Ultimate Guide on How to Export PowerPoint with Notes

Exporting PowerPoint presentations with speaker notes allows you to share additional context and information beyond what is contained on the slides. Whether you need printed handouts for a presentation or want a shareable PDF, exporting your PowerPoint file with notes is easy to do. This guide will walk you through several methods for exporting PowerPoint presentations with speaker notes on both Windows and Mac.

Why Export PowerPoint with Notes

Here are some of the top reasons to export your PowerPoint presentations with speaker notes:

  • Share Additional Details – The notes allow you to provide more background, citations, or expanded talking points that supplement the slides.
  • Print Handouts – Printed notes pages create useful handouts for your audience to follow along and take notes on.
  • Present Without Slides – With just the notes, you can deliver your presentation without having to connect a projector.
  • Share Presentations Digitally – Exporting as PDF allows you to share the file with notes intact to anyone, even if they don’t have PowerPoint.

PowerPoint Export Options

PowerPoint offers several built-in options for exporting your presentations with notes:

  • Save as PDF – Saves the file as a PDF document, options allow you to include notes pages.
  • Print as PDF – Prints the slides and notes to a PDF file instead of paper.
  • Create Handouts – Exports the presentation to Word, allows you to choose notes next to slides layout.
  • Package Presentation for CD – Saves the presentation as a folder with notes and slides as separate files.

Methods to Export PowerPoint with Notes

Export PowerPoint Notes to PDF (Windows)

Follow these steps to export a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF with notes on Windows:

  1. Open the PowerPoint presentation.
  2. Select File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document.
  3. Click Options.
  4. Under Publish What, choose Notes Pages.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Click Publish and save the PDF.

Export PowerPoint Notes to PDF (Mac)

To save PowerPoint notes as a PDF on Mac:

  1. Open the presentation in PowerPoint.
  2. Go to File > Print.
  3. Click Show Details.
  4. Under Layout, select Notes.
  5. Choose Save as PDF from the PDF dropdown menu.
  6. Click Save to export the file.

Export PowerPoint Notes to Word

You can also export speaker notes from PowerPoint into Word using the Create Handouts feature:

  1. Open the PowerPoint presentation.
  2. Select File > Export > Create Handouts.
  3. Choose Notes next to slides layout option.
  4. Click OK and the notes will export to a Word document.

Tips for Exporting Notes

  • Review notes master to adjust font size and layout of notes on the page.
  • Print using 3 slides per page layout to save paper.
  • Break links to Word document if you don’t need it updated.
  • Export notes only by choosing Print > Settings > Notes Pages.
  • Use online converter to export notes from PowerPoint to PDF.

Presenting Without Projector

If circumstances require you to present without a projector, rely on your exported speaker notes handout. Practice your presentation using the notes to guide your talking points. Prepare for the possibility of technical difficulties by having your notes readily available as a backup.

Share Securely with PDF

Exporting your PowerPoint file to PDF provides a way to securely share your presentation. The PDF format will retain all your slide formatting and allow anyone to view the contents, with or without PowerPoint installed. Enable password protection and permissions on the exported PDF to control access as needed.

By following the techniques outlined in this guide, you can easily export your PowerPoint presentations with speaker notes intact. Including notes enriches the content you can share with your audience and provides contingency options for presenting when technology fails. With a robust PowerPoint notes handout, you can confidently deliver your presentation anywhere, anytime.