This article describes what a POTX file is, including how to open or convert one on your computer.

What to Know

  • A POTX file is a Microsoft PowerPoint Open XML Template file.
  • Open one with PowerPoint or Impress.
  • Convert to PDF, PPT, and other formats with FileZigZag.

What Is a POTX File?

A file with the POTX file extension is a Microsoft PowerPoint Open XML Template file used to maintain the same layout, text, styles, and formatting across multiple PPTX files.

Like Microsoft’s other Open XML files (e.g., PPTM, DOCX, XLSX), the POTX format uses a combination of XML and ZIP to structure and compress its data.

Prior to Microsoft Office 2007, PowerPoint used the POT file format to create similar PPT files.

How to Open a POTX File

POTX files can be opened and edited with Microsoft PowerPoint, Planamesa NeoOffice for macOS, and with the free OpenOffice Impress and SoftMaker FreeOffice.

If you’re using a version of PowerPoint older than 2007, you can still open this file format but you need to have Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack installed.

Another way to use the file without PowerPoint is with Microsoft’s free online version of PowerPoint. If you’re interested in just viewing a POTX file, you can do so with Microsoft’s free PowerPoint Viewer.

How to Convert a POTX File

There are two main ways to convert a POTX file to a different file format like PPTX, PPT, OPT, PDF, ODP, SXI, or SDA.

If you find that an application on your PC does try to open the file but it’s the wrong application or you’d rather have another installed program open it, learn how to change which program opens POTX files by default in Windows.

Assuming one of the above programs that support the format is already installed, or you’re using the online version of PowerPoint, the easiest solution is to open it there and then save it to a new format.

Another way is with a free file converter. Our favorite way to do this is with FileZigZag because you don’t have to download anything; just upload the POTX file to the website and choose a format to convert it to. That website supports lots of export formats, including HTML, ODP, OTP, PDF, PPT, SDA, SXI, VOR, and others.

Still Can’t Open It?

If your file doesn’t open with the presentation software mentioned above, then there’s a good chance you’re misreading the file extension. This can happen rather easily since so many file extensions look similar.

For example, OTX looks almost identical to POTX and could even appear at first glance to be related to PowerPoint in some way. In reality, OTX files are used with a program called theWord. OXT is another one that isn’t related to PowerPoint.

PTX files are similar. If you follow that link you can see that there are several formats that use that file extension, and none of them are even remotely related to PowerPoint.

If your file has an extension that isn’t explained on this page, search for it on Google or at the top of this page (we might have a page on it) to learn more about the format and what program you need to have on your computer or other device to open/edit/convert it.

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