how to record audio for a powerpoint presentation

3 Simple Ways to Record Audio on PowerPoint Presentations

Sara Wanasek

Enhance your PowerPoint presentations by incorporating music and adding your own narration or unique sound bites. This not only keeps your audience engaged but also complements your written content. Learning how to add and record audio in PowerPoint is a valuable skill, enabling you to create compelling presentations for professional, educational, and personal purposes.

Recording audio in PowerPoint offers significant advantages, especially when delivering remote or asynchronous presentations. You can:

• Record yourself giving the presentation and share the recording for viewers to access at their convenience, or
• Include audio clips to emphasize transitions, key points, or significant moments within your presentation.

Continue reading to discover how to record audio live in PowerPoint on Windows devices, add pre-recorded audio, and find useful tips for editing!

Step-by-step guide: How to Record Audio on PowerPoint

In PowerPoint, you have the capability to record two types of audio:

• Recording for exporting as a video: This method is ideal for narrating your presentation, making it perfect for sharing with others to watch at their own pace.
• Recording short audio clips: This method allows you to incorporate audio into your live presentation.

Let’s walk you through both methods of recording audio directly within PowerPoint:

Option 1: Record Narration for All Slides

Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation

Launch PowerPoint and open a new or existing PowerPoint file. If your are starting from scratch, make sure to complete the slides with design and interactive elements (make sure your presentation is engaging !) before adding your audio. 

Step 2: Choose the Starting Position

• Go to the ‘SlideShow’ tab and click on the arrow next to ‘Record Slide Show.’
• Choose between ‘From Current Slide’ or ‘From Beginning’ based on your requirements.
• This will open the recorder window, where you can make necessary adjustments to the settings.

Step 3: Adjust Settings

You can select the microphone, view your notes, and toggle your camera on or off.

Step 4: Begin Recording

When you are ready, click the ‘Play’ button to begin recording. You will see a 3-second countdown, then the recording will start and you can begin speaking. 

Use the side arrows for smooth navigation through your presentation while recording. Pause or stop the recording at any point. To review the recorded audio, click ‘ Replay .’ To delete any recordings, click the ‘x’ next to the speaker icon.

At the bottom left, you’ll find two timers: one for the entire presentation and one for the specific slide, helping you keep track of the recording length.

Step 5: Stop Recording

When done, click the ‘X’ in the top right-hand corner. Your audio recordings will be saved to each slide, indicated by the speaker icon at the bottom right corner of your slide. 

Step 6: Share Recording

To share your recording, export the PowerPoint file as a video , selecting ‘Use Recorded Timings and Narrations.’ Then, easily share it via email or add it to a Learning Management System for convenient viewing.

Option 2: Record Audio for Specific Slides

Step 1: Navigate to the Desired Slide

Select the specific slide where you want to record audio. This could be for narration, background music, or sound effects, depending on your presentation’s needs.

Step 2: Insert Audio

To add audio, click the ‘Insert’ tab on your PowerPoint ribbon. Then in the Media section, select ‘Audio’ then ‘Record Audio’. 

Step 3: Name Audio Sound

Name the sound uniquely for easy future retrieval.

• Click the red ‘Recording’ button to start.
• Use the green ‘Play’ button to review the audio.
• If it’s satisfactory, click ‘OK.’
• The speaker icon will be added to your slide, and you can reposition it as needed.

Step 5: Set Audio Playback Options

After adding audio to your slide, you can specify how and when you want it to play. Click on the Audio icon and select the ‘Playback’ tab in the PowerPoint ribbon. 

In PowerPoint, utilize editing tools to refine your audio. Trim, adjust volume, and apply fade-in or fade-out effects for a professional touch. You can also set the start and stop points for the audio and save it for future use.

Step 6: Test Your Audio

Before your important presentation, test the audio to ensure it works smoothly. Play through your presentation to confirm that everything sounds and plays correctly.

Option 3: Adding Pre-Recorded Audio to PowerPoint

Already have the audio you want to use? No problem! Adding audio to your PowerPoint can be done in 4 simple steps:

Step 1: Navigate to the Slide

Select the slide where you want to addyour pre-recorded audio.

Click the ‘Insert’ tab and choose ‘Audio’ from the Media Section. Select ‘Audio on My PC’ and search for your pre-recorded audio to be uploaded. 

Step 3: Configure Playback Options

Customize your playback settings to suit your needs, such as when the audio should start and how it should play.

Step 4: Test it out

Ensure that the audio plays well and syncs up with your slide transitions and animations for a seamless presentation.

Expert Tips for the Best Recording

Use these tips to get the best recording in PowerPoint: 

• Choose the Right Microphone: Opt for a high-quality microphone for clear and professional audio. For frequent recordings, consider an external microphone.
• Minimize Ambient Noise: Record in a quiet space to reduce background noise. Close doors and windows, and use noise-canceling software if necessary.
• Prepare Your Narration: Outline your narration to ensure a structured delivery, preventing pauses or monotony. Avoid reading line by line.
• Practice Your Delivery: Practice your narration multiple times for improved flow and clarity. Utilize PowerPoint’s Speaker Coach for help with pace, tone, and filler words.
• Edit Minor Mistakes: Don’t worry about small errors during recording; you can edit them out later using PowerPoint’s editing tools.
• Enhance Accessibility: When recording the entire presentation, add closed captions or subtitles to make it accessible to a broader audience, including those with hearing impairments.

Bonus: Recording Interactive PowerPoint Presentations

Want to take your PowerPoint recordings to the next level? Include interactive elements in your PowerPoint recordings to engage your audience more effectively with ClassPoint.

ClassPoint is an interactive teaching tool that integrates directly into PowerPoint, Coffering live presentation engagement features such as interactive questions , gamification , and presentation tools !

When recording your presentation, use third-party recording software like Zoom, Teams, Loom, or Screencast-O-Matic, and incorporate ClassPoint features alongside your audio narration, like so:

1. Live Annotations

Use Pens , Highlighters , Shapes , and even Text Boxes to add notes and highlight the important information on your slides while recording.

