can you record a powerpoint presentation as a video

PowerPoint Recorder

Record your PowerPoint presentations online

Powerful Online PowerPoint Recorder

Make your presentations look professional using VEED’s online PowerPoint recorder. It’s fast, easy to use, and gives you access to video editing tools to make your presentation stand out. You can upload your slides or record your screen while you are presenting. Add yourself to the scene by recording your webcam and audio as well.

No need to install software. Open your browser and start recording! Choose from different layouts and customize your video after you record. You can also edit your recording using our professional video editor.

How to Record Your PowerPoint Presentation:

1 upload slides and select a layout.

Select from our list of layouts (you may need to click to ‘Allow’ permission to access your screen, camera, or microphone). You can record just your screen, your webcam, or both at the same time! You can either upload your slides or record while you’re presenting.

2 Start recording

Click the red button to start recording! You'll see a countdown before the recording starts. Don't worry if you mess up. You have unlimited time and unlimited retakes. You can navigate to other pages, and don't worry, you are still recording.

3 Review, edit, and export

You can playback your recording to review it, click ‘Share’ to share with friends and colleagues, or ‘Edit’ to edit your video (perfect for adding text, subtitles, and professional touches to your screen recording)

‘PowerPoint Recorder’ Tutorial

Highly customizable PPT recording software

VEED lets you easily customize your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation recordings. Select from different layouts and backgrounds. You can record your screen, webcam, audio, and upload your PowerPoint slides to present while recording. If you choose to record your entire desktop, you can easily switch the view between your presentation slides and other windows. When you’re finished, edit your video using our free video editor, where you can also add royalty-free music from our Stock Library.

All the things you need in a screen recorder

Our video capture software is packed with features that will help you create professional-looking recordings. When you press record, the countdown timer will appear to prompt you when your recording starts. To make sure that your audio is being picked up, check the little microphone icon on the bottom of your screen. It should be animated to indicate that your audio is being recorded. It only takes a few clicks. It’s the best app to record your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.

Fast, free, and easy-to-use screen recorder software

Our screen recorder and video editor are free to use and beginner-friendly. However, if you need to record longer videos, you may need to subscribe to our premium plans. Check out our Pricing Page to see which plan suits your needs. It is super easy to use. It only takes a few clicks!

Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft does allow you to record your presentation as well as your voice or audio. But you might be limited because you can’t switch screens. Use VEED to record your entire desktop and switch between windows.

With VEED, you can record your audio, webcam, screen, and presentation slides all at the same time!

To add yourself or your camera to the recording, select the layout that includes “webcam.” Choose the size and positioning of your camera feed and start recording!

Although there are many screen recorders out there, VEED is your best choice when it comes to recording your PC screen! It’s free and online. No need to install software. Plus you can use our free video editor to enhance your recording even more.

What they say about VEED

Veed is a great piece of browser software with the best team I've ever seen. Veed allows for subtitling, editing, effect/text encoding, and many more advanced features that other editors just can't compete with. The free version is wonderful, but the Pro version is beyond perfect. Keep in mind that this a browser editor we're talking about and the level of quality that Veed allows is stunning and a complete game changer at worst.

I love using VEED as the speech to subtitles transcription is the most accurate I've seen on the market. It has enabled me to edit my videos in just a few minutes and bring my video content to the next level

Laura Haleydt - Brand Marketing Manager, Carlsberg Importers

The Best & Most Easy to Use Simple Video Editing Software! I had tried tons of other online editors on the market and been disappointed. With VEED I haven't experienced any issues with the videos I create on there. It has everything I need in one place such as the progress bar for my 1-minute clips, auto transcriptions for all my video content, and custom fonts for consistency in my visual branding.

Diana B - Social Media Strategist, Self Employed

More than a PowerPoint recorder

VEED is a complete browser-based tool that lets you do so much more than just record and share your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. You can annotate your videos to make your presentation more informative. Edit your recording to add images, subtitles, and more. It is a professional all-in-one video-creation and editing software that’s great for beginners and pros alike. Create professional-looking videos in just a few clicks. You don’t need any video editing experience. Create stunning videos that you can share on social media in just minutes. Try VEED to create professional PowerPoint recordings today!

