How to Fix ‘PowerPoint Found a Problem With Content’ Error: 7 Effective Solutions

“Every time I try to open my PowerPoint file from OneDrive, it keeps showing ‘PPT found a problem with content’ error and asks to repair it. But when I hit repair, nothing happens. Can you assist me with this issue?”

                                                                                                    ———A Question from Reddit

The ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content’ error can hit you like freight truck, taking down your presentations and destroying countless hours of work. If you’re getting this error, nothing is lost though. You can still restore your presentation. In this article, we’ll discuss common reasons behind this issue, seven methods to fix it and how to prevent it from reoccurring in future. So, let’s roll, shall we!

Part 1: 7  Methods to Fix ‘PowerPoint Found a Problem With Content’ Error

Here are seven common methods to resolve ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content’ error according to different scenarios. Try them out one by one until you found one that suits your situation. Let’s get to them:

Method 1: Unblock the File

You might have downloaded file from an unreliable source or its a potential security threat that’s why you have got ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content Mac/Windows’ error. This is because your OS has blocked that particular PPT file. You can unblock it by following steps below:

Step 1: Right-click on file with ‘PowerPoint found problem with content in pptx’ error and choose “Properties.”

Step 2: Click on “General” tab, tick “Unblock” next to “Security:” option  and cick “Apply” to save your changes. Reopen PPT file to see if it’s working now.

Method 2: Open and Repair Feature

Sometimes, PowerPoint shows a ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content attempt to repair’ error when there are tiny issues like minor corruption in your presentation. This could happen due to incomplete download, or interruptions during file transfer, making PPT inaccessible. Luckily, PowerPoint has a built-in fix called “Open and Repair.” It automatically finds and fix minor corruption and inconsistencies in PPT files. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1: Open PowerPoint, click on “Open.”

Step 2: “Browse” your presentation with ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content Windows 11/10’ error. 

Step 3: Click dropdown arrow menu, and choose “Open and Repair.” The PowerPoint will try to repair your PPT file.

Method 3: Repair Corrupted PowerPoint Files

In case your PowerPoint corruption is severe and you’re unable to resolve ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content Mac/Windows’ error, take help of 4DDiG File Repair tool. It can handle both minor and big problems in PowerPoint, extracting elements from damaged PPT file and restoring them to their original format. It is a powerful tool that can fix various issues in all MS Office files like Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc. Check out its bombastic features:

• Fix severely corrupted, damaged or broken PPT files or presentations with distorted layout.
• Restores all elements like tables, hyperlinks, OLE objects, VBA etc in PPT files.
• Repairs PPT files which won’t open, or open as blank, are unreadable, or inaccessible.
• Supports a wide range of PowerPoint file formats like pptx, pptm and more.
• Offers fast scanning, 24/7 technical support and a high success rate.
• Compatible with all old and current PowerPoint versions.
• Supports both Mac and Windows operating systems.

Follow steps below to fix ‘PowerPoint found problem with content in pptx’ error with help of this tool:

Step 1: Download, install and open file repair tool on your computer.

Step 2: Click “File Repair” and select “Add File(s)” to add your PPT file with ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content Mac/Windows’ error.

Step 3: Once your PowerPoint file is uploaded, hit “Start Repair” to scan for errors.

Step 4: After scanning and fixing, click “View Results” to check repaired PowerPoint file. If all’s spick and span, click “Export” to save it.

Method 4: Disabling Protected Views

PowerPoint has a “Protected Views” feature that keeps you safe from sketchy files by flagging potential security threats and blocking them from opening. Sometimes it’s overly cautious and might stop you from opening a harmless file leading to ‘PowerPoint found problem with content in pptx’ problem. But don’t worry, you can turn off “Protected Views” with following instructions:

Step 1: Open PowerPoint, head to “File,” then choose “Options.”

Step 2: Select “Trust Center,” from left panel and choose “Trust Center Settings.”

Step 3: Select “Protected View” from the left panel, uncheck all options provided and click “OK” to save changes.

Method 5: Add to the Trusted Locations List

Your PPT file not be saved or downloaded in right spot causing ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content Windows 11/10’ error. But you can fix it by adding it to trust list. Usually, when you download a PowerPoint from web, it ends up in a not-so-safe folder. Adding it to trust list can sort things out for you. Check steps below for adding PPT file to trust list:

Step 1: Open PowerPoint, head to “File,” then “Options.”

Step 2: Select “Trust Center,” from left panel and choose “Trust Center Settings.”

Step 3: Select “Trusted Locations” from left panel and click “Add new location.”

Step 4: Browse and select where your .PPT file with ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content attempt to repair’ error is and click “Add,” then “Save.”

Method 6: Moving the File Out From the Synchronized Folder

Adding PowerPoint file with ‘PPT found a problem with content’ error to a trusted location might not cut it. This is because your file could be in a synchronized OneDrive or Dropbox folder. You’ll need to move presentation out from folder. Here’s how:

Step 1: Find where your file with ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content’ error is saved.

Step 2: Right-click file, cut it. Move to a regular folder or make new one, right-click, and “paste” PPT file there. Open it to check if problem is fixed.

Method 7: Open Powerpoint Using Another Program

Another way is to open PPT file with ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content’ error using another program. You can try two things here: Upload your file to Google Drive and open it with Google Slides, or use PowerPoint Online from Microsoft. Both Google Slides and MS PowerPoint online uses a slightly different format from PowerPoint’s Desktop version. They might also use different rendering method that bypasses problematic elements and can fix minor corruption causing ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content Windows 11/10’ error.

Part 2:  Reasons Behind the ‘PPT Found a Problem With Content’ Error

There are multiple reasons why you might get hit with ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content attempt to repair’ error. Here are most common ones:

1. File blocked by OS – Sometimes, files downloaded from websites are blocked by your device’s operating system due to potential virus threats. 
2. File location not trusted – If the folder hosting your file isn’t in PowerPoint’s trust list, you’ll encounter this error. 
3. Protected Views turned on – This feature might block your file if it’s downloaded directly from a URL or an Outlook attachment. 
4. File in synchronized folder – If your file is in a synced folder like Dropbox or OneDrive, it may not function correctly. These folders can interfere with the file’s operation, leading to ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content’ error.

Part 3: Useful Tips to Avoid These Common Powerpoint Problems

The above fixes can resolve ‘PPT found a problem with content’ error. However, its wise to prevent any such situation from rising in future. To do that, you must take some preventative measures as following:

1. Keep Protected Views in check – Make sure Protected Views is configured properly to avoid potential issues with file opening.
2. Maintain a trusted file location list – Always add locations of your files to PowerPoint’s trust list to prevent access problems.
3. Stick to trusted sources – Only open presentations from trusted places like colleagues or reputable websites. Avoid downloading from unknown sources to reduce the risk of problems.
4. Be mindful of synchronized folders – If you use synchronized folders like Dropbox or OneDrive, be aware of their potential impact on file functionality and take necessary precautions.
5. Virus scan – Always scan downloaded files with your antivirus before opening to ensure they’re safe.
6. Check file extension – Confirm file extension is “.pptx” or “.ppt” to avoid potential malware disguises.
7. Keep PowerPoint updated – Make sure you have latest PowerPoint updates installed for bug fixes and security enhancements.
8. Be cautious with macros – Avoid running macros from unfamiliar sources to prevent potential file damage.
9. Backup regularly – Back up your presentations regularly so you can restore them if they become corrupted.
10. Try different formats – Consider using alternative formats like Google Slides if you face recurring issues with PowerPoint.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the above solutions should have you covered for ‘PowerPoint found a problem with content’ error. Usually, unblocking PPT file, relocating it from synced folders, adding it to trusted locations, disabling protection, or repairing it should do the trick. But if your PPT file is severely corrupted, none of these fixes might work. 

In that case, you might want to try a third-party tool like 4DDiG File Repair. It’s great for fixing all sorts of PowerPoint issues, even really bad ones. Besides, it works on both Windows and Mac and supports all PowerPoint versions, old and new.