2. Added Whiteboard Slides

Add variety to your presentation by annotating on a blank whiteboard slide of your choosing.

3. Laser Pen

ClassPoint’s laser can be used as a pen with disappearing ink and a spotlight when you press the ‘S’ key on your keyboard, allowing you to guide your audience’s attention more effectively.

4. Draggable Objects

Enhance audience understanding by moving objects on your slide as you explain , emphasize key concepts, and create visual associations.

5. Embedded Browser

If you need to search the web to emphasize a key point or show a video, simply open a browser within your presentation without interrupting your seamless presentation and recording.

6. Timer or Stopwatch

If you want your audience to reflect on a question or complete an activity independently, use the timer or stopwatch to create a brief pause before resuming your recording.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re narrating a presentation for asynchronous viewing or incorporating audio into a live session, you’re now equipped with the knowledge of how to record audio on PowerPoint in the best way. 

With added audio, you can engage your audience in a way that ensures your message resonates, no matter where or when they access your content.

Begin experimenting with these techniques, and see how recording audio on PowerPoint and leveraging ClassPoint can transform your PowerPoint presentations, both live and virtually.

Recommended Readings

3 Ways to Watch & Insert Videos in PowerPoint

How to Add Notes to PowerPoint Presentations: A Comprehensive Guide

About Sara Wanasek

Try classpoint for free.

All-in-one teaching and student engagement in PowerPoint.

Supercharge your PowerPoint. Start today.

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How to Record Audio in PowerPoint for Narration or Voice-Over | Step-by-Step

Related topic : If you are only looking to insert or add an audio that does not advance or move a slideshow in time and in synch your voice, this article: Adding Music to PowerPoint Slideshow explains how.

How to record audio as a voice-over or narration in PowerPoint – Quick Guide

Why use narrations or voice-overs in powerpoint presentation, before recording your narration or voice-over – tips., make sure your microphone works..

An important step to take before recording your audio is to ensure your microphone is set up correctly and your voice can be played back clearly. The video below runs through how to set up an external mic for your Windows or Mac .

How to Record Audio in PowerPoint Step-by-Step Instructions.

Advanced powerpoint audio recording options., add annotations to your recorded powerpoint slide show..

To use the Annotation Tool in PowerPoint: Scroll to the bottom of the full screen recording view (as shown in the image below). Then, select any of the tools available (the laser pointer, highlighter or pen) and annotate your slide, by drawing with them using any mouse or other pointing device.

Using the Timings Function to Adjust Recording Speed.

To Change the Timings of Your Recording: Navigate to the Slide Show tab in the top ribbon > (Next to the Record Slide Show icon, we used before) > click the Rehearse Timings icon. The presentation will now once again go to full-screen mode, and you can use your arrow keys to change the slides and set new timings.

Clearing or Deleting your narration and / or timings

To Delete a Narration or Timings: Navigate to the Slide Show tab in the top ribbon OR the Recording Tab. Select the down arrow on the “ Record Slide Show ” button > from the menu choose “ Clear ” > Select the appropriate timings and/or narration option.

Save and Distribute the Presentation with Audio as a Movie / Video file.

To Export your Presentation as a video: In PowerPoint navigate to File Menu > Export > Select your preferred options. (E.g.) File Format: MP4 . Quality Width 1,920 Height 1,080

Recording Audio Tips and Tricks

Macos 2019 – powerpoint audio recording tip, microsoft 365, 2016, 2019 for windows pc – recording tab in powerpoint, related posts, how to add music to powerpoint slideshow and find free music, [solved] how to upload powerpoint to google drive, 10s method: how to add bullet points in powerpoint.

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How to Add, Record or Edit Audio or Music in PowerPoint

Do you want to set the right mood and keep your audience engaged and entertained during your next presentation? In this new Slidesgo School tutorial, you’ll learn how to add audio or music to your presentations . You’ll also find out how to edit them to your liking .

Adding Audio from your Computer

Recording audio from powerpoint, editing audio, adding online audio, adding music from youtube, playing several clips in succession during your presentation.

• Before we begin, please note the following: in PowerPoint 2010 or older, you should use .wav or .wma files in Windows, and .wav files in Mac. If you’re using a newer version, we recommend that you work with AAC .m4a files.
• Open your PowerPoint presentation and select the slide where you want to add audio.
• On the Insert tab, in the Media group, click the Audio drop-down arrow. You’ll see two options: the first one allows you to add audio from your PC, whereas the second one allows you to record audio (you’ll need to have a microphone set up in your computer).
• Select Audio from My PC. A new window will open, where you have to locate the audio file you want to add to your presentation.
• Once located, click the drop-down arrow next to Insert. You’ll see two options:
• If you choose Insert , the audio will be directly inserted into your presentation, increasing the size of the document.
• If you choose Link to File , a link to the file will be created, reducing the size of the document. However, there could be issues if you use the presentation in a different computer, forcing you to link the audio file to the presentation again.
• Select the option that best suits your needs.
• If you want to export any audio included in your PowerPoint presentation, right-click its icon → Save Media As (you can only do this with audio inserted from your PC).
• Please note that if you want to play a different audio in each slide, you’ll need to add the audio files one by one. You’ll also need to uncheck “Play Across Slides”. You can refer to the “ Editing Audio ” section in this tutorial if you want more information.
• On the Insert tab, in the Media group, click the Audio drop-down arrow. Select Record Audio. A new window will open.
• Enter the name of the audio file you’re about to record.
• Press Record to start recording. To stop, press the Stop button. To play what you’ve recorded, press Play.
• If you’re happy with what you’ve recorded, click OK. If that’s not the case, click Cancel.
• Select the audio whose format you want to adjust. A new set of tabs, called Audio Tools, will appear on the toolbar.
• 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 audio during the presentation.
• In the Editing group, there are options to add a fade in and a fade out. You’ll also find the Trim Audio option. If you click it, a new window will open, where you can set the start point and the end point of the audio clip.
• In the Audio Options group, you’ll find the following options to adjust the behavior of the audio clip:
• Volume: It allows you to set the volume of the clip.
• Start: Click the drop-down arrow to choose how you want the audio to start. If you’re using Office 2010, you’ll also find an option here to play the audio clip during the entire presentation.
• Loop until Stopped: Once the audio clip finishes, it starts again indefinitely until you stop it.
• Play Across Slides: If you enable this, the audio clip will be played during the entire presentation. If “Loop until Stopped” is enabled too, it won’t stop playing until you reach the end of the presentation.
• Hide During Show: Check this option if you want to hide the icon.
• Rewind after Playing: Check this option if you want the timer of the audio clip to go back to the beginning when it reaches the end.
• If you’re using newer versions of PowerPoint, you’ll find a group called Audio Styles. Choose “No Style” if you don’t want additional effects. Choose “Play in Background” if you want the audio clip to be played in the background during your presentation.
• You can change the icon of the audio clip. To do so, on the Format tab, in the Adjust group, click Change Picture.
• Insert an icon or a picture. We’ll use it to link the online audio. Please refer to the How to Add and Modify Icons tutorial to learn how to insert icons.
• Add the link to the online audio resource. If you don’t know how to do it, please refer to the How to Insert a Hyperlink in PowerPoint tutorial.
• Once added, click the icon of this audio. A new window will open, where you must click the Play button. Some audio platforms, such as Soundcloud, allow you to generate an autoplay sharing link. With that, you just need to click the icon to play the audio automatically.
• If you want to pause the playback, you’ll need to exit the presentation mode and do it manually.
• Insert the video containing the audio or music you want. If you don’t know how, please refer to the How to Add a Video in PowerPoint tutorial.
• Decrease the size of the video and place it outside the visible part of the slide.
• We need to set it to automatically play in presentation mode. To do this, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, click the Start drop-down arrow and select “Automatically”. If you need more information, please refer to the How to Add a Video in PowerPoint tutorial.
• Please note that the audio will stop when changing slides.

