How to play embedded video in powerpoint

Need help working out how to add a video to your PowerPoint slide? Microsoft lets you add video to PowerPoint from your device, or you can embed online videos to PowerPoint from platforms including Youtube, Vimeo and more.

This post provides a step by step process of how to insert a video into PowerPoint presentations, either from your device or an online source. Troubleshooting steps for video sound not working in PowerPoint and videos not playing in PowerPoint are also included below.

How To insert a Video into PowerPoint from your computer?

You can choose to embed video in PowerPoint from your local device (eg your laptop). From PowerPoint 2016 onwards, Microsoft recommends the use of .mp4 files that are encoded with H.264 video (these are also known as MPEG-4 AVC) and AAC audio.  However Microsoft also supports several other formats for use in PowerPoint, including:

• Windows Media Video file: .wmv
• Windows Video file (noting that some .avi files may need additional codecs): .asf or .avi
• MP4 Video file (for PowerPoint 2013 onwards): .mp4, .m4v, .mov
• Movie file: .mpg

Irrespective of the format you are using, the first steps are as follows:

Step 1: First of all, open a PowerPoint slide in which you want to insert the video.

Step 2: Next, go to Insert Menu.  If you are inserting a video to PowerPoint from your laptop, choose the "Insert Video from > This device" option under the Video button. 

Step 3: You will see a dialogue box through which you can browse to select the video file you want to add to your presentation.

Alternatively, you can click on the add video icon which should display within the textbox on your slide (refer to the screenshot example below).

Setting and Formatting Options After Video Insertion

There are a variety of playback and formatting options that PowerPoint offers once you have embedded the video. To access video playback and formatting options in PowerPoint, simply select the video embedded on your slide. The Video Format and Playback tabs will appear on the PowerPoint ribbon.  These tabs provide access to Video playback and formatting features in PowerPoint. Features include:

• Playback: Using PowerPoint’s playback option for videos, you can decide whether your video starts automatically during the presentation, or you prefer to manually start the video. Other options include rewind, loop, full screen, fade in and out.
• Video Format: PowerPoint video format options let you alter the format of the video frame shape.  You can also add effects and change the borders and colors.

How To Embed YouTube Video in PowerPoint?

It has become so common to add videos from YouTube to PowerPoint presentations that Microsoft has a specialized feature for this purpose in PowerPoint.  You can embed online videos in PowerPoint using the insert online video option. This feature also lets you embed a Vimeo Video to PowerPoint, as well as from Slideshare, Stream and Flipgrid platforms (at time of writing).

Following is a step-by-step guide on how to add a YouTube video in PowerPoint (or from any of the other accepted platforms).

Step 1: Find your YouTube Video in a separate browser and copy the video URL. 

Step 2: Open your PowerPoint presentation and select the slide you intend to add the YouTube video to. Click on the Insert menu from the PowerPoint Ribbon.

Step 2:  From the Insert menu, you will see a Video icon. Click the Video icon and a drop-down menu will appear. Choose the Online Video option from the menu.

Step 3: A dialog box will appear asking for the video URL you want to insert. Paste the URL you copied at step 1 into the box. Next, click on the Insert option.

Step 4: PowerPoint will embed the YouTube video into your chosen slide. Now you can resize, move, and can add animation effects using the Video Format tab.

Step 5: If you want to preview your video in PowerPoint, click the play arrow on the video thumbnail.

Troubleshooting How To Play a Video in PowerPoint with Sound?

Sound not working for a video in PowerPoint? When you insert a video on your PowerPoint slide, it should automatically play with audio. Sometimes it might not happen automatically. There can be several reasons behind this. Here’re the most common causes and solutions if there is no sound in your video in PowerPoint.

Note that you can also follow this troubleshooting guide to mute a video in PowerPoint if you prefer to play it without sound.

Problem # 1: You have added an unsupported audio or video format to your presentation

Solution: Make sure PowerPoint supports the embedded video format.

Local formats include: Windows Media Video (.wmv ), .swf Adobe Flash, .mpg or .mpeg (Movie), .mp4, .m4v, .mov (MP4 Video), .avi and .asf (Windows Video).

Problem # 2: You have mistakenly turned off the volume

Solution: Sometimes it’s just human error!  Remember to check that the sound has been turned on for your computer and for your presentation.  To check the sound has been enabled for your video embedded in PowerPoint, follow these steps:

• For videos embedded from your local drive:
  • Open your PowerPoint presentation
  • Navigate to the slide with the video
  • Press the play button so the video starts playing, and at the right hand side under the video you will see a speaker icon
  • Click the speaker icon to ensure it has not been set to mute
  • Refer to the screenshot below to see the sound control at the bottom right of the video in PowerPoint

• For videos embedded from an online source this control looks slightly different.  For example, to turn on sound for a Youtube video in PowerPoint:
  • Open your PowerPoint presentation
  • Navigate to the slide with the video
  • Press the play button so the YouTube video starts playing.  Beside the play/ pause button you will see a sound icon.   If the sound icon has a cross through it, it has been set to mute.  Simply click the speaker icon to unmute (or click it if you would like to mute the video for playback during your presentation)

PowerPoint Video Not Playing (Troubleshooting Hints/Tips)

If your PowerPoint embed YouTube video or any other formatted video is not playing, the cause is likely related to compatibility.  Following are steps to optimize compatibility:

Step 1: Open your PowerPoint app, go to File Tab and click the Info option. If there are compatibility issues in your media format with other devices, the option to Optimize Compatibility will appear.

Step 2: Select the Optimize Compatibility option and click the Confirm button. After this, PowerPoint will run the process to work on media that needs to be optimized. 

In summary and as noted above, Microsoft recommends videos in .mp4 format encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio if you’re running PowerPoint 2016 or later, and .wmv file format for earlier versions.

This how to guide for inserting videos to PowerPoint slides was bought to you by the PPT Productivity team. PPT Productivity is a timesaving add-in for PowerPoint that makes it easier to create, refine and reuse great looking PowerPoint slides. Visit our main website to check out the features and download your free 30 day trial.

Want to create polished presentations faster? With PPT Productivity, boost your team's productivity with faster formatting, easier editing, collaboration tools and more! If you're not yet using PPT Productivity, download our free 30 day trial today. We offer free one-on-one training and flexible licensing to suit individuals, teams or enterprise.

Why won't my embedded video play in PowerPoint?

How do I open embedded files in PowerPoint presentation mode?

Why won't my mp4 video play in PowerPoint?

How do you play a video with sound on PowerPoint?