Method to Save PowerPoint as PDF With Notes

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There are several benefits to saving PowerPoint files as PDFs with notes:

  • Portability – PDF files can be opened on any device with a PDF reader installed, retaining all formatting and notes. PowerPoint files require the PowerPoint program to view properly.
  • Sharing – PDFs are easy to share via email and cloud storage. The notes provide additional context for anyone viewing the deck.
  • Printing – Saving as PDF allows printing of both slides and notes in one consolidated document.
  • Archiving – PDFs can be archived long term, even if you no longer have access to PowerPoint. The notes preserve details about the creation of the slides.

Methods to Save PowerPoint as PDF With Notes

There are a few easy methods to save a PowerPoint file as a PDF while retaining speaker notes:

Use PowerPoint’s Export Feature

  1. Open your PowerPoint presentation
  2. Select File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document
  3. In the dialog box, choose Options
  4. Check the box for Notes pages
  5. Click OK, then Publish to save as PDF

Print as PDF in PowerPoint

  1. Open your PowerPoint presentation
  2. Select File > Print
  3. Click on Show Details
  4. Choose Notes under Layout
  5. Select Save as PDF from the PDF dropdown

Use Third-Party PDF Converter Tools

Many free online tools like Smallpdf, PDF2Go, and PrintFriendly can quickly convert PowerPoints to PDF while retaining notes and formatting. These are easy “drag and drop” cloud-based solutions.

Tips for Converting PowerPoint to PDF

  • Double check that notes are enabled on all slides before exporting
  • Try both built-in PowerPoint options and third-party tools
  • Test the exported PDF to ensure notes were properly retained
  • Compress large presentations to reduce file size of PDFs
  • Add password protection if sharing sensitive presentations

Retaining Formatting When Saving as PDF

To prevent formatting issues or distorted images when converting to PDF:

  • Use standard PowerPoint fonts like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman
  • Embed fonts to prevent substitutions
  • Compress images or use PNG/SVG for best print results
  • Simplify and reduce animations and transitions
  • Use shapes rather than text boxes for text elements

Annotating and Commenting on PDFs

Most PDF readers and editors allow you to add annotations and comments to files:

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader has robust markup tools
  • Microsoft Edge and Mac Preview allow basic annotations
  • Mobile apps like Notability provide extensive markup features
  • Cloud-based tools like PDFelement facilitate online collaboration

Annotations enhance documents saved as PDFs, allowing reviewers to provide feedback and ask questions right within the file.

Saving PowerPoint files as PDFs with notes ensures you retain all the valuable information within your presentations for future reference, archiving, sharing or printing. Follow the simple steps outlined above to effortlessly convert your files while maintaining slide formatting and speaker notes.

Citations:
[1] https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/hub/save-a-powerpoint-as-a-pdf-with-notes.html
[2] https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/ppt-to-pdf.html
[3] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/save-a-powerpoint-presentation-as-pdf-in-high/a5fbcc5c-b649-4785-980a-e99258b20085
[4] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/why-wont-powerpoint-export-to-a-pdf/7458367f-f95c-45be-aef3-0d69770156c3
[5] https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/hub/how-to-save-a-ppt-with-notes-as-pdf.html
[6] https://tools.pdf24.org/en/ppt-to-pdf
[7] https://pdf.wps.com/blog/how-to-export-powerpoint-to-pdf-with-noteseasy-and-fast-post1876465/
[8] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/ppt-to-pdf-conversion-is-not-working/a05c9f84-870d-48bc-a0fd-5e3079e8fb6b
[9] https://pdf.wondershare.com/how-to/save-ppt-as-pdf-with-notes.html
[10] https://www.techradar.com/best/powerpoint-to-pdf-converter
[11] https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/hub/steps-to-print-powerpoint-with-notes.html
[12] https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/can-t-convert-powerpoint-files-to-pdfs/m-p/12439933
[13] https://smallpdf.com/blog/how-to-save-powerpoint-as-pdf-with-notes
[14] https://www.freepdfconvert.com/ppt-to-pdf
[15] https://pdf.wps.com/blog/how-to-save-powerpoint-as-pdf-with-notes-post1872470/
[16] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1410588/can-t-export-pptx-to-pdf
[17] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/save-pptx-as-a-pdf-with-notes-and-with-text-slides/a66d2e78-2280-47e7-8b13-b4b145133e50
[18] https://www.sodapdf.com/ppt-to-pdf/
[19] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/formatting-issues-when-converting-ppt-to-pdf/5e4c4a22-1f5f-4686-9f91-1809c4e7bbf2
[20] https://updf.com/ppt/save-powerpoint-as-pdf-with-notes/
[21] https://www.canva.com/features/ppt-to-pdf-converter/
[22] https://pdf.easeus.com/pdf-knowledge-center/save-powerpoint-as-pdf-with-notes.html
[23] https://www.printfriendly.com/pdf-tools/ppt-to-pdf
[24] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/save-powerpoint-as-pdf-with-notes/0f091888-4a06-4faf-8950-8c7a9f6c7413
[25] https://www.pdf2go.com/powerpoint-to-pdf

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