How to turn a PowerPoint into a shareable link

Emailing a 40 MB .pptx is slow, and you cannot take it back once it is sent. A link opens in any browser, can be changed after you send it, and can be switched off. Here are the ways to make one, from free to fully controlled.

Option 1: share from OneDrive or SharePoint

This keeps the file as a live PowerPoint that people open in PowerPoint for the web, with no install needed.

1. Save the deck to OneDrive or SharePointIn PowerPoint, choose File > Save As and pick your OneDrive or a SharePoint site. If the deck is only on your computer, clicking Share will prompt you to upload it.
2. Click ShareClick Share in the top right corner of PowerPoint.
3. Set who can open itOpen the link settings (the gear or the permissions line, depending on your version). Choose who the link works for, such as Anyone, People in your organization or Specific people, and set it to view only unless you want edits. Your IT team may have disabled some options.
4. Copy the linkChoose Copy link and paste it into your email, chat or LMS.

Option 2: publish it to the web with Google Slides

Google Slides can publish a presentation as a clean, full-screen player with its own URL, which is handy for embedding on a website.

1. Bring the deck into Google SlidesUpload the .pptx to Google Drive, right-click it and choose Open with > Google Slides, then File > Save as Google Slides. See converting PowerPoint to Google Slides for what changes.
2. PublishGo to File > Share > Publish to web. Choose Link or Embed, set the auto-advance timing and whether it starts automatically and restarts after the last slide, then click Publish.
3. Copy the URLCopy the link or the embed code. Changes to the deck show up in the published version automatically after a few minutes.
4. Unpublish when you are doneFile > Share > Publish to web > Published content & settings > Stop publishing.

Option 3: share a PDF link

A PDF is the most predictable format: fonts, layout and images look exactly as you made them on every device. Export with File > Export > Create PDF/XPS, upload it to OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox, and share a view link. You lose animations, video and speaker notes, so this suits decks meant to be read rather than presented.

Option 4: share a video link

If the deck needs your voice, record it and share the MP4. In PowerPoint, record with the Record tab, then File > Export > Create a Video. Upload to YouTube as unlisted, Microsoft Stream, Vimeo or your LMS and share that link. Our guide on recording a presentation with audio has the steps.

Presenting from a link, not just sharing one

Sharing a link so people can read a deck later is different from presenting from a link while people watch. For live remote talks, a video call's screen share is still the most common option, but it has weak points: viewers on small screens cannot zoom, late joiners miss earlier slides, and a poor connection turns your slides into a blurry slideshow.

Some tools let viewers open the deck on their own device and follow along as you move through it, so every viewer sees crisp slides at full resolution. Google Slides offers audience Q&A through a link while you present. InstaPresentation's live follow-along does this for the slides themselves: viewers open your link and see the slide you are on, in real time, while you click through from your laptop or phone.

Link hygiene for decks that live a long time

• Use one link per deck and update the deck behind it, rather than sending a new link each time. People bookmark links.
• Name files clearly ("2026 onboarding - v3") so the link preview makes sense in chat apps.
• Review who has access every few months and remove links to decks that are out of date.
• Keep a PDF archive copy of any version you presented to a client or a board, in case the live version changes later.

Which option should you pick?

Privacy checklist before you send any link

• Check the link is view-only unless you want edits.
• Remove hidden slides and speaker notes you would not want read (notes travel with .pptx and OneDrive links).
• Use File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document in PowerPoint to find comments, hidden content and personal information.
• Set an expiry date or password if your plan supports it.
• Keep a note of where you shared it, so you can turn it off later.

Or present from your own link

Upload your PowerPoint or make a new deck in one sentence, then share instapresentation.com/you. Make it public, private or password protected, and let people follow along live.