PPT (.ppt)

Overview

PPT is the binary file format used by Microsoft PowerPoint from PowerPoint 3.0 (1992) through PowerPoint 2003. It uses the Compound File Binary Format (OLE2 container), the same base structure as the legacy DOC and XLS formats. PowerPoint 2007 replaced PPT with PPTX (an XML-based format), but PPT files remain common in older corporate archives and educational institutions.

PPT files can contain slides, speaker notes, animations, embedded media, and VBA macros. The binary format is complex and proprietary; while PowerPoint reads PPT files natively, third-party applications sometimes have rendering differences — particularly with older animation effects.

Common Uses

• Legacy archive presentations — corporate and academic slides created before 2007
• Older shared presentations — files received from contacts still using Office 2003 or earlier
• VBA macro presentations — PowerPoint automation built with Visual Basic for Applications

Advantages

• Universal PowerPoint support — every version of Microsoft PowerPoint from 97 to 2021 opens PPT files
• Mature format — widely understood and supported; legacy animations render correctly in PowerPoint
• Smaller feature set — simpler structure than PPTX for basic slides without modern effects

Limitations

• Binary format — difficult to repair or inspect without PowerPoint; XML structure of PPTX is more recoverable
• No modern features — SmartArt, newer transition effects, and Office 365-specific features require PPTX
• Security risk — PPT files can contain VBA macros that execute automatically
• Superseded — PPTX is the current standard; PPT is a legacy format

Supported Software

• Windows: Microsoft PowerPoint (all versions), LibreOffice Impress, WPS Office
• macOS: Keynote (can import PPT), Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac, LibreOffice Impress
• Web: Google Slides (upload), Microsoft 365 (web)