how to add video presentation to powerpoint

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5 Ways to Embed a Video File in Microsoft PowerPoint

Last Updated: March 27, 2024 Fact Checked

Embedding a Web Video

Embedding a video file, embedding a stock video, using android, linking movie files (powerpoint 2007).

This article was co-authored by Mitch Harris and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly . Mitch Harris is a Consumer Technology Expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mitch runs his own IT Consulting company called Mitch the Geek, helping individuals and businesses with home office technology, data security, remote support, and cybersecurity compliance. Mitch earned a BS in Psychology, English, and Physics and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,129,235 times.

If you want to spruce up your PowerPoint presentations, you can add a video to your slides. If you have a video file on your computer, you can easily embed it into your presentation. You can also embed YouTube videos, use looping stock videos, or, on older versions of PowerPoint, link to the videos. This wikiHow will show you how to add a video to Microsoft PowerPoint using your Windows, Mac, or Android device.

Things You Should Know

• Copy a YouTube URL. In PowerPoint, click "Insert' → "Video" → "Online Videos/Movie". Paste the URL and click "Insert".
• To embed a video file, click "Insert" → "Video" → "This Device" → select a file → "Insert".
• To use a stock video, click "Insert" → "Video" → "Stock Videos" → select a video → "Insert".

• You must have a subscription to use Office 365 . [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
• Adding a video to your PowerPoint can help you make a great presentation .

• You can insert a video from supported websites such as: YouTube, SlideShare, Vimeo, Microsoft Stream, and Flip.

• On Mac, this will look like Online Movie .

• You'll see a preview of the video.

• To adjust when the video plays, click the drop-down menu next to Start: . Select In Click Sequence , Automatically , or When Clicked On .
• Check the boxes to apply any of the following: Play Full Screen , Hide While Not Playing , Loop until Stopped , and/or Rewind after Playing .
• Click Volume to adjust the video's volume. Select Low , Medium , High , or Mute .

• Select the web video and click the Video Format tab.
• Click Poster Frame on the left of the toolbar.
• Click Image from File… .
• Select From a File , Stock Images , Online Pictures , or From Icons .
• Select the image source from the chosen method, and then click Insert .

• Stock videos work best as a background graphic to your PowerPoint text, since these videos loop seamlessly

• The stock video will be added to your slide. By default, it will cover the entire slide.

• PowerPoint is available for Android in the Google Play Store .

• The menu will open.

• If you want to take a video using your camera, tap Open Camera instead.
• The video file will be added to your PowerPoint.

• Videos can only be "embedded" (included in the presentation file itself) in PowerPoint 2010 or newer.

• Click the Office button and select "Publish."
• Select "Package for CD" and then select your presentation.
• Ensure that "Linked files" is selected in the "Options" menu.

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• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-video-from-youtube-or-another-site-8340ec69-4cee-4fe1-ab96-4849154bc6db#OfficeVersion=Windows
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-audio-or-video-in-powerpoint-for-android-95e0a2af-35fb-405a-8536-cdcd934f659a
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/My-movie-doesn-t-play-190cf574-183d-4b7f-b627-3783a14b7b07?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Add-and-play-a-movie-in-a-presentation-f3fcbd3e-5f86-4320-8aea-31bff480ed02

About This Article

1. Open the slide. 2. Click Insert . 3. Click Movie . 4. Click Movie from File or Video on my PC . 5. Select the video and click OK . 6. Click Playback . 7. Choose how to play the video. 8. Save your presentation. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Insert a Video in PowerPoint (from a File on Your PC or Shared Drive)

Insert or Embed a Video in a PowerPoint Presentation from a File and Set Playback Options

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated October 9, 2021

Applies to: Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

You can insert a video into a PowerPoint  presentation from a file on your PC or from a shared drive. Video can help to engage your audience and focus attention. In 2010 and later versions, video files are embedded or copied into PowerPoint by default so video files can increase file size significantly.

Recommended article : How to Compress Video and Audio Media in PowerPoint to Reduce File Size

Do you want to learn more about PowerPoint?  Check out our virtual classroom or live classroom  PowerPoint courses >

When inserting video in PowerPoint, consider the following:

• PowerPoint 2010 and later versions support common video formats such as WMV (Windows Media Video file), ASF (Windows Media file), MP3 and MP4 (Movie files) and AVI (Windows Video File).
• The default format for PowerPoint 2013 and later versions is MP4.
• In 2010 and later versions, video is embedded by default not linked as in previous versions.
• If you choose to link to a video, it's good practice to copy the video file to the same folder as your presentation before you link. You will not be able to apply certain types of formatting to linked videos.

Note: Buttons and Ribbon tabs may display in a different way (with or without text) depending on your version of PowerPoint, the size of your screen and your Control Panel settings. For PowerPoint 365 users, Ribbon tabs may appear with different names. For example, the Video Tools Playback tab may appear as Video Playback.

