Migrate from Gamma or Pitch to Decktype: a Step-by-Step Guide

Moving away from Gamma or Pitch does not mean starting over. Your existing presentations can reach Decktype through the one format all three tools share: a PowerPoint .pptx file.

People usually migrate for architectural reasons rather than taste. They want a local file as the source of truth, the agent of their choice (Claude Code, Codex or another) instead of built-in AI credits, or direct control over the file that reaches the client. Gamma and Pitch remain good tools for other workflows; our comparison of Decktype, Gamma, Pitch and Plus AI covers those trade-offs. Decktype is our product, so this guide describes how it actually behaves, limits included.

Current availability: Decktype is a native macOS application for Apple silicon. PowerPoint import is part of the free plan, as are PDF and PNG export. PowerPoint .pptx export requires the Pro plan.

What carries over, and what does not

The import brings your content across, not the original product. It helps to know the boundary before you start.

What usually carries over:

• slide text and slide order;
• the elements on each slide, as editable Decktype elements;
• native PowerPoint charts, which come back as editable Decktype charts (data, series and chart type) rather than images.

What needs your attention:

• imported slides are free slides with no template, so they do not yet benefit from the agent–editor round trip;
• some styles are flattened and some elements are not carried over; the import report lists each one;
• animations, web embeds, videos and interactive blocks specific to Gamma or Pitch depend on what their .pptx export already contains. Check them slide by slide;
• fonts must be installed on your Mac to display as they did in the original.

1. Export from Gamma

According to Gamma’s help center, checked on September 23, 2026, export lives under Share, then Export, or in the … menu at the top right. Pick PowerPoint (PPTX).

The same article says export formats are not restricted by plan, but exports from a workspace on the free plan carry a “Made by Gamma” badge. If that badge shows up in the imported file, delete it in Decktype. Plans change, so also check Gamma’s pricing page.

2. Export from Pitch

Pitch’s pricing page, checked on September 23, 2026, lists PowerPoint export on paid plans only, starting with Plus. The free plan exports branded PDFs only.

On a paid plan, export each presentation to PowerPoint (.pptx) from Pitch’s export menu. Otherwise you have two realistic options:

• switch to a paid plan for as long as it takes to export the decks you are moving;
• keep the PDF as a visual reference only and rebuild the slides in Decktype. Decktype does not import PDFs, so you or your agent will need to bring the text across.

3. Import the .pptx into Decktype

Decktype installs the deck CLI when you run Connect an agent from the application menu (see the agent connection guide). The CLI lives in ~/Library/Application Support/Decktype/bin/ and is not on your PATH, so add that folder to your terminal session before importing:

export PATH="$HOME/Library/Application Support/Decktype/bin:$PATH"
deck import my-deck.pptx

The deck CLI tutorial covers this setup in detail.

This creates my-deck.deck next to the source file and refuses to overwrite an existing file. To choose the target and get the detailed report:

deck import my-deck.pptx --out migration/my-deck.deck --json

Decktype does not read Gamma or Pitch links, nor Keynote .key files. Always go through a .pptx. For Keynote, export to PowerPoint from Keynote first.

4. Read the import report

Do not skip this step. The report lists the elements that were not carried over and the styles that were flattened. For each one, decide whether to recreate it, simplify it or drop it.

Then look at the structure you got:

deck inspect migration/my-deck.deck --json

This shows the slides, their elements and their identifiers, which is also what your agent reads before it edits the file.

5. Rebuild key slides on templates

A free slide is easy to edit by hand, but it cannot be regenerated from structured slots. To get the round trip back, rebuild the slides you will reuse most on the standard templates: title, key messages, process, figures, closing.

You do not need to rebuild everything. A slide you will present once can stay free. The Decktype templates guide explains how to pick a template, and the article on the human–AI round trip shows what you gain afterwards.

You can hand this work to your agent:

Read migration/my-deck.deck and the import report.
For each slide, propose a standard Decktype template or explain why it should stay free.
Do not invent figures or sources.
Once I approve, rebuild the selected slides, then validate, regenerate and render the deck.

6. Validate, regenerate, render, review

deck validate migration/my-deck.deck --json
deck regenerate migration/my-deck.deck
deck render migration/my-deck.deck --out preview/

Validation catches structural problems. deck regenerate materializes the slides you rebuilt on templates; run it after every change, because opening the file does not regenerate anything. Rendering produces one PNG per slide: open every one. Look for clipped text, shifted elements, substituted fonts and charts whose data needs a second look.

Finish fine adjustments in the Decktype editor.

7. Deliver

The .deck is now your source. Depending on the recipient:

• PDF or PNG: available on the free plan;
• PowerPoint: with Pro, deck export migration/my-deck.deck --out delivery.pptx. Open the file in the recipient’s version of PowerPoint or Keynote before sending it.

Formats and checks are covered in detail in the PowerPoint and Keynote export guide.

Migration checklist

1. Export each deck to .pptx from Gamma or Pitch.
2. Run deck import on each file.
3. Read every warning in the report.
4. Rebuild key slides on templates.
5. Run deck validate, deck regenerate, then deck render, and look at every PNG.
6. Deliver as PDF, PNG or, with Pro, a reviewed .pptx.

FAQ

Can I import a Gamma or Pitch link directly?
No. Decktype imports .pptx files. Export the presentation to PowerPoint from the original tool first.

What about Keynote?
Decktype does not read .key files. Export to PowerPoint from Keynote, then import the .pptx.

Do charts stay editable?
Native PowerPoint charts come back as editable Decktype charts. A chart that was already an image in the .pptx export stays an image.

Do I need Pro to migrate?
No. PowerPoint import and PDF and PNG export are free. Pro is only needed to deliver a .pptx.

Does Decktype run on Windows?
No. The application currently targets Apple silicon Macs.

Start with one deck

Pick one representative presentation, with its real fonts and charts, and take it through these seven steps before moving the rest. Download Decktype to get started.