How to Record a Presentation with Webcam, Narration, and More

Everyone has, at some point, put a load of time and effort into creating the perfect PowerPoint presentation, only to use it once or twice. But isn’t it a shame for all that hard work to be discarded so quickly? Is every slide deck destined for deletion after just a couple of uses? 

Isn’t there a better way to make the most out of your presentations? Well, yes. Yes, there is. 

Rather than simply creating and presenting your work once or twice, recording your presentations can give them a new lease of life. Whether it’s a data report or a self-recorded PowerPoint, you can record a presentation in real-time, or in advance to make it available on-demand.

In this guide, we’ll explore two distinct ways of recording your presentation. First, we’ll discuss how to record a presentation from PowerPoint with audio and webcam, and then we’ll look at how to turn your .ppt slides into a video.

Benefits of Recording a Presentation 

As well as there being many different ways to record a presentation, there are also many benefits of recording them. So, before we show you the ‘how,’ let’s talk about the ‘why.’ 

• Encouraging asynchronous communication : One key benefit is fostering asynchronous communication . By recording presentations, you’re letting your audience engage with the content in their own time, breaking the constraints of time zones and scheduling conflicts. This also ensures your viewers can absorb information at their own pace, and revisit it as needed.
• Boosting SEO : You can use your presentation to create a YouTube video and share it on your website to increase your online visibility and attract prospective customers. This can be a great way to expand your audience, increase web traffic, and establish yourself as an expert in your field.
• Perfecting your presentation : Whether it’s in-person or over Zoom, you don’t get second chances with live presentations. However, a pre-recorded keynote lets you perfect the content and the narration before anyone sees it. This is a great way to combat stage fright while honing your presentation skills and building confidence.

With this in mind, turning your slides into a video is a no-brainer. It’s an easy way to grow your audience and make the information you’re sharing more accessible and easier to digest.

Record your presentation today!

Download a free trial of Snagit to quickly and easily record your presentation.

How to record your presentation (with Snagit)

Depending on your audience and the type of presentation you need to deliver, TechSmith’s Snagit could just be the perfect tool for recording your PowerPoint. With its user-friendly interface and advanced features, Snagit is ideal for capturing top-notch presentation videos, in just a few clicks. 

Now, there’s no denying that presentations are better when you can see the presenter… Fortunately, Snagit lets you capture your screen and webcam at the same time to create a Picture-in-Picture video.

In this section, we’ll guide you through the steps to record your presentation and webcam with Snagit. 

Step 1: Open video capture 

First, open Snagit and navigate to the Capture window. Select the Video tab, and start by clicking the big red Capture button.

Step 2: Select a recording area

Next, you’ll be prompted to choose which parts of your screen you want to record. Use Snagit’s orange crosshairs to select a specific region, window, or your entire screen. 

Step 3: Configure recording settings

With the Video Recording toolbar, you can set options like Cursor Capture and Effects, System Audio, and Webcam. 

If your webcam isn’t showing, click on the webcam icon. If you have an external webcam, select the one you want to use by clicking the dropdown arrow next to the webcam icon. 

Step 4: Adjust your webcam

Next, adjust your webcam options to ensure your Picture-in-Picture recording looks how you want it. Here you can change the Picture-in-Picture placement as well as the shape and size of your webcam recording. You can even toggle between Picture-in-Picture and fullscreen webcam modes as you like.

The best part? You can make these adjustments even while recording.

Step 5: Manage recording

When you’re ready to roll, hit the Record button and click the Stop button when you’re finished. It’s that simple! 

And remember, if there’s an interruption (like an unexpected visit from the mailman), just hit Pause. It’s okay to take a break — your video won’t be ruined by a little interruption.

Step 6: Edit your video

Once you’ve finished recording, Snagit will automatically open your video in the Snagit Editor, which is super easy to use. From here, you can make light edits to the footage as needed. 

For example, if you need to cut or trim your footage , you can! Here’s how: 

• Set Start Point : Drag the Start handle (green) on the timeline to your desired starting point.
• Set End Point : Similarly, drag the End handle (red) to where you want to end the cut.
• Review the Segment : Before making any cuts, you can review the segment by dragging the Playhead (white) left and right across the timeline. This ensures you’re only cutting the footage you intend to.
• Make the Cut : Once you’re satisfied with the selection, click the Cut button, which will pop up once you’ve made a selection.

