How to repair a corrupt PowerPoint file
Before we start, here are some scenarios when you can use these tips to get the data from the PowerPoint file or fix it and make it work as it was expected.
This is not a PowerPoint Presentation.PowerPoint cannot open the type of file represented by <file_name>.pptPart of the file is missing.
In case you face any issue with memory or system resources or invalid page fault when opening the file, you need to troubleshoot Windows. Here is the list of methods to follow in case of a corrupt PPT presentation: You will need not need any admin permission to execute them.
1] Open and Repair PPT Files
Open PowerPoint application, and then click on File > OpenSelect the corrupt file, and then click on the down arrow on the open buttonSelect Open and Repair, and then click on the Open button again.
2] Apply the damaged presentation as a template
Did you know you can open one PowerPoint into another, and they are added as slides? You can use this trick to open the damaged presentation, but it involves a few more steps.
Create a New PowerPoint file, and then click on the arrow under the New Slide menu.It will open the Reuse Slide menu on the right and allows you to select a file.Once the file is imported, it will reveal the slides, with preview, with all details.You can then right-click and choose to insert a slide with our without formatting.
If for some reason, the presentation doesn’t look as expected, then you need to apply the damaged presentation as a template.
Click on the File menu, select save as, and save it with a new name.Switch to the Design tab, and click on the down arrow of Themes section > Browse for Themes.Select the damaged presentation, and apply it.
That should fix any issues with look and feel.
3] Open the temporary file version of the presentation.
When you open a PowerPoint file, a temporary version of the same file is also created. This acts as a buffer where the original data is available until the final save is made. If corruption occurs after you open the file, you can use that file. The file is usually saved into the same folder or temporary folder with the same file name and ending with “TMP.” Locate the file, and rename the extension from TMP to PPTX. Next, please double click on it to open it with PowerPoint or browser from the PowerPoint app.
4] Auto Recover File Location
All office applications have auto-recovery built into them.
To find the backup file location, go to File > Options > Save > Save Presentations.Look for Auto Recover file location information.Open the path in File Explorer, and locate the file.Copy it to a new location, and then open it.
5] Save the presentation as a Rich Text Format (RTF) file.
If you can, open the file, then choose to save in an RTF format. This method will allow you to extract the data from the PowerPoint file to an extent, if not everything. Click on the File menu, save as, and then from the dropdown of the file format, choose RTF. Save it in a location different from the original file. Once done, instead of directly opening it, open it with PowerPoint application using the File > Browse method. I hope these suggested solutions are helpful when you face a corrupt or damaged PowerPoint file. Related reads:
How to repair a corrupted Word fileHow to repair a corrupt Excel workbook.
