# How to share a PowerPoint online without converting it > Four ways to share a PowerPoint by link, what each one changes, and how to keep fonts, animations, hidden slides and speaker notes under control. By The Breathier team. Published 2026-11-15. Web page: https://breathier.com/resources/share-powerpoint-online To share a PowerPoint online without converting it, put the original .pptx somewhere that shows it in a browser and send a link: OneDrive or SharePoint (which open it in PowerPoint for the web) or a document-sharing link that shows the file exactly as uploaded. Google Slides and PDF export both make a different file. This guide covers all four routes, what each keeps and loses, and the three things that most often go wrong: fonts, animations, and the hidden slides and speaker notes that travel inside the file. ## Four ways to share a PowerPoint online Each route suits a different job. The quick comparison below covers the questions most people ask before they send a deck. | Route | Is the file converted? | What the reader needs | What changes | Best for | |---|---|---|---|---| | OneDrive or SharePoint link | No | A browser; no sign-in for a view-only "Anyone" link | Some effects play but can't be edited; fonts that aren't cloud fonts or embedded may look different | Colleagues who will edit or comment | | Google Slides | Yes, a copy in Slides format (unless you use Office editing) | A browser; no sign-in for "Anyone with the link" | Embedded charts and videos become pictures; SmartArt becomes Google Drawings | Teams that already work in Google | | PDF export | Yes, a fixed-layout copy | Any PDF reader | Animations are gone; layout is frozen | Printing, archiving, readers on locked-down devices | | A tracked link (such as Breathier) | No | A browser; no account | Nothing in the file; you choose download, expiry and passcode | Decks you send outside and want to follow up | Sending the file as an email attachment is the fifth option, and it converts nothing either. Its drawbacks are versions and control: every recipient gets their own copy, and you can't take it back. Our guide to [sending a link instead of an attachment](https://breathier.com/resources/send-a-link-not-an-attachment) covers that trade-off in detail. Why avoid converting? A converted copy is a separate file: edits to it don't reach your .pptx, and anything the new format can't express is dropped or approximated. Sharing the original keeps fonts, notes and slide order intact, though it also means anything hidden inside the file goes with it, as we'll see. ## Option 1: OneDrive and PowerPoint for the web If you already use Microsoft 365, this is the most direct route. Microsoft's help sets out the steps: 1. Save the presentation to OneDrive or SharePoint. If it lives on your computer, PowerPoint asks you to upload it first. 2. Select **Share** in the top-right corner, then **Share** to invite people by email, or **Copy link**. Copy link uses your default settings, so check them before pasting. 3. Choose who the link works for: anyone who has it, people in your organisation, or specific people. 4. For a view-only link, clear **Allow editing**. Microsoft notes that people can then view, copy or download the file without signing in. 5. To stop sharing later, go to **Share > Manage access** and remove the link. A few settings depend on your account. Microsoft says link expiry dates and passwords are only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers. Blocking downloads is for work or school accounts, and an administrator may have switched it off. When it is on, recipients can only view the file on the web and don't see options to download, print or copy it. ### What readers see in PowerPoint for the web Viewers open your deck in PowerPoint for the web, which is close to the desktop app but not identical. Charts made in the desktop app display as expected, and embedded video plays in Reading View and Slide Show. Microsoft's comparison of platforms marks adding and changing animations and transitions as "Limited" on the web, and lists animation triggers, Presenter View and custom slide shows as unavailable there. The good news is that desktop effects aren't thrown away. Microsoft says animations the web app doesn't support "are preserved and will play in the slide show", though they can't be changed there. Transitions are more restricted: those added in desktop PowerPoint are preserved but, in Microsoft's words, can only be played or changed in the desktop app. If a particular transition matters to your story, open the shared link yourself and play it through. One practical warning: Microsoft notes that links stop working if you move the file within your OneDrive. Rename and reorganise folders before you send links, not after. ## Option 2: Google Slides (this one is a conversion) Google offers two ways to open a PowerPoint in Drive, and they behave very differently. - **Office