How can I check a presentation export before sending it to a client or class?

Start by checking the exported file, not just the editable presentation. Exporting can change what someone actually sees or can interact with, so treat the export as a separate deliverable.

First, confirm it is the intended file and format. Open it from the location where you saved it, check the filename, and make sure it opens without an error. Then compare its slide count and sequence with the presentation you meant to send. Flip through every slide rather than checking only the first and last: a missing middle slide, unexpected blank slide, or changed order can be easy to overlook.

The export settings are worth checking before you inspect. For PowerPoint PDF export, Microsoft describes a Standard option for higher quality and Minimum size for a smaller file. Its guidance says PDF preserves formatting and layout, but that does not establish that every individual export is correct; inspect the file you created. [S1]

Look at the exported file at a realistic viewing size. Don’t rely on a highly zoomed-in view: small labels, footnotes, chart text, pale colors, and thin lines may be harder to see when the page fits on a screen or is printed. Check that text has not been clipped or covered, and that images, diagrams, and charts are complete and distinguishable.

Also inspect each slide’s edges and corners. Text boxes or images close to the edge can look different if the file is printed or displayed in another viewer. If the recipient will print it, open the PDF’s print preview or a sample print if practical. If they will view it on screen, check it at a size similar to their likely display. These are practical inspection steps, not a guarantee that it will look identical on every device.

No. Test the things the audience is expected to use. In a PDF, click each important link in the exported file and confirm it leads to the intended destination. PowerPoint’s guidance notes a macOS hyperlink limitation for PDF output, while noting that PowerPoint for the web PDF output preserves hyperlinks; that makes checking the actual file especially useful when links matter. [S1]

If you are sending a video export, play the resulting video from beginning to end. Check that the intended slides and media appear, narration is audible if included, and the timing gives viewers enough time to follow. Microsoft says video export has quality and timing or narration choices, and identifies some elements that may be omitted, including macros, OLE/ActiveX controls, QuickTime media, and certain older linked media. Its documentation does not certify that your finished video is legible or correct, so playback is the practical check. [S2]

A PDF and a video are not interchangeable checks: test links in the PDF, and test motion, sound, and timing in the video.

Use this short pass before sending:

1. Open the exact exported file you plan to attach or share.
2. Confirm the format, filename, slide count, and slide order.
3. Scan every slide for clipped text, missing images, altered layouts, and readable labels at a realistic size.
4. Test important links and any buttons or media the audience needs to use.
5. For video, play the full file and check picture, sound, and pacing.
6. Check the file in the intended viewing or printing context, then attach or share that inspected copy.

For example, if you export a class deck as a PDF, open that PDF, compare its slide order with the original, inspect the smallest chart labels at normal screen size, and click the assignment link. If you export a narrated video instead, play the whole video and note any slide where narration or timing seems absent. If something looks wrong, correct the source or export settings, export again, and repeat the relevant checks; don’t assume the new file is fixed just because you changed a setting.