Since its debut in 1987, Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT) has been the go-to tool for creating presentations. Slides were simple, with basic transitions like wipes, fades, and dissolves that felt cutting-edge at the time.
Presentations have evolved in the decades since, and while text animations like fades and fly-ins can still help emphasize key points or guide the audience’s focus, adding video to a PowerPoint takes engagement to another level. Whether you’re showcasing a product teaser, walking through a training tutorial, or breaking down a complex idea, embedded videos can make your slides more dynamic and impactful.
Follow our step-by-step instructions on how to embed a video in PowerPoint for Mac and PC users. We’ll also cover common challenges, like video playback issues and file size compatibility, and simple strategies for resolving them. By the end, you’ll be able to embed a video in PPT with just a few clicks.
How do I embed a video into a PowerPoint presentation?
First things first: Make sure your video is stored on your computer or linked from a secure online source. This ensures you retain access to the video once your presentation is complete. When that’s set, follow these steps to add a video into PPT on Windows or Mac or embed a video hosted on Vimeo or YouTube.
How do I add a video to a PowerPoint on Microsoft Windows?
In Microsoft Windows, you can embed a video or link to a video file stored on your computer. Embedded videos increase the PowerPoint file size, which may slow playback. Conversely, linked videos keep the file size smaller but can break if the video is moved or deleted. Microsoft recommends using MP4 files for better compatibility and smaller video file sizes.
Here’s how to insert an embedded video in PowerPoint:
- Select the slide where you want to embed the video.
- Click the “Insert” tab, then click the “Video” dropdown arrow.
- Select “This Device,” and choose the video file from your computer.
- Click “Insert” to embed the video.
Here’s how to link a video stored on your PC to your PowerPoint:
- Move the video into the same folder as your PowerPoint presentation (rather than a general video folder) before inserting it. This way, the link remains intact if you move or share the presentation.
- In “Normal” view, select the slide where you want to add the video.
- Click the “Insert” tab, then click the “Video” dropdown arrow.
- Select “This Device” and choose the video file.
- Click the down arrow next to the “Insert” button and select “Link to File.”
How to upload a video to a PowerPoint for Mac
Mac users can insert video files stored on their computers. Similar to Windows, an MP4 file provides better quality and smaller video file sizes.
Here’s how to upload a video to a PowerPoint:
- Open your PowerPoint presentation and switch to “Normal” view.
- Select the slide where you want to insert the video.
- Click the “Insert” tab, then select “Video” followed by “Movie from File.”
- Choose the video file and click “Insert.”
By default, both Mac and Windows users must click anywhere on the slide to play the video. If you want the video to play automatically when the slide appears, you can change this setting:
- Select the video and go to the “Playback” tab.
- Open the “Start” drop-down menu and choose one of the following options: “In Click Sequence” (to play the video when you advance the slide), “Automatically” (to start playing the video as soon as the slide appears), or “When Clicked On” (to play only when you manually click the video).
How do I insert a video clip into PowerPoint from Vimeo or YouTube?
Users with PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2021, or PowerPoint 2019 can embed videos from Vimeo and YouTube. The video remains hosted on its original platform and streams directly from Vimeo or YouTube during playback, using automated site controls for playing, managing captions, and video resolution. This means PowerPoint doesn’t store the video file, so an internet connection is required to play it.
- Open your web browser and navigate to the Vimeo or YouTube video you want to embed.
- Copy the URL from the address bar.
- In PowerPoint, select the slide where you want to add the video.
- Go to the “Insert” tab and click “Video” followed by “Online Video.”
- Paste the copied URL in the dialog box.
- Click “Insert” to confirm.
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Adding video to a PowerPoint: Potential issues
Embedding videos into a PowerPoint presentation is usually straightforward, but that doesn’t mean you won’t need to troubleshoot problems. Here are a few common hurdles and solutions to easily overcome them.
Corrupted or unsupported video files
If your video won’t play, a few things could be causing the issue:
- Unsupported format: PowerPoint may not recognize certain video codecs.
- Corrupted or missing files: If the video was moved or deleted, PowerPoint won’t be able to find it.
- Inaccessible location: Videos stored on external drives, network folders, or cloud services might not load properly if there’s a connection issue.
Solution
- Ensure compatibility: PowerPoint works best with MP4 files encoded with H.264/AAC. If needed, convert the video using a tool like HandBrake or VLC Media Player.
- Check the file location: Move the video to the same folder as your PowerPoint presentation and reinsert it.
- Verify playback settings: Select the video, go to the “Playback” tab, and ensure options like “Hide While Not Playing” are unchecked if visibility is an issue.
Broken links
Copying and pasting a video URL may seem simple enough, but it's easy to grab the wrong link or end up with a broken embed code. If the link doesn’t work, the video won’t play in your PowerPoint presentation.
Solution
- Double-check the URL: Open the link in a browser to make sure the video plays.
- Verify the embed code: If you’re using one, confirm it's correct and still supported by the video platform.
- Test it first: Play the video in PowerPoint before your presentation to avoid surprises.
Video file size and compatibility
Large video files can cause lag or slow loading times, which can disrupt your PowerPoint presentation.
Solution
Shrink the video file by adjusting the compression settings in PowerPoint.
- Go to “File,” “Info,” and “Compress Media.”
- From here, you can manage video quality with these options:
- Presentation quality (full HD) keeps the highest resolution for better video quality.
- Internet quality (HD) reduces the video file size while maintaining good quality.
- Low quality (standard) minimizes the video file size and video quality, which is ideal for smoother playback, though at a lower resolution.
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Frequently asked questions
What video files can be uploaded to PowerPoint?
PowerPoint recommends MP4 files with H.264 video and AAC audio. However, it also supports .asf, .avi, .m4v, .mov, .mpg, .mpeg, and .wmv video formats.
How do you embed a video link in Google Slides?
1. Open Google Slides and navigate to the slide where you want to add the video.
2. Click “Insert” then “Video.”
3. Choose the video source:
- Using YouTube: Use the search bar to find a video within Google Slides or paste your YouTube video URL.
- Using Google Drive: Select a video stored on your Google Drive.
- Using a URL: Paste your unlisted or public video link – this includes Vimeo!
4. Click “Select” to insert the video.
That’s it! Once added, you can resize or move the video and adjust playback settings in the Format Options panel.
How do you embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint with start and end times?
1. Go to the “Insert” tab, click “Video,” and select “Online Video.”
2. Paste the YouTube URL into the dialog box and click “Insert.”
3. To set a start and end time, modify the URL before inserting it:
- If the URL doesn’t already have a ?, add ?start=XX&end=YY (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exampleID?start=30&end=93).
- If the URL already contains a ? (e.g., ?v= or other parameters), use &start=XX&end=YY instead (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exampleID&start=30&end=93).
Some PowerPoint versions may not support start and end time parameters for embedded YouTube videos. If that’s the case, you can trim the video manually using PowerPoint’s playback settings or a third-party tool. Keep in mind that an internet connection is required, as PowerPoint streams the video directly from YouTube.
Embed professional video content with Vimeo
With Vimeo, embedding videos into PowerPoint simply requires a URL—but our video editing features are far from simplistic. Vimeo’s ad-free HTML5 video player offers high-quality video resolution with endless customization features, including color palettes, thumbnails, and chaptering. Plus, Vimeo’s automated transcription, audio captions, and AI translations make your presentations more accessible and engaging for any audience.