editing** keeps the file as a .pptx. Google says any changes you make are saved to the original Microsoft Office file. The catch is that some features are not displayed or editable (but preserved), and others "may be lost or altered". - **Open with Google Slides** converts it. Google's own help puts it plainly: converting "creates a copy of your original file" in Slides format. Once converted, you have two decks. Edits to the Slides copy don't flow back into the .pptx, which is a common source of "which version did they see?" confusion. Google lists what changes in the conversion. Embedded charts and videos in PowerPoint files "will be converted to images", SmartArt becomes Google Drawings, and macros aren't supported. Google's help doesn't say how individual PowerPoint animations convert, so check every animated slide by hand. Presentations converted to Slides can be up to 100 MB (checked on 15 November 2026). Sharing from Slides works like any Drive file: 1. Select **Share**. 2. Under General access, choose **Anyone with the link** and set the role to **Viewer**. Google says such a link opens "without signing in to a Google Account". 3. In the settings, untick viewers and commenters under the option for who can download, copy and print. 4. Expiry dates exist, but Google says they are for work and school accounts only and must fall within one year. ## Option 3: Export a PDF (and know what is lost) A PDF opens almost anywhere, and Microsoft says saving to PDF "freezes the formatting and layout". That is its strength and its limit. On Windows, go to **File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document**, then **Options**. There you can pick a range of slides, publish handouts or the outline instead of slides, and include hidden slides, comments and ink. On a Mac, use **File > Save As** or **File > Export** and choose PDF. What you give up: - **Animations.** Adobe's own FAQ says special animations native to PowerPoint "aren't available when using the PDF format". A slide that reveals points one at a time becomes a single still page. Acrobat does support transitions between slides, but that is not the same as your builds. - **Some options on a Mac.** Microsoft says PowerPoint for macOS can't save notes, handouts or hidden slides to PDF, and "doesn't preserve hyperlinks in PDFs". PDFs made in PowerPoint for the web do keep hyperlinks. If motion is part of the message, Microsoft's video export is the better frozen format. It says you "can include animations and transitions" in the video, along with narration and timings, and embedded videos play by themselves. ## Option 4: Share the file as it is, by link The fourth route is a service that shows the original file in the browser without changing it. [Breathier](https://breathier.com/) is one, and it is free. It takes .pptx, .ppsx and older .ppt and .pps files up to 50 MB. Readers see your slides laid out as in the original, on a phone or a computer, with no account, and a download (if you allow one) is exactly the file you uploaded. Some older .ppt files can't be shown; Breathier then asks you to save them as .pptx. What sets this route apart is control over each link: 1. Create a separate link for each person or company (up to 50), named for who gets it, such as "Acme Ventures". 2. Give each link its own rules: ask for an email address, add a passcode, set an expiry date, allow or block downloads, or switch it off. 3. See when each visit happened, on what kind of device, and how long the reader spent on each slide. The limits: Breathier doesn't edit documents or offer team accounts, and blocking downloads is a deterrent, not copy protection, since anyone can take a screenshot. Readers are told on the link's page that you can see they opened it and how long they spend on each page. Our guide to [sharing a pitch deck with investors](https://breathier.com/resources/share-a-pitch-deck-with-investors) covers the rules worth setting. One tip: a Breathier link pasted into WhatsApp, LinkedIn or Slack shows the document's title and first page (not for links with a passcode), so make your first slide a cover worth seeing. ## Fonts: the most common surprise Fonts live on each computer, not in the deck, unless you put them there. If the reader's device doesn't have your font, the text may reflow, wrap differently or spill out of its box. Microsoft's case for embedding is that, with fonts embedded, "the fonts, layout, and styling of the document won't change". You have three good options: - **Use Office's cloud fonts.** Microsoft says documents that use cloud fonts render the same in the current Office apps, including PowerPoint for the web, and the fonts download automatically when needed. - **Embed the fonts.** On Windows, go to **File > Options > Save** and tick **Embed fonts in the file**. On a Mac, go to **PowerPoint > Preferences > Output and Sharing > Save**. PowerPoint for the web can't embed fonts. - **Choose another font if embedding is blocked.