And that’s all there is to it! If you want to go the extra mile, you can also use Snagit to save individual frames of your video as images , which can be used to create a thumbnail for your video . 

How to record a presentation from PowerPoint with audio and webcam

Now, Snagit is great for recording less formal videos in a flash, but if your presentation is intended for a particularly large or important audience, you might be looking to create something more polished. This is where TechSmith’s Camtasia comes in. 

Camtasia is one of the smartest and most intuitive pieces of editing software out there, but it also makes for a pretty nifty screen recorder too. Camtasia is great for recording presentations when you need more control and editing powers over the final product. 

But best of all, Camtasia streamlines the process by letting you record your presentation and voice over directly within PowerPoint. 

Step 1: Set up your presentation video recording

If you’re a Windows user, you’ll have the option to include a PowerPoint Add-in Toolbar when you install Camtasia. While this feature isn’t currently available on MacOS, the Camtasia Add-in Toolbar allows you to start, stop, and control your recordings from within PowerPoint — so you don’t need to switch between applications.

Just open the presentation you want to record and locate the Add-in toolbar under the Add-ins tab. 

Don’t see the add-in toolbar? Go to File > Options > Add-ins, to enable it. Click on the Manage drop-down, select Disabled Items, then click Go. If the Camtasia Add-in is listed, select it, and click Enable.

If you’re an Apple user, don’t panic! You can still record your screen (with audio) on a Mac using Camtasia, and it’s just as easy. Alternatively, you can skip ahead to the next section and import your slides directly into Camtasia. 

Step 2: Customize your recording options

Now let’s walk through each of the options on the toolbar before we begin recording.

Record audio

The microphone button controls whether or not audio is recorded as part of your presentation. When you enable it, you’ll be able to record your narration using a microphone.

If you are planning to record audio, this is where you’ll select your microphone. If you want to record great audio , we suggest using an external microphone, rather than the one that’s built into your laptop. 

Some of the best microphones for recording video are likely to be less expensive than you think. But, if you’re on a shoestring budget, even the mic that’s built into your headphones could produce better audio than your laptop. 

Once you’re set up, be sure to test the mic and adjust the volume slider as needed. You’ll also need to decide whether or not to record your system audio, which is any sound that comes out of your speakers, such as email notifications. 

Record webcam

If you have a webcam, you can also record your camera during the presentation to create a Picture-in-Picture clip — just as you can with Snagit! 

To customize even more of the recording settings, click the Recording Options button. Here you’ll find settings that let you record with a watermark and adjust your video frame rate . There are a few more options too, but the default settings should work just fine.

When you’re ready, click OK to close this window and save any changes made.

Step 3: Record your presentation

The final step is as simple as clicking the Record button in the toolbar. This will launch your slides into the Presentation Mode and start recording.

When you exit Presentation Mode or reach the end of your slideshow, you can either continue recording your screen, or stop recording and save your file. Pretty easy right? 

Before you get started, let us show you another way to turn your presentation into a video, without recording your desktop . 

How to turn your PowerPoint presentation slides into a video

Another way to create a video from your presentation is to import your PowerPoint slides into Camtasia. This way you can adjust how long each slide appears on screen, as well as add Behaviors and Annotations to personalize your presentation and highlight important information. 

By importing your slides into Camtasia, and recording your voice over separately, you get a lot more flexibility with the editing process, which means you have more control over the finished article. 

If you do decide to record your audio separately, you might want to take a look at TechSmith’s Audiate . This advanced audio recorder will transcribe your voice over in real-time and let you edit the audio file as if it were a text-based document. We don’t want to brag, but it’s probably the best way to add a voice over to a PowerPoint . 

Regardless of how you decide to narrate your PowerPoint, here’s how to turn your presentation into a video: 

1. Import your PowerPoint slides

First, start by importing your PowerPoint slides directly into Camtasia. Once your media is imported, you can edit it by dragging your slides into the Editing Toolbar.

You can now add the images to the Timeline, and edit them like any other media in a Project. 