To create a playlist that plays across all slides during your presentation, you need to use an audio editing software, such as Audacity or Adobe Audition, and edit the clips so that they come one after another. When you’re done, export it as a single audio file, which you can now use in your presentation.

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How-To Geek

How to record voiceover narration in powerpoint.

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How I Prevent Playlists From Ruining My Spotify Recommendations

Why i pre-ordered the light phone 3, a minimalist phone with screws and a wheel, windows 11 is adding your android phone to file explorer, quick links, preparation, record a voiceover for your presentation.

If you’re sending out your presentation instead of giving it in front of an audience, but you feel adding a vocal explanation would better help to deliver the message, record a voiceover narration. Here’s how to do it.

Before you begin your PowerPoint narration, you’ll need to make sure you’ve made the proper preparations.

Set Up Your Mic

First, you’ll need a microphone. Most modern computers have a built-in microphone that gets the job done, but investing in a USB microphone will increase the audio quality of the narration by quite a bit.

The built-in microphone will be set as your input device by default, so if you plan on using it for the PowerPoint narration, you don’t need to take any additional steps in setting it up. However, if you plan to use a USB microphone for the narration, be sure to set it as the input device.

To do this on Windows, right-click the volume icon found on the right of the taskbar. In the menu that appears, select “Open Sound Settings.”

The “Sound Settings” window will appear. Here, scroll down to the “Input” section and click the box under “Choose your input device.”

If you’re using a USB microphone, it will appear here. Select it to set it as the input device.

The steps for Mac users are extremely similar. The only difference is you should go to "System Settings" and select "Sound" instead of right-clicking the volume icon like on Windows. From there, the steps are the same.

Take Notes and Rehearse

With your mic set up, you’re ready to start recording, right? Well, not quite. While you may not be physically standing in front of the audience delivering this presentation, you still need to treat it as though you are. This means going through the basics---taking notes and rehearsing your delivery.

One thing you can do to help you record a successful narration is to write out a script. As with a live presentation, though, you don’t want to sound like you’re reading straight from your notecards. Practice reading through the script a few times so that it sounds natural and fluid.

Once you’re confident in your delivery, it’s time to start recording.

Open the PowerPoint presentation in which you would like to record a voiceover narration. Head over to the “Slide Show” tab and, in the “Set Up” group, select “Record Slide Show.” Once selected, a drop-down menu will appear. Here, you can choose to start the narration from the beginning or from the current slide. If you choose to start recording from the current slide, make sure that you’re on the slide you’d like to start recording from.

Related: How to Record Your Screen with Microsoft PowerPoint

In this example, we’ll choose “Record from Beginning.”

Now, you’ll be in full-screen mode. You’ll notice a few extra tools appear, including a record button at the top-left corner of the screen. When you’re ready to start recording, click this button.

When you select the record button, a countdown timer will appear, giving you a three-second delay between clicking the button and starting your recording.

You can now start recording your voiceover narration! Continue through the presentation by clicking the right arrow to go to the next slide.

You can pause the recording at any time by pressing the pause button in the top-left corner of the window. The recording will automatically end when you make it to the last slide. Alternatively, you can press the stop button, also located at the top-left corner of the screen.

If you want to play your narration back, you can select the replay button.

A speaker icon will appear at the bottom-right corner of each slide that has a recorded narration. You can also play your narration back on each slide by hovering over the icon and pressing the play button.

If you’re not satisfied with the narration, simply repeat these steps to re-record.

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• Presentations

How to Record Narration in a PowerPoint Presentation (New Video)

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You might think of PowerPoint as the app you use when you're speaking to an audience. But what if that audience can't be in the same room as you? You can do just that as we learn how to narrate a PowerPoint presentation.

You can record audio inside of PowerPoint. Then, your viewer can play it back at their convenience. Best of all, the audio stays synced to the slide timings you set while recording the audio.

If you send a presentation on its own, your audience may flip through the slides and miss the point. But if you can add narration to your presentation, you have the chance to reinforce your key points. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to record narration in PowerPoint. 

Need Help? Download Our New eBook on Making Great Presentations (Free)

We also have a useful compliment to this tutorial. Download our FREE eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations , which will help you write, design, and deliver the perfect presentation. Quickly grab it before you read on.

