Converting PDF Files To PPT On Mac

Converting PDF Files To PPT On Mac

PDF file format is the most globally recognized way for users to share documents, whether it be for presentations, reports, contracts etc. This is simply because virtually all PC’s and mobile devices come with native PDF support.

For instance, on any Mac, you can easily access a PDF file through the Preview or Quick Look applications. However, the problem with these files is that they are very difficult to edit, meaning that this non-editing feature that usually makes it such a favorable file format, also ends up making it irritatingly inconvenient, at times. In fact, in some cases, you aren’t even able to just copy-paste the content, as the content is essentially ‘locked in’! As such we’ve put together a quick guide on how you can convert PDF files to PPT format and vice versa, on a Mac, to help you better share presentation files, whether it be through email or transferring through external devices like  portable hard drives, thumb drives, or some other device that is plugged into your  usb c portable hub.

Now, PDF files are usually very simple to share and communicate with, but due to its restrictions, it can be quite inconveniencing for those who want to; edit out typos, input new information, allow for contribution with other users, etc. There are so many reasons why you would want to edit these files and luckily there are so many options available to you to help you convert to PPT format. However, we should also see in mind that PPT isn’t exactly the best file format for sharing, which is why we are also going to mention how to revert the PPT file to PDF as well.

1. Convert Using Screenshots

A quick and easy way is simply using the screenshot feature that is available on your MacBook. This will allow you to easily paste the image into your Powerpoint slides and voila! However, even though the Mac’s screenshot feature is very handy from time to time, it can eventually become a tedious and time-consuming process. As such, a much more convenient solution is to utilize a third-party app like CleanShot X. This application essentially records anything that you do on your device. Moreover, all the screenshots you take will be automatically saved in the application’s cloud storage for thirty days allowing for convenient file-sharing or copying into PPT.

2. Convert Using The Mac’s Preview App

The Preview app is one of the Mac’s most popular, pre-installed programs and is the most used method of accessing PDFs on a Mac. Moreover, it is a program that can be very useful in converting PDF files to PPT. There are mainly two methods you can use to accomplish this. For one, you can export the file in image format and drag it into your presentation file. It’s pretty much the same as using the first method, but the benefit of this one is that unlike taking a screenshot, doing this keeps most of the image’s picture quality intact. The second method is copying the text and just pasting it into your PPT file. However, much like we mentioned at the beginning, depending on the kind of sensitive information that is contained in the PDF file, there is always the chance that the file will be locked and prevent you from copying its contents, but that isn’t very common, so it’s worth checking to confirm.

3. Convert Using Automator

One of the most under-rated and less popular applications on the MacBook is the Automator. It’s an application that essentially allows you to make automated workflows for numerous tasks such as converting, duplicating, extracting etc. It is a very quick app and the interface is pretty simple to use as all you have to do is simply, head to your launchpad, click on the Automator app and drag and drop your PDF, select ‘Extract PDF Text’, then click on ‘Run’. That should essentially convert all the content within your PDF file into plain text, which allows you to simply copy and paste it into your PPT file.

4. Convert Using Online Websites

Another alternative method is utilizing a cloud conversion platform like CloudConvert or Zamzar, which will quickly convert any file you have, eg. image, text, PowerPoint, or pdf; to anything you want. The majority of such sites are very easy to use and all you need to do is drag and drop your PDF file for quick and seamless conversion.

5. Convert PPT to PDF

After you’re done with your PPT file, in the event you need to convert it back to PDF for easy file sharing, then you can always use the above method, or simply export the file from the Powerpoint program. You can do this by heading to File > Print > Save as PDF. It’s that simple. You can then always send over the files through email or transfer them to another external device using a usb-c hub with long cable, for example.

Conclusion:

As we have shown you in the article, there are several methods to go about the conversion process from PDF to Powerpoint and back. So, it all depends on what method you find convenient. However, if we were to suggest the best one, utilizing an online platform is the most straightforward and seamless solution out of all of them.