There are several reasons to embed a video in PowerPoint. Richard Mayer, a psychologist that has been studying the link between learning and multimedia exposure for decades, says that “it is better to present information in words, pictures, and video.”
Moreover, Mayer’s research found an audience is more likely to recall data for a longer time and more accurately in multisensory environments. So, creating text-only slides makes it more likely that your clients, colleagues, or boss will forget what you said in just a few minutes. In contrast, mixing text with videos can raise the chances of positively influencing your team or prospects.
Whether you are using the app on your desktop or the web version, you can embed videos into your PowerPoint presentations with our three-step tutorial.
How to Embed Video in PowerPoint in 3 Steps
1. Locate the video you wish to embed
Your video’s location determines what steps you have to take to embed it in PowerPoint and whether you’ll need an internet connection to do so.
You’ll need an internet connection to embed videos from streaming sites you haven’t downloaded. PowerPoint supports videos hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, SlideShare, Stream, and Flipgrid as of 2022. If you try to embed an online video without an internet connection, PowerPoint will ask you to join a network or insert a video from your computer.
To get ready to embed these videos, copy the video’s link—it is usually in each platform’s sharing or embedding options. Once you’ve copied the link, you’re ready to add the video to your PowerPoint presentation.
You don’t need an internet connection to embed downloaded videos. But you’ll need the PowerPoint Mac or Windows desktop app, as you can only embed online videos with PowerPoint’s web version.
Unlike online videos, downloaded embedded videos can play without a connection. So, they are ideal for presenting your slides in boardrooms or in-person events where you can’t control the internet’s speed.
PowerPoint allows you to embed offline videos in an .mp4, .m4v, or .mov video file. Although the steps vary between streaming platforms, most let you download videos with these extensions in a few clicks.
For example; you can download Vimeo videos using the download button underneath the video player. YouTube doesn’t allow you to download videos. However, you can use third-party video downloading tools like VLC player to insert downloaded YouTube videos into your PowerPoint presentation.
2. How to embed a video in PowerPoint slides
The steps to add a video to a PowerPoint slide differ based on whether you’re adding an online or downloaded video and the PowerPoint software you are using.
If you want to embed videos from streaming platforms like YouTube and Vimeo using PowerPoint:
- Click the Insert tab.
- Select Video and then Online Videos.
- Copy and paste the video’s URL into the search box.
- Click Insert.
If you’re embedding downloaded videos, follow the next three steps:
- Click the Insert tab.
- Select “This Device” from the Video option. This tab also gives you the chance to insert stock videos from Microsoft’s gallery.
- Navigate to the folder that has your video.
- Insert the video.
A simpler alternative to these steps is to drag and drop the video file into the slide where you want it to play.
3. Check that your PowerPoint presentation plays as planned
Embedding a video into your presentations doesn’t mean it’ll play when you present it. The screen you will use to show the slides and your internet connection dictate if your audience can see your video.
You can follow three tips to guarantee you can play your videos and keep the viewer’s attention.
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Create a PowerPoint Show before emailing it to others
A PowerPoint Show (.ppsx) is an uneditable version of your presentation that opens as a slideshow. It prevents viewers from changing data, preserving your slide’s message.
You can turn your presentation into a PowerPoint Show using the desktop version of PowerPoint:
- Click on File.
- Select Save As.
- Write a name for your file.
- Choose “PowerPoint Show” from the drop-down menu below the name box.
You can now email the file or upload it to a cloud service like Google Drive.
Confirm that you have a stable internet connection
A stable internet connection ensures that you can play embedded online videos when you need to. If your connection is unstable, you risk losing the viewer’s attention while fixing the internet.
You can visit the area where you’ll present your slides beforehand to test if the connection is stable. You can test this by playing YouTube videos at different resolutions. If the video stops or buffers continuously, save the video on your PC or Mac to ensure you can present without an internet connection.
Play the video before your presentation to see how it looks
A video that looks flawless on your computer may look too small, bright, or pixelated on the screen on which you’ll present it. If your audience can’t see your video, it’s unlikely that you’ll achieve your presentation goals.
You can play your video on the screen where you’ll present it to verify that the slides’ content is visible. If it’s not visible, go to the size tab and pick a video size that lets viewers see the video.
It’s helpful to follow the hierarchy principle when choosing a position and size for your video. This design principle states that the most important visual elements should be the most prominent. For example; imagine that the slide where you’ll embed the video has a title, body text, and subtitle. Here, the video should be larger than everything else, as it’s the visual element that you want viewers to focus on.
You can also adjust the video’s appearance in the Video Format tab. The Corrections menu lets you make the video brighter or darker to ensure that every phrase, person, or situation featured is visible. Meanwhile, the Color tab lets you change your video’s hue, tone, and shade to accomplish a specific visual aesthetic.
Bring your presentations to life with your own animated videos.
Make your presentations dynamic using animated Vyond PowerPoint templates like these.
Vyond is an intuitive animation software that anyone without an animation background can use. You can use it to create animated charts, metaphors, and scenes and later embed them into your presentation to make it more engaging. When you’re a Vyond customer, you also have access to Vyond’s templates to create captivating slides. Ready to bring your presentations to life? Create a Vyond account.
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