When you narrate PowerPoint presentations, your best bet is to use a premium template. With thousands of designs Envato Elements has you covered. Here are some of the very best:

Now let's learn all about how to record quality PowerPoint audio narration: 

How to Quickly Record Narration in PowerPoint (Watch & Learn)

Watch this quick, two minute screencast below for a guided tour on recording narrations in PowerPoint. In it, you'll learn how to add narration to your presentation or on selected slides:

Prefer a written set of instructions for how to narrate a PowerPoint? Keep reading to walk through the steps to add narration to your PowerPoint presentation.

3 Audio Recording Best Practices for Proper PowerPoint Narration

With an affordable microphone you can add the commentary your audience should hear. It's easy to include it with the final PowerPoint presentation file so that your commentary follows the PPTX file.

You may not have access to a professional recording studio, but that doesn't mean that you can't improve the audio quality of your voiceover.

There are quick wins to improve the quality of your presentation narration. Great narrated PowerPoint examples have clear, easy-to-understand audio. Here are my favorite tips on how to narrate a PowerPoint presentation better:

• As a presenter, I always like to write an outline or script  for my recorded audio. Use the speaker notes section in PowerPoint or print your notes to keep your audio on track.
• Purchase an inexpensive USB microphone as a major upgrade over your laptop's built-in microphone. I like this  Samson Go Mic that clips to the top of my laptop. You can even use wireless headphones like Apple AirPods to narrate PowerPoint. Remember: the best microphone is the one that you have with you.
• As always, remove background noise when possible. Turn off fans, devices, and close the door to avoid distractions.

Record Narration for PowerPoint (Tutorial Steps)

Now, let's walk through how to set up for proper audio recording. You'll learn how to professionally record your narration. Then, you'll add it to your PowerPoint slides. 

As you follow along with how to add narration to PowerPoint, it helps to have a great design. We’ll be using the beautiful Sora - Multipurpose Presentation from Envato Elements to demonstrate.

Download it today to follow along as we build a narrated PowerPoint example. Let's get started!

Step 1. Set Up Your Microphone

Before you start to record audio inside PowerPoint, start off by making sure that your microphone is plugged in and ready to record.

Whether you're on Windows or macOS, you'll want to access the audio device settings and set your default microphone at a system level. Select your external microphone to ensure it's utilized instead of the built-in mic.

Step 2. Press Record in PowerPoint

To record narrations in PowerPoint, start off by finding the  Slide Show  tab on PowerPoint's ribbon. Click on the Slide Show tab to change the available options. 

Make sure that you start on the first slide in PowerPoint to record audio and timings for the entire presentation.

Now, find the Record button and click on it. PowerPoint launches the Recording menu. You’ll see thumbnails of your slides below, and a menu bar at the top. 

This menu dashboard lets you control your recording settings. In a few clicks, you can set things up to narrate PowerPoint exactly how you want. 

Make sure you're ready before you press  Start Recording.  As soon as you click on it, you can narrate PowerPoint as it records both audio and the screen.

Step 3. Start Recording Your Narration

When you click Record , PowerPoint won’t immediately be recording audio. Notice the round red Record button in the top center.

To capture audio, you’ll need to click this. When you do, a three-second countdown clock appears on your slideshow preview. Once it reaches zero, your microphone is live and all of your narration and audio records automatically.

At the top, you’ll see the Recording menu with a runtime counter. This is a handy way to keep track of time as you present.

Now, begin speaking and navigating through your slide deck. I like to use the arrow keys on my keyboard to move through my slides. Use the right arrow to jump to the next slide, or the left arrow to move to the previous PowerPoint slide. 

PowerPoint is recording exactly what's on your screen along with the audio you speak into your microphone. 

When you’re finished, click on the red Record button again. The recording stops. 

It's ideal if you have a dual monitor setup and you can use Presenter View, which puts a preview of your next slide with your speaking notes on a second screen. Turn on Presenter View on the Slide Show tab by checking Use Presenter View. 

Step 4. Use Annotations (Optional)

While you're recording your presentation, you can also add  annotations  to your PowerPoint. You can use a digital pen, highlighter or laser pointer to add markings. 

To use annotations, go to the row of buttons below your slide previews. The annotation controls are on the left side: laser, pen, and more. Click on one of these to activate it. 

After you select a tool, you can draw on the slide to add the annotation. Viewers will see these annotations drawn in while watching the recorded version of your presentation.

Step 5. Reset Presentation Timings as Needed

Let's say that you had the perfect audio take, but the timings of your slide changes were off by a bit. That's no problem. We can readily restart the process of setting your slide timings.

To do that, make sure that you're on the Slide Show tab and click on Rehearse Timings . Your presentation will go into full screen mode. Usese the arrow keys to change slides to set new timings.

Now that you're finished, you can send your presentation onto a viewer with your narration embedded. When they play the presentation, your recorded narration will play with it, timed how you've set it up while rehearsing.

How to Add Audio (Narration) for Selected PowerPoint Slides

If you don't want to record audio with timings for an entire presentation, another option is to add audio to a selected slide. 

To do this, click on the  Insert  tab on the PowerPoint ribbon. On the right side of the ribbon, find the  Audio  button and click on it. Again, you'll want to make sure that your microphone is selected in your system settings before choosing this option.

On this drop-down menu, you can actually add audio clips that you've recorded in other apps using the Audio on My PC...  option, or record audio right inside PowerPoint by clicking  Record Audio.

If you choose to Record Audio , you'll see a new window. Press the red Record button to capture audio inside PowerPoint and place it on a slide directly.

Discover More Great PowerPoint Tutorials (On Envato Tuts+)

You've got a new skill in your tool belt: how to record voiceover on PowerPoint presentations. Why stop now that you know how to narrate PowerPoints?

We've built out a comprehensive learning resource, How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide.) You can teach yourself PowerPoint with this deep set of tutorials. Check out a few of our favorites below:

More Top Templates for Microsoft PowerPoint

As you learned how to add narration to PowerPoint, we featured a premium template. But this is just one of many PowerPoint pre-built slide designs. Thanks to great templates, you'll have more time to build a narrated PowerPoint example!

