how to get audio on 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

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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 add music to your powerpoint presentation.

There are many ways to improve your PowerPoint presentation---adding animations to objects, customizing slide transition styles, and using interesting themes to name a few.

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Adding music to your presentation.

There are many ways to improve your PowerPoint presentation---adding animations to objects, customizing slide transition styles, and using interesting themes to name a few. In addition to all that, you can also add music to your presentation.

PowerPoint makes it very simple to add music to your presentation. Adding music to your presentation may be a great idea, but there are also cases where it may be considered unprofessional. We’re not here to tell you when to do it, just how to do it, but make sure it’s appropriate for the situation.

Switch to the "Insert" tab and then click the “Audio” button.

A menu will appear, giving you the option to either upload music from your PC or record your own audio track.

If you’d like to record your own audio, select “Record Audio,” and the “Record Sound” window will appear. Go ahead and give your audio a name, then click the “Record” icon when you’re ready to start.

After the “Record” icon is selected, a timer will start which gives you the total length of the sound being recorded. Once you’re ready to stop recording, press the “Stop” icon. To listen to your recording, you can press the “Play” icon. If you’re happy with what you're recording, select “OK” to insert it into your presentation.

If you prefer to upload music from your PC instead, go back to the audio options menu and select “Audio on My PC.” This will open your PC’s directory. Locate the audio file you’d like to use, then select “Insert” at the bottom-right of the window. PowerPoint supports several popular formats, like MP3, MP4, WAV, and AAC.

Now you’ll see a speaker icon appear in your presentation. Here, you can play the audio, control the volume, and move the audio back or forward 0.25 seconds.

Additionally, the “Playback” tab appears in the ribbon. By default, the “Audio Style” is automatically set to “No Style.” This means that the audio will only play on the slide where you insert it, the icon will appear in the presentation, and the audio will only begin once you click that icon.

But you can change all that. You can use the options here to adjust the default playback volume, choose whether the music starts automatically or on a click, whether it plays across other slides, whether it loops until you stop it, and so on.

We’re going to change this by selecting “Play in Background” in the “Audio Styles” section.

There are a few other options available to you, as well. You can add (or remove) bookmarks for specific times in your audio clip, trim parts of the audio, and give your audio a fade in/out effect.

Use these tools to customize the perfect audio for your presentation.

How to Add Audio to PowerPoint: The Quick Step-by-Step Guide

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In most cases, your PowerPoint presentation will serve as a visualization for your main points during your speech. This, however, doesn’t mean you can’t take a break and enrich your presentation with additional media to further immerse your audience . If you’ve landed on this article, you probably already have something in mind and wish to try to diversify your slides with some music, sounds, or narrations. With no further ado, welcome to the quick step-by-step guide on how to add audio to PowerPoint.

📝 Note: In order to record or hear the audio in PowerPoint, make sure you equip your device with headphones and a microphone.

How to Add Audio in PowerPoint from PC

Let’s say you already have some tune in mind that you wish to add to a particular slide. In terms of sounds, PowerPoint allows you to add multiple files to a single slide, so your options are limitless. For this guide, for example, we will create a slide for a presentation on Farm Animals directed at children. We will add a sound responding to each of the animals in the picture.

Go to the ribbon menu in your PowerPoint and choose Insert > Audio .

When you click Audio , PowerPoint will open a dialogue window. From there, navigate to the location where you store your audio files. Once you select the audio file you wish to add to your slide, click Open .

PowerPoint will insert your audio file in the form of a speaker icon with a player that allows you to play your file and adjust its volume. You can drag the icon and place it wherever you find it suitable, and you can also adjust its size .

If you select the speaker icon, the Audio Menu will appear in the main ribbon menu. Select the Audio menu and take a look at the options. 

This option allows you to adjust the volume of your audio.

This option reveals a drop-down menu to help you choose how the audio starts. Depending on the version, you can choose the following options. When Clicked On plays audio only when you click the speaker icon. Automatically plays your audio file immediately when you land on the slide where you’ve placed the audio file. In some versions, you will get a third option of In Click Sequence , which plays the file automatically with a click.

Audio Options

In order to choose how the audio plays during your presentation, this drop-down menu gives you the following options.

