How to Record a PowerPoint Presentation with Narration
Can be helpful in creating a dramatic narrative
Microsoft PowerPoint has a built-in recording tool that allows you to narrate your presentations using recorded audio. You can export and share recorded presentations as video files.
This tutorial covers everything about recording PowerPoint presentations on Windows and Mac computers.
Record PowerPoint Presentation with Narration
Open the PowerPoint file/presentation you want to record and follow the steps below.
Record PowerPoint Presentation on Windows
- Select the slide you want to start recording from on the slide thumbnail pane.
- Head to the Record tab on the ribbon and select the Record button to start recording from the current/selected slide.
To record from the first slide, select the down-facing arrow icon below the Record button and select From Beginning .
You can also record a presentation from the Slide Show tab. Select Slide Show on the ribbon and select Record , From Current Slide , or From Beginning .
That’ll open PowerPoint’s presentation recorder in a fullscreen window.
- Select the Record icon and start speaking after the three seconds countdown.
PowerPoint records the presentation window and captures your voice and webcam feed as you navigate the slides. Select the left-facing and right-facing arrows to move to the previous and next slides in the presentation.
Record PowerPoint Presentation in macOS
- Open the Slide Show tab and select Record Slide Show .
- Select the Record button on the toolbar to start recording your narration.
Use your keyboard arrow keys to move back and forth between slides. Press N or Space Bar to move to the next slide or animation in the presentation. Press P or Backspace to return to the previous slide or animation.
Select Tips in the top-left corner for more keyboard shortcuts and other presentation tips .
Note: The narration tool doesn’t record slide transitions. When moving between slides, wait for the destination slide to appear on the screen before speaking.
PowerPoint Recorder Control/Settings
You’ll find a handful of controls and options on the recording tool. We’ll show you how to use these controls to include voiceovers or audio recordings in your presentation.
Using Presentation Pointer Tools
PowerPoint provides several tools to mark up your slides when narrating your presentation. There’s a pen tool, eraser, laser pointer, and highlighter.
With the Pen tool, you can draw on slides during narration/recording. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Command + P (Mac) to use the pen tool. You can also select the Pen icon to convert the pointer to a pen.
The Laser pointer tool converts your cursor to an onscreen laser. Use the laser pointer to draw attention to something on a slide/presentation.
Press Ctrl + L (Windows) or Command + L (Mac) to use the laser pointer. There’s also a Laser pointer icon on the toolbar.
Pressing Ctrl + I (or selecting the Highlighter tool ) converts your cursor to a highlighter.
Use the Eraser tool to remove inks and highlight from slides. Select the Eraser icon or press Ctrl + E and select the ink to erase.
On macOS, select the Erase Pen icon (or press E ) to erase all drawings and highlights on the slide.
You can change the pointer tools ink from the color selection boxes. However, one major limitation is that you can’t change the size of these pointer tools.
Pause and Resume Your Recording
In Windows, press I on your keyboard or select the Pause button in the top-left corner to pause your recording.
Press I again or select the Record icon to resume the recording.
If you use a Mac, select the Pause icon in the top toolbar to pause the recording.
Unmute or Mute Microphone
Check that your microphone is unmuted before recording. Select the microphone icon in the bottom-right corner to mute or unmute your mic.
PowerPoint for Windows allows you to mute and unmute your microphone in real time while recording video/audio narrations. The macOS version of PowerPoint only lets you configure your camera and microphone settings before recording.
Switch Microphone or Camera
Want to record your presentation with an external microphone or camera? Press Ctrl + M or select the audio/camera settings icon in the top-right corner and choose your preferred microphone/camera.
In macOS, select the microphone icon to mute or unmute your microphone. Select the arrow-down icon next to the microphone or camcorder icons to switch input devices.
Enable and Disable Camera
The recorder displays your camera or webcam feed in the bottom-right corner of the presentation slides.
Select the camcorder icon to remove your webcam feed from the recording. Select the icon again to display your webcam feed in the presentation.
You can also use the Ctrl + K keyboard shortcut on Windows computers to enable or disable your camera.
On Mac computers, you’ll find the video control icon on the top toolbar.
Note: The recording tool greys out the camcorder icon if your microphone is turned off.