We regularly feature top PowerPoint templates on Envato Tuts+. Check out more of the top templates below. They work perfectly with our steps to narrate PowerPoint slides, too!

Download Our New eBook on Making Great Presentations (Free PDF)

We have the perfect complement to this tutorial, which will walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. 

Download our new eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It's available for FREE with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. 

You Just Learned How to Record a Voiceover on PowerPoint

I love voiceovers as a way to share your commentary with viewers, even when you aren't in the same room. Add your audio to create professional, spoken versions of your presentation.

Now, it's your turn to practice how to add narration to PowerPoint. Re-open a slide deck you've built in the past, and narrate PowerPoint slides. Then, send your narrated PowerPoint example. I'll bet they understand the content better than ever!

Editorial Note: This post has been updated and a new video added with help from Andrew Childress . Andrew is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+.

How to Record a PowerPoint Presentation with Narration

Can be helpful in creating a dramatic narrative

Microsoft PowerPoint has a built-in recording tool that allows you to narrate your presentations using recorded audio. You can export and share recorded presentations as video files.

This tutorial covers everything about recording PowerPoint presentations on Windows and Mac computers.

Record PowerPoint Presentation with Narration

Open the PowerPoint file/presentation you want to record and follow the steps below.

Record PowerPoint Presentation on Windows

• Select the slide you want to start recording from on the slide thumbnail pane.

• Head to the Record tab on the ribbon and select the Record button to start recording from the current/selected slide.

To record from the first slide, select the down-facing arrow icon below the Record button and select From Beginning .

You can also record a presentation from the Slide Show tab. Select Slide Show on the ribbon and select Record , From Current Slide , or From Beginning .

That’ll open PowerPoint’s presentation recorder in a fullscreen window.

• Select the Record icon and start speaking after the three seconds countdown.

PowerPoint records the presentation window and captures your voice and webcam feed as you navigate the slides. Select the left-facing and right-facing arrows to move to the previous and next slides in the presentation.

Record PowerPoint Presentation in macOS

• Open the Slide Show tab and select Record Slide Show .

• Select the Record button on the toolbar to start recording your narration.

Use your keyboard arrow keys to move back and forth between slides. Press N or Space Bar to move to the next slide or animation in the presentation. Press P or Backspace to return to the previous slide or animation.

Select Tips in the top-left corner for more keyboard shortcuts and other presentation tips.

Note: The narration tool doesn’t record slide transitions. When moving between slides, wait for the destination slide to appear on the screen before speaking.

PowerPoint Recorder Control/Settings

You’ll find a handful of controls and options on the recording tool. We’ll show you how to use these controls to include voiceovers or audio recordings in your presentation.

Using Presentation Pointer Tools

PowerPoint provides several tools to mark up your slides when narrating your presentation. There’s a pen tool, eraser, laser pointer, and highlighter.

With the Pen tool, you can draw on slides during narration/recording. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Command + P (Mac) to use the pen tool. You can also select the Pen icon to convert the pointer to a pen.

The Laser pointer tool converts your cursor to an onscreen laser. Use the laser pointer to draw attention to something on a slide/presentation.

Press Ctrl + L (Windows) or Command + L (Mac) to use the laser pointer. There’s also a Laser pointer icon on the toolbar.

Pressing Ctrl + I (or selecting the Highlighter tool ) converts your cursor to a highlighter.

Use the Eraser tool to remove inks and highlight from slides. Select the Eraser icon or press Ctrl + E and select the ink to erase.

On macOS, select the Erase Pen icon (or press E ) to erase all drawings and highlights on the slide.

You can change the pointer tools ink from the color selection boxes. However, one major limitation is that you can’t change the size of these pointer tools.

Pause and Resume Your Recording

In Windows, press I on your keyboard or select the Pause button in the top-left corner to pause your recording.

Press I again or select the Record icon to resume the recording.

If you use a Mac, select the Pause icon in the top toolbar to pause the recording.

Unmute or Mute Microphone

Check that your microphone is unmuted before recording. Select the microphone icon in the bottom-right corner to mute or unmute your mic.

PowerPoint for Windows allows you to mute and unmute your microphone in real time while recording video/audio narrations. The macOS version of PowerPoint only lets you configure your camera and microphone settings before recording.

Switch Microphone or Camera

Want to record your presentation with an external microphone or camera? Press Ctrl + M or select the audio/camera settings icon in the top-right corner and choose your preferred microphone/camera.

In macOS, select the microphone icon to mute or unmute your microphone. Select the arrow-down icon next to the microphone or camcorder icons to switch input devices.

Enable and Disable Camera

The recorder displays your camera or webcam feed in the bottom-right corner of the presentation slides.

Select the camcorder icon to remove your webcam feed from the recording. Select the icon again to display your webcam feed in the presentation.

You can also use the Ctrl + K keyboard shortcut on Windows computers to enable or disable your camera.

On Mac computers, you’ll find the video control icon on the top toolbar.

Note: The recording tool greys out the camcorder icon if your microphone is turned off.

Enable or Disable Camera Preview

PowerPoint allows you to disable the camera preview without turning off your camera or webcam.

Press Ctrl + J (Windows) or select the Camera Preview icon in the bottom-right corner to disable or enable the camera preview.

End a Recording

Press S on your Windows keyboard or select the Stop icon to end the recording.

Replay or Preview Your Recording

When you end a narration, press V on your keyboard or select Replay to preview or watch the recording.

The recorded narration will include all pen inks, highlights, and laser pointer gestures made during the presentation.

You can also preview/replay the narration outside the recording tool. Open the Slide Show tab and choose to watch the playback From Beginning or From Current Slide .

PowerPoint allows you to preview the playback on individual slides. A speaker/audio icon appears in the bottom-right of PowerPoint slides with narrations.

Choose the slide you want to preview, hover your cursor on the speaker icon in the bottom-right corner, and select Play .

Delete Current Narration/Recording

Did you spot an error when previewing your presentation? Want to delete the current narration and start from scratch?