• Play Across Slides plays the audio files across all the slides.
• Loop Until Stopped allows you to play your audio file on loop until you manually choose to stop or pause it with the respective button in the mini player.
• Hide During Show hides your speaker icon. Use it only if you set your audio to play automatically.
• Rewind After Playing rewind your audio clip more than once while you are still on the same slide that originally contains your audio clip.

Play in Background

This option allows you to have your audio clip play continuously across all slides in the background.

Make sure you test your audio in Slide Show. Now let’s see how our Farm Animals and their sounds presentation works out. We chose to play each sound When Clicked On .

📝 Note: In order to delete an audio clip, select the speaker icon on the slide and press Delete .

How to Record Your Own Audio 

You also have the option to record your own audio directly in PowerPoint. In order to do so, go back to the Insert > Audio menu and choose Record Audio .

PowerPoint will open a Record window. Here you type the name of your audio file and click Record before you start speaking to your microphone.

In order to review your record, select Stop and then hit Play to listen.

You can also select Record to re-record your file. Hit OK when you’re satisfied with the clip.

Same as with audio files from your computer, PowerPoint will insert your clip as a speaker icon . Drag the icon where you want it on the slide. 

If you select the speaker icon, the Audio Menu will appear in the main ribbon menu. Select the Audio menu and take a look at the options. They are exactly the same for your recording clip as with audio files from your PC.

Final Words

We hope this step-by-step tutorial was useful to you. Now get wild and impress your audience with immersive audio in your presentation.

It seems that you are interested in the subject of Powerpoint. Why don’t you throw a glance at these related articles?

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How To Add Audio To Microsoft PowerPoint? (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Do you want to add an extra layer of engagement to your PowerPoint presentations? Audio can bring your slides to life and make them more memorable for your audience.

In this step-by-step guide, we will explain how to add audio to Microsoft PowerPoint.

We will cover the benefits of adding audio, how to obtain audio files, and how to add audio from your computer, online source, or audio CD.

We will also show you how to record audio directly into PowerPoint and how to customize the audio settings for your presentation.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Adding audio to a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is fairly easy.

First, you need to insert the audio file into your presentation.

To do this, go to the Insert tab and select Audio.

You can then select either Audio from File or Audio on My PC to add the audio file.

After the audio is inserted, you can adjust the playback settings, such as when the audio starts and ends, and whether it plays automatically or manually.

You can even add more audio files to the same slide.

Benefits of Adding Audio to PowerPoint

Adding audio to your PowerPoint presentation can be a great way to add an engaging, interactive element to your slides.

Audio can be used to add background music, narration, and sound effects, which can help to make your presentation more dynamic and memorable.

It can also be used to add audio clips of interviews, conversations, or even your own voice to create a more personal presentation.

By adding audio to your PowerPoint presentation, you can create a richer, more immersive experience for your audience.

Adding audio to your presentation can also help you to communicate your message more effectively.

The right audio can help to highlight key points, emphasize a particular idea, or add emphasis to a slide.

For example, background music can help to set the tone of the slides and create a more engaging atmosphere.

Similarly, sound effects can be used to punctuate a point and draw attention to key slides or ideas.

Audio can also be used to add atmosphere and depth to a presentation, helping to make it more engaging and memorable for your audience.

Finally, audio can be used to add a personal touch to a presentation.

By recording your own audio, you can add a more personal touch to your slides, making it feel more like a conversation between you and your audience.

This can help to build a connection with your audience and make it easier to communicate your message.

In conclusion, adding audio to your PowerPoint presentation can be a great way to make your slides more engaging and memorable.

By adding music, narration, and sound effects, you can create a richer, more immersive experience for your audience.

Additionally, audio can be used to emphasize key points and add a personal touch to your presentation.

With a few simple steps, you can easily add audio to your PowerPoint presentation and take your slides to the next level.

Obtaining Audio Files for PowerPoint

Adding audio to a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is a great way to make your slides more engaging and interactive.

Audio can add depth and emotion to your presentation, helping you to capture the attention of your audience.

But before you can add audio to your presentation, you need to obtain the audio files.

Here are some ways to obtain audio files for your PowerPoint presentation.

The first option is to use audio files from your computers library.

You can find a variety of sound effects and clips suitable for your presentation in your computers audio library, or you can download audio files from the internet.

Simply search for whatever type of audio file you need and download it to your computer.

You can also add audio from a URL.

If the audio file is online, you can copy the URL and paste it into the PowerPoint presentation.