If you drag your slides to the Timeline, the slides will be placed in the order of the presentation, each with a default 5-second duration.

With your presentation on the timeline, use Ripple Move to create space in between slides to adjust the timing of each one. To do this, hold shift, then click and drag.

Once you’ve imported your slides and adjusted the duration of each one to correlate with your voice over, it’s time to start editing. 

How to edit a presentation video (in Camtasia) 

Add behaviors.

Firstly, add some visual interest with Camtasia Behaviors . A Behavior is an animation that brings movement to your slides, making them stand out on screen. This is a great way to bring parts of your presentation to life and take it from ordinary to extraordinary — because nobody likes a boring presentation . 

To add a Behavior, click and drag the Behavior you wish to use onto the slide you want to animate. Once added, you can adjust the Behavior using the Properties tab.

Add annotations

Another good way to grab and direct your audience’s attention is to add some Annotations, which are great for highlighting important information.  

To insert an Annotation, click the Annotation tab on the left side of the screen and drag it into the designated slide. You can then re-position and edit the Annotation in the Properties tab as needed.

Recording a PowerPoint Presentation, the FAQs

Absolutely! Both Snagit and Camtasia are excellent choices for recording a professional and polished presentation. Snagit is perfect for no-fuss recording and editing. If you require more sophisticated editing capabilities, Camtasia is the ideal choice, offering the added convenience of recording your slideshow and voice over directly within PowerPoint.

Click the Record button in the toolbar to launch your slides into the Presentation Mode and start recording. When you exit Presentation Mode or reach the end of your slideshow, you can either continue recording your screen or stop and save your file.

If you’re planning to record audio, select your microphone in the recording options. The microphone button controls whether or not audio is recorded as part of your presentation. If you have a webcam attached to your computer, you can also record your camera to create a Picture-in-Picture clip, perfect for showing the presenter during the presentation.

With Snagit, you can conveniently record your voice over as you go through your presentation, capturing both the audio and visuals in one go. If you’re looking for more advanced recording and editing options, you might also consider using Camtasia, which allows you to record your voice over while presenting. For even more control, use Audiate to record your audio separately and then import it into Camtasia for fine-tuning.

Justin Simon

Global Content Strategy Manager at TechSmith. I play a lot of golf and watch a lot of football.

• How To Rotate a Video
• How to Write A Shot List That Will Transform Your Video
• YouTube vs. Vimeo: What’s the Difference?

Subscribe to TechSmith’s Newsletter

Join over 200,000 people who get actionable tips and expert advice every month in the TechSmith Newsletter.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Working with Video (Kaltura, Canvas, Zoom, and PowerPoint)

Recording an individual or group presentation with PowerPoint 365 or 2019

These instructions are for Office 365 or Office 2019 for Windows . You can download Office 365 from IUWare for free . Office 2019 is available on all computer lab Windows computers and via IUAnyWare . (See instructions on setting up and using IUAnyWare .)

If you are using a Mac

If you are using the latest version of Office 365, you can export a presentation narrated in Slide Show as a video file  which can then be submitted as a previously recorded video . Note that when you export your presentation as a video, any narrated audio that was recorded in Slide Show will play, but other embedded media files will not play .

You can also record audio onto slides in Keynote and export them to a QuickTime .mov file which can then be submitted as a previously recorded video .

Video Walkthrough

Instructions.

The following steps presume you have Office 365 or 2019 on a Windows computer.

• The Recording tab does not appear on the Ribbon in PowerPoint 365 or 2019 by default so you may need to enable it. Go to File > Options and choose “Customize Ribbon.”
• On the right side list of Main Tabs scroll down to Recording, check the box next to it, and click “OK.”

• Check and make sure your microphone and webcam (if using) are recording properly by clicking the small microphone and video camera icons at the bottom right of the recording screen.
• Click the red “Record” button at the top left to start. You can stop after each slide and review your recording or you can continue through the whole presentation. If you continue, make sure to pause between slides. The 1-2 seconds of silence allow PowerPoint to tell what audio goes with what slide.
• When you are done, click the “X”  at the top right to finish.