Select the Clear existing recordings icon and choose whether to Clear Recordings on Current Slide or Clear Recordings on All Slides .

On Mac, select the Bin icon to delete the entire narration/recording.

Close the Narration Tool

Select the X icon on the title bar to close the presentation narration tool and return to Powerpoint.

Select End Show in the top-left corner to close the recording tool on a Mac computer.

Delete Narrations from Slides

Want to delete the narration or timing on an individual slide or the entire presentation? Select the slide with the narration you want to delete and follow the steps below.

• Open the Record tab and select the down-facing arrow below the Record icon.
• Select Clear and choose to clear timing or narration on current or all slides.

Export Recorded or Narrated Presentation

You can export a narrated PowerPoint presentation as a video file. The video output includes ink strokes, recorded audio/video, laser pointer gestures, and webcam/camera recording.

• Open the Record tab and select Export to Video .

Alternatively, open the File menu, select Export on the sidebar, and select Create a Video .

• Choose the quality of the video export in the first drop-down box—Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), Standard (480p).

• Choose Use Recorded Timings and Narrations in the next drop-down box and select Create Video .

• Give the recorded presentation a file name and select Save .

Narrate Your PowerPoint Presentations

The Microsoft PowerPoint web app doesn’t have a recording tool. As a result, you can only record presentations with narrations using PowerPoint for Windows or Mac.

You might meet issues recording a slide show if you use an outdated version of PowerPoint. Also, the recording tool on older versions of PowerPoint has a different interface and lacks some controls. Update PowerPoint and restart your computer if you cannot record a slide show.

Sodiq has written thousands of tutorials, guides, and explainers over the past 4 years to help people solve problems with Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows devices. He also enjoys reviewing consumer tech products (smartphones, smart home devices, accessories, etc.) and binge-watching comedy series in his spare time. Read Sodiq's Full Bio

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Record your presentation

You can record your PowerPoint presentation—or just a single slide—and capture voice, ink gestures, and your video presence. The completed recording is like any other presentation. You can play it for your audience in Slide Show or you can export it as a video file. So instead of just handing the deck to someone, people can see your presentation with all your passion and personality intact. 

Record is an improved version of Record Slide Show for PowerPoint for Windows. The feature replaces the older experience and provides enhanced capabilities for capturing your presentations for later viewing.

What's new?

New access points for recording a video of the presentation .

New features added for recording video

The new Record window has two screens: Record and Export .

When you select Record , the Record screen opens by default.

If you select Export in the top right of the Record screen, the Export screen opens.

You can switch between the Record and Export screens using the  Record  and Export  buttons in the top bar of the window. 

New features added to the Record window

You'll see the following new features in the Record window:

You can also use the seek bar to skip to any point while you're previewing the video on the current slide.

New Export window

The  Export  window is another change with the Record feature. After recording, you’ll be lead through instructions to create a shareable video file of your presentation. By default, the video is in Full HD 1080p resolution in an mp4 format and will be saved to the same location where the presentation is stored.

The exported video includes all recorded timings, narration, animations, transitions, media, ink, and laser pointer gestures. If there's no recorded timings for a slide in the presentation, the slide will be displayed for 5 seconds in the exported video by default. 

By default, the exported video has the same filename as the presentation, but you can create a unique filename for the exported video, if you want. 

Depending on the size of your presentation, it may take a few minutes to export. After the export starts, you can track its progress in the  Export  window. You can also exit the  Record  window and track the progress in the status bar in PowerPoint. 

The  Customize Export  button takes you to the backstage export menu to change resolution and time spent on each slide in the exported video. 

Recording tips

Recordings are added to the presentation on a per-slide basis. If you want to change a recording, you can re-record one or more slides. You can rearrange the order of slides in a recorded presentation without having to re-record anything. This also means it's easy to pause for a break while recording a presentation.

PowerPoint doesn't record audio or video during transitions between slides, so be sure not to narrate while advancing the slide. There's also a brief buffer of silence at the beginning and the end of each slide.

Use video preview to make sure everything is set up correctly before recording.

Presentation recording works best with touch-screen PCs that have a web camera but you can use an external webcam and/or microphone.

If you're using PowerPoint on a tablet or laptop and you're inking with a stylus, you can use an external camera and microphone to minimize stylus noise.

After you finish your first slide recording, play it back to make sure your audio and video are set up the way you expect.

You can adjust and edit the size of video and ink in edit view.

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How to record a PowerPoint presentation with audio for sharing

• October 12, 2023

Wondering how to make a video with PowerPoint? If you want to create a video presentation from your PowerPoint slides, you can use PowerPoint's in-built recording feature. The feature allows you to narrate your slides, add annotations, and insert webcam video. You can then export your recording as a video file that you can share with your audience.

This article explains how to record your PowerPoint slideshow and how to share the recorded presentation via Teams or Zoom. We'll also give you some tips on how to avoid common pitfalls and glitches that you might encounter.

Here's our step by step guide to record a PowerPoint slide show:

• Open your PowerPoint presentation and click on the Slide Show tab.

• From the PowerPoint Set Up group, click on Record Slide Show button. You can choose to record from the beginning, or from the current slide.

• A new window will open with your PowerPoint presentation in full screen mode. You will see a Recording toolbar at the top left corner of your PowerPoint screen if you are on a single monitor, or at the top of your main monitor if you are working on dual screens (as pictured in the screenshot below). You can use this toolbar to control your recording in PowerPoint, such as start, pause, stop, rewind, and forward. You can also use the pen, highlighter, and eraser tools to annotate your slides.

• To start recording your PowerPoint presentation, click on the Record button (the red circle). You will see a countdown from 3 to 1 before the recording begins.
• As you record, you can speak into your microphone to narrate your PowerPoint slides. You can also click on the Camera button (the camera icon) to turn on your webcam and insert a video of yourself in the corner of your slide.
• To move to the next or previous slide, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard or click the Next or Previous buttons on the Recording toolbar.
• When you get to the end of your PowerPoint slideshow, you can export the video immediately by selecting export and following the prompts, or you can end your recording to review, before exporting to video format. To end your recording in PowerPoint, click the Stop button (the square icon) or press Esc on your keyboard.
• You will be taken back to the normal view of your PowerPoint presentation. You will see a speaker icon and a camera icon on each slide that has audio or video recording. You can click on these icons to preview, edit, or delete your PowerPoint recordings.