This is a great option if you want to add a song or clip from a streaming music service, such as Spotify or SoundCloud.

The third option is to add audio from a CD.

If you have an audio CD with the music or sound effects you need, you can insert the CD into your computers CD drive and then import the audio file directly into the PowerPoint presentation.

Finally, you can record your own audio directly into the presentation.

This is a great option if you need to add narration or voice-over to your presentation.

Simply click the Record button and start speaking into your computers microphone.

Once youre finished, the audio will be automatically added to your presentation.

Now that you know how to obtain audio files for your PowerPoint presentation, youre ready to move on to actually adding the audio to your slides.

Stay tuned for the next blog post in this series, which will cover the steps for adding audio to your PowerPoint presentation.

Adding Audio to PowerPoint from Your Computer

With a few simple steps, you can add music, narration, or other sound effects to your presentation.

You can add audio from your computer’s library, from a URL, or from an audio CD.

Adding audio from your computer’s library is the simplest way to add sound to your presentation.

To do this, you will first need to locate the audio file you want to use.

You can typically find audio files stored in the Music or Downloads folder of your computer.

Once you have located the file, open the Insert menu in PowerPoint and select Audio.

Choose the option to insert audio from your computer and then navigate to the folder containing your audio file.

Select the file and click Insert.

Once the audio file is inserted, you can adjust the settings to control how the audio will play during the presentation.

You can set the audio to play automatically when the slide appears, loop continuously, or play when you click the audio icon.

You can also adjust the volume and the start and stop times, if needed.

By following these simple steps, you can easily add audio to your PowerPoint presentation from your computer’s library.

With a few clicks, you can make your presentation more engaging and interactive.

Adding Audio to PowerPoint from an Online Source

Adding audio to a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is an easy way to make your slides more engaging and interactive.

You can add audio from an online source, such as a website or streaming service, to your presentation in just a few simple steps.

First, you’ll need to open the audio source in a web browser and copy the URL of the audio file.

Once you have the URL, open your PowerPoint presentation and select the slide you want to add audio to.

Then, navigate to the Insert tab and click Audio.

In the drop-down menu, select Online Audio.

Once the Online Audio window appears, paste the URL of the audio file you copied in the first step into the URL field.

Then, click Insert.

The audio file will now be included in your presentation.

Next, you’ll need to customize the audio settings to ensure the audio plays properly during your presentation.

Under the Audio Tools Playback tab, you can choose to have the audio play automatically when the slide appears, or have it start when you click on the audio icon.

You can also adjust the volume of the audio, loop it, or even hide the icon if desired.

Once you’ve finished customizing the audio settings, you’re ready to play your presentation.

The audio will now play on the slide where you added it, providing an engaging and interactive experience for your audience.

With just a few simple steps, you can add audio from an online source to your PowerPoint presentation.

Adding Audio to PowerPoint from an Audio CD

When it comes to adding audio to a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, one of the most convenient ways to do so is by using an audio CD.

This method allows you to easily find the audio you need and add it to your presentation without having to search through your computers library or online resources.

To get started, insert the audio CD into your computers CD drive and open the PowerPoint presentation you want to add the audio to.

Once the presentation is open, click the Insert tab on the ribbon at the top of the PowerPoint window.

From there, click Audio and then select Audio CD from the dropdown menu.

The audio CD will appear in the Insert Audio window and you can browse through the available tracks to find the one you want to add to your presentation.

Once you find the track, click the Insert button and the audio will be added to the slide.

You can then edit the audio settings to ensure it plays properly during your presentation.

When youre finished, you can click the Save button to save the changes youve made to your presentation.

Adding audio from an audio CD is a great way to make your PowerPoint presentation more engaging and interactive.

With a few simple steps, you can easily add audio to your presentation and customize the settings to make sure it plays properly.

Recording Audio Directly into PowerPoint

Recording audio directly into PowerPoint is a great way to add a personal touch to your presentation.

You can record your own voice or other sound effects and add them to your slides.

To record audio directly in PowerPoint, you will need a microphone connected to your computer.

First, make sure the microphone is enabled and connected properly.

You can check this by navigating to the sound settings in your computers control panel.

Once the microphone is connected, open the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and click the Insert tab.

Select Audio and then Record Audio.

A window will pop up asking you to name the audio file.

Choose a name that will be easy to remember.

After you have named the audio file, click the Record button.

Speak into the microphone to record your audio.

