how to save powerpoint presentation in video format

Turn your presentation into a video

When you make a recording of a presentation, all its elements (narration, animation, pointer movements, timings, and so on) are saved in the presentation itself. In essence, the presentation becomes a video that your audience can watch in PowerPoint.

So you have two options for turning your presentation into a video that's ready to view:

Save/export your presentation to a video file format (.mp4 or .wmv).

Save your presentation as a PowerPoint Show (.ppsx) file. (A PowerPoint Show appears full-screen in Slide Show, ready to view immediately.)

Save as a video file

After you've created your slides and recorded any timing and narrations and laser pointer gestures that you want to include, you're ready to create a video file.

On the File menu, select Save to ensure all your recent work has been saved in PowerPoint presentation format (.pptx).

Select  File > Export > Create a Video . (Or, on the Recording tab of the ribbon, select  Export to Video .)

In the first drop-down box under the Create a Video heading, select the video quality you want, which pertains to the resolution of the finished video. The higher the video quality, the larger the file size. (You may want to test them to determine which one meets your needs.)

* The Ultra HD (4K) option is only available if you're using Windows 10 or later.

The second drop-down box under the Create a Video heading tells whether your presentation includes narration and timings. (You may switch this setting if you like.)

If you haven't recorded timed narration, by default the value is Don't Use Recorded Timings and Narrations .

The default time spent on each slide is 5 seconds. You can change that timing in the Seconds to spend on each slide box. To the right of the box, select the up arrow to increase the duration, or select the down arrow to decrease the duration.

If you have recorded a timed narration, by default the value is Use Recorded Timings and Narrations .

Select  Create Video .

In the File name box, enter a file name for the video, browse for the folder that will contain this file, and then select  Save .

In the Save as type box, choose either MPEG-4 Video or Windows Media Video .

You can track the progress of the video creation by looking at the status bar at the bottom of your screen. The video creation process can take up to several hours depending on the length of the video and the complexity of the presentation.

Tip:    For a long video, you can set it up to be created overnight. That way, it’ll be ready for you the following morning.

To play your newly-created video, go to the designated folder location, and then double-click the file.

Save as a PowerPoint Show

When someone opens a PowerPoint Show file, it appears full-screen in Slide Show, rather than in edit mode. The viewer begins watching the presentation immediately.

On the File menu, select Save As .

Choose the folder location where you want to store your PowerPoint Show file.

In the Save as type box, choose PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx) .

Select Save .

Why turn your presentation into a video?

When you want to give a high-fidelity version of your presentation to colleagues or customers (either as an e-mail attachment, published to the web, on a CD or DVD), save it and let it play as a video.

You can save your presentation as either an MPEG-4 video file (.mp4) or a .wmv file. Both formats are widely supported and can be streamed over the internet.

Some tips to remember when recording your presentation as a video:

You can record and time voice narration and laser pointer movements in your video.

You can control the size of the multimedia file and the quality of your video.

You can include animations and transitions in your movie.

Viewers do not need to have PowerPoint installed on their computers to watch it.

If your presentation contains an embedded video, the video will play correctly without your needing to control it.

Depending on the content of your presentation, creating a video may take some time. Lengthy presentations and presentations with animations, transitions, and media content will likely take longer to create. Fortunately, you can continue to use PowerPoint while the video is being created

What parts of a presentation won't be included in a video?

The following items won't be included in a video that you create using PowerPoint:

Media inserted in previous versions of PowerPoint. To include these, you can convert or upgrade the media object.

For example, if you inserted the media using PowerPoint 2007, it will be linked and it will play in the presentation.  However, when you export the file as a video, the linked media will be dropped.  You can convert the file to the new file format (select the File tab, and under Info , select  Convert ), or you can right-click the media object and then select it to upgrade; it will embed the file and export it correctly.

QuickTime media (unless you have a third-party QuickTime codec named ffdShow installed and you have optimized for compatibility)

OLE/ActiveX controls

What to do with your video after creating it

After you create a video, you can share it with others by using the following methods:

Email your presentation to others

Save to a file share or other location

Upload it to your organization's Microsoft Stream video-sharing site , as described in the next section, "Save to a video-sharing site."

Save to the Microsoft video-sharing site

After you've created the video file, you can upload it to a video-sharing site. Microsoft Stream is an enterprise video service where people in an organization can upload, view, and share videos. Microsoft 365 business or education subscribers have access to this service from within PowerPoint for Microsoft 365. 

Select File > Export , and then select Publish to Microsoft Stream .

Type a title and a description for the video.

Set other options, including whether you want others in your organization to have permission to see the video:

Select the Publish button.

The upload process can take several minutes, depending on the length of the video. A status bar at the bottom of the PowerPoint window tracks the progress, and PowerPoint shows a message when the upload is finished:

Select the message to go directly to the video playback page on Microsoft Stream.

For more information about this service, begin reading with What is Microsoft Stream? It includes information about Office 365 Video vs. Microsoft Stream.

1 The Ultra HD (4K) option is only available if you're using Windows 10 or later. 2 In PowerPoint 2016, the Ultra HD (4K) option isn't available in the Volume License edition.

When someone opens a PowerPoint Show file, it appears full-screen in Slide Show, rather than in edit mode. The viewer begins watching the presentation immediately.

Burn your presentation to a disc

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How To Turn a Powerpoint Presentation Into a Video

The quick and easy was as well as expert tweaks

Powerpoint is a popular tool used to present and showcase a product or message. It comes with many layouts, themes, and tools to help you build professional presentations. What if you spend a lot of time creating a visually appealing and well laid-out presentation and you want to share it with someone who doesn’t have Microsoft Office?

The short answer is you can’t. However, if you turn it into a video it can be easily viewed by most people with an Internet connection. Another benefit of turning Powerpoint into a video is it is a great way to repurpose your content into another format. Video is quickly becoming a huge part of businesses’ digital marketing strategy.

Even though Powerpoint is not marketed as a video tool, and there are many video tools, apps, and platforms available, you might be thinking why should you use Powerpoint? 

A few good reasons are:

• As mentioned above, you can’t share your presentation with someone who doesn’t have Powerpoint installed on their computer.
• You have already spent a lot of time creating a fully automated Powerpoint presentation and don’t want to start from scratch with a video.
• Video creation is not in your arsenal of skills, and you don’t want to learn how to use a new tool.

The Quick & Easy Way

If your presentation is complete with automatic timings, transitions and animations, you might be shocked to learn how easy it is to convert it into a video.

• Open your Powerpoint presentation. 
• Click on File , select Save As , and from the drop-down menu, choose MPEG-4 Video (*.mp4). (available in Powerpoint 2010 and above).

Too easy? It actually is. But keep in mind this only works for presentations that are already completely set up and ready to show to viewers.

Use The Export Option

• Another way to convert to a video file is to click on File , choose Export , and click on Create a Video .

• There are a few options for you to select that will affect how your final video turns out. Start by selecting quality.

The choice you make will affect the clarity, resolution, and video file size. The higher the quality, the larger the file.

I generally use Full HD (1080p), but if you have a slow Internet upload speed or the file size is an issue, HD (720p) will also produce a high-res HD video.

Choose The Timings

The next option controls how long each slide stays on the screen or the timings of your video.  

• If you choose Don’t Use Recorded Timings and Narrations , each slide will be shown for the same amount of time. When you use this option, you can select the number of seconds you want each side to stay before moving onto the next one.

• Now let’s click Create Video and save your file to your computer.

• Find the location where you saved your video and play it. It will open in your default video player or app. The slides will play for the length of time you set above.
• You may wish to do this to allow viewers to read slides with longer text. This can be accomplished by choosing a different timing setting. Select Record Timings and Narrations.

• This option enables you to customize how long each slide lasts on the video and gives you the option to record a voiceover. If you want to record a voiceover, you have several options. To change your microphone, look under settings .

