prompted, select Save or Save As.

5. Choose where to save the file and click Save.

If you’re using Microsoft 365, your PowerPoint presentations may automatically save to your OneDrive. Follow the steps above if you want to save a copy to your computer. 

Have the Best PowerPoint Presentation

Now you know how to download a PowerPoint presentation from almost any source! 

If you want to make sure you have the best PowerPoint presentations around, have one of our expert proofreaders check them for you. You can even try it free!