You can also use the Play button to listen back to the audio and make any necessary adjustments.

When you are finished recording, click the Stop button.

The audio will be added to your presentation and can be edited and customized.

You can adjust the audio volume, set it to play automatically when the slide is opened, or loop the audio so that it continues to play until the slide is closed.

You can also trim the audio to remove any unwanted noise or pauses.

By following these simple steps, you can easily add audio to your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

Whether you record your own audio or use sound effects from a library, adding audio to your slides will make your presentation more engaging and interactive.

Customizing Audio Settings for Your Presentation

Once you have added audio to your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, you will want to make sure that it plays properly during the presentation.

To do this, you will need to customize the audio settings.

First, you will want to select the audio clip and open the Format Audio pane.

Here, you can adjust the start and end times of the audio clip as well as the volume.

This way, you can ensure that the audio will start and end at the right times and not overlap with other audio clips or disrupt the flow of your presentation.

Next, you can customize the settings for how the audio will play.

You can choose to have the audio play automatically when the slide is loaded or you can set it to play when you click on the clip.

You can also choose to have the audio loop continuously or play only once.

Finally, you can customize the fade in and fade out effects.

This will allow you to control how long the audio will take to fully play and how quickly it will fade out.

This can help create a smoother transition between slides and make the audio feel more natural.

By customizing the audio settings for your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, you can ensure that your audio plays properly and seamlessly during your presentation.

Final Thoughts

Adding audio to your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is a great way to make it more engaging and interactive.

With a few simple steps, you can add music, narration, or other sound effects to your slides.

You can get audio files from your computer’s library, from a URL, or from an audio CD.

You can also record your own audio directly into the presentation.

Finally, you can customize the audio settings to ensure it plays properly during your presentation.

Now that you know how to add audio to PowerPoint, why not give it a try and see how it transforms your next presentation?

James Wilson

James Wilson has extensive knowledge in the information technology industry.His second love, besides dealing with computers, is smart home technology. He is continually updating information to better comprehend this problem and has a deep understanding of the apartment’s support system.

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Edit Music, Sound, or Other Audio Settings in PowerPoint

You can use PowerPoint to edit music, sound, or other audio

• Brock University

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Play Music Across Slides

Set Music Playback Options Using the Animation Pane

• Play Music Over a Specific Number of Slides
• Hide the Sound Icon During a Slide Show
• Change the Volume Setting on a Slide

Use sound and narration audio files to enhance your presentation. Play audio files across several slides, play music during specified slides, or play background music along with narration. After you've added the sound files, change the volume level and hide the audio icons on the slide.

Instructions in this article apply to PowerPoint 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007; PowerPoint for Mac, and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.

Play Music Across Several PowerPoint Slides

There may be times when you want a single audio file to play during an entire slide show or from a certain slide to the end of the show. For example, you can add a voiceover on PowerPoint that will narrate your slides for you.

To play music across several PowerPoint slides until the audio ends:

Navigate to the slide where the music, sound, or another audio file will start playing.

On the ribbon , go to the Insert tab.

In the Media group, select Audio , then choose Audio on My PC .

If you don't have a pre-recorded audio file, select Record Audio to create a narration.

Navigate to the folder where the sound or music file is stored, choose the file, then select Insert .

Select the audio icon.

Go to the Audio Tools Playback tab.

In the Audio Options group, select the Play Across Slides check box.

The sound file will play across 999 slides or to the end of the music, whichever comes first.

If you want to play several selections of music (or parts of several selections) and want the music to stop after a precise number of slides have been shown, set up the audio files as animations.

To find the animation options:

Navigate to the slide which contains the sound file icon.

On the ribbon, go to the Animations tab and select Animation Pane .

In the Animation Pane , select the drop-down arrow next to the audio file.

Select Effect Options .

The Play Audio dialog box opens and displays the Effect tab.

Use the Effect tab to set when an audio file should start playing and stop playing.

Use the Timing tab to set how the sound should start and to set a delay time.

How to Play Music Over Specific Number of PowerPoint Slides

To change the number of slides that the audio file will play across:

In the Play Audio dialog box, go to the Effect tab.

In the Stop playing section, delete the entry 999 .

Enter the specific number of slides for the music to play.

Select OK to apply the setting and close the dialog box.

Go to the Slide Show tab and select From Current Slide to start the slide show at the current slide.

