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I am using Powerpoint and in the primary slideshow I have created a menu that has hyperlinks to open another PowerPoint presentation in Slideshow mode. The menu contains names of other slideshows which are Hyperlinked to those specific slideshows. All the slideshows are in the exact same directory, and all are on the exact same computer with the exact same extensions. I have tried many other extensions but still have problems. Prior to updating office 365 to the latest updates everything worked great but since April 21, 2026, I updated Office 365 and the problems started.
All presentations are saved in .pptm format which is what I want because I may need to edit any or all of the presentations at different times in the future sometimes while I'm in the middle of a presentation. This worked fine for all the prior years I have had Microsoft Office but not with the latest version.
The problem is the hyperlinked .pptm file will not open automatically in Slideshow mode when I click on it, instead it opens in edit mode, and it puts my primary slideshow and the current slideshow in pause mode with the message: (Slideshow (Resume Slideshow)). When I click on Resume Slideshow it returns to the main slideshow without allowing me to present the linked slideshow.
I have uninstalled Office 365 and reinstalled it. I repaired Office 365. I have checked all the advanced settings and general settings to make sure nothing is preventing the hyperlinks to open in slideshow mode. I have done several other things but cannot fix this problem. I have hundreds of .pptx presentations. I have to change the primary Powerpoint menu with new links sometimes several times per week. There is no way I can create all new presentations in .ppsx.
Besides even if I did recreate hundreds of slideshows with .ppsx extensions, the problem would not be solved with the main slideshow, which is the primary MENU, going into pause mode (Slideshow (Resume Slideshow)). I have created .ppsx show and linked it in the primary (using both extensions test .pptm and .ppsx), but after I have finished showing the linked .ppsx presentation (regardless of what extension the primary has) the program goes back to the primary presentation menu, and I still have to click the Resume Slideshow. It will not resume in slideshow mode where it left off. Major bugs!
I called tech support at Microsoft and was on hold for 4 hours but never got anyone to answer and finally had to hang up. We are having a big event this weekend and I'm pretty upset because I'm not sure how to make this problem go away. HELP PLEASE!
A family of Microsoft presentation graphics products that offer tools for creating presentations and adding graphic effects like multimedia objects and special effects with text.
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Here is my temporary work-around:
On your master show, remove the external links and then re-link through the Inset> Action > Hyperlink to > Other powerpoint presentation (or other file) and navigate to your subshow. It will now work, BUT when you hover over the link in slideshow mode, you will see that full pathway. To get rid of that, re-select your new link, right click and select "edit link." Then in screentips, put one space and save. It will now behave as before. I sure would love to see the Microsoft team fix this last item so that the path never shows when we hover over the link during a presentation, and we don't have to do the 'one space' in screen tips to minimize the ugly path.
Answer accepted by question author
As of this morning, May 5, the problem appears to be fixed. All of my colleague's presentations are working as normal again. There must have been an update overnight.
I tried it today, 5-5-26, at 2:55 p.m. and it does appear to be fixed. Thank you Microsoft team!
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I had same issue. I fixed it by adding a page number to the link. If your links previous worked, edit it, and add #1 at the end. Now it should open like it did in previous PowerPoint versions.
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Yes add #1 is working
Or insert+action to another pptx you want to do slide show also working....
Key is , hope microsoft wont happen same issue if have new office update in the future please , its serious...
Add one comment for gentle reminding.
We add #1 by edit link address each by each , i have finished 300 links.
hope microsoft team keep it working , just worried if need to delete #1 again after future office update.
Best regards.
Sorry , Me again.
I found even no adding #1 also working as befor just now.
Seemed microsoft team fixef the bug finally. Great , thanks.
Big trouble for office update...
Happen here the same question for office 2019 2024....
Service team also cant fix the problem today. Even suggest using ppsx instead.....its not working!
Insert action also is wrong way , since we have 300 files need to be linked for pptx slide show.
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Hi, Jen Eliz
It looks like this is a recent PowerPoint issue rather than a setting you missed. Here are some suggestions you can try:
For the event, the safest workaround is to move the menu and the presentations you need most into one master file, then use Slide Show > Custom Slide Show and link the menu buttons with Insert > Action > Hyperlink to > Custom Show, with Show and return turned on. That is the built-in method meant to jump to a section and come back automatically without the extra “Resume Slideshow” step.
If you need a backup, saving linked decks as.ppsx can still help for direct opening, and they can still be edited later through File > Open in PowerPoint.
For now, I would avoid linking from one separate file to another until Microsoft fixes this, and send feedback from Help > Feedback > Report a problem so it gets tied to the current issue.
Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you.
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