• You can also include a box of yourself recording the video by selecting the Camera option from the settings shown above.
• To start your voiceover, click on the red Record button. Powerpoint will give you a few seconds to get ready while it counts down 3, 2, 1.

• While you are recording your voice, your Powerpoint is also recording the timings. The amount of time you spend on each slide before moving to the next will set the timing.
• To move to the next slide, use the arrow keys. When you get to the end, “X” out of the recording screen. You will then be taken back to the settings page with the timings you recorded.
• Click on Create Video and save it to your computer. Each slide in your video will now last as long as it took you to talk about it when recording.  

How To Set Up Powerpoint Presentations With Transitions, Animations & Timings

If you would prefer to set the animations, timings, and transitions before creating the video, below are a few examples of how to do so. This way, you can use the quick and easy way to convert it into a video described above.

What Are Transitions?

Have you ever seen a Powerpoint presentation that does something flashy or catches your eye between slides? Those special effects are called transitions.

There are three categories of transitions you can choose to use in your presentation. They are:

• Subtle : Basic and simple movement from one slide to another.
• Exciting: More elaborate and more interesting than subtle.
• Dynamic: When used between two slides that are similar in layout, this transition will only move the placeholders, not the slides.

When applied in moderation, transitions can add a professional and visually appealing effect to your presentation.

If you use too many transitions, the results can be confusing, erratic, and distracting.

Apply a Transition

• Select the slide from the Slide Navigation panel where you want to apply the transition. This slide will appear after the transition you choose.
• Click on Transitions from the top navigation. Note that the default is None . Click on More or the down arrow to see all the available options.

When you click a transition, you will automatically see a preview of what it will look like if selected. You can either use the transition for a single slide or click Apply to All to use the same transition for all the slides in your presentation.

Customize The Direction Of The Transition

Each transition has different effect options. 

• To choose the one you want to use, click on Effect Options , select one, and watch Powerpoint automatically show you a preview of your selection.

Change The Duration Of a Transition

• Choose the slide you want to change the time for and look for the Duration field. In this example, the side is set to 01.00 .

• Let’s increase the time to .025 to make the transition a little slower. You can choose to set the duration for the selected slide only.
• Click Apply to All to use the same transition duration for all the slides.

Add Sound To The Transition

• Click on the dropdown menu next to Sound from the top bar navigation. Choose a sound, then preview it.

• To preview the sounds, from the top bar navigation click Slide Show and then From Current Slide .

How To Move To The Next Slide

If you are doing a live presentation in front of an audience, you usually would press the spacebar or click your mouse to advance to the next slide.

However, as we are converting the presentation to a video, you want to use the Advance Slides setting to automate the process.

• Now you want to remove (deselect) the checkmark next to On Mouse Click . In the After field, enter the amount of time you want the slide to be displayed before moving onto the next one. In the example above, the slide will last 00:03.36 .

Custom Animations

Animations in Powerpoint add motion to different elements in your presentation. The purpose is to draw attention to the key points, such as specific text, shapes, tables, images, and other objects.

Using animations in Powerpoint videos makes it more engaging and exciting to watch. Some of the types of motion you can add to your slides are:

• Changing the color or size of an image or text.
• Causing an image to appear or disappear.
• Moving an object around your slide.

Add An Animation

• Start by selecting an object to animate, click on Animations , and choose an option. If you don’t see the Animation Pane , click on it to open it.

• Now click on Effect Options and choose one. Different animations have different options.

To start an animation, click on the drop-down menu next to Start and choose from one of the options below:

• On Click will start the animation when you click a slide.
• With Previous will start the animation at the same time as the previous animation on the previous slide.
• After Previous will play it immediately after the previous animation completes.

Click on Duration to set how long you want the animation to last. If you want to add a delay before an animation starts, use the Delay option.

To add more effects, click on Add Animation and choose the one you want to use. If you want to change the order an animation appears on the slide, click on the animation marker.

• Choose Move Earlier or Move Later to change the order the animation appears in the sequence.

Add An Animation To a Group

• Press control on your keyboard and select the objects you want to include in the group. 
• Next click on Shape Format , then Group , and Group again.

• Then select Animations and choose the one you want to use.

Animate Text

• Highlight the text where you want to add an animation. 
• Click Add Animation and choose an option. You will see it in the Animation Panel on the right side.

• The next step is to click the drop-down menu next to the animation you just added. This is another place where you can decide when you want it to start. Choose from Start On Click , Start With Previous , or Start After Previous .
• Click the drop-down again next to the text animation, and this time select Effect Options.

Here is where you will set the direction, timing, and other specific animation options. 

There are a lot of special effects you can add to Powerpoint. With practice, you will be able to create an engaging presentation using automatic animations and transition timings.

Once you are finished completing the above steps, you can use the simple way described at the beginning of this content to turn a Powerpoint presentation into a video. In just a few minutes, you will have a compelling, engaging, and visually appealing video to share with others.

David has a background in small business and lives in Australia. He is a WordPress and Ubuntu Developer who enjoys design, CSS and tech tool integration. Read David's Full Bio

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How To Convert a PowerPoint Presentation to a HD Video in 3 Steps

How To Convert a PowerPoint Presentation to a HD Video in 3 Steps

There are many reasons why you may consider converting a PowerPoint presentation to a High-Definition video ; for example if you want to share a presentation online through YouTube or Vimeo, create a self-running presentation or save the slide show video to a DVD.

In this article we will guide you on how to convert a PowerPoint presentations to a High Definition video (as an MP4 video file,Windows Media Video .wmv file or QuickTime Video File .mov) using Microsoft PowerPoint.

PowerPoint lets you save presentations as videos directly from the File > Save As dialog box; however if you need to choose the output video quality while saving the presentation then it is recommended to use the File > Export > Create a Video option.

High Definition (HD) or high-quality presentation uses a higher resolution (1280×720 or 1920×1080) to save the video information. It can improve the overall experience while watching a presentation online or playing a PowerPoint slideshow in a kiosk. It would be the preferred format if you plan to upload your video presentation to YouTube or Vimeo, and have higher quality. The main drawback is that the presentation video file size will be bigger and more bandwidth may be required.

Why You Should Convert a PowerPoint to a Video Format?

Converting a PowerPoint to a video format can have several advantages. From making intuitive videos to engaging your audience to address complex topics in just a few minutes.

Create a Video Slideshow

You can use the converted video file to create a video slideshow for display at an event or edit the content of the video to generate a video presentation.

Create Presentations and Tutorials

PowerPoint enables users to export their videos with voice-over narration and animations. This can help create extensive presentations for an audience

Use Professional Editing Software to Create Engaging Videos

Adding a voice-over, additional graphics, and some footage can help create a professional-looking presentation by using a video editing application. Similar to how you use Instagram tools to convert images into a stunning video, some famous video editing apps that can help you make the most out of your converted PowerPoint file to a video format include Adobe Premiere Pro, Camtasia Studio, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, etc. If you are a Windows user, you can look into alternatives to Final Cut Pro like Lightworks, Movavi Video Editor, and Shotcut.

Create a Video Instead of Using PowerPoint

You can convert PowerPoint to video by simply letting your slides play out, making the presentation easy to play for end users without the need to have PowerPoint installed. This approach can also be helpful if you intend to present your slides using a video player instead of PowerPoint, as the latter might not be available everywhere, whereas video players often come with all types of desktop and mobile operating systems.

Upload a Video Online

Many presenters also like to upload their presentations online for an audience. A teacher might be interested in making his/her presentation available for students, or an industry expert might wish to share a concept with others in the industry by uploading a video to a YouTube channel. Either way, converting your PowerPoint to a video can help make the content easily shareable via video streaming platforms like YouTube and Vimeo. Such a video can also be shared privately via file-sharing apps like Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, etc.

How To Convert PowerPoint to Video (Windows)

Step 1 – go to file > export.