Although you can insert a video in Slide Master View, we'll assume here that most of your videos will be inserted on slides in Normal View.

Inserting a video from a file

To insert a video from a file and embed it on a slide:

• In Normal View, navigate to the slide where you want to insert a video.
• Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Video. A drop-down menu appears.
• Depending on your PowerPoint version, choose Video on My Computer, Video on My PC or This Device. A dialog box appears.
• Navigate to the folder where your video is saved and click the video to select it.
• On the bottom right of the dialog box, click Insert to embed the video. You can also double-click it. If you click the drop-down menu beside Insert, you can choose Link to File. If you decide to link rather than embed, you may want to copy your video or movie clip to the same folder as your presentation before you insert it on your slide. PowerPoint will place the video in the center of the slide.
• In Normal View, click the video and then Play on the media controls to play the video.

After you insert a video, two tabs will appear in the Ribbon when you click the video (Video Tools Playback and Format or Video Playback and Format) in Normal View.

Below is the Video Tools Playback tab in the Ribbon with a video selected (this may appear as Video Playback):

Below is the Video Tools Format tab in the Ribbon with a video selected (this may appear as Video Format):

Playing a video automatically or when clicked

You can change the way a video plays when you run a slide show.

To control the way a video plays during a slide show:

• In Normal View, click the video on the slide.
• Click the Video Tools Playback or Video Playback tab in the Ribbon.
• In the Video Options group, beside Start, choose In Click Sequence, When Clicked On or Automatically from the drop-down menu.

If you select When Clicked On, you must click directly on the video when running a slide show.

Playing a video full screen

You can play a video so that it fills the entire screen when you run a slide show. However, depending on the resolution of the original video file, it might appear distorted if the video is lower quality.

Be sure to preview your video so that if the video appears distorted or blurry, you can turn off the full screen option. If you set a video to be displayed full screen and it is also set to start automatically, you can drag the video frame off the slide into the gray work area so that it will not be visible on the slide or flash briefly before the video goes to full screen.

To set a video to play full screen during a slide show:

• In the Video Options group, select the Play Full Screen check box.

Controlling video volume

To control video volume:

• In the Video Options group, click Volume and then choose Low, Medium, High or Mute.
• You can also set the volume of a video by using the volume slider on media controls that appear below the video.

Be sure that volume is turned on through your Control Panel settings on your computer.

Hiding a video when not playing

During a presentation, you can hide a video until you are ready to play it. However, you should create an automatic or triggered animation to start the video or you won't see it play during the slide show.

To hide a video when not playing:

• In the Video Options group, select the Hide While Not Playing check box.

Looping a video

To play a video continuously during a presentation, you can loop the video:

• In the Video Options group, select the Loop until Stopped check box.

Rewinding a video after playing

To rewind a video after playing during your presentation:

• In the Video Options group, select the Rewind after Playing check box.

Showing media controls during a slide show

To show the media controls during your presentation when running a slide show:

• In Normal View, click the Slide Show tab in the Ribbon.
• In the Set up group, select the Show Media Controls check box.

Fading a video in or out

You can start or end your video with a fade effect for a certain number of seconds.

To start or end a video with a fade effect:

• In the Editing group, under Fade Duration, choose or enter a duration for Fade In or Fade Out. To add a timed fade to the beginning of your video, in the Fade In box, click the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the fade in time. To add a timed fade to the end of your video, in the Fade Out box, click the up or down arrows to increase or decrease the fade out time.

Cropping a video

You can also crop a video in PowerPoint to remove specific areas in the video.

To crop a video:

• Click the Video Tools Format or Video Format tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Crop in the Size group.
• Position the pointer over a black cropping handle and drag the handle.
• Click Crop again to finish cropping.

Trimming a video

You can trim video at the beginning and end of each clip so you can start at any point and end the clip earlier. Trimming is different from cropping.

To trim a video clip:

• In the Editing group, click Trim Video. A dialog box appears.
• To trim the beginning of the clip, click the start point (a green marker on the far left). When the pointer becomes a two-headed arrow, drag the arrow to the desired starting position.
• To trim the end of the clip, click the end point (a red marker on the right). When the pointer becomes a two-headed arrow, drag the arrow to the desired ending position.

In this article, we've reviewed inserting video files in PowerPoint presentations from a PC or shared drive, controlling playback during a slide show as well as cropping and trimming. In future articles, we'll look at video formatting techniques and how to export a PowerPoint presentation as a video.

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More resources

How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

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How to Add Audio in PowerPoint Presentations

A Beginner's Guide to Video Formats in PowerPoint

PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts to Play and Control Video During a Slide Show

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How to Add a Video in PowerPoint

Do you need to add a video to your presentation without leaving PowerPoint? In this new Slidesgo School tutorial, you’ll learn how to add your own videos to your presentation and how to embed a video from YouTube or other platforms .