• Select the quality you would like the video to be. Normally 1080p (the default) is fine and leave “Use Recorded Timings and Narrations ” selected.
• Click “Create video” and tell PowerPoint where to save your video file. The small black status bar at the bottom of PowerPoint will show you the progress of your export. Do not do anything else in PowerPoint while a video is processing or it will cancel the job.
• Once the video has been processed, you are ready to upload your video to Kaltura and submit. See submitting a previously recorded video for instructions.

Group Recording with PowerPoint

If your group prefers to record the individual sections independently and at least one person has Office 365 or 2019 or can access it at a computer lab, you can compile your separate recordings in PowerPoint. Each person in the group would

• begin with a copy of the master PowerPoint file,
• delete the slides that they are not responsible for recording,
• record their audio and/or video on their slides only, and
• send the file with their recorded slides to the group member responsible for putting together the slide deck.

The person putting the slides together would add the other members’ slides into their PowerPoint file and export it to video.

Recording tips

• Team members using Powerpoint for Mac or an older version of PowerPoint for Windows can record audio onto their slides by using the “Audio”  option on the “Add” tab on the Ribbon. To do this,
• open your PowerPoint file in the version of PowerPoint that you have
• go to the Insert tab,
• click the Audio button and choose “Record audio”
• Starting from the same PowerPoint file is very helpful for the person who is compiling the recorded slides.
• After your video is created, the person who will submit the assignment for the group will upload the video file to their Kaltura account.

Submit Your Assignment

See Upload a previously recorded video for instructions on adding your video to Kaltura. Then, based on your instructor’s instructions, submit your video in one of the two following ways.

• Submit your video by embedding it in a text box in an Assignment or Discussion .
• Submit your video by adding it to the Kaltura: Media Gallery for your course

Verify the Automatic Captions on Your Video

All video uploaded to Kaltura is automatically mechanically captioned using speech-to-text technology. If you’ve ever used speech-to-text, you know it’s never 100% accurate so you need to check your captions and edit as needed to make sure they are correct and not saying anything embarrassing. The mechanical captions appear fairly quickly on short videos once they’re uploaded. You can check them either in Kaltura: My Media  if it is available in your course, or at Kaltura Mediaspace.   Instructions on checking and editing your captions are at  Accessible Videos in this book.

Note on Video Processing

When a video is first uploaded to Kaltura you will see a “media is being processed” animation  where you expect your video to be.

Please be patient.  Processing time depends on the length of the video and the number of other videos Kaltura is processing.  It will appear once it has completed processing, though you may need to refresh your page to see it. You can embed a video that is still processing in Kaltura .

A Canvas Semester Checklist Copyright © by Trustees of Indiana University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

How to Record A PowerPoint Presentation [2022 User Guide]

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter

By Nikolay Kaloyanov

in How-To Tutorials

2 years ago

Viewed 619 times

Spread the word about this article:

If knowing how to record a PowerPoint presentation wasn’t necessary a decade ago, this isn’t how things stand today. The pandemic taught us a valuable lesson – if we don’t catch up with technology, we will fall short.

Fortunately, Microsoft’s app is the global leader in presentation software and provides you with all the required tools to create an excellent presentation you can show in front of your audience. But how to record a presentation on PowerPoint, and is it easy to do so?

Article overview: 1. What are the benefits of recording PowerPoint presentations? 2. How to record a PowerPoint presentation? 3. How to live stream a PowerPoint presentation? 4. Frequently asked questions

1. What are the benefits of recording PowerPoint presentations?

I am are pretty sure that if recording presentations weren’t helpful, PowerPoint wouldn’t offer it to its users. Well, we all know that’s not the case. Recording your PowerPoint slides can bring a ton of benefits. Let’s see which they are:

• Save time  – regardless if you’re a lecturer or present in front of colleagues, having a video of your recording will save you many hours. Imagine speaking in front of your marketing team, but 2 members are on summer holidays. It’s fine. They’ll catch up later when they watch your PowerPoint recording.
• Focus on the presentation  – usually, if you’re presenting in front of an audience, it’s typical to get asked many questions that you need to answer promptly. But that is a good reason to get distracted from your core information. Thus, it makes sense to record your presentation beforehand.
• Practice before presenting – the best way to carry out a great presentation is to spend some time at home, focusing on key details. When you record your PowerPoint slides, you can find areas of improvement and work on them.

