6 Ways to Fix Microsoft PowerPoint Not Saving Files on Windows

Quick Tips

• Ensure your PowerPoint presentation is not open in another program on your PC.
• If PowerPoint is not saving a specific PPT, copy the slides into a new file and try saving it.
• Run the Office repair tool if you experience problems saving PowerPoint files.

Fix 1: Ensure the File Is Not Opened Elsewhere

Having a PowerPoint file open in multiple apps can prevent you from editing it. To avoid this, ensure your presentation isn’t open in any other program.

Such issues can also arise if the file is opened in File Explorer’s Preview Pane. Several users on the Microsoft forums reported fixing the problem by disabling the Preview Pane in File Explorer. You can also try it.

Step 1: Press the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer.

Step 2: Click the View menu at the top, go to Show, and deselect Preview pane. After this, try saving your file and see if it works.

Fix 2: Save the File in Another Location

A lack of relevant permissions to access a specific directory on Windows could prevent PowerPoint from saving files. To fix this, try saving the file in a different directory.

In the PowerPoint app, press the Ctrl + Shift + S keyboard shortcut to bring up the Save As dialog box. Select a new location for the file and hit Save.

If you can’t save the file in the PPTX format, use the “Save as type” drop-down menu to select PPT and hit Save.

Fix 3: Copy Your Presentation to a New File

If PowerPoint is having trouble saving a specific PPT, there might be a problem with the file itself. You can resolve the issue by copying the slides from the problematic PowerPoint file and pasting them into a new file. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1: Open your PowerPoint file and select any slide. Then, press Ctrl + A to select all the slides.

Step 2: Right-click on your selection and choose Copy.

Step 3: Press Ctrl + N to create a new PowerPoint file, and press Ctrl + V to paste your slides.

Step 4: Press the Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut and save your file.

Fix 4: Remove ActiveMovie Control From Microsoft Visual Basic Userform

Another thing you can do when PowerPoint displays the “An error occurred while PowerPoint was saving the file” message is to remove the ActiveMovie control from Microsoft Visual Basic Userform. Here’s how to go about it.

Step 1: In the PowerPoint app, switch to the Developer tab and click on Visual Basic.

Step 2: Click on the Insert UserForm icon on the toolbar and select UserForm.

Step 3: Click the File menu at the top and select Remove UserForm.

Step 4: Select No to continue.

Step 5: Click on the File menu again and select Close and Return to Microsoft PowerPoint.

Try to save your file once again and see if it works.

Fix 5: Sign Out and Sign Back In

Authentication problems with your Office account can sometimes prevent PowerPoint from saving your files. You can sign out and back in to the app to fix the problem.

Step 1: Open the PowerPoint app and click on the File menu at the top.

Step 2: Switch to the Account tab and click on Sign out.

Sign back into the app with your account and check if the issue persists.

Fix 6: Run the Office Repair Tool

Running the Microsoft Office repair tool effectively fixes issues with Office apps like PowerPoint. So, if nothing works, run the Office repair tool as a last resort.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Installed apps from the list.

Step 2: Locate the Microsoft Office suite on the list. Click the menu icon next to it and select Modify.

Step 3: Select Online Repair and click Repair.