How to Embed a YouTube Video

How to insert a video, how to edit a video — video format tab, how to edit a video — playback tab.

• Open your presentation in PowerPoint and select the slide where you want to add the video.
• On the Insert tab, in the Media group, click the Video drop-down arrow.

• You’ll see two options. To add a video from YouTube (or a different online platform such as Vimeo), choose Online Video… Please note that you need the URL of the video you want to add.
• A new window will open and you’ll see a text field, where you must enter the URL of the video you want to add to your presentation. If you don’t have the latest version of PowerPoint, only URLs of videos from Youtube will be supported, but you’ll also find another option to paste and embed code for videos from other websites. In any case, once the video is loaded, it will appear in the slide.
• To insert a video from your PC into a PowerPoint presentation, you must first make sure that the video has the right format. It must be an .mp4, .mov or .avi file. Microsoft suggests using .mp4 files with the H.264 codec.
• Open your presentation and select the slide where you want to add the video.
• On the Insert tab, in the Media group, click the Video drop-down arrow

• Click Video on My PC. A new window will open, where you must locate the video that you want to include in your presentation.
• Once selected, click the drop-down arrow next to Insert. You’ll see two options. If you choose Insert, the video will be directly inserted into the presentation, increasing the size of the PowerPoint file. If you choose Link to File, a link to the file will be created, reducing the size of the PowerPoint file. However, there could be issues if you use the presentation in a different computer, forcing you to link the video again.

• Click the desired option to add the video to the selected slide.
• If you want to export a video from your PowerPoint presentation, select the video, right-click → Save Media as… Please note that this can only be done with videos inserted from your PC.

Select the video whose format you want to adjust. A new set of tabs, called Video Tools, will appear on the toolbar.  

• On the Video Format tab you’ll find similar options than those found on the Format tab when working with pictures. This means you can change the color, the position, the size and the effects of the video (such as Reflection, Bevel or Shadow). There are also several presets to choose from.

• In the Accessibility group, you’ll find an option to add an alternative text to the videos so that they are more accessible to people with visual impairments. If you don’t have the latest version of PowerPoint, this option won’t appear on the toolbar. However, you can still find it by right-clicking the video → Format Video. A new panel will appear on the right side of the screen. Click the third icon, Size and Properties, and then click the Alt Text drop-down arrow.

• On the Video Format tab, you’ll find on the right side an option to crop the video, adapting it to your needs.

• Select the video. A new set of tabs, called Video Tools, will appear on the toolbar. On the Playback tab you can find settings to determine when to start the video, add bookmarks and modify different playback options. These are only available for videos from your computer, and not for online videos.

• In the Bookmarks group, you’ll find an option to add bookmarks, which will be visible in the timeline. These can be helpful if you want to quickly find the main points in your video during the presentation.

• In the Editing group, there are options to add a fade in and a fade out. There’s also an option called Trim Video. If you click it, a menu will open, where you can set the start point and the end point of the video.

• In the Video Options group, there are options to adjust the playback. For example, you can change the volume levels, enable looping, set the video to rewind itself when it ends or even hide the video while it’s not playing. If you click the Start drop-down arrow, you can determine when the video should begin playing.

• In the last group, Caption Options, you’ll find an option to add captions in WebVTT format. This option won’t be available unless you’re using the latest version of PowerPoint.

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How to Embed a Video in PowerPoint (Step-by-Step)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Shortcuts & Hacks
• September 27, 2019

In this article, you’ll learn how to embed a video in PowerPoint directly from your hard drive as pictured below.

On top of that, you’ll learn what you can and can’t do when embedding videos into PowerPoint, including:

• How to trim a video (including how to trim a YouTube video)
• Getting your video to play full screen
• Creating a video thumbnail or Poster Frame
• How to compress your videos

If you want to grab the latest version of Microsoft Office (Microsoft 365) like I’m using in this tutorial, you can check it out here .

But before you get carried away adding videos to PowerPoint, it’s important to first understand what your options are.

Table of Contents

Embedding online videos vs. desktop videos.

• Videos from your computer
• Videos from online sources like YouTube

1. Video size

2. Internet connection

Online videos require a good – STRONG – internet connection to play properly.

That means that if you embed a YouTube video in your PowerPoint and the conference room you are presenting in has a weak internet connection, you are in trouble.

So I highly recommend spot checking the internet quality of the room you will be presenting in before working with any online video in your presentation.

If your internet connection is weak, be prepared to skip the video in your presentation.