If you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts, select Shift+F5 .

Preview the music playback to make sure it is correct for your presentation.

Hide the Sound Icon During a PowerPoint Slide Show

A sure sign that a slide show was created by an amateur presenter , is that the sound file icon is visible on-screen during the presentation. Get on the right road to becoming a better presenter by making this quick and easy correction.

To hide the sound icon:

Select the sound file icon. The Audio Tools tab appears above the ribbon.

In the Audio Options group, select the Hide During Show check box.

The audio file icon will be visible to you, the creator of the presentation, in the editing phase. However, the audience will never see it when the show is live.

Change the Volume Setting of an Audio File on a PowerPoint Slide

There are four settings for the volume of the audio file that is inserted into a PowerPoint slide: Low, Medium, High, and Mute. By default, audio files that are added to a slide are set to play at the High level. This may not be your preference.

To change the volume of the audio file:

Select the sound icon on the slide.

In the Audio Options group, select Volume .

Choose Low , Medium , High , or Mute depending on your needs and preferences.

Select Play to test the audio volume.

If you choose a low audio volume, the audio file may play much louder than anticipated. Adjust the sound playback further by changing the sound settings on your computer, in addition to changing the audio volume in PowerPoint.

To make sure the audio plays at the right volume, test the audio on the presentation computer if this computer is different than the one you used to create the presentation. Also, preview your presentation in the location where the slide show will take place to make sure the audio sounds good with the room's acoustics.

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How to Add Audio to a Powerpoint Presentation

Adding audio to a PowerPoint presentation can make it much more engaging and memorable for your audience. Whether you want to add background music, narration, or sound effects, PowerPoint makes it easy to incorporate audio files.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about adding audio to PowerPoint, including:

• The benefits of adding audio to presentations
• What audio formats work with PowerPoint
• How to add existing audio files
• How to record narration directly in PowerPoint
• Tips for getting good audio quality
• How to adjust audio playback options

Follow along to learn how to take your PowerPoint slides to the next level with audio!

Benefits of Adding Audio to Presentations

Before we dig into the how-to, let’s look at some of the key reasons to add audio to your PowerPoint presentation:

1. Increase Engagement

Audio elements like music and narration can help capture your audience’s attention and connect them more deeply with your content. The variety keeps their interest piqued throughout the presentation.

2. Enhance Retention

Information paired with audio often has better retention because it engages more of the brain. Audiences are more likely to remember your key messages when delivered impactfully through audio.

3. Improve Accessibility

Adding narration makes your presentation contents more accessible for those with visual impairments. Closed captioning your audio further increases accessibility.

4. Add Personality

Your own voice narration allows you to deliver key messages with more personality, passion, and nuance—allowing your audience to connect with you.

Audio Formats Supported in PowerPoint

PowerPoint supports several common audio formats:

• WAV : uncompressed high-quality audio
• MP3 : common compressed audio format
• WMA : Windows Media Audio format
• MIDI : musical instrument digital interface format
• AAC : advanced audio coding compressed format

For best compatibility across devices, use MP3 or AAC formats. These compressed formats keep file sizes smaller while maintaining good audio quality.

Adding Existing Audio Files

It’s simple to add audio files you already have saved on your computer to a PowerPoint presentation. Just follow these steps:

• Open your PowerPoint presentation and select the slide where you want the audio file to play.
• On the “Insert” tab click the drop-down arrow under “Audio” and select “Audio on My PC.”
• In the dialog box, locate and select your audio file, then click “Insert.”
• The audio file will now be embedded on that slide.

By default, the audio will play automatically when viewing that slide in the slideshow. We’ll cover how to adjust playback settings later on.

Recording Narration in PowerPoint

You can also record a voice narration directly within PowerPoint. Here’s how:

• Open your presentation and select the slide where you want narration to start.
• On the “Insert” tab, click the drop-down arrow under “Audio” and select “Record Audio.”
• When prompted, choose a name for your audio file and select “Record.”
• Speak your narration into a microphone. When finished, select “Stop.”
• The narration is now saved and embedded on that slide.

Repeat this process on additional slides as needed. Slide narrations can be very impactful!

Tips for Quality Audio

Follow these tips to ensure you get great audio quality:

• Use a quality external microphone rather than your computer’s built-in mic.
• Record in a quiet space without background noise.
• Maintain a consistent volume and distance from the mic.
• Speak slowly and clearly. Pause between important points.
• Consider adding intro/outro music. Background tracks can also set the tone.
• Listen back and re-record if needed.