The first step to save a PowerPoint presentation as a HD video go to File -> Export and then click Create a Video button.

Step 2 – Choose Video Resolution

Now, select a resolution to export your video. Other than the Standard (825×480) resolution, the high-definition resolution options include HD (Medium 1280×720), Full HD (Large 1920×1080), or Ultra HD 4K (Largest file size 1920×1080). If you are using an older version of PowerPoint, you might have limited options to select between HD resolutions, since versions older than PowerPoint 2013 only supported HD videos (1280×720).

Optional Step: Save Narrations, Laser Pointer Gestures & Recorded Timings in the Video Exported from PowerPoint

Aside from saving the PowerPoint presentation as an HD video, you can also save a video file that incorporates all the recorded timings during a rehearsal, narrations, and even laser pointer gestures.

In case you have recorded narrations for your slides, you can use them or select Record a Video option to instantly start narrating your slides. The Preview Timings and Narrations option in the same drop-down menu does what it says, it enables you to check and ensure that your narrations are correctly timed with your slides, so you can make necessary edits before finalizing your video.

Optional Step: Select Slide Duration

Choose the default time spent on each slide (in seconds) and whether to save the narrations, timings, and gestures. By default, 5.00 seconds are spent on each slide unless you have a different timing recorded for the presentation slideshow.

Step 3 – Select Video Format and Create a Video Presentation

Click Create Video button and choose the destination folder and output file name. For end users wondering how to convert ppt to MP4, this is the step where you can select MP4 as your output format. PowerPoint supports saving slide decks to MP4 or WMV video formats. Once you confirm, wait a few seconds in order for the file is being saved on your hard disk. Presentations with a lot of slides may require a longer wait time.

Something good about saving presentations as a video file is that all animations, transitions, and media are preserved.

How to Convert PowerPoint to Video (Mac)

How to Convert PPT to Video in Mac? If you’re wondering how to make a PowerPoint into a video on Mac, the steps are quite similar to how you would export PowerPoint to video on a PC, with a few minor differences.

To convert PowerPoint to video on Mac, go to File -> Export.

Step 2 – Choose Video Format

If you have been wondering how to save PowerPoint as MP4 on Mac, this is the step where you can pick a video file format to save your presentation as a video, including MP4 and MOV.

The difference between the PC and Mac during this step is the difference in the availability of video conversion options. The PC version, along with MP4, allows saving a video in the Windows Media Video (WMV) format, unlike Mac, which offers QuickTime video format (MOV) instead.

Step 3 – Select Video Resolution and Create Video

The new version of PowerPoint for Mac allows saving a presentation in HD (Medium 1280×720), Full HD (1920×1080), or Ultra HD 4K (1920×1080) format. The higher the resolution, the higher the file format, so make sure you have enough disk space to save a very heavy file, especially if you opt for Ultra HD 4K resolution.

Save Narrations, Laser Pointer Gestures & Recorded Timings (Optional)

To save narrations, recorded timings, and laser point gestures, select the Use Recorded Timings and Narrations option.

Select Slide Duration (Optional)

To precisely time how long each slide is presented in the video, select the time duration. The default duration is 5.00 seconds, unless you have specified time for each slide separately in the presentation.

Select Export to create your video. Depending on the resolution you have selected, it might take several minutes before the video is converted. Higher resolutions take more time to conversion.

Saving videos from PowerPoint can help you at the time you need to share a presentation slideshow online (for example, uploading it via YouTube or Vimeo, or any other online video platform ), but you can also use this technique to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for a kiosk, make interactive PowerPoint presentations or create a self-running presentation. PowerPoint presentations saved as videos can also be easily run from mobile devices without the need for PowerPoint to be installed on the device. If you wish to save your PowerPoint to video in a format easily accessible, you can opt for PowerPoint save as MP4 instead of using WMV or MOV file formats that are not supported by all types of video players.

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mp4, Presentation Ideas, Presentation Videos, Video, Windows Media Video, wmv Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials

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6 Responses to “How To Convert a PowerPoint Presentation to a HD Video in 3 Steps”

Can’t believe no one has commended you for this helpful tutorial! We want to mount several TVs in the lobby and exam rooms of our veterinary hospital to run informational presentations for our clients about pet care, our services, and helpful products. Recording a PowerPoint as a video and then putting it on a USB thumb drive to connect to the TV seems like it will be an effective, inexpensive way to get that accomplished. Thank you so much!

I second the above comment. Thank You

how to present a power point presentation on a smart tv..and having it loop over to continuous display..keep running.

This was very helpful. I had no clue that this could be done. I dedicated a PC to running the Power Point presentation for our lobby. Having it run on the TV via USB will free up that resource for us.

I haven’t dug into it yet, but is there a way to make it loop?

I keep getting this audio data not supported. Is there anyway to remove this?

Send us your issue to [email protected] we might be able to help you.

Leave a Reply

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How to Convert PowerPoint to Video

Let your presentation speak for itself

What to Know

• Windows: Select File > Export > Create a Video . Choose video quality, timings/narrations, seconds per slide > Create Video . Select file type.
• Mac: Select File > Export . Choose file format, video quality, timings/narrations, and seconds per slide, then choose Export .

PowerPoint decks are great tools for showcasing and presenting a message, product, or data visualization, as viewers are more likely to digest content when it's in video format. Here's how to turn a PowerPoint into a video using PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, PowerPoint 2010, and PowerPoint for Mac.

How to Save PowerPoint as Video on Windows

After you create a presentation, convert your slides into attention-grabbing videos. The steps below show how to turn a PowerPoint file into a video. The result is a file that incorporates animation, narration, and other custom content included in the original PPT or PPTX file.

Follow these instructions to make a video from a PPT or PPTX file in PowerPoint on Windows operating systems:

Launch PowerPoint and open the presentation file you want to turn into a video. If that file is open, ensure that the latest version is saved by selecting File > Save or by selecting Save on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Select File > Export .

If you use PowerPoint 2010, select Save & Send .

Select Create a Video .

Choose the video quality you want to use for your video slideshow. A high-quality screen resolution results in a larger file size. A low-quality output results in a smaller file.

Specify whether or not to include recorded timings and narrations in the video. If the presentation contains timings or narrations, select Record Timings and Narrations . These narrations can include a thumbnail image of yourself, recorded on your webcam.

To specify the amount of time that each slide displays, enter the time in the Seconds spent on each slide text box.

After you make your choices, select Create Video .

In the Save As dialog box, choose a location to save your new video file and enter a filename.

Select the Save as type drop-down arrow and choose either MPEG-4 Video ( MP4 ) or Windows Media Video ( WMV ). Select Save to start the video creation process.

The progress of your video creation displays in the status bar. This may take a few minutes or up to several hours to complete, depending on the size and complexity of the video being created.

How to Save PowerPoint as Video on macOS

Follow these instructions to make a video from a PPT or PPTX file in PowerPoint for macOS.

This feature is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers who have the latest desktop version of PowerPoint.

Launch PowerPoint and open the presentation file that you want to turn into a video. If that file is open, ensure that the latest version is saved by selecting File > Save or by selecting Save from the Quick Access Toolbar.

A pop-out window appears that contains multiple options. In the File Format drop-down menu, select either MP4 or MOV .

Choose a video quality option. Those with the highest quality and screen resolutions (for example, Presentation Quality ) result in larger file sizes. A low-quality output creates a smaller file. This quality selection also dictates the video's width and height, shown below the Quality menu.

Choose whether or not to include recorded timings and narrations in the video. If available, select the Use Recorded Timings and Narrations check box to enable this content in your video.

To increase or decrease the timing for the slides, select the up or down arrow next to Seconds spent on each slide without a set timing . By default, a PowerPoint video spends five seconds on a slide before transitioning to the next slide.

Select Export .

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How to Convert PowerPoint to Video (Step-by-Step)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Shortcuts & Hacks
• October 22, 2019

In this article you’ll learn how to convert PowerPoint to video, and the different options you have.

