Document
What is a .ppt file?
A .ppt file is a Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation (version 4.x). This is a document format, so it holds text and layout meant to be read. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 10 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
10 different formats have claimed .ppt over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
- Microsoft PowerPoint PresentationVersion 4.x · x-fmt/88
- Microsoft Powerpoint PresentationVersion 95 · fmt/125
- Microsoft Powerpoint PresentationVersion 97-2003 · fmt/126
- Microsoft PowerPoint for MacintoshVersion 4.0 · fmt/179
- Microsoft PowerPoint for MacintoshVersion 2001 · fmt/181
- Serif PagePlus PublicationVersion 1-3 · fmt/1537
- Microsoft PowerPoint PresentationVersion 2.x · fmt/1747
- Microsoft PowerPoint PresentationVersion 3.x · fmt/1748
- Microsoft Powerpoint for MacintoshVersion 2 · fmt/1866
- Microsoft Powerpoint for MacintoshVersion 3 · fmt/1867
How to open a .ppt file
- Try LibreOffice (free, Windows/Mac/Linux) — it opens an enormous range of current and historic document formats.
- Microsoft Word and Google Docs handle most mainstream document types.
- If nothing opens it, open it in a text editor: many older document formats have readable text inside.
The registry records this extension against Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation, Microsoft Powerpoint Presentation, Microsoft Powerpoint Presentation and others, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .ppt file
- Once it opens in LibreOffice or Word, Save As .docx or .pdf to get it into a format you can use anywhere.
MIME type
When a .ppt file travels over the web, servers label it with one of these MIME types:
application/vnd.ms-powerpointapplication/vnd.ms-PowerPointThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .ppt.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation | 4.x | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | x-fmt/88 |
| Microsoft Powerpoint Presentation | 95 | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | fmt/125 |
| Microsoft Powerpoint Presentation | 97-2003 | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | fmt/126 |
| Microsoft PowerPoint for Macintosh | 4.0 | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | fmt/179 |
| Microsoft PowerPoint for Macintosh | 2001 | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | fmt/181 |
| Serif PagePlus Publication | 1-3 | — | fmt/1537 |
| Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation | 2.x | application/vnd.ms-PowerPoint | fmt/1747 |
| Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation | 3.x | application/vnd.ms-PowerPoint | fmt/1748 |
| Microsoft Powerpoint for Macintosh | 2 | application/vnd.ms-PowerPoint | fmt/1866 |
| Microsoft Powerpoint for Macintosh | 3 | application/vnd.ms-PowerPoint | fmt/1867 |