Audio can enhance your presentation by adding narration, music, or sound effects. It helps engage your audience, explain complex points, and create a more dynamic experience. You can insert audio files, record your own narration, or add background music to slides. PowerPoint allows you to export video from a presentation. This is useful if you want to record the presentation in parts, rather than in one go.
1. Inserting an Audio File
- Open your PowerPoint presentation.
- Go to the Insert tab on the Ribbon.
- In the Media group, click Audio, then select Audio on My PC.
- Browse and select the audio file you want to use (supported formats include .mp3, .wav).
- Click Insert. An audio icon will appear on the slide.
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2. Recording Audio
- Go to the Insert tab.
- Click Audio, then select Record Audio.
- In the dialog box:
- Enter a name for your recording.
- Click Record and speak clearly into your microphone.
- Click Stop when finished, then OK to insert the recording.
- The audio icon will appear on the slide.
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3. Playback Options
- Select the audio icon on the slide.
- Go to the Playback tab on the Ribbon.
- Adjust settings such as:
- Start: Automatically or On Click.
- Play Across Slides: For background music throughout the presentation.
- Loop Until Stopped: Repeat audio until manually stopped.
- Hide During Show: Hide the audio icon during the slideshow.
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4. Trimming and Editing Audio
- Use the Trim Audio option in the Playback tab to remove unwanted sections.
- Adjust volume and fade in/out effects for smooth transitions.
Best Practices
- Keep audio clear and relevant to your content.
- Test playback before presenting to ensure sound quality.
- Avoid overly long audio clips that may distract from your message.