While most people know how to use PowerPoint to present their products and services live, few people know how to turn a PowerPoint into a video that runs on its own.

And while that might sound complicated, it’s in fact pretty easy, as you will see below.

There are two different ways to turn your PowerPoint presentations into video, the first of which gives you the most options, as discussed below.

But before you start the conversion process, here are some thoughts about why you should consider doing it in the first place.

Why Convert PowerPoint to Video?

It keeps your presentation the way it was intended.

Exporting your presentation as a video keeps all elements safely locked in place. That way you can email it to your colleagues or clients without worrying that something will shift, or that timings be messed up.

Video is more accessible and shareable

While most people have PowerPoint on their computer, we shouldn’t assume that they do. Convert your PowerPoint to video and the receiver can open it even if they don’t have a Microsoft subscription. They will have to have a media player though!

It’s also easier to view videos on a mobile device, so busy clients can check out your presentation while on the move.

Furthermore, it’s also easier to share videos on multiple platforms. They can be posted to YouTube, on your company blog, and on social media and video sharing networks.

People love videos!

With more than 75 million people watching online videos every day across the United States alone, you know you’re onto a good thing. According to marketing gurus, just mentioning the word ‘video’ in the subject line of an email increases the click-through rate by 19%. 

We human beings naturally love a good story because it conveys a message on an emotional level; and videos are very effective for storytelling, especially in contrast to written text or even images.

Since people’s decision-making process is often based on emotions, turning your presentation into a video can be very convincing.

What is an MP4?

MP4 is short for MPEG-4 Video, and is a universal video format that plays on any device.

When converting PowerPoint to video, you can choose between the  MPEG-4   Video  ​ ​​ file format (MP4) or the  Windows Media Video  file format (WMV), as discussed below.

The two main advantages of MP4 for your videos are:

• It’s a pre-compressed and compact file type format (so it’s small)
• It plays on just about any device

When converting PowerPoint to video, I highly recommend using the MP4 format unless you have a specific reason not to.

To learn more of the advantages of the MP4 format, see this Quora thread  here .

Option #1. Convert PowerPoint to video

To convert your PowerPoint presentation into a video, simply:

• Click the  File  tab
• Select  Export
• ​​ Select  Create Video ​​
• Choose your  Video Quality  ​ and  Recorded Timings and Narrations  (see details below)
• Click  Create Video

Choose where to save the video on your computer and click  Save .

As a result, your PowerPoint presentation is converted into video, based on the  Recorded Timings and Narrations  you selected, or the preset seconds per slide you set (all discussed below).

You can even add music and loop it throughout your video if you want to. To learn how to add music to PowerPoint,  read our guide here .

Video quality

Video quality determines not only the quality of your video output, but also how large the video file will be, as you can see in the image below.

For most situations, the  Full HD (1080p)  is a great choice.

That said, if you are showing your video on a large overhead projector and size isn’t an issue, you can improve the quality of your video by using the  Ultra HD (4K)  format.

Below you can see the different video quality options you have in the  Create a Video  dialog box.

If file size is an issue or you are just showing your video on a smaller laptop screen, you can save a lot of space with the  HD (720p)  or  HD (480p)  formats.

HD (720p)  is supported on most websites and video platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. The  HD (480p )  option is the best option for mobile devices.

Setting recorded timings and narrations

Recorded Timings and Narrations are important when converting PowerPoint to video as they not only dictate how long your video will be, but determine when things happen in your presentation.

There are a variety of ways you can set yourRecorded Timings or Narrations (all detailed below), but in short, your options are:

• Automatically set how many seconds you want per slide
• Set your own  Rehearsal Timings  (no audio or video) by clicking through your presentation
• Narrate your PowerPoint with voice and/or video, which automatically sets the slide timings for you

If you use the  Record Slide Show  dialog box to narrate your entire presentation, you can simply use the  Save As  dialog box (discussed next) to save your PowerPoint as a video, as your narrations will take care of everything in your video.

To learn everything you need to know about narrating a PowerPoint presentation,  read our guide here .

Properly using PowerPoint animations

If you have animated sequences in your presentation and are going to use a pre-set number of seconds per slide, I recommend setting all your animations to  After Previous.

To set an animation to trigger automatically as your slide changes, simply:

• Select  your animated object
• Open the  Animations  tab
• Open the  Start  drop down
• Select  After Previous

This ensures that your animations will trigger after the previous action, whether that is an animation or advancing to the next slide.

If you leave your animations set to  On Click , they can add a delay of as much as 10 seconds to your video. This is especially if you are using the second conversion method (see the section below here on saving PowerPoint as a video).

Option #2. Save PowerPoint as Video

The fastest way to convert your PowerPoint presentations into a video format, is to use the  Save As dialog box.

This works best when you have narrated your PowerPoint presentation using the  Record Slide Show  dialog box, and just want the  Full HD (1080p)  quality for your video.

​That’s because all of your slide timings, actions and animated sequences are saved within your narration, so all PowerPoint then has to do is save itself as a video using the default settings.

If you are not narrating your presentation, then I recommend using the first method discussed above.

To save your presentation as a video from inside PowerPoint, simply:

• Hit  F12  or  Ctrl + Shift + S  to open the Save As dialog box
• Choose a location to save your video
• Change the file type to either  MPEG-4 Video  (recommended) or  Windows Media Video
• Click  Save

Depending on the size of your presentation, it might take a minute or two to save your presentation as a video, so just hang tight.

When it is finished, your PowerPoint will be saved as a video in the  Full HD (1080p)  format. If you want a different video quality, you will need to use the  Create a Video  dialog box (see the first method discussed above).

After you save your presentation as a video, you can then embed it in other presentation if you want to. To learn how to embed a video in PowerPoint,  read our guide here .

Note:  I highly recommend saving your presentation in the  MPEG-4 (MP4)  file format as it is more universally accepted than the  Windows Media Video (WMV)  file format.

How to Record and Set Timings for Your Video

When converting PowerPoint to video, the timings not only determine the length of your video, they also determine the timing in which your animated sequences are triggered.

If you have a lot of animated sequences in your presentation, I don’t recommend using a set number of seconds per slide.

That’s because you can’t control the lag between the animated sequences and your content. Instead, I recommend using the  Rehearse Timings  command.

Here are the 4 different ways you can set and adjust slide timings for your presentation, from easiest to slowest.

1. Set a default number of seconds per slide

To use a standard number of seconds per slide for your slide timings, simply:

• Navigate to the  File  tab
• Click  Export
• Select  Create Video
• Set the number of seconds

The more seconds you set per slide, the longer your video will be in total.

2. Set transition timings to advance your slides

PowerPoint transitions are another great way to not only make flipping between your slides less abrupt, but also to automatically advance your slides.

Using the  Transitions  tab, you can both set a default number of seconds for all of your slides, as well as adjust the time spent on individual slides.

For example, to set a Fade transition and slide timings of 3 seconds per slide, simply:

• Navigate to the  Transitions  tab
• Click the  Fade  transition
• Under the  Effect Options , choose  Through Black
• Deselect  On Mouse Click
• For  After , input  3 seconds  (and make sure there is a check mark ​next to  After )
• Click  Apply to All

As a result, all the slides in your presentation will now have a Fade transition and will automatically advance after 3 seconds.

You can also adjust the duration of the transitions between your slides if you want to get specific, but I think the default is usually fine.

3. Use the Rehearse Timings command

If you want to control the flow of your timings by manually clicking through your presentation, you can use the  Rehearse Timings  command.

To set your slide timings with the  Rehearse Timings  command, simply:

• Navigate to the  Slide Show  tab
• Click the  Rehearse Timings  command
• Use the  Rehearse Timings  dialog box to click through your presentation
• When you are finished, click  Yes  to save the slide timings

Here is a quick run through of the commands on the  Rehearse Timings  dialog box.

