Have you ever sat through a dull PowerPoint presentation that left you struggling to keep your eyes open? Static slides crammed with text and bullet points aren’t enough to captivate your audience.
You can turn a monotonous presentation into an engaging one by embedding videos into your slide deck. Not only do they attract attention, videos also create stronger feelings of connection between viewers and presenters.
Learn how to embed a video in PowerPoint and hold your audience’s attention during your presentation. Plus, get ideas for alternative ways to engage your audience, like using video creation tools to add visual demonstrations and explanations to your slide deck.
How to embed a video in PowerPoint
Ready to spice up your presentation? Let’s look at how to embed a video file saved to your laptop and how to embed an online video in your slides using the online version of Microsoft PowerPoint.
Embed videos from your laptop
If your video is saved to your computer, embedding it in PowerPoint only takes a few steps:
1. Open your PowerPoint presentation and click on the slide where you’d like to embed your video, then click “Insert” to open a new toolbar at the top of the window.
2. With the Insert tab open, tap the arrow beside “Video”, and then select “This Device” or “Video on My PC.”
3. A new window will open. Search your computer for the video file you want to embed, tap the file name, and then choose “Insert.”
4. You can now drag and resize your video thumbnail to position it on your slide. You can also select your video thumbnail and open the Video toolbar to use the built-in PowerPoint video trimmer and add video captions.
Embed an online video
Have PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2021, or PowerPoint 2019? Then you can embed an online video from YouTube and similar sites into a presentation slide. Here’s how to do it:
1. Find the video you want to embed and copy the video URL. On YouTube, you can do this by tapping the Share button below the video and then tapping the blue “Copy” link in the new window that pops up. You can also choose to copy the video embed code that appears when you tap the Embed option.
2. Open your PowerPoint presentation and select the slide where you want to embed the video. Then tap “Insert” to find the video embed options.
3. In the Insert toolbar, choose “Video > Online Video.” This should open a new window where you can paste the video link.
4. Paste your video link in the highlighted dialog box. PowerPoint should load a thumbnail preview of the video—if it doesn’t, double-check that you’ve copied the correct link. Tap “Insert” to embed your video.
5. You can now drag and resize your video thumbnail to position it on your slide.
Embedding a video link allows you to view and play the video from the hosting website. But keep in mind you won’t be able to apply PowerPoint playback features like fade, bookmark, and trim. You’ll also need an internet connection to play the embedded video.
How to ensure your embedded video plays during your presentation
The best way to make sure you don’t run into any hiccups during your presentation is to test out your embedded video beforehand:
1. Follow the tutorial to embed your video into your PowerPoint presentation.
2. Select the slide where your video is embedded and tap the video thumbnail to play it. This is also a good time to test controls such as pause, fast forward, and rewind.
3. Next, tap the “Present” button in the top-right corner of the PowerPoint window to open a full-screen version of your presentation and click through your slides until you get to your embedded video.
4. Depending on your video playback settings, your video should either play automatically or when you click. If it’s not set to play automatically, click to make sure it plays properly.
How to automatically play embedded PowerPoint videos
If you’re using the PowerPoint app, you can change the video playback settings so your video automatically plays or only plays when you click it.
1. Select the embedded video thumbnail on your PowerPoint slide. This should open a Video Tools toolbar at the top of the window.
2. Tap the “Playback” tab and then tap the drop-down menu next to “Start.”
3. Choose how you want PowerPoint to play your video:
In Click Sequence: This is the default setting when you’re using the PowerPoint app. It plays your video anytime you click on the slide to advance to the next step.
Automatically: This plays the video automatically. If you include animations on the same slide, this setting completes any animations you’ve set to play first and then plays your video.
When Clicked On: This is the default setting when you’re using the PowerPoint browser app. It requires you to click on the video thumbnail to play it.
Note that if you use the browser version of PowerPoint, you won’t have any playback options and your video will only play when you click on it.
Pros and cons of embedding a video link versus a file
Should you embed a link to an online video or upload your video file? Take a look at these pros and cons to decide the best approach for your situation:
Embedding a web video link
Pros:
You don’t have to worry about video or audio file compatibility.
No storage space is required to save the video on your device.
Cons:
You must have an internet connection to play the video.
You can’t use PowerPoint’s built-in video trimmer or add captions.
Embedding a video file
Pros:
You don’t need internet access to play the video.
You can further edit the video using PowerPoint’s built-in tools.
Cons:
An embedded file increases your PowerPoint presentation file size.
You need to ensure you use the right video and audio file formats.
How to troubleshoot common video embedding issues
Having trouble embedding your video or getting it to play? Here are some common PowerPoint video issues and how to solve them.
Issue: PowerPoint can’t insert a video
1. Double-check that you’ve grabbed the full link for the video you want to embed, including “https://” at the beginning of the link.
2. Check that you’re using a version of PowerPoint that supports video embedding. PowerPoint for Android, PowerPoint for iOS, and PowerPoint Mobile for Windows, as well as some PowerPoint versions for Mac, don’t let you insert videos and play them.
3. If your version of PowerPoint supports video embeds, check if there are any updates available for it, then download and install them.
Issue: My YouTube video won’t play
If your embedded YouTube video won’t play, you can try copying and pasting the embed code instead of the video link. To do this:
1. Find the YouTube video you want to embed and tap the “Share” button.
2. A new pop-up window should appear. When it does, choose “Embed” from the options.
3. Copy the entire embed code.
4. Open PowerPoint and select the “Insert” toolbar, then tap the down arrow next to “Video” and choose “Online Video.” A new window should appear.
5. Paste the embed code and select “Insert.” Click the video thumbnail to see if your video plays correctly.
Issue: PowerPoint says I need Internet Explorer to play my video link
If you’re embedding an online video link, PowerPoint requires Internet Explorer to play the video.
Wait, wasn’t Internet Explorer retired in 2021? Yes, but don’t worry, there’s a workaround. Here’s how to turn on Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge and fix your video link playback issues:
1. Open Microsoft Edge and type “edge://settings/defaultbrowser” into the address bar, then hit “Enter.”
2. Toggle on the option to “Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer.”
3. Restart Microsoft Edge and PowerPoint, then try to play your video again.
Issue: PowerPoint won’t embed my video file
If you’re trying to embed a video file from your device into PowerPoint and running into issues, the problem could be the video format. PowerPoint supports the following video file formats:
Windows
.asf and .avi
.mp4, .m4v, and .mov
.mpg and .mpeg
.wmv
Mac
.avi and .vfw
.mp4 and .mpg4 as well as .mpg, .mpeg, .mpe, .m75, and .m15
.m4v, .m2v, and .ts
.mov and .qt
.dif
While it supports a number of video formats, you’ll likely get the best performance if you use PowerPoint’s recommended format of .mp4.
Upgrade your presentation with a Loom video
Trying to embed a video in your slide deck but the site you’re using isn’t supported by PowerPoint—or the file doesn’t load correctly? Record a Loom video while you present your PowerPoint presentation instead.
Loom video presentations give you the freedom to present any content you want. As long as you can share it on your screen, Loom records it alongside your webcam and audio to create memorable explanations, pitch decks, and training videos.
In addition to being able to personalize your slideshow, your teammates can view your Loom recording at any time. Plus, time-stamped comment and emoji reaction features give them a chance to respond to your video. So go ahead, ditch the slide deck, cancel that meeting, and create a captivating presentation with Loom’s screen recorder.