3. Playback options

How to embed a video in PowerPoint

To embed a video in PowerPoint from your computer, simply:

• Navigate to the  Insert  tab
• Open the  Video  drop down (within the Media group)
• Choose  Video on my PC
• Navigate to where the video resides on your PC
• Select the  Video
• Click  Insert

Clicking  Insert , the video is added to your PowerPoint slide as an editable PowerPoint object, as you can see below.

With the video now inserted on your slide, you can use the features found in the  Video Playback  and  Formatting  tabs. These tabs will be discussed below.

If you convert your presentation into a video, your embedded video will play within your video (if that makes sense). To learn how to convert PowerPoint to video,  read our guide here .

How to trim an embedded video in PowerPoint

• Select  your video
• Navigate to the  Playback  tab
• Select the  Trim Video  command
• Adjust the  Green Start Time ​ cursor
• Adjust the  Red End Time  cursor

How to add a Video thumbnail

Adding a video thumbnail (or what PowerPoint calls a  Poster Frame ) is super easy.

But this is only applicable to videos you add to your presentation from your computer. That’s because online videos will automatically populate with whatever thumbnail their creator gave it (you cannot edit it or change it in PowerPoint).

There are two types of thumbnails you can add to your videos in PowerPoint:

• Use a frame from your video as the thumbnail (easiest)
• Import your own custom thumbnail image (most flexible)

Neither is better or worse (your video will still play the same either way), it’s just a personal preference.

What is a video thumbnail and why is it important?

A video thumbnail is simply an image that is displayed before you play your video. You will see these on YouTube videos all the time before you click to play them.

In PowerPoint, the thumbnail image can become an important part of your overall slide design theme.

If you don’t add your own thumbnail, the first frame of your video will automatically be used as the video’s  Poster Frame .

Adding a  Poster Frame  is an optional step, but can go a long way to improving the overall design of your PowerPoint slides.

Here are the different ways to add a thumbnail or Poster Frame to your embedded video:

1. Using a video frame as the thumbnail (or Poster Frame)

• Scrub to the video frame you want to use as your thumbnail
• Navigate to the  Video Format  tab
• Open the  Poster Frame  drop down
• Select  Current Frame

2. Importing a video thumbnail (or Poster Frame)

• Choose  Image from file…
• Select  From a File
• Navigate  to the image on your computer
• Select the image you wan to use

​For help creating your own video thumbnail, you can see how to crop photos in PowerPoint  and how to remove an image background .​​

How to reset a thumbnail (or Poster Frame)

• Select  Reset

How to make a video play full screen

• Select  the video on your slide
• Navigate to the  Playback  tab
• Click  Play Full Screen

Getting an online video to play full screen

How to compress a video in PowerPoint

• Navigate to  File
• Select the  Info  tab (selected by default)
• Open the  Compress Media  drop down
• Choose between  1080p ,  720p  and  480p ​

• ​ Full HD (1080p) : Save space while maintaining overall audio and video quality.
• HD (720p):  Quality will be comparable to media which is streamed over the Internet.
• Standard (480p):  Use when space is limited, such as when sending presentations via e-mail.

So that’s how to embed a video in PowerPoint, including how to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint.

You also learned about the different formatting options available to you, which can determine which type of video you want to embed in your PowerPoint presentations in the first place.

When used well, videos are a great way to back up your main points and improve the overall quality of your presentation as they are more engaging than static images.

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Insert a Video into PowerPoint

How to Insert a Video into PowerPoint

Adding videos to slides can save a lot of time explaining different concepts. A short video can help make even complex ideas easy to grasp with visual aids and assist the presenter in avoiding making several slides explaining the topic. You can add videos to your custom slides or PowerPoint templates from your device or online sources by following a few easy steps.

How to Add Video to PowerPoint

Just as we explained in a previous tutorial about how to add a video to Google Slides , adding a video to PowerPoint is quite similar. To get started, click the Insert tab and select Media -> Video . Now, select the source for your video.

Add Video from Device

You can add a video from your device by browsing to the location where the video is located to select it.

Add a Stock Video

To add a stock video, select the Stock Videos option from the Video dropdown menu, search for a video, and select to insert it.

Add Videos from Online Sources

Videos can also be added from online sources by adding the URL for a video from different sources such as YouTube, SlideShare, Vimeo, Stream, and Flip. For more details regarding this process, see our tutorial about how to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint .

Format Video Added to PowerPoint

Once you have added a video in PowerPoint, you can format the video to adjust it according to need. The video size can be adjusted either from the Video Format tab or via drag and drop. The same tab also provides options to crop, rotate, and adjust the colors of the added video. Cropping and resizing options are available in the Video Format tab from the Size menu.

To add a video frame or change the look of the video outline, go to the Video Styles menu from the Video Format tab.

The video rotation and other adjustment options can be found in the Arrange menu in the Video Format tab.

