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Powerpoint for Mac "This presentation is protected by a password or Digital Rights Management (DRM)" when trying to open presentation

Article ID: 188732 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q188732

SYMPTOMS

When you try to open Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac presentation you may receive the following error message:

This presentation is protected by a password or Digital Rights Management (DRM). To access this presentation, you must have a version that is not protected by a password or DRM.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if the sound file is copy-protected by Microsoft Digital Rights Management (DRM) or if you have password-protected presentation.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft Powerpoint 2008 cannot open password-protected presentations. To work around this issue, obtain the file without password-protection. If you cannot, try to open the file in Powerpoint for PC.

If the video or sound (music) is protected by DRM, to work around this issue, obtain the file without DRM protections.

NOTE: PowerPoint for Mac 2008 does provide the ability to password-protect macro code that is stored within a presentation.

DRM Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is DRM?

A1 : DRM stands for digital rights management. DRM is a technology used by content providers, such as online stores, to control how the digital music and video files you obtain from them are used and distributed. Some online stores sell and rent songs and movies that have DRM applied to them. A file that has DRM applied to it is known as a protected file.

Q2: What is a protected song or a protected video?

A2 : A protected song or a protected video is a file that uses DRM protection. To play the protected song or video, you must have the media usage rights for it.

Q3: Does Microsoft Powerpoint 2008 can open DRM files?

A3 : No. You must have rights to DRM file.

Q4: What are media usage rights?

A4 : Media usage rights are permissions to use a protected file in a particular way. Content providers, such as online stores, can specify how you can use the protected files that you obtain from them. For example, a content provider can grant you the permission to play the file on your computer (a play right), to burn the file to an audio CD (a burn right), or to sync the file to a portable device (a sync right).

Each right can have certain qualities. For example, the content provider might grant you the following usage rights: The right to play a particular song on your computer an unlimited number of timesThe right to sync that song to two portable devices five times per monthThe right to burn the song to an audio CD twiceMedia usage rights are sometimes called licenses.

Q6: Are media usage rights stored in the music or video file?

A6 : No. Media usage rights are stored on the computer separately from your music or video files.

Q7: How to determine if the video or music file is protected by DRM?

A7: If your presentation was created in Windows, to check if the video or music is protected by DRM in Windows, follow these steps:

The content provider specifies what usage rights it grants to you. To view the usage rights of a protected file, do the following:

First, save your video in Video folder in Windows. In the Windows Media Player, click the Librarytab.
In the Details pane, right-click a protected file, and then click Properties.
Click the Media Usage Rights tab.

The usage rights are indicated in the Media usage rights box. If no information appears in the Media usage rights box, it might be due to one of the following reasons:
- Your computer is missing the media usage rights for the file.
- The media usage rights for the file have expired.
- The file is not protected.
- The file has not been downloaded to your computer. For example, the file might be subscription content that is streamed to your computer from an online store.