Spending a bit of time to record high-quality audio is worth the effort and can make a big difference!

Adjusting Playback Options

Once your audio files are inserted, you can adjust how they play:

Playback Location

On the “Playback” tab you can choose:

• Automatically : Audio plays automatically when slide appears
• When clicked on : Audio plays only when clicked by presenter

Play Across Slides

You can choose to have one audio file play continuously across multiple slides. This is useful for background music:

• Check the “Play Across Slides” box after inserting your audio file.
• On the “Playback” tab, select “Play in Background” so the audio keeps playing during slide transitions.

Use the slider on the “Playback” tab to adjust the volume of your audio clips up or down as needed.

Trimming Audio

If your audio files are too long, you can trim them:

• With the audio selected, go to the “Playback” tab.
• Click the “Trim Audio” button then adjust the green and red sliders to set new start/end points.

Trimming allows you to cut out unnecessary portions of the audio.

Present Like a Pro with Audio

Adding quality audio can truly take your simple slides and transform them into a dynamic, engaging presentation. Use the audio tools in PowerPoint to incorporate narration, music, and sound effects that complement your content and keep your audience’s attention.

With the tips in this article you now know how to add existing audio files, record narration, adjust playback, and ensure top-notch audio quality. So grab a mic and start producing presentations that impress!

About The Author

Vegaslide staff, related posts.

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• Add animation Video
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• Add and record audio Video

Add and record audio

Add and record audio, such as music, narration, or sound bites, to your PowerPoint presentation and select the playback options.

Add audio from your PC

Select Insert > Media >  Audio .

Select Audio on My PC .

In the Insert Audio dialog box, select the audio file you want to add.

Select Insert .

Record audio

Select Insert > Media > Audio .

Select Record Audio .

Type in a name for your audio file, select Record , and then speak.

Important:  Your device must have a microphone enabled in order to record audio.

To review your recording, select Stop and then select Play .

Select Record to re-record your clip, or select OK if you’re satisfied.

To move your clip, select and drag the audio icon to where you want it on the slide.

Note:  If you’re using more than one audio file per slide, it’s advisable to put the audio icon in the same spot on a slide to find it easily.

Select Play .

Change playback options

Select the audio icon and then select the Playback tab. Then select which options you'd like to use:

To trim the audio, select Trim and then use the red and green sliders to trim the audio file accordingly.

To fade in or fade out audio, change the number in the Fade Duration boxes.

To adjust volume, select Volume and select the setting you prefer.

To choose how the audio file starts, select the dropdown arrow and select an option:

In Click Sequence – Plays the audio file automatically with a click.

Automatically – Plays automatically once you advance to the slide that the audio file is on.

When Clicked On – Plays audio only when the icon is clicked on.

To choose how the audio plays in your presentation, select an option:

Play Across Slides – Plays one audio file across all slides.

Loop until Stopped – Plays an audio file on loop until it’s stopped manually by clicking the Play/Pause button.

To have the audio play continuously across all slides in the background, select Play in Background .

Delete audio

To delete audio, select the audio icon on the slide and press Delete.

Add audio to your PowerPoint presentation

Play music for the duration of your slide show

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How to record screen sound/ internal sound on power point screen recording instead of record microphone sound

I use screen recorder on powerpoint,i want screen sound and do not want the microphone sound. How to do the setting? thanks you

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• Microsoft Agent |

Thanks for reaching out.

We understand that you are trying to record your screen through a PowerPoint application including internal audio of your computer. Allow us to check on this and we’ll assist you in the best way we can.

This can be an application-related concern as this should how it works based on this article: Record your screen in PowerPoint . Could you please verify the steps in that article are the ones that you used to record your screen in PowerPoint?

If so, we can conclude that the issue is with the application itself because I also experienced the same issue when I tried to replicate it on my end. At this point, I will contact our Internal Support Team for further investigation and address the issue as soon as possible. We will let you know as soon as we reach any updates. Please standby.

Kind regards,

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Hi Genevieve Cri ,

Following are my steps to use screen recording:

1) Open Powerpoint 2016.

2) Select screen recording

3) Select the area to record

5) Stop record

After the clip create at powerpoint, no screen sound. Thanks you.

