When you use the Compatibility Checker, you might see messages that determine potential losses of functionality when you save a PowerPoint presentation as a PowerPoint 97-2003 file (.ppt). This document contains messages that the Compatibility Checker generates. Use the information under each message to see what causes the message to appear and suggestions about what action to take.
In this article
-
Your presentation contains a SmartArt graphic that isn't available in earlier versions of PowerPoint
Notice that all these messages say that something "isn't available in earlier versions of PowerPoint." You will lose edit functionality only when you open the file in an earlier version of PowerPoint. For example, if you save a presentation with a SmartArt graphic to an earlier version of PowerPoint format, and then open that file in some earlier versions of PowerPoint, the SmartArt graphic is changed to a picture. However, if you open the file again in a newer version of PowerPoint without making any edits to that SmartArt graphic picture, you can continue to edit your SmartArt graphic.
You can't edit some content from later versions of PowerPoint in earlier versions of PowerPoint. For example, shapes and text with new effects are converted to pictures (bitmaps) in some earlier versions of PowerPoint to make sure that they look the same in a presentation. As a result, you cannot change the line width, fill color, or other aspects of the shapes and text. Also, after the text is turned into a bitmap, any animations on that text do not appear during the presentation.
Tip: If you want to modify a SmartArt graphic, a shape, or other objects in your presentation, save a copy of your PowerPoint presentation, and then save the copy as a PowerPoint 97-2003 file (.ppt). By doing so, you can make changes to your original presentation if your SmartArt graphics, shapes, or other objects are converted to pictures when you save the presentation in the file format of an earlier version.
Your presentation contains a SmartArt graphic that isn't available in earlier versions of PowerPoint
To maintain the appearance of your SmartArt graphic, it's converted to an image that you can't edit in earlier versions of PowerPoint.
|
The message appears because your presentation contains |
Solution to try |
|---|---|
|
A SmartArt graphic. |
If you save a presentation that contains SmartArt as a .ppt file (which is compatible with PowerPoint 97-2003), the SmartArt graphic is converted to a picture. If you apply formatting to the picture while editing the presentation in PowerPoint 2004 or earlier, then the picture won't be able to revert back to an editable shape in versions later than PowerPoint 2008. |
Your presentation contains an embedded media clip that isn't available in earlier versions of PowerPoint
To represent your embedded media clip, it's converted to an image that you can't edit in earlier versions of PowerPoint. The media object is permanently converted to a picture. You cannot play or edit the audio or movie object after the presentation is saved in this file format.
|
The message appears because your presentation contains |
Solution to try |
|---|---|
|
An embedded media clip. |
Link the audio or movie instead of embedding it. |
Your presentation contains animation effects on a custom layout that isn't available in earlier versions of PowerPoint
When you add an animation effect to a placeholder on a custom layout, this message appears.
|
The message appears because your presentation contains |
Solution to try |
|---|---|
|
An animation effect added to a placeholder on a custom layout. |
When saving as an earlier version, PowerPoint automatically changes the placeholder to the default placeholder without animation. Change the placeholder to a text box or shape and apply the animation to it. |
Your presentation contains an animation on a shape, like a SmartArt graphic, that isn't available in earlier versions of PowerPoint
When you apply certain animation effects to shapes, and then save your presentation in the file format of an earlier version of PowerPoint, your animations might not be seen. This is because the animation is connected to text or a shape that was turned into a picture.
|
The message appears because your presentation contains |
Solution to try |
|---|---|
|
An animation effect applied to a shape that will become uneditable (for example, SmartArt graphics). |
When saving as an earlier version, PowerPoint automatically changes the placeholder to the default placeholder without animation. Change the object into an animated picture by doing the following:
|
