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How to Create a PowerPoint Link That Opens in Slide Show Mode
Question details
Users want to create a hyperlink that automatically launches a PowerPoint presentation in slide-show mode upon clicking, bypassing the standard editing interface.
- Product
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Sharing a presentation via email where recipients can click a link and immediately view the presentation as a full-screen slide show.
- Observed behavior
- By default, linked presentations open in edit view or web view instead of directly starting the slide show.
Ensure your intended audience has a desktop presentation application installed and configured to open .ppsx files, as web-based viewers do not reliably support automatic slide show mode.
Save as a PowerPoint Show (.ppsx) File
Saving your presentation as a .ppsx file ensures that it bypasses the editing mode and opens directly as an automatic slide show when opened locally or from a shared network drive.
A standard PowerPoint file (.pptx) always opens in edit mode. To achieve the automatic launch behavior, you need to use the PowerPoint Show (.ppsx) format.
Note that links pointing to cloud storage like OneDrive or SharePoint usually open in PowerPoint for the web, which currently does not support auto-starting a .ppsx file. To ensure the link works flawlessly, host the .ppsx file on a local shared network folder.
Launch Microsoft PowerPoint and open the presentation file you want to share.
Click the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of the window and select 'Save As' from the sidebar menu.
In the file format dropdown menu, select 'PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx)'. Choose a shared network location (e.g., \\NetworkDrive\SharedFolder) to save the file.
Navigate to the saved .ppsx file on your shared network drive, copy the exact file path, and paste this hyperlink into your email to send to your users.
Create and Share Auto-Playing Slide Shows with WPS Office
WPS Presentation allows you to effortlessly save your slides as a .ppsx file, ensuring your audience immediately views the slide show without entering edit mode.
- 1. Open WPS Presentation: Launch WPS Office and open your existing presentation file.
- 2. Access the Save options: Click on the 'Menu' button located at the top-left corner and choose 'Save As'.
- 3. Choose PowerPoint Show format: From the file type dropdown menu, select 'PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx)' and choose your desired local or network save location.
- 4. Share the file path: Copy the shared network path of the saved .ppsx file and send it to your audience via email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my .ppsx link open in edit mode in the browser?
If your link points to a cloud service like OneDrive or SharePoint, it opens in PowerPoint for the web. The web version currently does not support automatically launching files in slide show mode. To fix this, store the file on a shared network drive instead.
Can I force a standard .pptx link to open as a slide show?
No, standard .pptx files are designed to open in edit mode by default. You must save a separate copy of the presentation in the .ppsx (PowerPoint Show) format to achieve the automatic slide show behavior.
How can recipients view the slide show if they don't have PowerPoint installed?
Recipients without Microsoft PowerPoint can still view your .ppsx slide show by installing a free, highly compatible alternative like WPS Office, which natively supports opening and playing PowerPoint Show files.
