Safe to Send

PowerPoint notes guide

Remove the notes from the copy you will actually send.

Speaker notes are part of the presentation file. Hiding the notes pane, exporting a slide view, or assuming recipients will not look does not remove them.

PowerPointDistribution copyLocal verification

Start with a distribution copy

Use Save As to create a separate file with a clear name such as Board-Update-External.pptx. Do not remove working notes from the only source file. Microsoft recommends using Document Inspector on a copy because removed hidden content may not be recoverable.

Remove speaker notes

  1. Open the distribution copy.
  2. Select File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document.
  3. Select the presentation notes, comments, document properties, and other relevant inspectors.
  4. Run the inspection and remove the items you do not intend to deliver.
  5. Save, close, and reopen the file.

Exact labels can vary across PowerPoint versions. Microsoft’s current instructions are in Remove hidden data and personal information.

Deleting visible note text is not the entire check. A package can also retain comments, hidden slides, custom XML, embedded objects, off-slide material, author fields, and external paths.

Inspect the broader sharing copy

  • Delete hidden slides that are not meant for the recipient. “Hidden” means excluded from the normal slide show, not removed.
  • Review comments and collaboration identities.
  • Check embedded spreadsheets and documents. Replace them with reviewed static images when underlying data should not travel.
  • Delete off-slide objects and hidden objects.
  • Permanently crop images or use PowerPoint’s option to delete cropped areas.
  • Break links to local spreadsheets, internal network paths, or recipient-specific URLs.
  • Remove author, company, manager, template, and custom document properties where appropriate.

Verify the final bytes

  1. Close PowerPoint so the latest save is flushed to disk.
  2. Scan the final .pptx with Safe to Send.
  3. Review every high and medium finding.
  4. Confirm the report says coverage is complete.
  5. Match the report’s SHA-256 fingerprint to the attachment.

Scan the presentation locally →

The unsafe sample presentation contains notes, a hidden slide, a hidden object, an off-slide object, comments, an embedded file, a cropped image, metadata, custom XML, and external paths for testing.