6 ways to fix the error 'PowerPoint found a problem with the content'

Have you ever encountered the error "PowerPoint found a problem with the content" when opening a .ppt or .pptx file? If restarting your device didn't help, try these tips to get you back to work in no time.

1. Review security settings

If you're using Windows, a feature called Protected Views may have mischaracterized your content as a potential security threat, resulting in a content error. If you're unsure how risky a file is, scan it with Microsoft Defender first. If the file is okay, you can temporarily disable Protected Views.

1. Open PowerPoint.
2. On the app's main screen, select Options from the left panel.
3. Select Trust Center > Trust Center Settings .
4. Click Protected View.
5. Uncheck the Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet and Enable Protected View for files located in potentially unsafe locations options .
6. Click OK to save the new changes and try opening the .ppt file.

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Warning : There is always some level of risk when disabling features like Protected View. After troubleshooting, be sure to turn those security settings back on.

Additionally, Windows users can add .ppt files to PowerPoint's Trusted Locations. Again, this method is only for .ppt files that come from trusted sources. From Trust Center Settings :

1. Click Trusted Locations in the left pane.
2. Click Add new location > Browse and select the location of the .ppt file.
3. Click Add > Save .

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If you're using a Mac, you won't find PowerPoint features like Trusted Locations or Protected View. Instead, you can manage PowerPoint file access in your Mac's Privacy & Security settings :

1. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access .
2. Select the + icon . Since this is a security setting, you may be prompted to enter your password.
3. Select Microsoft PowerPoint from your applications and click Open.
4. A dialog will prompt you to Quit & Reopen the application to grant full drive access.

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Finally, make sure your PowerPoint file isn't locked. Right-click the file in Finder and select Get Info . Under General , make sure the Locked check box is checked .

2. Edit your presentation

You can also test whether a corrupted file is causing the content error by trying to open the PowerPoint presentation from another device. If you still have the same problem, you can try repairing the file.

Windows users can do this using PowerPoint's built-in tools. Just launch PowerPoint and click Open . From there, browse to the presentation's location, expand the Open menu , and select Open and repair .

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If you're using a Mac, you may be able to repair corrupted files using Disk Utility. Find it in Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility and run the First Aid function on the drive where your files are stored. The utility will flag any disk errors that could be causing your files to become corrupted and offer solutions to repair the file system.

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Tip : When running disk repair functions, it is recommended that you back up first.

3. Restore old version

If PowerPoint or Disk Utility can't repair a corrupted file, you can find an earlier version of your presentation. Even if you don't save an earlier version, Windows and Mac devices may have an automatic backup of the file for you.

Windows' backup tool is called File History. There are several ways to access File History in Windows 11. From File History, simply locate your file and restore a previous version.

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Note : To use File History, you need to turn it on first. Otherwise, you won't be able to restore an older version of your PowerPoint file. Now is a good time to turn on File History to prevent future problems.

Alternatively, locate the problematic presentation directly from the File Explorer window. Right-click the file and select Show more options > Restore previous versions . If an older version is listed, go ahead and restore that version.

Time Machine can be your best friend if you're using a Mac. Apple's support page recommends opening the folder containing the file you want to restore in Finder first. You can then use Launchpad to open Time Machine and select the presentation. If there's a backup, there'll be a Restore option .

4. Download or move file location

PowerPoint presentations stored in a synced, cloud-based, or temporary file system folder can also cause content errors. For example, if you received the presentation via email, try downloading the file again. Make sure the file is in your local Downloads folder, on your Desktop, or in a designated folder associated with your project.

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If you're working with a synced folder system like Google's Drive for Desktop, you can try copying the .ppt or .pptx file from that cloud folder to your local drive. Then try opening the presentation again.

5. Open and export from other programs

Sometimes, if a .ppt or .pptx file won't open in PowerPoint, it will open in another similar program. Since applications like Keynote and Google Slides are equipped to import PowerPoint files, try opening your difficult presentation in one of those programs.

Here's how to open a PowerPoint file in Google Slides, a browser-based platform available on all operating systems:

1. Sign in to Google Drive and select New > Google Slides .
2. Select File > Open and navigate to the Upload tab .
3. Browse to or drag your PowerPoint file, and Google will convert and open it as a Google Slides presentation.
4. From here, you can continue your work in Google Slides. Otherwise, export the file again to use in PowerPoint by selecting File > Download > Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) .

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If you're on a Mac, you can also use the Keynote app to open your PowerPoint file, and the steps are very similar.

6. Update Microsoft 365

Finally, Microsoft 365 apps don't always work properly if you haven't updated them in a while. In this case, you should update Microsoft 365 to the latest version available. Depending on your operating system, there are a few different ways to do this.

On Windows, launch any Microsoft 365 app and select Account from the left panel. There, click the Microsoft 365 and Office Updates menu and select Update now .

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On a Mac, it's just as easy. Again, open a Microsoft 365 app and click Help > Check for Updates . This will launch an update if one is available. To save time later, you can also check the Automatically keep Microsoft apps up to date box .

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Hopefully the above solutions have helped you fix the "PowerPoint found a problem with the content" error. In most cases, you will need to move the file out of the synced folder or repair the corrupted file.

Good luck!

David Pac

Update 20 December 2024