Use PowerPoint in OBS without display capture or a second computer

PPTBridge turns the deck into an OBS source. Your desktop remains available for OBS, a browser, or show-control software while the audience sees only the slide.

The basic signal path

1. Add PPTBridge SK Slide to the scene that goes to Program.
2. Select the deck file in source properties.
3. Scale or crop the source exactly like any other OBS source.
4. Use the PPTBridge hotkeys, clicker capture, Companion, or OSC to navigate.

For a PDF, PPTBridge renders the pages directly. For a PowerPoint file, static preview loads first; start PowerPoint Live Mode when you need builds, animation, embedded video, or audio.

Why this is safer than a desktop capture

• The taskbar, mouse, notifications, and other apps are not part of the source.
• The source remains in the OBS scene even if you work in Chrome or another application.
• The default resize behavior keeps the OBS output dimensions stable when the PowerPoint window changes.
• With multiple decks, controls follow the PPTBridge source in the current Program scene.

Keyboard and clicker behavior

Normal left/right arrows stay available for other work. Default focused OBS hotkeys are 2 for Next and 1 for Previous. For a stage clicker that must work while another app has focus, enable Spotlight/Clicker Capture and use its PageDown/PageUp input.

Rehearsal checklist

• Confirm the deck is in the intended Program scene.
• Test every animation, video, and audio cue in live mode.
• Resize the PowerPoint desktop window and verify Program stays stable.
• Test another application in focus while the stage clicker advances slides.
• Run the final-slide protection test.