The Adjust menu in the Video Format tab provides options for color correction, adding a poster frame, and resetting the video design.

Adjust Playback Settings for Video in PowerPoint

There are a number of playback settings that you can adjust from the Playback tab in PowerPoint. You can add closed captions, select the video to play in the loop, and rewind automatically once it’s played, as well as edit the video.

From the Video options menu in the Playback tab, select the Start dropdown menu to decide if the video will be played automatically when clicked or in a click sequence. From this menu, you can also select whether the video is to be played in full screen and hidden when not played.

Insert Captions is another option in the Playback tab that enables importing closed captions to be added to the video. The closed captions format supported by PowerPoint is WebVTT.

To edit a video in PowerPoint, the Playback tab provides the Editing menu. From this menu, you can trim the video and add a Fade (in and out) effect.

Final Words

Videos added to PowerPoint can be of immense help in explaining something important to an audience. Many YouTube videos make it easy to quickly provide the necessary information instead of using multiple slides or creating a custom video to get your point across. 

By effectively using videos in your PowerPoint slides, you can make your slides easier to grasp and work smart to present ideas and concepts quickly. However, it is worth testing out the slides once the videos are added by running them as a slideshow. If it’s an online video, ensure you have a stable Internet connection when presenting your slides; if it’s an offline video added to your slides, make sure the slides don’t lag on the system you are using. Do you know you can also convert slides to videos? See our tutorials on how to convert a PowerPoint presentation to an HD video and how to convert a Google Slides presentation to a video to learn about turning your slides into video presentations .

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How to embed a video in PowerPoint for a more engaging presentation

What type of content do you primarily create?

Making an engaging PowerPoint presentation is no easy feat.

You have to figure out what to say, and what you want your audience to grasp. Then, decide how to bring the two together to deliver a compelling presentation.

One popular way to add flair is by embedding video into the content, like what Dr. Frans de Waal did in his TED Talk on inequity aversion . To emphasize his points, he included videos of animal experiments, turning a mind-numbingly boring topic into an engaging and viral presentation—which now has over 5 million views.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to embed a video in PowerPoint so you can create exceptional presentations that grab your audience’s attention and help them remember what you said.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from your PC or Mac

First, of course, you’ll need a video, either one online or from your media library. The next step is to find a way to make it play during your PowerPoint presentation. You could do it manually by bringing up the video from another website or program while you’re speaking, but that process is clunky and you might end up facing technical challenges.

Luckily, there are simpler and easier methods of embedding videos in PowerPoint. You can link to your video file externally or embed it directly in your presentation. 

Use the tutorial below to insert videos in PowerPoint from a computer.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint in Windows

Step 1: select the powerpoint slide.

Launch Microsoft PowerPoint on a Windows computer and open a blank or existing PowerPoint file. 

Then, go to the slide you want to embed a video and select the Insert tab in the toolbar.

Step 2: Click Video > This Device

Select the Video option. Here, you can either embed a video from your computer or from an online source, like a website or YouTube and other supported platforms.

Click This Device from the drop-down menu to embed a video from a folder on your computer.  

PowerPoint supports MP4 files encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio. So, you can upload videos in file formats, such as M4V, MOV, ASF, AVI, MPG, MPEG, or WMV.

If you don't want to play a video full screen, resize it to your preferred dimensions.

For precise height-to-width proportions:

• Select Format (PowerPoint 2013 or newer) or Options (PowerPoint 2010) in the Size group
• Click the Dialog Box Launcher Icon image
• Click Size, then select the Lock aspect ratio checkbox under Scale 
• Enter your preferred height and width under Size and rotate or enter the percentage of size that you want in the Scale height and width boxes

Then, select Video Format to access formatting options like borders and effects or right-click the video for more options. You can also use the Designer tool to choose from professional slide templates. 

Then, click the Playback tab to trim your video, add captions, choose playback options, like In Click Sequence, Automatically, or When Clicked On.

Note: In PowerPoint for Microsoft Office 365 or PowerPoint 2016 version 1709 or later, you can use the In Click Sequence option. This way, your video can play in sequence with other actions you’ve programmed on the slide, like animations or transitions. 

To insert a web video, select Video > Online Videos . 

Note: PowerPoint supports YouTube, SlideShare, Vimeo, Stream, and Flip video providers.

Step 3: Click Insert

If you choose to embed an online video, copy the link to the video you want to embed and paste it in the blank field. A preview of your video will appear in the Insert video pop-up.

Click the Insert button to embed the video in your presentation. 

PowerPoint will download and insert the video on the selected slide. You can drag the edges of the video thumbnail to resize it, then use Video Format options, like shape, border, and effects to enhance the video. 

Select the Playback tab to insert captions or choose how your video plays (automatically or when clicked). 

