When you want to compress images in Microsoft PowerPoint, you can use the Image Compression Wizard. The wizard is available in the Tools group of the PowerPoint Options dialog box. The wizard starts by asking you how much space you want to allocate to image compression. You can choose either a small or large amount of space. If you choose a small amount of space, the wizard will compress only the first image in your slide. If you choose a large amount of space, the wizard will compress all images on your slide. Next, you must decide which images to compression. The wizard will list all images on your slide, and then it will give you a choice between compressing them all or just some of them. You can also choose to compress only certain types of images (such as text or graphics). After you have chosen which images to compression, the wizard will ask for your input on how to do it. You can use one of three methods: manual compression, automatic compression, or both manual and automatic compression. Manual compression is the default method; automatic compression is when the wizard uses its own algorithms to try to find good compressed versions of each image on your slide. If both manual and automatic compression are used, then the wizards will combine their results into a single compressed image for presentation purposes. If manual compression is not desired or if there are too many differences between different types of images (for example, text and graphics), then you can use automatic compressor instead. Automatic compressor uses algorithms that try to find good compressed versions of each image on your slide automatically based on information that it receives from other slides in your presentation. This information includes slides that have been opened before this one and slides that have been changed since this one was last opened (for example, if there has been an update to Office software).


Compressing images in your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation can help reduce the overall file size of the presentation and save disk space on the device it’s stored on. Here’s how to compress images in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Note that this feature is only available for desktop versions of Office and not Office for the web.

Compress Images in PowerPoint for Windows

Open the PowerPoint presentation that contains the images you’d like to compress and then select a photo.

Once selected, you’ll automatically be in the “Picture Format” tab. Here, click the “Compress Pictures” button in the “Adjust” group.

The “Compress Pictures” window will appear. In the “Compression Options” group, you can choose if the compression applies only to the selected picture. If you uncheck this option, PowerPoint will compress all of the images in the presentation, which overrides any changes you may have made to those images.

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In the “Resolution” group, choose which resolution you would like to use. Once ready, click “OK.”

The image or images will now be compressed.

Compress Images in PowerPoint for Mac

Open the PowerPoint presentation that contains the images you’d like to compress and then select a photo. Once selected, click “Compress Pictures” in the “Picture Format” tab.

The “Compress Pictures” window will appear. Select the picture quality you’d like to use, then select if you’d like to apply the compression to all images in the presentation or only the selected image. Also, if you want to delete the cropped areas of the pictures, check the box next to that option.

When ready, click “OK.”

The image or images will now be compressed.