Convert PDF to PowerPoint

You’ve just received a PDF from a client or co-worker, and you need to add the content to your PowerPoint presentation.

And I bet you don’t have the time to re-draw the presentation from scratch!

Have no fear—it’s possible to convert your PDF into PowerPoint format.

If you’re wondering how to import PDF files into PowerPoint, you’re in the right place. With the right tools and techniques, you can automate the process and import a PDF into PowerPoint with minimal effort required.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use tools to convert your PDF into a PowerPoint presentation. Instead of re-drawing it and taking screenshots, these tools will save you hours of time.

How to Convert PDF to PowerPoint Presentations

In this section, I’ll walk you through the steps to convert PDF to PowerPoint format for free, with no extra applications required.

I’ll take an example PDF and demonstrate how to convert it back into a usable PowerPoint presentation. For my example, I’ll use a PDF version of the Fashionist PowerPoint template from Envato Elements, an all-you-can-download source for templates.

Using a template like this illustrates a common scenario: you’ve received a PowerPoint presentation, but it’s already been converted into a PDF. The task at hand is to take this PDF and convert it back into a PowerPoint presentation.

Believe it or not, Microsoft’s official documentation advises capturing screenshots slide by slide to convert it into a PowerPoint presentation. While working in PowerPoint, go to the Insert > Screenshot menu option, then capture a screenshot of your PDF presentation.

The downside to this approach is that it doesn’t keep your text editable. Often, the point of putting it back into PowerPoint is to make further changes. The official method only allows you to add content on top of the screenshots you grab.

Another option is to re-draw your presentation. Most of the time, you can copy and paste the text. This leaves you with the task of adding other content (images, charts, tables, and more) to convert your PDF to PowerPoint format.

Using this method, you’re inserting the PDF into PowerPoint indirectly. This is a time-consuming approach that may result in a finished presentation that doesn’t look as good as the original.

If it’s just too much work to totally re-create the PDF presentation, consider trying out custom PowerPoint templates like those from Envato Elements. Instead of inserting the PDF into PowerPoint and finagling it into a working presentation, you can build a similarly stunning presentation.

Embed PDF Files in PowerPoint

Finally, one other option worth considering is embedding a PDF file in your PowerPoint presentation. This means that anyone who receives the PPTX will be able to open the original PDF. It doesn’t convert the file into a PowerPoint, but the original PDF is accessible.

To use this option, go to the Insert > Object option. Browse to a PDF file on your computer and ensure that the Create from File option is checked. Then, anyone who receives the PPTX can just double-click the icon to open the PDF.

Screenshots and redrawing your presentation are one way to convert a PDF back to PPTX format, but they aren’t the only (or best) methods available. Keep reading to explore the tools that automate this process.