Saving your work frequently is important, in case PowerPoint (or your computer) shuts
down unexpectedly. But there's more than one way to save in PowerPoint 2010.
We'll look at the Save As option first, which lets you choose a name and location for your
file. Just click File, Save As. Then enter a file name and Save. This is perfect if
you need to save a presentation for the first time, or, as in this case, you're saving a
different version of something you've been working on.
Once you've done that step, you can switch to using the regular Save command on your
Quick Access Toolbar. This is just a convenient way to continue saving your presentation in
its current location, using the same file name.
If you forget to save, or unexpectedly lose your work, not to worry. PowerPoint's AutoRecover
feature automatically saves a copy while you're working every 10 minutes. To check for autosaved
versions, open a presentation that was previously closed without saving. Now go to the Backstage
View and look under Info. Autosaved versions will be listed here. Just click to open, then
Restore, and OK to save and keep it.
Now I'd like to show you how to save files that'll work with previous versions of PowerPoint.
You'll need to use a different file format (called PowerPoint 97-2003) to share with
anyone who uses PowerPoint 2003 or earlier. Just click the File tab, then Save As, and
in the "Save as type" drop-down menu, choose PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation. Now edit
the file name or location if you need to, then Save.
Because some of the current features in PowerPoint 2010 aren't supported by earlier versions,
you may get a notice about your presentation's compatibility. Click Continue to save in the
97-2003 format anyway.
Finally, if you ever need to send your presentation to someone who doesn't have PowerPoint at
all, you can choose a completely different format in the Backstage view, under Save & Send.
Alternatives include creating a PDF or XPS document, which will save your presentation
as a document instead of a slide show. You can also create a video of your presentation
to share online or in an email or package the contents for a CD. This option puts your
presentation in a folder, along with a special PowerPoint Viewer that anyone can download
and use.
Now you know several different ways to save, and make your presentation compatible for sharing.