2. How to record a PowerPoint presentation?

There are many tools that you can use to record a PowerPoint presentation. From Loom and Panopto, and even Apple’s basic Quicktime and Windows’ own recording tool. But here we will discuss none of the other options. Why? The answer is simple: PowerPoint has its own in-built, robust recording tool.

Unlike other options, PowerPoint’s recording feature enables you to record slide by slide. This effectively means you can create as many recordings as you like, until you like the playback version, and move on to the next slide.

Pro tip : PowerPoint doesn’t record slide transitions. You need to start recording each slide when it is opened and finish the recording before you move on to the next one.

Let’s see how to record a PowerPoint presentation with video and audio in just a few steps.

Step #1: Open your PowerPoint presentation

The first step is to open the PowerPoint presentation you wish to record. Ensure you have all the necessary slides and information on them. While this seems logical, there aren’t one or two cases when presenters have recorded wrong or unfinished slides, which leads to a disappointing outcome.

Step #2: Prepare your video and audio devices

Before you start the recording, you should check your camera and microphone. Try to make a sound check and see if your camera works properly.

Step #3: Select the slides you wish to record

PowerPoint gives you the option to record a presentation right from the beginning, or from a specifically selected slide.

• Pick “ From Beginning ” (1) from the Record tab of the Ribbon if you wish to start from the first slide.
• Pick “ From Current Slide ” (2) from the same tab in case you would like to start from a selected slide (which isn’t the first one).
• Click the Record button (3) which is positioned in the top right corner, between the Comments  and Share buttons. It starts the recording from the slide you have currently selected.

Step #4: Start the recording

Once you click on one of the options, you are ready to start narrating your PowerPoint presentation. You will see a countdown timer, after which you can start narrating slides.

Step #5: Manage your PowerPoint recording

You have probably seen a couple of other options aside from the recording one. Let’s see which they are:

• Timer with a grey/red light – if you are recording your narration, you will see a timer and a small circle with a red light that indicates you are recording. If you pause, the small circle indicator will become grey again and the timer will stop counting.
• Refresh icon – right next to the timer there is a refresh-like icon but it serves a different purpose – to re-take the recording. You have the option to record again the current slide or all slides.
• Start/Stop button  – the big red button serves as a start/stop button for your recordings. Only stop the recording when you want to move on to the next slide.
• Pause button – if you would like to stop the slide recording, in order to drink some water or read your speaker notes, you can use the Pause button, and then resume the recording. Bear in mind you cannot pause and move to the next slide. You have to stop the recording, to indicate you have finished with the current slide.
• Camera button  – clicking the camera button will work as a toggle on/off.
• Microphone Button – clicking the microphone button will work as a toggle on/off.
• Ellipsis – this is the place where you can select camera and microphone settings, as well as erase recordings from the current slide or all slides.

Step #6: Export your PowerPoint video recording

The last button from the menu is the Export setting. You can export your narration as an mp4 file in Full HD size by default. However, you can customize your export and get your narration in 4 sizes – 480p, 720p (HD), 1080p (Full HD – standard), and 4K. We don’t recommend Ultra HD exports.

Pro Tip : Exporting 4K PowerPoint presentation recordings doesn’t necessarily mean you will get better quality (unless you have 4K resources within your presentation) but it does guarantee a significantly larger file size – up to 4 times more than on standard Full HD recordings.

3. How to live stream a PowerPoint presentation?

If you have already honed your skills and would like to stream your PowerPoint slides directly to your audience, there are many ways to do so. We are going to cover two of them.

3.1. How to stream a PowerPoint presentation from OneDrive?

Microsoft has invested a lot of resources to make OneDrive a powerful cloud service, and so far they have been quite successful. Let’s see how to record a PowerPoint presentation in front of live audiences.

Step 1 – save your PowerPoint presentation in OneDrive.

Step 2 – open your PowerPoint slides from PowerPoint online.

Step 3 – go to Present Live  from the Slideshow Ribbon tab.

Step 4 – share a  live link with your audience.