Note: You can’t change when an online video starts. But if you’re embedding a YouTube video, you can copy the video URL at the current time to link from a specific start time. 

Click the Slide Show tab to preview the video with all the formatting changes you made. Then, save your presentation to your computer or click the Share button to move or copy it to the cloud.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint on a Mac

To embed a video in PowerPoint for Mac, you’ll need to save the video file in the same folder as your presentation.

Launch PowerPoint and open a blank or existing presentation, then select the slide you’d like to add a video to. 

Select Insert .

Step 2: Click Video > From File

Click Video to access video embed options from the drop-down menu:

• Video browser
• Video from file
• Stock videos
• Online film

Select Video from file to insert a video file from your Mac.

In the Choose a Video dialog box, select the video file you want to insert, then click the Insert button to embed the video on the slide.

If you want to put a link to the video on the slide, click Show Options in the lower left corner of the dialog box. 

Then, select the Link to file box, and click Insert .

Select the Video Format tab to add effects and choose whether your video will play automatically or when clicked.

Tip: If you’re using the 2016 version of PowerPoint (or newer), you can play back videos with multiple audio tracks. These versions also support closed captions and subtitles embedded in video files.

Select the Playback tab to do the following:

• Trim your video
• Add fade in and fade out effects
• Play the video on full screen or hide during the show
• Insert captions
• Select start time options (in click sequence, automatically, or when clicked)
• Loop the video to play repeatedly and continuously during the presentation
• Rewind your video

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube

Embedding a YouTube video to a PowerPoint presentation is simple. You can use the video URL or integrated search function to embed a video you uploaded to YouTube or someone else’s video (with permission).

To add a video to your PowerPoint presentation, you’ll copy the video embed code and paste it into the slide you want. The code will load the video at the source and play it on the platform you’re using. 

You won’t need to download and upload the video from YouTube and the video will load and play faster regardless of the file size. Plus, you can share video content that’s covered under copyright, so you’re not in danger of crossing any legal lines. 

Follow these steps to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube on a Windows PC or Mac. 

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube in Windows

Step 1: click “insert video”.

Open a PowerPoint presentation and select the slide you want to embed your video.

Click Insert > Video .

Step 2: Choose “Online video”

Select the Online Videos option.

Step 3: Insert the URL from YouTube

Right-click the video to copy the video link or embed code, or click Share to get the embed code. Then, paste the URL or embed code in the link field. 

A preview of your video will appear in the Insert video dialog box.

Click Insert to embed the video in your presentation. 

Resize the video thumbnail, then use the video formatting options to enhance it. 

Click Playback play the video automatically or when clicked or add captions. Then, preview the video with all the edits you made and save or share your presentation.

Note: YouTube’s video file formats are similar to those PowerPoint supports, so your video will likely play without issues. However, YouTube supports some formats that PowerPoint doesn’t, including FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, HEVC (h265), and CineForm. If your video isn’t playing, check to make sure it’s a supported file format.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube on a Mac

Step 2: choose “online film”.

Select Online Film . 

A URL pop-up will appear prompting you to enter the link to the YouTube video.

Go to YouTube and copy the link or embed code of the video you want to embed in your presentation. You can right-click the video and select copy video URL or copy embed code, or click Share and copy the video link or embed code.

Paste the video link or embed code in the URL pop-up in your PowerPoint presentation, then click Insert .

Resize your video and polish your slides before saving the presentation to your computer.

How to insert a video file link in PowerPoint

Embedding a video in PowerPoint may be convenient, but it increases the size of your presentation. 

To reduce your presentation file size, insert a video file link to create a linked video. The downside with linked videos is that links can break, but you can prevent this by copying and storing your presentation and linked videos in the same folder, then linking to the video there.

Ensure you have a stable internet connection, then use the steps below to insert a video file link in PowerPoint on a PC or Mac.

Insert a video file link in PowerPoint on a PC or Mac

Step 1: take a screenshot of the video.

Find the video you want to link to in PowerPoint and take a screenshot of the clip. 

To take a screenshot in Windows, you can either use the Snipping tool, press the PrtScn (print screen) key and Windows Logo key on your keyboard. 

If you’re using a Mac computer, you can take a screenshot by pressing and holding SHIFT + COMMAND + 3 keys together (for full screenshot) or SHIFT + COMMAND + 4 keys to screenshot a specific area. 

Step 2: Insert the screenshot in your presentation

Alternatively, navigate to the slide you want to add your screenshot to, select Insert > Pictures > Picture from File . Then, find the screenshot you took, select Insert to add it to the slide, then crop, resize, and position it to your liking.

Step 3: Hyperlink the image to your video

Right-click the image and select Link . 

If your video is in Descript, copy the video link from your dashboard.

 Insert the video link in the address field then click OK .

The hyperlink will be connected to the image itself, not other elements on the slide or the entire slide.

