Share via

Is it possible to automatically sync Excel Tables to PowerPoint on macOS

sherilee bruyns 20 Reputation points
2026-01-15T10:47:43.0433333+00:00

We have a user using a Mac device who wants an Excel table that they update to automatically update in their PowerPoint deck. Is this possible on a Mac? If not, what are the options to achieve this? It’s redundant to update both files manually since changes don’t sync.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | MacOS
0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Michelle-N 16,635 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-01-15T12:36:45.55+00:00

Hi @sherilee bruyns

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on the information you provided, I understand that a user on macOS would like an Excel table to automatically update in a PowerPoint presentation when the source data in Excel changes, in order to avoid having to manually update both files.

After researching this behavior, on Windows, PowerPoint supports dynamic linking (OLE links) with Excel, which allows data to update automatically when the Excel file changes. However, PowerPoint on macOS does not support this feature, so Excel tables pasted into PowerPoint are treated as static content and do not sync automatically.

I also tested this scenario in my own environment and confirmed that Excel tables do not automatically sync from Excel to PowerPoint on macOS.

As a possible workaround, you may consider the following option:

If the scenario allows, consider using charts instead of tables. In my testing, charts can sync in near real time from Excel to PowerPoint on macOS when they are linked to the same source data.User's image

I hope the information above is clear. Please let me know if you need further questions.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".     

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.

1 additional answer

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest

  1. AI answer

    2026-01-15T10:47:51.9166667+00:00

    Currently, there is no built-in feature in Microsoft Office for Mac that allows for automatic syncing of Excel tables to PowerPoint presentations. Users must manually update the tables in both applications to reflect changes.

    However, there are a few workarounds that users can consider:

    1. Linking Data: You can copy a table from Excel and paste it into PowerPoint as a linked object. This way, when the Excel file is updated, the PowerPoint table can be updated by right-clicking on it and selecting "Update Link." This does require the Excel file to be accessible and the link to be maintained.
    2. Embedding: Another option is to embed the Excel table into PowerPoint. This allows you to edit the table directly within PowerPoint, but it does not automatically sync changes from the original Excel file.
    3. Manual Updates: Unfortunately, if neither of the above options is suitable, users will need to continue updating both files manually.

    For the best experience, ensure that both applications are kept up to date, as Microsoft frequently releases updates that may improve functionality and integration between their products.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.