1. Compress the images 

Pictures are probably the heaviest objects on your slide, and we have a detailed guide to compressing images in PowerPoint you’ll find useful. Briefly: 

– Select an image from your presentation

– Click on Picture format > Adjust group > Compress pictures

– Select the Resolution option that works best for you. 

Note that whatever you do, there’s no Undo when compressing, so make sure you save a copy after each change you make. 

2. Delete image editing data

While still on the topic of image compression, it’s good to mention that if you follow our advice and work on a copy of the file, it’s safe to get rid of the image data (PowerPoint keeps a record of all the changes you’ve made to a picture). Here’s how to delete peripheral image data, filters for instance. 

– Go to File > Options > Advanced  

– Select Image size and quality > Discard editing data 

– Deselect Do not compress images in file 

From here you can also reduce the default resolution to the lowest possible depending on your presentation purpose, but this might blur some of the pictures. 

3. Tackle embedded fonts

Using a unique font in your presentation is great, but do those you’ll share the deck with have it too? Quite unlikely. That’s why you embed the font which respectively takes the file size up. There’s a solution to this:  

– Go to File > Options > Save  

– Go to Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation at the bottom of the window 

– Select Embed fonts in the file and Embed only the characters used in the presentation 

This option is better when you want the file size smaller (not compressed-images smaller, but hey, that’s something). Of course, you can avoid the issue altogether by simply using PowerPoint native fonts, but only if you are allowed to because normally, when you work in an organisation, your organisation has pre-approved fonts that we highly recommend you stick to. 

4. Safely reduce the size of charts  

Charts are widely used in PowerPoint, but the problem with them is very often they are first created in Excel and then pasted to the presentation slides. Did you know that this could lead to potential data leaks and, of course, massively increase the overall file size?  

Learn what happens if you simply copy and paste the Excel chart to your slides from our PowerPoint Tips & Tricks course. 

Pro tip: When pasting, don’t embed the Workbook together with the chart (unless you want a third party to be able to edit the numbers). The Workbook transfers all the sensitive information you might have on the Excel sheet, and you don’t want to leak that. Plus, it makes the chart huge. 

To forget about security concerns and help your slides stay slim, choose one of these options: 

• Paste the chart as a picture. This, however, creates a non-editable image and as such you won’t be able to customise it to match your presentation design. Plus, if you want the picture to take the whole slide, it will look grainy and you don’t want that, right? 
• Paste the chart with a link. The advantage is your chart is light and safe. The disadvantage is you need to provide access to the folder where the file is stored, as people you share the presentation with will click the link. 

• Paste the chart with a link and then break it. To do that go to File > Info > Edit links to files > Break the link. This will keep the Excel workbook away from your PowerPoint slides, but you’ll still be able to edit the chart object. 
• Export the file as a PDF. Still no security concerns and the file stays trim. 
• Create the chart in PowerPoint.

5. Compress audio and video files 

Compressing audio and video files from your slides can be done easily in two simple steps. 

-Open the slide with the media file
-Go to File > Info > Media size and performance
-Click Compress media and select the desired file quality 

You can also link these files, but the downside to it is you become dependent on Internet connection. Read more about embedding videos in PowerPoint – link to our article! 

6. Save formats 

You’re finished with you presentation and ready to hit the Save button. You want to save it as a .pptx file which is the modern and lightest option. If you’re going to share the presentation as a read-only file, then .pdf is the best format. 

We hope you found our six ways of reducing the size of your PowerPoint slides useful. Let us know in the comments. Why don’t you check out our free PowerPoint Tips & Tricks eBook where we have your most popular questions answered.