• To export your PowerPoint recording as a video file, click the File tab and select Export.
• In the Export window, choose Create a Video from the menu on the left.

• In the Create a Video panel, you can adjust the video quality, resolution, and file size. You can also choose whether to use recorded timings and narrations or not.
• Click on Create Video and choose a location and a file name for your video.
• Wait for PowerPoint to create your video. You can see the progress bar at the bottom of your screen.
• Once your PowerPoint video is ready, you can play it with any media player or upload it to any online platform.

Troubleshooting issues that may arise when recording a PowerPoint presentation

If you want to record a PowerPoint presentation with narration, annotations, or video, you may encounter some issues depending on your device, software, and settings. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

• If your microphone is not working, make sure it is plugged in, turned on, and selected as the default recording device in your system settings (for example sometimes your monitor or webcam can also have a microphone, and the wrong device has been selected). You can test your microphone in PowerPoint by going to Slide Show > Record Slide Show > Settings > Microphone.
• If your video camera is not working, make sure it is plugged in, turned on, and selected as the default camera in your system settings. You can also test your camera in the PowerPoint app by going to Slide Show > Record Slide Show > Settings > Camera.
• If your annotations are not showing up in your PowerPoint recording, make sure you have enabled the pen and laser pointer tools in the PowerPoint app. You can do this by going to Slide Show > Record Slide Show > Settings > Pen and Laser Pointer Tools.
• If your PowerPoint recording is not saving or playing back correctly, make sure you have enough disk space and memory on your device. You can also try saving your PowerPoint presentation as a video file by going to File > Export > Create a Video.

Can I share my recorded PowerPoint presentation via Zoom or Microsoft Teams?

If you have recorded a PowerPoint presentation, you can share it with your audience via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Here's how to share your recorded PowerPoint presentation in both platforms.

How to share recorded PowerPoint Presentations via Zoom To share your recorded PowerPoint presentation on Zoom, you need to have the Zoom app installed on your computer and the PowerPoint file saved on your device or on OneDrive. Here are the steps to follow:

• Start or join a Zoom meeting and click Share Screen in the meeting controls.
• Select your primary monitor then click Share. If you are not sure which monitor is your primary, select the one that PowerPoint opens in.
• Switch back to PowerPoint and click the Slide Show tab. Begin playing the recorded PowerPoint presentation by selecting the Play from Start or Play from Current Slide options.

• If you have recorded narration or video for your PowerPoint presentation, make sure to check the Play Narrations and Use Timings option in the Set Up group on the Slide Show tab.
• Your participants will see your PowerPoint presentation in slide show view with your narration and video playing along.
• To stop sharing your recorded PowerPoint presentation, click Stop Share on the Zoom toolbar.

How to share recorded PowerPoint Presentations via Microsoft Teams To share your recorded PowerPoint presentation on Teams, you need to have the Microsoft Teams app installed on your computer and the PowerPoint file saved either on OneDrive or your local computer. Here are the steps to follow:

• Start or join a Teams meeting and click Share content in the meeting controls.
• In the share content menu ensure 'include computer sound' is turn on

• Select Browse OneDrive or Browse my computer at the bottom of the 'share content' menu.

• Navigate to the folder where you have saved your PowerPoint presentation file and select it.

• To stop sharing, click Stop presenting on the Teams toolbar.

Troubleshooting issues when sharing recorded PowerPoint presentations via Teams or Zoom

If you want to share a recorded PowerPoint presentation with your audience via Zoom or Teams, you may encounter some issues that can affect the quality or the delivery of your presentation. Here are some common problems and how to solve them:

• If your recorded PowerPoint presentation has audio or video embedded, make sure you check the option to share computer sound when you start sharing your screen. Otherwise, your audience will not hear the sound from your presentation.
• If your recorded PowerPoint presentation has animations or transitions, make sure you play it in slideshow mode and not in editing mode. Otherwise, your audience will see the editing tools and the slides will not advance automatically.
• If your PowerPoint presentation has hyperlinks or action buttons, make sure you click on them during the presentation and not before. Otherwise, your audience will not see the linked content or the action result.
• If your PowerPoint presentation is too large or has high-resolution images or videos, make sure you compress it before sharing it. Otherwise, your presentation may lag or freeze during the presentation due to bandwidth limitations.

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How to Record in a PowerPoint presentation Audio & Video.

Recording audio and video in a PowerPoint presentation can improve the overall effectiveness and impact of your presentation because it can make it more interesting and keep your audience engaged.

Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 and later versions allow you to record your presentation with audio and video, so you can enhance your slides with voice narration or by recording yourself during the narration via the camera.

In this guide we show, how you can record your voice or yourself while presenting a Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation and how to insert an audio or video file to a Presentation. You will also learn how to save the presentation as a video file or as a PowerPoint Show after you have finished recording audio/video.

How to Record or Insert Audio or Video in a PowerPoint Presentation.

There are two ways to include audio and video in your PowerPoint presentation: record a slide show with audio from your microphone and video from your camera, or add external audio and video to your presentation from a file.

* Note: As mentioned above, to add sound and video to a PowerPoint presentation you should have Microsoft PowerPoint 2013, 2016, 2019 or PowerPoint for Office 365.

1. Record your Audio & Video to PowerPoint.

2. Insert External Audio or Video files to PowerPoint.

Method 1. Record your Sound and Video to a PowerPoint Presentation.

To record your voice narration and/or yourself while presenting the slides in a presentation:

Step 1. Configure Microphone & Camera Settings.

Before recording your audio/video to a PowerPoint presentation, make sure that your microphone and camera settings are properly configured.

To adjust your microphone and camera settings for optimal quality:

1. Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.

