Top 3 Ways to Convert Your Microsoft Word Document Into a PowerPoint Presentation

Converting a Word document into a PowerPoint presentation can save time and effort when creating slides. Rather than typing out all the content again, you can leverage the work you’ve already done in Word.

In this article, we’ll cover the top 3 methods to convert a Word doc to PowerPoint, along with the pros and cons of each approach. Whether you’re repurposing content or just want an easy way to build a presentation, read on for simple ways to make the conversion.

#1 Convert with Copy and Paste

The most straightforward way to bring your Word content into PowerPoint is through copy and paste. Here are the basic steps:

1. Open both your Word document and a blank PowerPoint presentation.
2. Select and copy the desired text from the Word file. You can copy from an entire document or just specific sections.
3. Switch to the PowerPoint file. Paste the text into a slide.
4. Use PowerPoint’s formatting tools to style the text as desired – change font styles, sizes, colors etc. Add images, align text, apply animations and transitions between slides.
5. Repeat for additional slides, pasting over content from Word and formatting appropriately.

Pros:

• Simple, no extra tools required
• Allows precision formatting in PowerPoint

Cons:

• Can be tedious for long documents
• Formatting doesn’t carry over and must be redone

#2 Save Word Doc as PowerPoint File

Another option is exporting the Word document directly as a PowerPoint file. Here’s how:

1. Open the Word document.
2. Select the “File” tab and choose “Export” > “Create PDF/XPS Document” > “Create a PDF/XPS”.
3. Under “Publish as PDF or XPS”, pick the “Options” button.
4. In the dialog box, choose “PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)” under “Save as type”.
5. Select publish. The Word document will automatically convert into a PowerPoint presentation.

Pros:

• Fast conversion for many pages
• Retains basic formatting like fonts and colors

Cons:

• Loses some complex formatting like columns or text boxes
• Images can shift position or resize incorrectly

#3 Use Microsoft Office Converter Add-in

For advanced control, use the official Microsoft Office Converter add-in. Follow these steps:

1. Download and install the Microsoft Office Converter add-in.
2. In Word, select the content you want to convert.
3. On the ribbon, go to the PowerPoint tab > “Send to PowerPoint”.
4. Choose whether to send the selection or entire document. Pick advanced settings as desired under options.
5. The content will open in a new PowerPoint presentation, retaining Word formatting.

Pros:

• Handles complex documents with images, tables etc.
• Retains virtually all formatting
• Advanced customization options

Cons:

• Requires installing extra software
• Not available for Mac

Conclusion

Converting Word documents into PowerPoint is simple with a few handy tools. The copy-paste method works for quick jobs, saving as PowerPoint is great for standard documents, and the converter add-in handles complex files.

Now that you know the top 3 recommended options for making the switch from Word to PowerPoint, you can easily reuse and repurpose content between the Microsoft applications. This saves time otherwise spent recreating the same text and images from scratch.