Click Slide Show to test your video and ensure it links to the right video. When you click on the image, it will open in a web browser, ready for you to play.

Why can’t I embed a video in PowerPoint?

Embedding videos to a PowerPoint presentation is a straightforward process, but sometimes the video may fail to play. Let’s review some reasons for playback failure and how to resolve them.

Video playback issues

Video playback may fail in PowerPoint if:

• The storage folder is corrupt
• The video’s audio is out of sync
• The video file is corrupt, damaged, in an unsupported file format, or missing certain files

How to fix: Convert your video into a supported file format, check PowerPoint playback settings, or make the video visible by unchecking the Hide while not playing option in the playback tab. You can also save your presentation using the PPT or PPTX extension, so it’s easier to open the file in older or modern Office versions. 

File size and compatibility

Your video might not play if the file is too big. To resolve this issue, compress the media file by going to File > Info > Compress Media. Then, select one of these options: 

• Presentation quality/full HD: Adjusts the video size while maintaining its quality.
• Internet quality/HD: Saves on space and video quality.
• Low quality/Standard: Saves more space but doesn’t keep overall video and audio quality. This option is ideal if you want to share the presentation with others and ensure your videos will still play.  

If your video file is incompatible with PowerPoint, it may be in an unsupported file format or missing a codec. 

How to fix: Convert the video to a supported format or add a missing codec to your computer for smooth playback.

Broken links

When adding an online video, you might accidentally enter an incorrect link or the video link may be broken at the source. This means it won’t embed correctly and won’t play when you’re presenting. 

How to fix: Before inserting or embedding an online video, install the required updates for your version of PowerPoint and check that you’ve copied the right link. Then, test your video to ensure it plays on any device.

Make the best videos to embed in PowerPoint with Descript

Embedding a video in PowerPoint is a pretty simple process with several benefits for you and your audience. To prevent yawns and glazed-over eyes, you’ll need professional-quality videos that will draw your audience in, keep them engaged, and improve message recall.

Descript’s audio and video editing software lets you record, edit, and publish studio-grade videos to YouTube, then embed them in your PowerPoint presentations in a few clicks. 

Plus, Descript’s AI-powered automatic transcription generates high-quality transcripts from your video’s audio, which you can use as notes while making your presentation. You can also use Descript’s AI features to get text summaries, auto-generate copy for social media posts, and enhance your audio with Studio Sound .

Take Descript for a spin today to make quality videos that will help you deliver exceptional PowerPoint presentations.

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How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

Engage your audience with cool, actionable features.

Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.

Blog > How to add a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

How to add a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

07.08.20   •  #powerpointtips.

Sometimes, you want to show your audience a YouTube video during a presentation. Some people do so by opening the browser, going to YouTube and then typing the video title into the search bar, when in fact there is a much easier and more convenient way. In the this post, you'll learn how you can directly insert a YouTube Video into PowerPoint that plays automatically on your slide. Also, we have got some great suggestions about videos you could show your audience.

You can watch our video (which is by the way inserted from YouTube as well) down below and learn how to add a video to your slides in just one minute! If you don't feel like watching the video, you can also follow the step-by-step guide down below.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

• Go to Insert in the PowerPoint task line on the top.
• Click on Video on the top right corner. Then choose the option Online Video .

• A window will open which will ask you to insert the video’s URL.

• Open the YouTube video you would like to embed in your browser. You can simply right click on the address bar in the browser and copy the URL. Alternatively, perform a right mouse click on the video, and then click on Copy Video URL .

• Go back to PowerPoint and insert the URL by either pressing CTRL+V or right click and then Paste . Then click on Insert .

• Your video will then be inserted on your current slide. Just like any element, you can change its size or move it around now.
• To start the video (either while editing or in presentation mode), simply click on the play button.

YouTube video with offline playback

With the previously described option, it is necessary to have a stable internet connection while presenting. As that can not always be guaranteed, there is also a way of inserting YouTube videos that work offline. Follow these steps:

• Open the YouTube Video in your Browser. Copy the URL by clicking the address bar and then Right Click > Copy.
• Open the website y2mate.com . Paste your copied URL into the text field, then click Start .

• Choose one of the options for download (and click the Download button. We recommend 1080p or 720p.

• A window will open, and your video will convert. When it's ready, click Download .mp4" .
• After your file has downloaded, you should see it in your Downloads folder in the browser. By clicking "Show in folder", you'll see where it's saved on your device.

• Right click on the file in your folder and click Copy .
• Go to the PowerPoint slide where you want your video to be placed. Right click and Paste . Your video should now appear and play if you click on it.

What kinds of videos can I use in a presentation?

