Embedding Videos Into PowerPoint

Summary

There are many reasons to embed a video into PowerPoint, whether it is for lectures, tests, or events. Here is a guide on how to add videos into PowerPoint for smooth transitions.

Before You Start

Prepare your videos:

  • You can record with your computer's built-in Camera app, or use a program such as Zoom, Teams, or Panopto. If you need to sign out a camera to do so, please request here.
  • You can use either videos that are saved to your computer or public videos uploaded to Youtube, SlideShare, or Vimeo.
  • If using an iOS device to edit/save videos, open them with Microsoft Clipchamp (pre-installed on GCC computers) and export as ".mp4"

Steps 

  1. Open up your presentation or a blank presentation, and create a blank slide. In the tabs on top, click "Insert", and you will see a "Video" option in the toolbar underneath, three buttons from the right.

    A screenshot of the PowerPoint editing software, with the "Insert" tab open.
     
  2. Click "Video", and choose whether you want to use a video saved to your computer or a video from the web. Note that videos from the web have to be set to "Public" in order to work with PowerPoint. If you are uploading videos to the web, "Public" is the default setting on most platforms.

    A screenshot of the drop-down menu that appears in PowerPoint after clicking on Insert, then Video.
     
  3. Choose which video to insert into your presentation, whether by file upload or link. The video will appear on the page, along with buttons to play or rewind. There is now a new tab on the top toolbar, automatically opened, to change size, style, or effects. You can also click and drag on the white dots around the edge of videos to resize, rotate, and move them.

    A screenshot of the PowerPoint editor with the Video Format tab selected.
     
  4. The next new tab to the right, "Playback", will let you adjust when the video plays in a presentation. By default, the video plays when a currently presented slide is clicked a second time. You can change this to automatically play, or to play when the video is specifically clicked on.

    A screenshot of the PowerPoint editor with the Playback tab selected.

    A screenshot of the drop-down menu next to "Start" in the PowerPoint Playback Menu.
     
  5. If using the default settings, a person presenting or viewing a presentation can use left-click on their mouse or the space bar on their keyboard to play videos. To play the video again, they can press the left arrow key (<) on their keyboard or use the arrows on the bottom left of the screen before using left-click or space to continue.
     

Additional Resources

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