Before sharing your PowerPoint 2013 presentation with others, it is important to finalize and protect it. Here are some best practices for getting your presentation ready to share:
Remove Personal Information
As you create and edit a presentation, PowerPoint may automatically add personal information like your name, initials, and company name. Before sharing the file, be sure to remove any sensitive personal information.
To remove personal information:
- Click the File tab > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document
- Click Inspect to find and remove any instances of personal info
- You can also click Remove All next to Document Properties and Personal Information to clear them out completely
Mark the File as Final
Marking your presentation as final in PowerPoint is a way to discourage others from making changes before you are ready to share.
To mark as final:
- Click File > Info > Protect Presentation > Mark as Final
This makes the file read-only so reviewers cannot accidentally edit your content. You can always remove this protection later when you are ready.
Restrict Editing and Access
For more control over who can view and edit your presentation, use the Restrict Access options:
- Click File > Info > Protect Presentation > Restrict Access > Restrict Permission by People
From here you can restrict permissions to specific people, set expiration dates, and more.
Add a Password
Adding a password prevents unauthorized people from opening your presentation:
- Click File > Info > Protect Presentation > Encrypt with Password
- Enter and confirm a password, then click OK
Just be sure to remember the password, as it cannot be recovered if forgotten!
Use Slide Master View
The Slide Master stores default formatting and layouts for all slides. Edit the master to change defaults and automatically update all slides.
To access the Slide Master:
- Click View > Slide Master
From here, edit the background, fonts, theme, and more to update your entire deck.
Check Accessibility
Make sure your presentation is accessible to those with disabilities:
- Click File > Info > Check for Issues > Check Accessibility
- Resolve any warnings or errors that appear
Inspect for Issues
Before finalizing, inspect for any issues that may impact sharing or presentation quality:
- Click File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document
- Review and resolve any warnings or errors
Preview and Present
Be sure to preview your slideshow before presenting or sharing to catch any last minute issues:
- Click Slide Show > From Beginning to preview
- Use Presenter View for notes and other helpful tools while presenting
Print Handouts
Print slides, notes, or handouts for your audience if needed:
- Click File > Print
- Under Settings, choose to print slides, notes pages, handouts, or an outline
Save and Export
Before sharing, be sure to save your finalized presentation. You can also export to PDF or video if needed.
Protecting Shared Presentations
Even after sharing your PowerPoint file, you can still restrict other people from editing the content using Information Rights Management (IRM):
- Click File > Info > Protect Presentation > Restrict Access > Restrict Permission by People > Manage Credentials
- Choose restrictions like expiring access or read-only permissions
With IRM, you maintain control over the presentation even after sharing it widely.
Tips for Creating Secure Presentations
Here are some additional tips for keeping your PowerPoint presentations secure:
- Use strong passwords – Passwords should be at least 8 characters including numbers, letters and symbols
- Be wary of co-authoring – Co-authors may be able to access and edit your full presentation
- Store files securely – Use secure cloud storage instead of local hard drives
- Limit access – Only share with specific people as needed
- Watch for issues – Resolve any accessibility, links, metadata and other issues before presenting or sharing
Conclusion
By taking time to finalize, protect and secure your PowerPoint 2013 presentations, you can confidently share them without worrying about leaks of private information or unauthorized changes. Restrict access, resolve issues, add passwords and continually inspect your presentation to make it polished, professional and presentation-ready.
Following PowerPoint best practices for finalizing ensures your hard work and sensitive information stays protected.
