AutoSave in PowerPoint for iOS – iPad

Desktop versions of PowerPoint let you choose where you want to save your files. They also prompt you to save your files if you close PowerPoint without saving your changes. Well, there is no such Save option within PowerPoint for iPad. Why? That's because most of the time, PowerPoint on the iPad will continuously auto-save your file as you make changes. It will also push these updated, saved versions to your cloud location.

So essentially, you open a file, make changes, and then open a second file. You may not be aware, but the first file is saved on its own when you open the second file! Would you like a more conventional approach where you are prompted to save your file? You can do that by turning off the AutoSave option that is enabled by default.

Follow these steps to learn more:

1. Create a new presentation or open an existing one in PowerPoint for iPad, as shown in Figure 1, below.
2. 
   Figure 1: An open presentation
2. Tap the File Options button on the Ribbon, as shown highlighted in orange within Figure 2, below.
3. 
   Figure 2: Access File Options
3. Doing so will bring up the File menu, as shown in Figure 3, below.
4. 
   Figure 3: The File menu
4. Notice the topmost option in this menu, which is called AutoSave. You will see that it is turned on, indicated by the green switch towards its right, as shown in Figure 3, above.
5. Now tap the switch to turn AutoSave off. You will now see a large green Save button. Below the button, you will also see when the open file was saved last, as shown in Figure 4, below.
6. 
   Figure 4: AutoSave turned off
7. Also, notice that the File Options button now looks different, as shown highlighted in orange within Figure 5, below.
8. 
   Figure 5: Changed File Options button
6. Also, now if you close this open file without saving, or create a new file, PowerPoint will prompt you to save, as shown in Figure 6, below.
7. 
   Figure 6: Save your file?