PPTX file: what it is and how to open one

What is a PPTX file?

A PPTX file is a presentation in the Office Open XML format, the default file type for Microsoft PowerPoint since 2007. It holds slides, layouts, images, speaker notes and transitions.

PPTX vs PPT

PPT is PowerPoint’s older binary format. PPTX replaced it with an XML-based format packed in a ZIP archive, which makes files smaller and easier for other software to read and write.

What is inside a PPTX file

The PPTX file format stores each slide, layout and master as separate XML files, with images and media alongside them. Fonts are usually not included, which is why a deck can look different on a computer that lacks the fonts it was designed with.

How to open a PPTX file

PowerPoint opens it natively, and most presentation apps can import it. You can also open PPTX without PowerPoint in a browser: Arkenso Docs opens a .pptx file in its slide editor, lets your team edit it in real time, and exports it back to PowerPoint.

PPTX vs PDF

Send a PPTX when someone needs to edit or present the deck, and a PDF when they only need to read or print it, so it looks the same everywhere.

Last reviewed 2026-11-01.

Related terms

  • DOCX file — A DOCX file is a word-processing document in the Office Open XML format, the default file type for Microsoft Word since 2007.
  • XLSX file — An XLSX file is a spreadsheet in the Office Open XML format, the default file type for Microsoft Excel since 2007.
  • Real-time collaboration — Real-time collaboration means several people editing the same document, spreadsheet or presentation at the same time, each seeing the others’ changes and cursors appear within moments.

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