Clicking  Repeat  starts the rehearsal timing over for the current slide you are on. That means you can restart the timing without having to start the presentation over from scratch.

4. Use the Record Slide Show command

The  Record Slide Show  command is the NEWEST and best way to add audio and video narrations to your presentations.

The advantage of using this tool to narrate your PowerPoint presentation, is that all of your slide timings, animations and actions are recorded for each slide.

That means you can simply use the  Save As  dialog box to quickly convert your narrated PowerPoint into a video.

To use the  Record Slide Show  command to narrate your presentation from the beginning, simply:

• Navigate to  Slide Show  tab
• Open the  Record Slide Show  drop down
• Select  Record from Beginning

To learn how to use the  Record Slide Show  command to narrate your PowerPoint (and all the options you have), read our guide here.

Note:  If you just click the  Record Slide Show  button (instead of opening the drop down), you will begin recording your narration from your current slide.

So that’s how to turn PowerPoint into a video, either by exporting your video using the  Create a Video  command, or by saving your PowerPoint presentation as a video using the  Save As  dialog box.

If you narrate you presentation using the  Record Slide Show  command, the  Save As  dialog box is the fastest way to turn your presentation into a video.

And while PowerPoint gives you two different video file types to choose from, I recommend using the universal MP4 video file format. That’s because it ensures that your video will play on any device (computer, tablet, or phone) that people may have.

If you enjoyed this article, you can learn more about our PowerPoint training courses and other presentation resources by  visiting us here .

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Very useful tips. Many thanks!

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How-To Geek

How to add a video to a microsoft powerpoint presentation.

If a picture speaks a thousand words, a video speaks a million words!

Quick Links

Embedding videos versus linking to videos, supported video formats in powerpoint, how to insert a video into a powerpoint presentation, manage an embedded video's playback in powerpoint.

Videos can make presentations even more interesting or exciting. If you're looking to add a video to your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, it's easy to do so. We'll show you how.

In PowerPoint, you can either embed a video or link to a video from your presentation. If you embed a video, your video becomes part of the presentation, which increases the overall size of the presentation file.

Related: How to Send PowerPoint Presentations With an Embedded Video

If you link to a video, PowerPoint only adds a reference to that video in your presentation. The downside of this method is that you need to send the video file separately if you share your presentation with someone. We have written a guide on how to send PowerPoint presentations with videos , so check that out.

In this guide, we'll focus on embedding a video in your presentation so you don't have to worry about sending separate files. And, if you're looking to add a YouTube video to your presentation , there's a way to do that, too.

Related: How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

PowerPoint supports multiple video formats, including ASF, AVI, MP4, M4V, MOV, MPG, MPEG, and WMV. If your video is already in one of these formats, you can quickly add that to your presentation.

If your video is in another format, you can convert it to a supported format and then add it to your presentation.

Related: How to Use Handbrake to Convert Any Video File to Any Format

First, make sure the video you want to add to your presentation is saved on your Windows or Mac computer. Then, open your presentation with PowerPoint on your computer.

On the PowerPoint window, in the left sidebar, click the slide in which you want to add a video.

At the top of the PowerPoint window, click the "Insert" tab.

In the "Insert" tab, under the "Media" section (which is to the extreme right side of the interface), click "Video."

You'll now see an "Insert Video From" menu. Here, select "This Device."

Your computer's standard "open" window will open. In this window, access the folder that has your video file. Then double-click your video file to add it to your presentation.

You'll see your selected video in your presentation. To resize this video, click it and use the handles around the video to change its size. Then drag the video to place it at its desired location in your slide.

If you'd like to test the video, at the bottom-left corner of the video, click the play icon.

And you're all set.

Now that you have added a video to your presentation, you might want to change how it plays in your slides. In PowerPoint, you have multiple ways to change your video's playback.

To access these playback options, first, click your video in your presentation. Then, at the top of the PowerPoint window, click "Playback."

In the "Playback" tab, under the "Video Options" section, you will find various options to manage your video's playback.

For example, to change how your video starts to play in your presentation, click the "Start" drop-down menu and select one of these options:

• In Click Sequence : This plays your video in the click sequence. This means if you press the button for the next slide, your video will play.
• Automatically : This option automatically plays your video when the slide with your video opens.
• When Clicked On : Select this option to play your video only when you click it.

The other options are "Play Full Screen," which opens your video in full screen, and "Loop Until Stopped" that plays your video over and over again until you manually stop it.

Before you close PowerPoint, make sure you save your presentation so that your embedded video is saved with it. Do this by clicking File > Save in PowerPoint's menu bar.

And that's how you make your PowerPoint presentations even more engaging by including videos in them. Exciting!

If you don't want to add a video but you do want audio, you can add music to your presentations . This also helps enhance your presentation quality.

Related: How to Add Music to Your PowerPoint Presentation

How to embed a video in PowerPoint for a more engaging presentation

What type of content do you primarily create?

Making an engaging PowerPoint presentation is no easy feat.

You have to figure out what to say, and what you want your audience to grasp. Then, decide how to bring the two together to deliver a compelling presentation.

One popular way to add flair is by embedding video into the content, like what Dr. Frans de Waal did in his TED Talk on inequity aversion . To emphasize his points, he included videos of animal experiments, turning a mind-numbingly boring topic into an engaging and viral presentation—which now has over 5 million views.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to embed a video in PowerPoint so you can create exceptional presentations that grab your audience’s attention and help them remember what you said.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from your PC or Mac

First, of course, you’ll need a video, either one online or from your media library. The next step is to find a way to make it play during your PowerPoint presentation. You could do it manually by bringing up the video from another website or program while you’re speaking, but that process is clunky and you might end up facing technical challenges.

Luckily, there are simpler and easier methods of embedding videos in PowerPoint. You can link to your video file externally or embed it directly in your presentation. 

Use the tutorial below to insert videos in PowerPoint from a computer.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint in Windows

Step 1: select the powerpoint slide.

Launch Microsoft PowerPoint on a Windows computer and open a blank or existing PowerPoint file. 

Then, go to the slide you want to embed a video and select the Insert tab in the toolbar.

Step 2: Click Video > This Device

Select the Video option. Here, you can either embed a video from your computer or from an online source, like a website or YouTube and other supported platforms.

Click This Device from the drop-down menu to embed a video from a folder on your computer.  

PowerPoint supports MP4 files encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio. So, you can upload videos in file formats, such as M4V, MOV, ASF, AVI, MPG, MPEG, or WMV.

If you don't want to play a video full screen, resize it to your preferred dimensions.

For precise height-to-width proportions:

• Select Format (PowerPoint 2013 or newer) or Options (PowerPoint 2010) in the Size group
• Click the Dialog Box Launcher Icon image
• Click Size, then select the Lock aspect ratio checkbox under Scale 
• Enter your preferred height and width under Size and rotate or enter the percentage of size that you want in the Scale height and width boxes

Then, select Video Format to access formatting options like borders and effects or right-click the video for more options. You can also use the Designer tool to choose from professional slide templates. 

Then, click the Playback tab to trim your video, add captions, choose playback options, like In Click Sequence, Automatically, or When Clicked On.

Note: In PowerPoint for Microsoft Office 365 or PowerPoint 2016 version 1709 or later, you can use the In Click Sequence option. This way, your video can play in sequence with other actions you’ve programmed on the slide, like animations or transitions. 

To insert a web video, select Video > Online Videos . 

Note: PowerPoint supports YouTube, SlideShare, Vimeo, Stream, and Flip video providers.

Step 3: Click Insert

If you choose to embed an online video, copy the link to the video you want to embed and paste it in the blank field. A preview of your video will appear in the Insert video pop-up.

Click the Insert button to embed the video in your presentation. 

PowerPoint will download and insert the video on the selected slide. You can drag the edges of the video thumbnail to resize it, then use Video Format options, like shape, border, and effects to enhance the video. 