3.2. Stream your PowerPoint presentation in Zoom

Zoom is one of the most popular conference call apps which has plenty of tools, including live streaming presentations. Since PowerPoint is the leading presentation program in the world, Zoom developers have created some amazing things, like PowerPoint presentation recording with a web camera on a transparent background. If you’re interested, you can check our guide on how to record a Zoom presentation .

Does PowerPoint have a screen recording?

PowerPoint has a screen recording window and you can select the area you would like to be recorded. Go to Record  (from the Ribbon), then select Screen Recording , choose the area and start recording.

Can I view speaker notes while recording narration?

You are able to access your speaker notes if you have created them beforehand. To insert speaker notes, you have to go to View -> Notes Page  and you will have a text box that you can utilize for speaker notes.

What format does PowerPoint use for video?

PowerPoint records videos in mp4 format. The default resolution is 1080p (Full HD).

Recording your PowerPoint presentations can make the difference between a successful and smooth speech and a bad narration. Being able to record each slide means you can get the best narration possible for your whole presentation.

And if you would like to stream your presentation live, there are more than enough options to do so – both via the online version of PowerPoint or via third-party apps like Zoom.

If you found this article helpful, you can also check some of our other PowerPoint tutorials:

• Add Audio to PowerPoint: The Quick Step-by-Step Guide
• Insert GIFs into PowerPoint – a 2022 Pocket Guide
• How to Convert Your PowerPoint Presentation into Google Slides ?

Add some character to your visuals

Cartoon Characters, Design Bundles, Illustrations, Backgrounds and more...

Like us on Facebook

Subscribe to our newsletter

Be the first to know what’s new in the world of graphic design and illustrations.

• [email protected]

Browse High Quality Vector Graphics

E.g.: businessman, lion, girl…

Related Articles

25 affinity designer tutorials to step up your game in 2022, simple vector robot character in illustrator (tutorial + freebie), character animator tutorials part 1: introduction, how to write scannable content step-by-step guide, 25+ wonderful cartoon character design tutorials, enjoyed this article.

Don’t forget to share!

• Comments (0)

Nikolay Kaloyanov

Nikolay is a copywriter with vast experience in Technology, Marketing, and Design. When he isn't playing with words and crafting texts, he watches sports and asks questions. He is a funny person...until you put him on a diet.

Thousands of vector graphics for your projects.

Hey! You made it all the way to the bottom!

Here are some other articles we think you may like:

How-To Tutorials

What is a storyboard [theory, examples and mega inspiration].

by Al Boicheva

How to Convert Your PowerPoint Presentation into Google Slides

by Lyudmil Enchev

Free Vectors

by Bilyana Nikolaeva

Looking for Design Bundles or Cartoon Characters?

A source of high-quality vector graphics offering a huge variety of premade character designs, graphic design bundles, Adobe Character Animator puppets, and more.

• Audio/Video Creation
• Last Updated: August 21, 2022

How To Video Record Yourself Presenting A PowerPoint (with 4 Pro Tips)

Our content is reader supported, which means when you buy from links you click on, we may earn a commission.

An estimated 35 million PowerPoint presentations are given every single day . From corporate boardrooms to high school classrooms, a PowerPoint presentation is among the most popular mediums for sharing content that can engage your viewers and help them get a better understanding of various concepts.

Due to convenience, more and more people now prefer online courses over the traditional, offline mode of learning. Online course providers might need to stream or record their lectures into videos so that their students can watch them on their own time. In the absence of a blackboard, an online PowerPoint presentation is a much better alternative for creating online courses and lessons.

Why Should Course Creators Video Record Themselves When Presenting a Slide Show?

In many cases, a screen recording showing PowerPoint slides on their own just doesn’t do enough to convey the information well. Hence, many course creators have tried the following:

• Recorded narration over the PowerPoint slides.
• Used a screen recorder to capture slides and voice-over.
• Use an online chat tool to record the slides as they are being presented.

Although these methods are a step above the plain and regular PowerPoint presentation, they are not able to engage viewers as completely as a course creator presenting in front of them would. The most effective type of PowerPoint presentation is one where the learners are shown both the slide show as well as the presenter.