** Some font makers don't allow embedding, and Microsoft's advice is simply to try a different font. Business accounts have one more wrinkle. Organisations with E3 or E5 licences can upload their brand fonts to SharePoint for PowerPoint for the web, but Microsoft says those fonts are only usable and viewable inside the organisation. To share the deck outside, you still need to embed them. ## Hidden slides and speaker notes travel with the file Hiding a slide doesn't remove it. Microsoft is explicit: "A hidden slide remains in the file; it is merely hidden when you run Slide Show view." The same goes for speaker notes, comments and anything parked off the edge of a slide. That matters whenever the reader can download the original. The backup slide with your discount floor, or the note that says "don't mention the delay", goes with it. Before you share, run PowerPoint's Document Inspector on a copy of the deck: 1. Use **File > Save As** to save a copy under a new name. 2. In the copy, go to **File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document**. 3. Tick the kinds of content to look for, select **Inspect**, then **Remove All** next to anything you want gone. It finds speaker notes, comments, off-slide content, invisible objects and document properties. Microsoft warns that removed content often can't be restored, even with Undo, and that the inspector doesn't detect off-slide objects with animation effects, so look over the result yourself. Breathier doesn't show hidden slides to readers. But because it never alters your file, a reader who downloads it gets the hidden slides and notes too. Either clean the file first or switch download off for that link. Spreadsheets have the same trap, with bigger consequences; our guide to [sharing a spreadsheet as view-only](https://breathier.com/resources/share-a-spreadsheet-view-only) explains it. ## A checklist before you send 1. Decide whether the reader needs to edit (OneDrive or Google), read (a link to the original) or keep a frozen copy (PDF). 2. Use cloud fonts, or embed your fonts from the desktop app. 3. Delete hidden slides you don't want seen, and inspect a copy for notes and comments. 4. Make the link view-only, decide on downloads, and add an expiry date or passcode if the deck is sensitive. 5. Open the link yourself in a private window and on a phone, and play any animated slides. For more on reading the numbers that come back, see [document analytics explained](https://breathier.com/resources/document-analytics-explained), or browse the rest of the [resources hub](https://breathier.com/resources). ## FAQ ### Can I share a PowerPoint with someone who doesn't have PowerPoint? Yes. A view-only OneDrive link opens the deck in PowerPoint for the web, and Microsoft says people can view it without signing in when editing is switched off. A Google Slides link or a document-sharing link also works in any browser, and a PDF opens in any PDF reader. ### Does uploading a PowerPoint to Google Drive convert it? Not unless you ask it to. Opening it with Office editing keeps the .pptx and saves changes to it, while opening it as Google Slides creates a separate copy in Google's format. Drive's settings also have a "Convert uploads to Google Docs editor format" box, so check it if your files keep turning into Slides. ### Do PowerPoint animations work in a PDF? No. Adobe says PowerPoint's own animations aren't available in the PDF format, so each slide becomes a still page showing its final layout. If the motion matters, export a video from PowerPoint instead, which Microsoft says can include animations and transitions. ### Why do my fonts look different on someone else's screen? Their device doesn't have the font you used, so a substitute is drawn instead and the text can reflow. Use Office's cloud fonts, or embed the fonts from PowerPoint on Windows or a Mac before sharing. PowerPoint for the web can't embed fonts. ### Can I stop people downloading my PowerPoint? Partly. Work and school OneDrive accounts can block downloads on view-only links, Google Drive lets you stop viewers downloading, copying and printing, and Breathier has a download switch on each link. None of these stops a screenshot, so share only what you would be comfortable seeing copied. ### Will people see my hidden slides if I share the file? Hidden slides are skipped in a slide show, and Breathier doesn't show them, but they are still inside the file. Anyone who downloads the .pptx can unhide them in seconds. Delete slides you don't want seen, or block downloads. ## Sources - [Share your PowerPoint presentation with others (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/a7b37ef5-e786-43f8-85b9-62eef057c398): steps to share by link, invite, send a copy or PDF, and manage access. - [Share files and folders in Microsoft OneDrive (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/share-files-and-folders-in-microsoft-onedrive-9fcc2f7d-de0c-4cec-93b0-a82024800c07): link types, "Allow editing", expiry and passwords for Microsoft 365 subscribers, removing links, links breaking when files move (checked on 15 November 2026). - [Block downloads for view-only files in SharePoint and OneDrive (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/onedrive/block-downloads-for-view-only-files-in-sharepoint-and-onedrive): work or school accounts only; what recipients can no longer do. - [How certain features behave in web-based PowerPoint (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/how-certain-features-behave-in-web-based-powerpoint): animations preserved, transitions, media in PowerPoint for the web. - [Compare PowerPoint features on different platforms (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/office/compare-powerpoint-features-on-different-platforms-90986850-227c-4b25-938e-1c5838166b8b): animation and transition editing limited on the web; no animation triggers, Presenter View or custom slide shows there. - [Embed a font in a presentation (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/embed-a-font-in-a-presentation-05c16e3f-bedc-485a-a9d7-26a39372495f): embedding steps on Windows and Mac; not possible in PowerPoint for the web. - [Benefits of embedding custom fonts (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/topic/cb3982aa-ea76-4323-b008-86670f222dbc): why embedding keeps layout and styling intact. - [Cloud fonts in Office (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/cloud-fonts-in-office-f7b009fe-037f-45ed-a556-b5fe6ede6adb): cloud fonts render the same across Office apps, including PowerPoint for the web. - [Some of your fonts can't be saved with the presentation (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/some-of-your-fonts-can-t-be-saved-with-the-presentation-2ba26947-5d18-4eb3-b5a9-67a58629e1b8): font makers can block embedding. - [Support for organization fonts in PowerPoint and Word (Microsoft Learn)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/support-for-organization-fonts-in-powerpoint-for-the-web): E3/E5 organisation fonts, visible only inside the organisation (checked on 15 November 2026). - [Save PowerPoint presentations as PDF files (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/9b5c786b-9c6e-4fe6-81f6-9372f77c47c8): PDF export steps and options, frozen layout, Mac limits on notes, hidden slides and hyperlinks. - [Turn your presentation into a video (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-your-presentation-into-a-video-c140551f-cb37-4818-b5d4-3e30815c3e83): video export keeps animations, transitions, narration and embedded video. - [Adobe Acrobat PowerPoint-to-PDF FAQ](https://www.adobe.com/dc-shared/fragments/frictionless-personalization-xfs/ppt-to-pdf-xfs/faq/default): PowerPoint animations aren't available in PDF; Acrobat supports slide transitions. - [Hide or show a slide (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/hide-or-show-a-slide): a hidden slide remains in the file. - [Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting documents (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/remove-hidden-data-and-personal-information-by-inspecting-documents-presentations-or-workbooks-356b7b5d-77af-44fe-a07f-9aa4d085966f): Document Inspector steps and what it finds in presentations. - [Work with Office files (Google Docs Editors Help)](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6055139): what changes when PowerPoint files are converted (charts, videos, SmartArt, macros). - [Work with Office files using Office editing (Google Drive Help)](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/9276408?hl=en): editing .pptx without converting, and features that may be lost or altered. - [Create your first presentation in Slides (Google Workspace Learning Center)](https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/10665800?hl=en): converting creates a copy in Slides format. - [Switch from Microsoft PowerPoint to Google Slides (Google Docs Editors Help)](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/9310378?hl=en): Office editing saves changes to the original file. - [Share and manage access to files and folders in Google Drive (Google Drive Help)](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822?hl=en): Viewer role, "Anyone with the link" without signing in, download settings, expiry for work and school accounts. - [Files you can store in Google Drive (Google Drive Help)](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/37603?hl=en): 100 MB limit for presentations converted to Slides (checked on 15 November 2026). - [Upload files and folders to Google Drive (Google Drive Help)](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424368?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop): the "Convert uploads to Google Docs editor format" setting.