Select the Playback tab to insert captions or choose how your video plays (automatically or when clicked). 

Note: You can’t change when an online video starts. But if you’re embedding a YouTube video, you can copy the video URL at the current time to link from a specific start time. 

Click the Slide Show tab to preview the video with all the formatting changes you made. Then, save your presentation to your computer or click the Share button to move or copy it to the cloud.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint on a Mac

To embed a video in PowerPoint for Mac, you’ll need to save the video file in the same folder as your presentation.

Launch PowerPoint and open a blank or existing presentation, then select the slide you’d like to add a video to. 

Select Insert .

Step 2: Click Video > From File

Click Video to access video embed options from the drop-down menu:

• Video browser
• Video from file
• Stock videos
• Online film

Select Video from file to insert a video file from your Mac.

In the Choose a Video dialog box, select the video file you want to insert, then click the Insert button to embed the video on the slide.

If you want to put a link to the video on the slide, click Show Options in the lower left corner of the dialog box. 

Then, select the Link to file box, and click Insert .

Select the Video Format tab to add effects and choose whether your video will play automatically or when clicked.

Tip: If you’re using the 2016 version of PowerPoint (or newer), you can play back videos with multiple audio tracks. These versions also support closed captions and subtitles embedded in video files.

Select the Playback tab to do the following:

• Trim your video
• Add fade in and fade out effects
• Play the video on full screen or hide during the show
• Insert captions
• Select start time options (in click sequence, automatically, or when clicked)
• Loop the video to play repeatedly and continuously during the presentation
• Rewind your video

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube

Embedding a YouTube video to a PowerPoint presentation is simple. You can use the video URL or integrated search function to embed a video you uploaded to YouTube or someone else’s video (with permission).

To add a video to your PowerPoint presentation, you’ll copy the video embed code and paste it into the slide you want. The code will load the video at the source and play it on the platform you’re using. 

You won’t need to download and upload the video from YouTube and the video will load and play faster regardless of the file size. Plus, you can share video content that’s covered under copyright, so you’re not in danger of crossing any legal lines. 

Follow these steps to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube on a Windows PC or Mac. 

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube in Windows

Step 1: click “insert video”.

Open a PowerPoint presentation and select the slide you want to embed your video.

Click Insert > Video .

Step 2: Choose “Online video”

Select the Online Videos option.

Step 3: Insert the URL from YouTube

Right-click the video to copy the video link or embed code, or click Share to get the embed code. Then, paste the URL or embed code in the link field. 

A preview of your video will appear in the Insert video dialog box.

Click Insert to embed the video in your presentation. 

Resize the video thumbnail, then use the video formatting options to enhance it. 

Click Playback play the video automatically or when clicked or add captions. Then, preview the video with all the edits you made and save or share your presentation.

Note: YouTube’s video file formats are similar to those PowerPoint supports, so your video will likely play without issues. However, YouTube supports some formats that PowerPoint doesn’t, including FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, HEVC (h265), and CineForm. If your video isn’t playing, check to make sure it’s a supported file format.

How to embed a video in PowerPoint from YouTube on a Mac

Step 2: choose “online film”.

Select Online Film . 

A URL pop-up will appear prompting you to enter the link to the YouTube video.

Go to YouTube and copy the link or embed code of the video you want to embed in your presentation. You can right-click the video and select copy video URL or copy embed code, or click Share and copy the video link or embed code.

Paste the video link or embed code in the URL pop-up in your PowerPoint presentation, then click Insert .

Resize your video and polish your slides before saving the presentation to your computer.

How to insert a video file link in PowerPoint

Embedding a video in PowerPoint may be convenient, but it increases the size of your presentation. 

To reduce your presentation file size, insert a video file link to create a linked video. The downside with linked videos is that links can break, but you can prevent this by copying and storing your presentation and linked videos in the same folder, then linking to the video there.

Ensure you have a stable internet connection, then use the steps below to insert a video file link in PowerPoint on a PC or Mac.

Insert a video file link in PowerPoint on a PC or Mac

Step 1: take a screenshot of the video.

Find the video you want to link to in PowerPoint and take a screenshot of the clip. 

To take a screenshot in Windows, you can either use the Snipping tool, press the PrtScn (print screen) key and Windows Logo key on your keyboard. 

If you’re using a Mac computer, you can take a screenshot by pressing and holding SHIFT + COMMAND + 3 keys together (for full screenshot) or SHIFT + COMMAND + 4 keys to screenshot a specific area. 

Step 2: Insert the screenshot in your presentation

Alternatively, navigate to the slide you want to add your screenshot to, select Insert > Pictures > Picture from File . Then, find the screenshot you took, select Insert to add it to the slide, then crop, resize, and position it to your liking.

Step 3: Hyperlink the image to your video

Right-click the image and select Link . 

If your video is in Descript, copy the video link from your dashboard.

 Insert the video link in the address field then click OK .

The hyperlink will be connected to the image itself, not other elements on the slide or the entire slide.

Click Slide Show to test your video and ensure it links to the right video. When you click on the image, it will open in a web browser, ready for you to play.

Why can’t I embed a video in PowerPoint?

Embedding videos to a PowerPoint presentation is a straightforward process, but sometimes the video may fail to play. Let’s review some reasons for playback failure and how to resolve them.

Video playback issues

Video playback may fail in PowerPoint if:

• The storage folder is corrupt
• The video’s audio is out of sync
• The video file is corrupt, damaged, in an unsupported file format, or missing certain files

How to fix: Convert your video into a supported file format, check PowerPoint playback settings, or make the video visible by unchecking the Hide while not playing option in the playback tab. You can also save your presentation using the PPT or PPTX extension, so it’s easier to open the file in older or modern Office versions. 

File size and compatibility

Your video might not play if the file is too big. To resolve this issue, compress the media file by going to File > Info > Compress Media. Then, select one of these options: 

• Presentation quality/full HD: Adjusts the video size while maintaining its quality.
• Internet quality/HD: Saves on space and video quality.
• Low quality/Standard: Saves more space but doesn’t keep overall video and audio quality. This option is ideal if you want to share the presentation with others and ensure your videos will still play.  

If your video file is incompatible with PowerPoint, it may be in an unsupported file format or missing a codec. 

How to fix: Convert the video to a supported format or add a missing codec to your computer for smooth playback.

Broken links

When adding an online video, you might accidentally enter an incorrect link or the video link may be broken at the source. This means it won’t embed correctly and won’t play when you’re presenting. 

How to fix: Before inserting or embedding an online video, install the required updates for your version of PowerPoint and check that you’ve copied the right link. Then, test your video to ensure it plays on any device.

Make the best videos to embed in PowerPoint with Descript

Embedding a video in PowerPoint is a pretty simple process with several benefits for you and your audience. To prevent yawns and glazed-over eyes, you’ll need professional-quality videos that will draw your audience in, keep them engaged, and improve message recall.

Descript’s audio and video editing software lets you record, edit, and publish studio-grade videos to YouTube, then embed them in your PowerPoint presentations in a few clicks. 

Plus, Descript’s AI-powered automatic transcription generates high-quality transcripts from your video’s audio, which you can use as notes while making your presentation. You can also use Descript’s AI features to get text summaries, auto-generate copy for social media posts, and enhance your audio with Studio Sound .

Take Descript for a spin today to make quality videos that will help you deliver exceptional PowerPoint presentations.

