I keep getting an error saying powerpoint cant read file while trying to insert a slide into presentation. What can I do?

Question

I was trying to insert a slide into a presentation, and I keep getting an error message that says can't read. What can I do?

Answer 1

Hello, I'm Quinn and here to help!

If you haven't already please try the steps here in this article:
https://support.microsoft.com/office/error-can-t-read-file-or-presentation-cannot-be-opened-7f2f31e2-d4dd-4c1f-9e27-ba6fadf92d44

Make sure the file you're inserting from is a .pptx file, not an older .ppt or something else like .odp. PowerPoint sometimes chokes on older formats. If it's a .ppt, open it separately, do Save As > .pptx, then try inserting again. If not, try this:

1. Open your main presentation
2. In the top search bar, type Reuse Slides and select it
3. Click Browse and select the file
4. You can insert all slides at once, but if it fails, try inserting them one by one