How Do I Save a PowerPoint Template?

Life is short. So why spend valuable time adjusting your fonts, brand colors, and slide layouts every time you start a new project? The good news is that there’s a simple trick to avoid this repetitive, time-consuming work: create your own PowerPoint template and learn how to save it.

Instead of keeping your master presentation in .pptx format, you can save it as a PowerPoint template in .potx format. This file can then serve as the basis for new presentations without modifying the original template.

If you’d like to learn how to design your visuals from scratch before saving your template, check out our complete guide on how to create a PowerPoint template. Let’s take a look at how to save your creations and save time every day.

How to Save a PowerPoint Template

Saving a PowerPoint template only takes a few clicks in the desktop application (on both PC and Mac, as this feature isn’t available in PowerPoint for the web).

First, customize your document: you can adjust the background, change styles, or define a set of layouts using Slide Master under the View tab. You can also choose the standard landscape orientation or switch to portrait format under the Design tab.

To save your work, follow these steps:

• Click the File tab in the top-left corner of your screen.
• Select Save As (or Save a Copy in Microsoft 365), then click Browse.
• In the dialog box that appears, locate the Save as type drop-down menu.
• Scroll through the list or use the search field to select PowerPoint Template (.potx).
• In the File name field, enter a name for your creation so you can easily find it later.
• Finally, click Save to confirm.

As soon as you switch to the .potx format, PowerPoint automatically changes the storage location to the folder dedicated to templates. This makes it easy to find your work during future sessions!

How to Save a PowerPoint Theme

It’s easy to confuse a template with a theme. However, these two elements serve very different purposes!

A template (.potx) encompasses an entire PowerPoint presentation, including pre-filled text boxes, image placeholders, footers, and specific layouts. A theme, on the other hand, focuses solely on the visual identity: the winning combination of colors, fonts, and graphic effects.

So, if you simply want to save the design of your PowerPoint presentation and apply it to any existing file without changing its content, a theme is ideal:

• Go to the Design tab.
• Open the main gallery displaying your available themes.
• Click Save Current Theme, usually located toward the bottom of the list.
• Give your theme a name, then save it as a .thmx file.

Once saved, your new theme will appear in the standard theme gallery. With a simple right-click, you can even set it as the default theme for all your future documents.

How to Import a Saved Template into PowerPoint

Once your template is safely stored on your computer, using it to start a new presentation couldn’t be easier. PowerPoint separates your custom creations from the default designs, allowing you to work more efficiently.

Here’s how to get started:

• Open PowerPoint on your computer.
• Click File, then select New.
• Below the search field, click the Personal tab (or Custom, depending on your version of Office), next to the default templates.
• Your template will appear among your files. Click it, then confirm by clicking Create. PowerPoint will then generate a new blank working document without modifying the original .potx file.

If you need to make any adjustments to your template, be sure to check out our guide on how to edit a PowerPoint template.

Where Are PowerPoint Presentation Templates Stored?

The location of your PowerPoint templates depends on your computer and configuration.

On Windows, personal templates are generally saved in Documents > Custom Office Templates. To access them, open File Explorer and go to your Documents folder. You should find the dedicated templates folder there.

Depending on your version of PowerPoint or your organization's settings, templates may also be stored in the Microsoft Office Templates folder, located within your Windows user files.

On Mac, PowerPoint generally stores templates in the Microsoft Office folder, which can be accessed through your user Library. Since this folder is hidden by default in macOS, it is often easier to find your templates directly in PowerPoint through the Personal templates section.

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You now know how to save a PowerPoint template and where to find your saved templates. T

o boost your efficiency by 1,000 points and ensure complete visual consistency, take a look at Letsignit Slides, which lets you automatically import your brand guidelines into all your new presentations.