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• Download PowerPoint video. Open video. Share video.
• How do I convert PPT to video? Upload your PowerPoint presentation, specify your preferred parameters for the conversion operation or leave the default options intact, and then click CONVERT .
• What are the advantages of converting PowerPoint to video? By converting your PowerPoint to video (MP4), you end up with a more convenient file. A video is easier to share than a PowerPoint. A video can be opened on any device or platform.
• Is Aspose PPT to Video Converter free? Yes. The PowerPoint PPT to video converter is completely free to use.
• How long does it take to convert PPT to video? The time required for the PowerPoint to video export operation is dependent on the number of slides involved.
• What is the format of the resulting PowerPoint video? MP4 is the resulting format.
• How do I save my PPT as MP4? Use the PPT to Video converter on this page.
• How can I open the video created from a PowerPoint? You can open the video in any video player. The MP4 video file can be played on any laptop (Windows, Mac, Linux) or smartphone (iPhone or Android device).
• How do I save my PowerPoint as a video? Use the PowerPoint to video converter on this page.
• How do I convert PowerPoint to MP4 for free? Use the converter on this page. It is FREE.
• Are there limits on uploaded files? For a single presentation, the maximum file size is 35 MB and the maximum number of slides is 50. If you must convert a presentation that exceeds 35 MB or contains more than 50 slides, we recommend you use Aspose PowerPoint Splitter to divide the slides into multiple presentations. You can then convert the presentations you obtained individually.

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Other supported conversions.

You can use other tools to convert PPT, PPTX and PPSX files. Please see the list below.

• PDF to video (PDF to MP4)
• Images to Video (Images to Video Converter)
• PowerPoint to YouTube video (PowerPoint Presentation)
• MP4 to MP3 (MP4 to MP3 Converter)
• MP4 to WAV (MP4 to WAV Converter)
• MP4 to WEBM (MP4 to WEBM Converter)

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How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation

Last Updated: May 26, 2022

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 51,138 times. Learn more...

A PowerPoint presentation is an excellent way of presenting information or ideas to an audience. The software is easy to use and offers a lot of cool effects for your slideshows, too. But, what's all the use of this if you don't even know how to save your finished PowerPoint? This wikiHow will teach you how to save your file.

Design your PowerPoint presentation.

• You don't have to wait until you're totally finished to save your work. It can help to save along the way, too, to ensure you don't lose any progress.

Open the File menu when you're ready to save.

Choose the Save or Save As option.

Decide where to save the presentation.

Name and save your presentation.

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How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation? [PPT & Other Formats!]

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Saving a PowerPoint presentation is one of the most important things that you need to do when you are creating a presentation using PowerPoint. Unlike some of the modern web-based presentation applications, you need to make sure that you save a PowerPoint presentation when you are using an offline version!

To save a PowerPoint presentation, click on the “File” tab. Then, from the backstage view, click on the “Save” option from the left panel. Choose the location or the folder where you want to save the presentation on your computer, and click on “Save”.

In this article, we shall not only understand how to save a standard PPT or PPTx file, but we shall also take a look at how to save a PowerPoint presentation in different file formats such as a PDF, video or an image!

So, let’s get started!

1. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation?

Once you have saved a PowerPoint presentation, you can easily save it again with just one click. Furthermore, you can also save a PowerPoint presentation in other formats. However, the process of saving a PowerPoint presentation is slightly different on Windows and on Mac.

Let’s understand the process in further detail.

1a. Saving a PowerPoint Presentation on Windows

To save a PowerPoint Presentation on Windows PC, you can follow either of the 2 simple methods.

Method-1: Using the “Save” button on Quick Access Toolbar

In the Quick Access Toolbar located at the very top of the screen, click on the “Save” icon.

The “Save” icon is located on the left side in the Quick Access Toolbar and looks like a floppy disk. Clicking on the “Save” button will immediately save the PowerPoint presentation in its current location as a “.pptx” file.

If you have opened a new presentation and you are saving it for the first time, clicking on the “Save” button will open a new explorer window. Simply navigate to the folder where you wish to save the new presentation on your computer, and click on “ Save “.

Method-2: Using the “File” tab

Another, more common method is to use the “File” tab in PowerPoint to save your PowerPoint presentation.

Here’s what you need to do –

Step 1 – Click on the “File” Tab

Another way to save a PowerPoint presentation is to use the “File” menu. You have to first click on the “File” tab located at the left corner of the menu ribbon at the top of the screen.

Step 2 – Click on the “Save” option

This will open the backstage view in PowerPoint. Now, click on the “Save” option from the sidebar on the left side of the screen. This will save the Microsoft PowerPoint as a “.pptx” file in the current location.

1b. Saving a PowerPoint Presentation on Mac

On a Mac computer, you can use the “File” menu as well to save the PowerPoint presentation.

The first step is to click on the “File” menu in the menu bar located at the top of the screen (above the PowerPoint window). This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “Save” option from the dropdown menu to save the presentation as a “.pptx” file which is the standard format for presentations.

1c. Shortcut Keys to Save a PowerPoint Presentation

Microsoft PowerPoint also allows you to save a presentation with keyboard shortcuts. All you have to do is press the “Ctrl+S” keys on your keyboard in an open PowerPoint file. This will save the PowerPoint presentation.

1d. Best Format to Save a PowerPoint Presentation?

PowerPoint allows you to save a presentation in various different file formats! For instance, you can use the .ppt format if you wish to open the presentation file using PowerPoint 2007 or earlier. You can use .ppsx to open presentation directly as a PowerPoint Show file that opens it in the presentation mode.

In fact, there are several other formats you can save a presentation in. We shall explore how to save a PowerPoint presentation in several different formats later in the article.

However, the best format to save a PowerPoint Presentation is a “.pptx” file. This type can support all the latest as well as the older features of the PowerPoint presentation.

If you will be opening the presentation using a different software other than Microsoft PowerPoint, “.odp” is the best format. For printing, make sure to save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF. That said, .pptx file format can help serve these purposes too.

2. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as PDF

Saving a PowerPoint presentation in PDF format is the suitable method for printing out your presentation. To save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file, follow the 4 easy steps.

Step-1: Click on the “File” Tab

First, click on the “ File ” tab in PowerPoint to open the back stage view of PowerPoint.

Step 2 – Click on the “Save As” option

In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the “File” tab. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option from the sidebar on the left side of the screen.

Step-3: Click on the “PDF (*.pdf)” option

In the “Save As” screen, click on the box that shows “PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)” . This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “PDF (*.pdf)” option from the dropdown menu.

Step-4: Click on the “Save” button

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button beside the box to save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file (as shown in the image in step 2).

3. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as a Video?

In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can also save a presentation as a video. This allows you to play the presentation slides as a video rather than a slide show.

3a. On Windows

To save a PowerPoint presentation as a video on a Windows PC, follow the 3 easy steps.

Step-1: Click on the “File” tab

The first step is to open the “Save As” screen. To do so, click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option.

Step-2: Choose the “.mp4” file format from the “Save As” tab

The next step is to click on the “Save As Options” box. It is the second box on the right side of the “Save As” screen. In the dropdown menu, click on either the “MPEG-4 Video (*.mp4)” option or the “Windows Media Video (*.wmv)” option.

Step-3: Click on the “Save” button

The final step is to click on the “Save” button (as indicated in step 2 above). It is located on the right side of the “Save As Options” box. This will save your PowerPoint presentation as a video.

To save a PowerPoint presentation as a video on a Mac device, follow the 3 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “Export” option

In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on the “File” option. In the “File” dropdown menu, click on the “Export” option. This will open a dialog box.

Step-2: Click on the “File Format” box

In the dialog box, click on the “File Format” box. This will open a dropdown menu. You can click on either the “MP4” option or the “MOV” option as you prefer.

Step-3: Click on the “Export” button

In the dialog box, you can also click on the “Quality” option to select the quality of the video. Once you are satisfied with the selections in the dialog box, click on the “Export” button at the bottom (as shown in the image in the previous step). This will save the presentation as a video.

4. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation to Open in Slideshow Mode?

Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to save the PowerPoint presentation as a “PowerPoint Show” file. This opens directly as a slideshow. To save a PowerPoint presentation to open in slideshow mode, follow the 2 easy steps.

In the open PowerPoint file, click on the “File” tab from the menu ribbon which is located at the top of the screen. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option.