2 . Go to System > Sound and under Input Settings select your microphone device and make sure the input volume is set to at least 80%

3. When done, go to Bluetooth & devices > Cameras > Connected Cameras and ensure that your camera is recognized by the system.

Step 2. Record Audio and Video to PowerPoint Slideshow.

Before you start recording audio/video in a presentation, it's important to know that audio cannot be recorded during animations and slide transitions. So, to avoid interruptions of your speech during the presentation, remember to leave a brief pause of 1-2 seconds in your narration at the beginning and end of each slide.

1. Open the PowerPoint presentation in which you want to record audio and video.

2. From the Slide Show tab (or the Recording tab), click the Record Slide Show button and choose either Record from Current slide or Record from Beginning, depending on which point you want to add audio/video.

3. The presentation will open in a recording window in full-screen mode.

4. Click the SETTINGS button at the top-right corner and ensure the correct microphone and camera devices are selected.

5. Use the Microsoft and Camera icons in the bottom right corner of the screen to turn off the input of the Microphone or Camera device if it is not needed during the presentation.

6. When you are ready, click the RECORD button to start recording your voice and/or camera input and present your slides.

7. Use the arrow keys to navigate through slides (forward only). Remember that you cannot go back or forward to a slide that already has a recording. This is to prevent accidentally recording over an existing recording.

8. If there are videos in your slides, click on them to start or stop the playback.

9. Use the Pen , Highlighter , or Laser icons from the bottom right corner to annotate your slides.

10. Look at the bottom left corner to find out the time counts for the current slide and the entire presentation.

11. If a slide already contains a recording, you will see a video preview or a speaker icon displayed at the bottom right corner.

• To re-record audio/video to a slide, click CLEAR and select Clear Recording on Current Slides .
• To delete all recordings, click CLEAR and select Clear Recordings on All Slides .

12. To pause or stop recording using the Pause and Stop buttons.

13. When finished Close the recording window (or right-click and select End Show ).

Step 3. Preview your Recordings on the Presentation.

After completing the recording, it is crucial to review the recordings of each slide before exporting the file as a PowerPoint show or video. To preview your recordings in your PowerPoint presentation:

1. Go to the Slide Show tab and click either From Beginning or From Current Slide to start playback.

2. Make sure each slide has a record and timing by changing the View to Slide Sorter .

3. On each slide where audio has been recorded you will see an audio icon along with the time/duration of the recording.

4. When you are satisfied with your recordings, you can move on to the next steps and export the entire presentation, including your audio and videos, either as a PowerPoint Show as a video file.

Step 4. Save the Presentation as a PowerPoint Show.

If you want to export your Presentation as a PowerPoint Show (.ppsx), which is useful if you want your presentation to be viewed even on computers that don't have the Microsoft PowerPoint app installed, do the following:

1. Click on File and select Save As .

2. Choose the location where you want to save the file and select PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx) format from the Save as type drop-down menu.

3. Then, click Save to save the file as a PowerPoint Show.

Step 5. Save Presentation to Video.

If you prefer to export your PowerPoint SlideShow as a video file, follow these steps:

1. Click on File and select Export .

2. Then Click the Create a Video option and select the preferred video quality from the first drop-down menu (e.g., Full HD 1080p ).

3. Then select the Use Recorded Timings and Narrations option in the next drop-down menu.

4. Then adjust the Seconds spent on each slide for the slides without recordings.

5. Finally, click the Create Video button and select the location to save the video.

6. Now wait for the PowerPoint to finish creating the video, as it may take some time depending on the performance of your computer.

7. Once the video is created, you can play it using any video player of your choice.

Method 2. Add External Audio and/or Video to a PowerPoint Presentation.

Instead of directly capturing audio and video within PowerPoint, you can insert an external audio or video file in your presentation.

Step 1. Adding an audio archive to a PowerPoint presentation.

To insert an audio file from your computer (such as pre-recorded narration, background music), to a slide:

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation and navigate to the specific slide where you want to add the audio.

2. Then, go to the Recording tab, click on the Audio button, and select the Audio on My PC option.

3. Then, choose the desired audio file from your device and click Insert .

4. The added audio file will appear as a small speaker icon in your presentation.

5. When you click on the speaker icon, the Playback tab will appear in the Ribbon. Move to the Playback tab and click the Play in Background option if you want the audio to play across all slides.

Step 2. Adding a Video file to a PowerPoint Presentation.

If you want to insert a video file from your PC, inside a Presentation.

1. Open the presentation and navigate to the specific slide where you want to add the audio.

2. Switch to the Recording tab and click on the Video button.

3. Then, select the video file that you want to add in the slide and click Insert .

4. Resize the video window as needed, and then customize the Playback settings from the Playback tab.

Step 3. Exporting or Saving the Presentation.

Once the audio and video files are inserted, you can export the presentation to a video file or save it as a PowerPoint show. To do that:

1. Select the Recording tab:

• Select Save as Show to save the file as a PowerPoint show, or…
• Export to Video to export the file as a video.

That's it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.

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Megamenu featured, megamenu social, how do i record audio with each powerpoint slide .

If you have a microphone, PowerPoint is capable of recording audio with each slide. Here are a few best practices for using this tool:

• As soon as you finish your first slide recording, play it back. Before you get too far down the road of recording your presentation, make sure your audio sounds the way you expect.
• Recordings are added to the presentation on a per-slide basis, so if you want to change a recording, you only have to re-record the affected slide or slides. Also, you can rearrange the order of slides after recording without having to re-record anything. This also means it’s easy to pause for a break while recording a presentation.
• PowerPoint doesn’t record audio or video during transitions between slides, so don’t speak while advancing the slide. Also, include a brief buffer of silence at the beginning and the end of each slide to make the transitions smooth and ensure that you don’t cut off audible narration while transitioning from one slide to the next.

Recording on PC

Record audio in your presentation, share your presentation.

If your recording is part of a course requirement, then the course instructor may determine the method of sharing or submission. 

• GLOW > Upload Media (via Assignment, Discussion, etc.)  
• Google Drive (share the file with specific people or create a shareable link)

Recording on Mac