Enable or Disable Camera Preview
PowerPoint allows you to disable the camera preview without turning off your camera or webcam.
Press Ctrl + J (Windows) or select the Camera Preview icon in the bottom-right corner to disable or enable the camera preview.
End a Recording
Press S on your Windows keyboard or select the Stop icon to end the recording.
Replay or Preview Your Recording
When you end a narration, press V on your keyboard or select Replay to preview or watch the recording.
The recorded narration will include all pen inks, highlights, and laser pointer gestures made during the presentation.
You can also preview/replay the narration outside the recording tool. Open the Slide Show tab and choose to watch the playback From Beginning or From Current Slide .
PowerPoint allows you to preview the playback on individual slides. A speaker/audio icon appears in the bottom-right of PowerPoint slides with narrations.
Choose the slide you want to preview, hover your cursor on the speaker icon in the bottom-right corner, and select Play .
Delete Current Narration/Recording
Did you spot an error when previewing your presentation? Want to delete the current narration and start from scratch?
Select the Clear existing recordings icon and choose whether to Clear Recordings on Current Slide or Clear Recordings on All Slides .
On Mac, select the Bin icon to delete the entire narration/recording.
Close the Narration Tool
Select the X icon on the title bar to close the presentation narration tool and return to Powerpoint.
Select End Show in the top-left corner to close the recording tool on a Mac computer.
Delete Narrations from Slides
Want to delete the narration or timing on an individual slide or the entire presentation? Select the slide with the narration you want to delete and follow the steps below.
- Open the Record tab and select the down-facing arrow below the Record icon.
- Select Clear and choose to clear timing or narration on current or all slides.
Export Recorded or Narrated Presentation
You can export a narrated PowerPoint presentation as a video file. The video output includes ink strokes, recorded audio/video, laser pointer gestures, and webcam/camera recording.
- Open the Record tab and select Export to Video .
Alternatively, open the File menu, select Export on the sidebar, and select Create a Video .
- Choose the quality of the video export in the first drop-down box—Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), Standard (480p).
- Choose Use Recorded Timings and Narrations in the next drop-down box and select Create Video .
- Give the recorded presentation a file name and select Save .
Narrate Your PowerPoint Presentations
The Microsoft PowerPoint web app doesn’t have a recording tool. As a result, you can only record presentations with narrations using PowerPoint for Windows or Mac.
You might meet issues recording a slide show if you use an outdated version of PowerPoint. Also, the recording tool on older versions of PowerPoint has a different interface and lacks some controls. Update PowerPoint and restart your computer if you cannot record a slide show.
Sodiq has written thousands of tutorials, guides, and explainers over the past 4 years to help people solve problems with Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows devices. He also enjoys reviewing consumer tech products (smartphones, smart home devices, accessories, etc.) and binge-watching comedy series in his spare time. Read Sodiq's Full Bio
Read More Posts:
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Record a Presentation in PowerPoint
How to Record a Presentation in PowerPoint
Recording PowerPoint presentations can have several benefits. They can serve as recordings of a session that can be uploaded online, shared with participants who might not be able to attend a presentation session, or used as tutorials for passing on instructions.
How to Record a PowerPoint Presentation
PowerPoint provides multiple options for initiating recording for a presentation. You can also choose to record audio and yourself presenting the slides using your camera. When recording your presentations, you can choose PowerPoint templates or something minimalist made by you to record the session. Just be mindful of the graphics to ensure the video does not appear overpowering to the viewer.
How do I Record a PowerPoint Presentation as a Video?
You can start recording your presentation using the following method.
- Record Tab: To record a PowerPoint presentation, go to the Record tab and select whether you wish to record from the beginning, from the current slide, a specific area on the screen, or record audio.
- Slide Show Tab: you can also initiate recording a PPT via Slide Show -> Record to initiate recording from the current slide or the beginning of your presentation.
Record Button: If you’re using the latest version of PowerPoint, you can start Recording your presentation from the current slide via the Record button in the top right corner.
Record from the Current Slide or Beginning of the Presentation
Starting your recording from the beginning of the current slide will open your presentation in recording mode. Hit Record to start the recording.
Screen Recording in PowerPoint
If you initiate screen recording in PowerPoint, you can start recording a screencast by selecting the area you wish to record. This is similar to recording a PowerPoint presentation as a video, with the added advantage of recording other parts of your desktop. This method can also be used for recording a screencast, even if you’re not using a PowerPoint presentation in your video recording.
To start the recording, click Record or use the Windows+SHIFT+R hotkey. To stop the screen recording, click Pause to temporarily halt the recording to resume later or Stop or the Windows+SHIFT+Q hotkey to end the recording session.
The recorded video will be instantly added to your slide once you click Stop .
Record Audio
Another option in the Record tab in PowerPoint is to record audio narrations for your PowerPoint presentation. Simply click Record to start, Pause to temporarily halt, and Stop to stop the recording process.
Once the recording stops, the audio will be added to your PowerPoint presentation.
How can I Annotate Slides in PowerPoint During a Recording?
Once you enter recording mode, you can start annotating your slides using the Pen or Highlighter tool. Other tools in the menu include a Laser pointer and Eraser.
How can I Record a PowerPoint Presentation with Audio?
To enable audio for your Powerpoint recording, unmute the mic from the audio icon on top, CTRL+M hotkey, or click the three dots ( More options for recording menu), followed by the Microphone to select the audio device for recording. You can only record audio if an audio device is connected to your computer. This is a fairly simple process, unlike other presentation platforms. For example, in an earlier article, we showed you how to do a voiceover on Google Slides , which entails a slightly more elaborate process.
How to Record Yourself Presenting a PowerPoint?
Enable the camera during a recording session.
Like turning on audio, you can toggle the camera on or off using the icon on top. The camera input device can also be selected via the Camera option or CTRL+K hotkey, which can be revealed via the three dots from the top menu.
Insert Video Recording in a Slide using Cameo
PowerPoint’s Cameo feature enables recording a video to insert in a slide. You can use the feature to quickly insert a video message in your slides that can be played during a presentation session. This option might also be relevant if you intend to convert PowerPoint to video . If you are looking how to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint, then follow the steps below.
Once Cameo is turned on, you can also choose to stylize the camera shape, style, border, and add effects. Cameo is quite a unique feature in PowerPoint that currently does not have alternatives in rival presentation apps. For example, you cannot use a similar feature if you wish to convert Google Slides to video .
How to Save Recording for a PowerPoint Presentation?
After you have completed your recording, click Export to save the presentation recording.
You can customize your recording settings via Customize Export or continue the process via Export Video .
Using the Customize Export option, you can choose between a desired output quality for your video, including Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), and Standard (480p).
Other options in the menu include the ability to choose and preview timings and narrations.
After you are satisfied with your recording settings, you can export your presentation to video.
The video recording of your PowerPoint presentation can be played using any standard video player. The video can also be embedded in PowerPoint slides, uploaded online, such as to a YouTube channel, or shared via cloud storage apps like Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, etc.
Final Words
Recording a PowerPoint presentation can provide a record of a session that might be required for further sharing. The best way to record a presentation is to ensure that your slides aren’t visually overpowering, your audio is clear and audible, and if using a camera, the cam input isn’t hazy, grainy, or too dark.
Once you are familiar with how to record a presentation on PowerPoint, it might take a bit of practice to make your video recording look professional and crisp. It’s best to practice your sessions before recording them until you can seamlessly record presentation decks.
Like this article? Please share
PowerPoint Addins, PowerPoint Tips, Presentation Tips, Presentations, Screencasts Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials
Related Articles
Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials • March 26th, 2024
How to Translate in PowerPoint
Unlock the experience of PowerPoint translation! Learn methods, tools, and expert tips for smooth Spanish conversions. Make your presentations global.
Filed under Google Slides Tutorials • March 22nd, 2024
How to Share a Google Slides Presentation
Optimize your presentation delivery as we explore how to share a Google Slides presentation. A must-read for traveling presenters.
Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials • March 19th, 2024
How to Change Line Spacing in PowerPoint
Adjust text formatting by learning how to change line spacing in PowerPoint. Instructions for paragraph indenting included.
One Response to “How to Record a Presentation in PowerPoint”
How do I generate webcam option in PowerPoint 2016 ?
Leave a Reply
IMAGES
VIDEO