Guide · Agent skill
How to use the PowerPoint (.pptx) Toolkit agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The pptx-official skill is a folder of instructions and helper scripts that teaches an AI agent how to produce, edit and read Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) files. It is for people who regularly make or update decks, and for developers who generate decks from data or templates. After this guide you will know how to install the skill, how to ask for work in a way that triggers it, and what it needs on your machine.
PowerPoint (.pptx) ToolkitXiaomiMiMo/MiMo-Code · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or the project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 2Or upload in the apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
- 3Install prerequisites. Install uv and bun if missing, then add the Python libraries with uv add. Install LibreOffice for rendering.
- 4Make a request. Describe the .pptx task in plain words, naming the file and the output you want.
- 5Review the output. Ask for a PDF or PNG render and check the slides visually before sharing.
What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file and supporting files. When your agent sees a task that matches the skill's description, it loads those instructions and follows them instead of improvising.
This skill covers drafting new slide decks, filling in .pptx templates with values, editing the internal XML of a deck, pulling out slide text and speaker notes, and converting slides to PDF or PNG images for visual checks. It follows a documented order: read, plan, edit or create, validate, then visual QA, and it uses bundled scripts for these steps.
- Author decks with python-pptx (repeatable, data-driven) or PptxGenJS (design-heavy layouts)
- Fill a template while keeping its master and layouts
- Extract text, structure and speaker notes from an existing .pptx
- Render slides to PDF or PNG, and build contact sheets of thumbnails
Install the pptx-official skill
Download the ZIP of the skill from this page and unzip it. You can install it in one of two places. For a personal setup, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into the project's .claude/skills/ folder.
If you use the Claude apps instead, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
- Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: .claude/skills/ inside your project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload
Set up the runtime and tools
The skill's Python work is managed with uv, and TypeScript work with bun. If your environment provides a bundled interpreter, the skill uses the MIMO_PYTHON variable instead of running installs. Rendering to PDF or images needs LibreOffice (soffice), and Poppler's pdftoppm is optional if pypdfium2 is available.
The source lists these Python packages: python-pptx, lxml and Pillow, with defusedxml recommended. For the PptxGenJS path it lists pptxgenjs, react, react-dom, sharp, react-icons and mathjax-full.
- Python 3.12 managed with uv
- python-pptx, lxml, Pillow; defusedxml recommended
- bun and TypeScript tooling for PptxGenJS decks
- LibreOffice (soffice) for PDF and image rendering
- Poppler pdftoppm for rasterising (optional if pypdfium2 is available)
uv init -p 3.12
uv add python-pptx lxml Pillow
uv add defusedxmlTrigger the skill with natural requests
The skill loads when your request involves a PowerPoint file or presentation output. The source lists trigger words such as 'deck', 'slides', 'presentation', 'pitch deck', and 'keynote' when a .pptx is expected, and any filename ending in .pptx. Say what file you have and what you want done to it.
The skill will not trigger when the main deliverable is a Word document, spreadsheet, PDF report, HTML site or Google Slides API call, even if slide-like content appears along the way.
- 'Turn these five bullet points on Q3 results into a 6-slide deck.'
- 'Fill quarterly_template.pptx with the figures in data.csv.'
- 'Pull all the speaker notes out of board-review.pptx.'
- 'Convert onboarding.pptx to PDF so I can check it.'
Common commands the skill runs
The skill uses small Python command-line scripts. Each one is run through uv, and the source lists these examples. Read the top of each script file for its full options.
Live preview is not started by default. The skill asks before starting it, and the source says it is only offered in a pure command-line environment.
- dump_text.py: text, notes and tables out of a deck
- render_pdf.py and render_slides.py: PDF and per-slide PNG output
- contact_sheet.py: grid thumbnail preview
- explode.py and assemble.py: unpack to XML and rebuild
- diagnose.py: well-formedness check on the result
uv run scripts/dump_text.py input.pptx --notes > input.txt
uv run scripts/render_pdf.py input.pptx
uv run scripts/render_slides.py input.pptx --out slides/
uv run scripts/diagnose.py output.pptxSafety notes before you run it
The skill runs scripts, and those scripts read and write your files. The source also says some scripts may call external tools and that the skill uses the network. Review the scripts in the scripts/ folder before running the skill on sensitive decks.
The skill's SKILL.md lists its licence as Apache-2.0, and the item page lists the licence as MIT. Check the LICENSE file included with the download for the terms that apply to you.
- Read scripts/ before running on confidential or client decks
- Network use is part of the requirements, so check what your environment permits
- Keep an original copy of any template you ask the agent to modify
Tips for better results
Tell the agent the output you want: a new deck, a filled template, or extracted text. The skill's own order is read, plan, edit or create, validate, then visual QA, so ask for a render if you want to check the slides by eye.
For template work, ask for a contact sheet first so the agent can pick the right layouts.
- Name the file and state whether you want the original kept
- Ask for the contact sheet before template fills
- Ask for speaker notes explicitly when you want them included
What people use it for
- Drafting a pitch deck or executive readout from an outline
- Filling a branded quarterly template with figures from a data file
- Extracting speaker notes from a set of training decks into a text file
- Converting a finished deck to PDF for review
- Splitting or merging decks by reordering slides through the XML workflow
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the pptx-official skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What does the pptx skill require?
It needs Python 3.12 managed with uv, plus python-pptx, lxml and Pillow, with defusedxml recommended. PDF and image rendering needs LibreOffice, and Poppler pdftoppm is optional if pypdfium2 is available. The PptxGenJS path also needs bun and several Node packages.
Is the pptx-official skill free?
The item page lists the licence as MIT, and the SKILL.md file names Apache-2.0. Check the LICENSE file in the download to confirm which terms apply to your use.
Does the skill work without an internet connection?
The source says the skill uses the network, so do not assume it works offline. Check the scripts and your environment's rules before running it in a restricted setting.
Can it extract speaker notes from a .pptx?
Yes. The dump_text.py script includes speaker notes when you pass the --notes flag, and it can also output Markdown or include table cells.
Why won't the skill open my Word or Google Slides file?
The skill is scoped to .pptx files. It is designed not to trigger when the main deliverable is a Word document, spreadsheet, PDF report, HTML site or Google Slides API call.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you regularly build or update PowerPoint decks, fill templates, or need text and speaker notes pulled from existing .pptx files, and you are comfortable installing Python and LibreOffice. Skip it if your main output is a Word document, spreadsheet, PDF report or HTML site, or if you cannot review its scripts before running them on sensitive decks.
Download the skill