Microsoft PowerPoint .pps vs. .ppt files

Microsoft PowerPoint has two main file types, .ppt and .pps. When you save a presentation file in Microsoft PowerPoint, the default file extension is .ppt. This is the file format you open when you wish to edit the presentation in PowerPoint. If you would like the file to open in presentation or “show” mode, you can save the file with a .pps extension (PowerPoint show).

When you d0uble-click on .ppt file, it will open that file in Edit mode in PowerPoint with all of the menus and commands available to you. When you double-click on a .pps file, it will open in presentation (play or “show”) mode and you will not see the PowerPoint program or menus. When the presentation finishes (or you manually exit by pressing Escape key), PowerPoint also quits.

You can convert a PowerPoint file from a .ppt to a .pps in either of two ways:

1. Simply rename the file extension in from .ppt to .pps or
2. With the file open in PowerPoint, choose File -> Save As -> from the “Save as type” box select PowerPoint Show (*.pps. ) and click “Save” button.

To change a .pps back to a .ppt file, you can reverse option #1 above and selecting “Presentation (.ppt)” in option #2.