8 people found this reply helpful

Got it. Those are the steps I also did and get the same results as yours.

I’ll be forwarding this information to our Internal Support Team so that they can properly investigate the issue and so that we can get appropriate fixes to resolve this concern. I'll post back when I know more about the fix status. Please continue to standby. Thank you.

1 person found this reply helpful

We appreciate your patience on this matter.

We got an update from our Internal Support Team and confirmed that this article: Record your screen in PowerPoint that we also previously provided able to explain how to use screen recording in PowerPoint. It does specifically mention that you need three things in order to get audio work on it. Therefore, you should have a sound card, microphone, and speakers. If you don’t have a sound card on your computer, then the feature will rely on the microphone and any audio that PowerPoint picks up the sound.

An alternative would have both audio and video prerecorded separately and inserted into PowerPoint as separate media. But we understand how important it is to select audio source recording when using this PowerPoint feature. Hence, this experience should be heard by our developers via PowerPoint UserVoice . This way, we can let them know of this behavior and consider enhancing this PowerPoint feature in future updates.

Note: Our UserVoice platform may be asked to sign in to your Microsoft account and/or create a new one if needed.

For your information, Microsoft continuously strives to provide a better experience to our customers regarding our products and services. The item regularly receives Microsoft responses on the submissions, so you can see what we are doing about your request/concern. Please frequently revisit to see the status of your submission.

Should you have other concerns for this matter, you can get back to us by replying to this post or create a new thread using this link if you have a different query.

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How to Use PowerPoint Speak to Read Text Aloud

Microsoft PowerPoint has a built-in text-to-speech feature called Speak, which lets you read text out loud. Here's how to use it.

With PowerPoint presentations, it's usually you, or an audio or video clip, doing all the talking. But what if you want to give your voice a much-needed break without interrupting the presentation?

Microsoft PowerPoint has a built-in but hidden Speak feature that allows it to read out the text of your presentation slides, similar to the Read Aloud feature in its cousins—Word and Outlook.

In this article, you'll learn how to set up and use the Speak feature in Microsoft PowerPoint to read out your slides and power up your presentations, plus how to manage it.

How to Enable Speak in Microsoft PowerPoint

The Speak feature has been available in PowerPoint since PowerPoint 2010, but not many are aware of this because it's neither on the Ribbon area nor on the Quick Access Toolbar by default.

With a little tweaking, however, you can enable Speak on the Ribbon and QAT, and get PowerPoint talking just like your Google Assistant . Here's how:

• Open the PowerPoint desktop application.
• Drag the scroll bar, scroll all the way down and click on Speak . The commands are arranged alphabetically, so you can jump to “S.”
• Speak will be enabled for all documents in PowerPoint by default.
• Return to your Quick Access Toolbar , and you should see the Speak button, but it may be inactive.

Related: How to Read Text Out Loud on Android: Methods You Can Use

How to Use Speak to Read Microsoft PowerPoint Documents Aloud

Once Speak is added to your Quick Access Toolbar or Ribbon, you can start listening to your PowerPoint presentations. Here's how:

• Launch the PowerPoint desktop application and open any existing document.
• Click on Speak and it will start speaking or reading out the selected text.

You'll notice that unlike the Read Aloud feature, Speak functions basically as a play/stop button on the Quick Access Toolbar. It can also be playing in the background while you do other tasks.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About TikTok's Text-to-Speech Feature

How to Manage Speak in Microsoft PowerPoint

If you want to manage how Speak works, you'll have to go through the Windows menu. Here's how:

• Press the Windows key on your PC and click on Control Panel .
• Click on the Voice selection dropdown to select a different voice. Your options will depend on your version of Windows.
• Voice Speed is set to Normal by default. You can adjust this by dragging the slider left or right between “Slow” and “Fast.”
• Click OK when done.

Related: How to Set Up and Manage the Read Aloud Feature in Microsoft Word

Power Up Your PowerPoint Presentations With Speak

Whether you're feeling tired and exhausted or you have a speech impairment, you can power up your PowerPoint presentations with Speak and let it do the talking on your behalf. It's also available in Word, Outlook, and OneNote.

Speak is clearly not as robust or as accessible as Read Aloud, perhaps due to the fact that PowerPoint already has several other built-in audio/visual tools. However, it is good enough to do the basic tasks of helping you make an audio presentation or read another's presentation aloud.