Step-2: Click on the “PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx)” option

In the “Save As” screen, click on the “Save As Options” box which shows “PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)” . This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx)” option.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button to save the PowerPoint presentation to open as a slideshow.

5. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as an Image?

In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can save the presentation as an image in five different formats: “Animated GIF Format (*.gif)” , “JPEG File Interchange Format (*.jpeg)” , “PNG Portable Network Graphics Format (*.png)” , “TIFF Tag Image File Format (*.tif)”, and “Scalable Vector Graphics Format (*.svg)” .

To save your presentation as an image, follow the 3 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “Save As” option from the “File” tab

The first step is to click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. Then click on the “Save As” option from the “File” menu.

Step-2: Select your preferred image format

In the “Save As” screen, click on the “Save As Type” box which is the second box in the right column. From the dropdown menu, click on your preferred image format from the five available formats.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button (as shown in the image in step 2) beside the “Save As Type” box. This will save your presentation in a folder containing each slide as a separate image file.

6. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation as a Template?

A PowerPoint template is a predesigned presentation that you can edit to add your own content. To save a presentation as a template, follow the 3 easy steps.

The first step is to click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. Then click on the “Export” option from the sidebar in the “File” menu.

Step-2: Click on “Change File Type”

Now you have to click on the “Change File Type” option. Under the “Presentation File Types” group in the right column, click on the “Templates” option. Then click on the “Save As” button at the bottom of the screen.

In the “Save As” dialog box, you will see that the “Save as type” box shows the “PowerPoint Template” format. Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button.

7. How to Save PowerPoint Presentation as Google Slides?

Microsoft PowerPoint does not offer any feature to upload a presentation to Google Slides directly. However, Google Slides does offer you an option to upload your PowerPoint presentation and save it in Google Slides!

Step-1: Save Your PowerPoint Presentation

The first step is to save your PowerPoint presentation using any method described in the section 1 of this article.

Make sure that you note down the location of the folder in which you have save the PowerPoint file.

Step-2: Click on the “Open file picker” option in Google Slides

Now, the next thing you need to do is open your Google Slides account by visiting slides.google.com . If you aren’t logged in, make sure you sign in with your account credentials.

Next, you will be presented with Google Slides home screen (as shown in the image above). In Google Slides, click on the “Open file picker” icon which looks like a folder. This will open the “Open a file” dialog box.

Step-2: Click on “Upload”

In the “Open a file” dialog box, click on the “Upload” tab.

From your “File Explorer” window, drag and drop the PowerPoint presentation in the dialog box. Now the presentation will automatically open in Google Slides.

Also Read – How to “ Make a Copy of a Google Slides Presentation ” and how to “ Share a Google Slides Presentation Correctly ” with others!

You can also click on the “ Select a file from your device ” button (blue button in the center of the screen). This will open the file explorer window. Navigate to the folder in which you have saved your PowerPoint presentation, and click on “OK”. This will open and save the presentation file in Google Slides.

8. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation to a Flash Drive?

To save a PowerPoint presentation on a flash drive or any external device, follow the 3 simple steps.

In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the “File” tab. In the “File” menu, click on the “Save As” option.

Step-2: Click on “Browse”

In the “Save As” screen, click on the “Browse” option which is the last option in the left column. This will open the “Save As” dialog box. In the sidebar on the left of the dialog box, click on the external disc.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Save” button at the bottom of the dialog box to save the PowerPoint presentation on the flash drive (as shown in the image in step 2).

9. How to Save a Copy of a PowerPoint Presentation?

The “Save A Copy” feature of Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to save changes in your presentation in a copied file without changing the original file.

Check out my article to learn detailed steps on how to save a copy of a PowerPoint presentation .

10. How to Save a Read-Only PowerPoint Presentation?

The “Read-Only” feature of Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to protect your PowerPoint presentation .

Using this feature, you can share your presentation with others without giving them the access to change your presentation. To save a read-only PowerPoint presentation, follow the steps mentioned below –

The first step is to click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. From the sidebar in the “File” menu, click on the “Info” option.

Step-2: Click on the “Protect Presentation” button

The next step is to click on the “Protect Presentation” option in the “Info” screen. This will open a dropdown menu. Click on the “Always Open Read-Only” option from the dropdown menu.

Step-3: Click on the “Save” option

Now all you have to do is save the presentation. To do so, click on the “Save” option in the sidebar right under the “Info” option. Alternatively, you can press the “Ctrl+S” keys on your keyboard.

If you have received a presentation that opens only in the read-only mode, but you don’t know how to work with it, check out my other article on “ How to Edit a Presentation in Read-Only Mode “.

11. How to Save a PowerPoint Presentation Without Notes?

When saving a PowerPoint presentation, you might want to remove the speaker notes. To do so, all you have to do is follow the 5 quick steps.

In the menu ribbon, click on the “File” tab. Then click on the “Info” option from the “File” menu.

Step-2: Click on “Check for Issues” on the “Info” tab

In the “Info” option, click on the “Check for Issues” button. Then click on the “Inspect Document” option from the dropdown menu. This will prompt a dialog box.

Step-3: Click on the “Inspect” option

In the “Document Inspector” dialog box, scroll all the way to the bottom and make sure the “Presentation Notes” option is selected. Then click on the “Inspect” button at the bottom of the dialog box.

Step-4: Click on the “Remove All” option

Once the inspection results are shown in the “Document Inspector” dialog, scroll to the bottom again to find the “Presentation Notes” option. Then click on the “Remove All” button at the right side of the “Presentation Notes” option.

Now all you have to do is click on the “Close” button at the bottom of the dialog box to finish the process.

Step-5: Click on the “Save” option

The final step is to click on the “ Save ” option in the sidebar of the “File” menu to save the presentation without notes. You can alternatively press the “Ctrl+S” keys on your keyboard.

12. How to Save PowerPoint Presentation Directly in Microsoft Teams?

If you are delivering a PowerPoint presentation to an audience using Microsoft teams, you can easily share a PowerPoint deck with your audience in the following steps –

• First, open the Microsoft Teams application and login to the meeting.

• On the “ Meeting Controls ” menu available in the top part of your meeting screen, locate the “ Share Content ” option.
• Click on the share content button. This will show the most recent PowerPoint files that you opened. You can either choose to click on one of the files visible. Alternatively, scroll down on the right panel and click on the “ Browse my computer ” option.

• This will open a new file browser window. Navigate to the respective location where your PowerPoint presentation is saved, click on it to select it. Then, click on “Open” to open the presentation in Microsoft Teams.
• The presentation will open by default in the presenter mode and shared with the audience of the meeting.

13. How to Enable Autosave in PowerPoint Presentation?

The autosave option is only available if you are using the Microsoft Office 365 version of PowerPoint . Other than that, you will have to manually save the PowerPoint file in all other versions.

You can autosave the PowerPoint presentation to the OneDrive cloud, and also autosave recovery files. To enable autosave in PowerPoint presentation, follow the 4 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “AutoSave” button

To simply turn on autosave in the OneDrive cloud for the PowerPoint presentation, all you have to do is click on the slider beside the “Autosave” option.

It is located in the left corner of the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of the screen.

Step-2: Click on “Options”

To access more autosave options, click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon. Then click on the “Options” option which is the last option in the sidebar in the “File” menu. It will open a dialog box.

In the “PowerPoint Options” dialog, click on the “Save” option from the sidebar located on the left side. Now you can enable your preferred autosave options in the “Save presentations” section.

Click on the “Autosave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default on PowerPoint” for auto-saving on the cloud. You can also select how often the auto-recovery copy is saved by clicking on the box at the right side of the “Save Autorecover information” option.

Step-4: Click on the “OK” button

Now all you have to do is click on the “OK” button at the bottom of the “PowerPoint Options” dialog box to enable your autosave preference (as shown in the image in step 2).

Credit to Cookie_studio (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited).