How to Make PowerPoint Slides Stand Out with Embedded Video

Text-heavy slides can bore your audience to sleep. If you want to keep them engaged, adding video to PowerPoint is easier than you think and instantly makes your presentation more engaging.

Add video from PC to PowerPoint

If the video you want to include in your PowerPoint presentation is stored on your PC, you can insert it directly into the presentation or link to the file.

When you insert a video directly, the video file becomes part of the PowerPoint presentation itself. This is a great option if you want to make sure the video plays no matter what device you're using to present, as the video moves along with the presentation. However, keep in mind that this can significantly increase the file size of your presentation.

Alternatively, you can link the video, which will play in the presentation, but you must ensure that the video file remains in the same location and is accessible during the presentation. This option is handy if you want to keep the presentation file size smaller.

To insert or link to a video stored on your PC in a PowerPoint presentation:

1. In PowerPoint, go to the slide where you want to add a video.
2. Click the Insert tab at the top.
3. Go to the Media section and click Video > This Device .
4. In the Insert Video window , find and select the video you want to add.
5. Click the small arrow next to the Insert button and select Insert (to embed the video directly) or Link to File (to create a shortcut to the video).

Embed online videos into PowerPoint

If you want to enhance your PowerPoint presentation with video from platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, you don't need to download the video to your PC. Modern versions of PowerPoint (PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2021, or PowerPoint 2019) make it easy to embed videos directly from the web. Here's how:

1. Find the video you want to use in your presentation and copy its URL from the address bar.
2. Go to PowerPoint and select the slide where you want to add the video.
3. Go to the Insert tab and click Video > Online Video .
4. In the Online Video dialog box , paste the URL you copied earlier.
5. Select Insert .

Note : You can play videos in your presentation as long as you're connected to the Internet. The video will play directly from the source, so you'll see website controls for actions like play, pause, and adjust the volume.

If you're looking for high-quality, royalty-free images but don't have a specific video in mind, you can add a video from the Microsoft 365 content library. To do this, just go to Insert > Video > Stock Video . Then, browse the library, select the video you like, and click Insert .

Note : The stock video will be downloaded and embedded into the presentation, so you won't need an Internet connection while presenting.

Tips for embedding videos in PowerPoint

After you insert your favorite video into your presentation, there are a few things you can do to make it look better.

1. Change video thumbnail

By default, PowerPoint uses the first frame of your video as your thumbnail, but you can easily change it to a more appealing image. Just select your video, go to Video Format > Poster Frame > Image from File and select an image from your PC, your library, or even use an icon to add a unique touch.

2. Apply effects

PowerPoint offers a variety of effects to help your video blend seamlessly into your design or stand out as a focal point.

Select your video and go to the Video Format tab to customize it. From there, you can use the options at the top to add a subtle border or shadow for a nice look. You can also apply one of the available video styles to enhance the look of your video.

3. Adjust Playback settings

If you've embedded a video into your presentation - whether from your PC or a local library - you can go to the Playback tab to trim it. From this tab, you can also apply fade-in and fade-out effects, as well as adjust the volume.

Tip : You can also specify whether the video should automatically play when the slide appears or whether you want to trigger it manually.