Videos are an amazing way to liven up your presentation. Especially when you're talking for a long time, the audience tends to get tired. That's where a variation of multimedia elements, such as videos, can be helpful. We recommend putting videos in the main part of a presentation, but of course you may also start or finish by presenting a video to your audience. There is no limit for the type of video, the only guideline you should follow is relevance. Before mindlessly pasting a video to your slide, ask yourself: "What purpose does this video fulfill within my presentation?" Is it supposed to inform and teach the audience, is it something you really want everybody to see, or is it just a funny little clip to lighten the mood? All of those purposes are fine. With this tip, you're one step closer to a wonderful presentation! If you want to learn more about successful presentations and Audience Engagement, check out our blogpost Top 10 Tools for increasing Audience Engagement .

Set the start of your video

After you've added a video from YouTube, it starts to play by default when you click anywhere on the slide during the presentation. That's usually fine, but can sometimes be annoying, e.g. when you have more than one video on one slide. In that case, it is helpful to set the Start to When clicked on . The video then won't start until you click directly on it. You can do that by first clicking on your video, going to the Playback tab on the right and then select When clicked on in the Start-selection. By choosing Automatically here, your video will start automatically, without having to click on it.

Add a video from your device

If you want to add a video that is saved on your computer, you can do so by following the tutorial in our article Insert a local Video .

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

How can I insert a YouTube video to PowerPoint?

Go to Insert > Video > Online Video. Copy the video URL from the address bar and paste it to the window that opens. Click Insert and your video should appear instantly.

Can I play a video directly on my PowerPoint slides?

Yes. You can insert a video from YouTube by using the URL, and it will be played directly on your slide. In our tutorial , you'll learn how to do so.

Can I play an offline video from YouTube in PowerPoint?

Yes, it is possible to play an offline YouTube video on your PowerPoint slides. We show you how it is done in our tutorial .

Related articles

About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

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In live online training, it is sometimes useful to divide the students into small groups for certain exercises, as it would be impossible to have conversations at the same time. Break-out-rooms are used so that people can talk to each other without disturbing the others. When the exercise is over, they are sent back to the main room.

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• Insert a video from your PC Video
• Edit and format a video Video
• Insert a YouTube video Video

Insert a video from your PC

Watch this video to see how to insert or link to a video that is saved to your computer's local drive.

You have a video file on your computer that you want to play in your presentation.

Here is how to insert it and select play settings.

There are a couple of ways to insert a video file depending on the slide layout.

First, we will insert a video in a content layout within a placeholder.

In the placeholder I'll click the insert video icon, then I will click Browse , select my video and click Insert .

The video is inserted within the placeholder.

It has a play bar attached and I can control the action by clicking Play and Pause .

Now let's go to slide three and compare a blank layout.

To insert a video here I click the INSERT tab, Video , Video on My PC .

I select the video and click Insert .

In a blank layout the video is inserted either in the middle of the slide or at full slide size.

Depending on the videos original format.

If you want to resize the video and keep it centered press and hold control point to a corner and drag the two-pointed cursor.

PowerPoint maintains the height to width proportions as you resize.

Now let's click Slide Show to play the video in slide show view.

In a slide show when I move the cursor the play bar appears.

I click Play to start the video and pause to pause it.

I can drag on the play bar to go forward in the action or back.

And, there is a volume control.

Note that I can also play the video by clicking it a hand cursor appears when I point.

And I can click to pause it too.

Back in normal view let's try another approach.

On this slide I've inserted the video, resized it and pulled it into a corner.

I want the video to start automatically and to appear full-screen only while it's playing.

I also want this text box to appear when the video stops.

To choose the settings I want I select the video and click the Video Tools PLAYBACK tab.

Then for the start setting I'll change On click to Automatically .

I'll also check Play Full Screen and Hide While Not Playing .

Now let's click the preceding slide and click slide show to see the sequence.

I click the slide before the video then the video plays automatically full screen.

When it's done it disappears and wee see only the text box that's on the video slide.

Finally, here is an important point about videos and file size.

When you click Insert to insert a video the video file is embedded in the presentation and that results in a large file size for the presentation.

To reduce file size, save the presentation and click the FILE tab on the Info tab under properties you will see the file size.

This file is over eight megabytes.

To make the file size smaller and more manageable for sharing click Compress Media and choose a type of compression in terms of quality.

Let's try Internet Quality .

The file gets compressed and the compressed media window shows the amount of space saved.

We will close this window.

When I save the file and then click File again I see under properties that the file size is smaller.

If I don't like the result of the compression I can click Compress Media Undo .

To avoid the issue of a large file size another option is to link to the video file.

To do that when you first insert the video click the arrow next to insert and click Link to File .

When you present you need to have access to the linked video file from the presenting computer.

For more information about this and for additional tips such as creating a trigger to play a video, see the course summary at the end of this course.

Up next, edit and format a video.

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