If the recipient only needs to read your presentation, send a PDF. It preserves the layout so the deck looks the same on their screen as on yours, and reduces the chance of accidental edits. Send the PowerPoint file only when they need to edit it, present it themselves, or see animations and video. In that case, embed your fonts and compress your images first.
Many people send both: a PDF to read, and the PowerPoint file on request or for the person who'll present it.
The quick decision
| Situation | Send | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A client or prospect will read the proposal | Layout is fixed; opens on almost any device | |
| A colleague or client will edit or reuse slides | PowerPoint (.pptx) | They need editable text and objects |
| Someone else will present it in a meeting | PowerPoint, plus a PDF backup | They need your animations and speaker notes; the PDF is a fallback if something goes wrong |
| A tender portal or procurement team asks for a format | Whatever they specify | Their instructions come first |
| The deck relies on video or animation | PowerPoint, or a link to the video | A PDF won't play your slide animations |
Why PDF is usually the safer choice for reading
When you export to PDF, PowerPoint preserves the formatting and layout (Microsoft Support: Save PowerPoint presentations as PDF files). A PDF is less easy to edit accidentally, although someone with suitable software can still change it. That avoids the most common problems with sending the original file:
- Fonts substitute. If the recipient doesn't have your font, their copy of PowerPoint swaps in another one, which can push text out of boxes and break line endings.
- Different software, different results. Someone opening a .pptx in a different app, or on a phone, may see a slightly different layout.
- Accidental edits. An editable file can be changed, then forwarded on.
The trade-off: a PDF exported using PowerPoint's built-in PDF option is a static view of the presentation. It won't play your slide transitions, animations or embedded video. If your deck depends on a build-up animation to make sense, check that each step still reads clearly as a static page.
How to export a clean PDF from PowerPoint
On PowerPoint for Windows, go to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document > Create PDF/XPS, choose where to save it, then select Publish (Microsoft Support).
Before you select Publish, two settings are worth a look:
- Optimize for: choose Standard for higher quality (for example, printing) or Minimum size for a smaller file to email (Microsoft Support).
- Options: here you can export a range of slides, export handouts instead of full slides, and choose whether to include hidden slides and comments (Microsoft Support). Check that review comments and hidden "internal only" slides are not included before sending to a client.
Then open the PDF yourself and scroll through every page before you attach it. It takes a minute and catches cut-off text, missing images and stray comments.
If you need to send the PowerPoint file: stop the fonts changing
If you've used a font the recipient may not have, such as a brand font you installed, embed it in the file.
In PowerPoint for Windows: File > Options > Save, then under Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation, tick Embed fonts in the file (Microsoft Support: Benefits of embedding custom fonts). Choose one of these options before selecting OK:
- Embed only the characters used in the presentation: a smaller file, but the recipient's ability to edit text in that font is limited.
- Embed all characters: best if other people will edit the deck, but the file gets bigger.
Some limits to know, per Microsoft:
- Not every font can be embedded. Font makers set whether a font can be embedded, so some won't be saved with the file.
- Microsoft's cloud fonts usually don't need embedding, because supported versions of Office can download them automatically when connected to the internet.
- Some fonts make files much larger. If size is a problem, consider a different font.
(Microsoft Support: Benefits of embedding custom fonts)
If a font can't be embedded, the safest options are to send a PDF, or to switch the deck to a widely available font before sending the editable file.
How to make a presentation file smaller
Large photos can make decks heavy. The desktop versions of PowerPoint can compress them for you.
- In PowerPoint for Windows, select a picture, then choose Picture Format > Compress Pictures. Clear Apply only to this picture to compress all pictures in the deck.
- Choose a lower resolution suited to how the deck will be viewed.
- Tick Delete cropped areas of pictures to remove the hidden parts of any image you've cropped.
On a Mac, choose File > Compress Pictures, then select a Picture Quality setting. You can also tick Delete cropped areas of pictures.
(Steps per Microsoft Support: Reduce the file size of a picture in Microsoft Office. Microsoft notes the default picture resolution in Microsoft 365 is 220 ppi.)
Keep a copy of the original first. Compression can reduce image quality, and deleting cropped areas removes image data you may want later for print.
Other quick wins:
- Delete unused slides and hidden backup slides you don't need to send.
- Link to long videos (for example, on your website or a video platform) instead of embedding them.
- Remove unused slide layouts and masters if you've copied slides in from several old decks.
Attachment limits: what happens if the file is too big
Email systems set their own size limits. In Gmail, personal accounts can send attachments totalling up to 25 MB per message; for work and school accounts, the administrator sets the limit. If attachments go over the limit, Gmail automatically removes them and adds a Google Drive link instead (Gmail Help: Send attachments with your Gmail message).
That's convenient, but check the sharing permissions on that Drive link. A recipient who gets a link they can't open may miss your proposal. The recipient's own email system may also have a lower limit than yours, so a smaller file is always the safer bet.
A pre-send checklist
Before you send any deck to a client, run through these:
- Right format? PDF to read, PowerPoint to edit or present, or whatever they asked for.
- Fonts safe? Embedded, or exported to PDF.
- Size reasonable? Pictures compressed; long videos linked, not embedded.
- Nothing internal left in? No review comments, hidden slides, old pricing or speaker notes you wouldn't want them to read. (Speaker notes travel with the PowerPoint file.)
- Opened and checked? You've scrolled through the exact file you're about to send.
- Clear file name? For example,
[Business name] – Proposal for [Client name] – Oct 2026.pdf, rather thanfinal_v7_FINAL.pptx.