Because of the face-to-face contact and body language, learners feel more like they are in an actual classroom. This will help them remain focused on the topic, improve comprehension, and make them retain the subject matter for a longer period.

Hence, when it comes to class lectures, online skill-sharing, and organizational training, using PowerPoint presentations in conjunction with video is the best way to share information.

Here are some reasons course creators prefer a PowerPoint presentation where you record yourself presenting the slide show rather than lifeless slides:

Greater Power of Persuasions:

Video presentations have higher persuasion ability through video-audio communication and involve the sight, sounds, and emotions that trigger engagement.

Better Retention:

According to statistics, viewers retain approximately 95% of the message when watching a video recording as compared to just 10% when viewing only text.

Available at Your Fingertips:

About 75% of all audio and video are played on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. This means accessing and viewing videos are now easier than ever. This provides course creators a big opportunity to ensure more and more people watch their content.

Time-Saving:

Video presentations allow course creators to break big blocks of information into bite-sized pieces. This makes it easier for the learners to process the information.

Overview: Steps to Create Video PowerPoint Presentations

Almost everyone who has ever used a computer has a basic idea of how a PowerPoint presentation works. Initially, the slide show was created for overhead projector transparencies, which was the most favored medium for many instructors before video projectors.

However, thanks to advancements in digital technology, creators can now enjoy various interactive elements like animated transitions in between slides and audio and video embeds in their presentation to make it more engrossing.

Creating PowerPoint Slides

Every PowerPoint presentation starts with the same basic template. Your slides can be fully customizable or you can choose from pre-made templates to expedite the design process of the slides.

To make a simple PowerPoint presentation, you need to add text, bullet points, and images. You can use the standard layout or select the content themes from the top ribbon.

PowerPoint now also comes with a gallery of stock images. In addition, the application also recommends design ideas based on your layout so that your slide looks more professional. This is a useful feature if you do not have a lot of time customizing the slide design.

Once you are satisfied with the general look of your slides, you will need to add the audio and video content to the presentation. You can then export the entire presentation and share it with your learners.

Recording Audio on PowerPoint

Do you know that PowerPoint software itself allows you to record your audio onto the presentation? This summary you a quick run-down of how to use this feature.

Before you start the audio recording, it is a good idea to use the “Rehearse Timings” option to see how your script fits your slides. This will open up a test screen, which will show how long you played the slide show and how much time you took on a single slide.

You can use the “Pause” and “Reset” buttons to make changes and use the “Notes” section to document the changes you made to your script.

To add your voice recording, go to the “Slide Show” tab on the top ribbon. Go to the “Record Slide Show” option and start recording the audio. You can also use the audio on and off toggle video options at the top of the record screen to record only the audio.

Although you can record your audio through the built-in microphone on your laptop or phone, it is a good idea to invest in a good-quality mic for better quality audio.

PowerPoint allows you to record the full slide show in a single take. You can also click through the slides to trigger the added animations or to make progress through the presentation.

Once you are done, you should review the recording, which will be saved on a slide-by-slide basis, so you do not need to record the presentation again to fix any errors.

PowerPoint audio is not recorded during slide transition, so make sure you finish speaking before you skip to the next slide to avoid cutting off your conversation.

Creating a Video of Yourself

To add yourself to the PowerPoint presentation, switch on the video option located on the Record Slide Show screen. By default, PowerPoint will show the video picked by your camera at the bottom right of the presentation during the recording.

Once your video has been recorded, you should return to the editing screen. You will find your video recording shown at the bottom right of the slide.

Resizing and Repositioning the Clip:

You can drag your recording from the default place to anywhere on the slide. You can also blow it up to fit the slide frame or remove the recording by selecting it and pressing the delete option.

Making Video Presentations with a Screen Recorder

Although PowerPoint presentations allow you to make a perfectly good screen recording, you can also find a lot of powerful and robust third-party tools that can take your video presentation to the next level. Making your video presentation appear more professional and sleek will help you stand out from the crowd and will help you establish trust and authority with your learners.

Screen recorders or screencasting software offers a more comprehensive range of editing and post-production options, including closed captioning , professional transitions, and the ability to add interactive elements. They also come with an added bonus of directly sharing your online lesson to video-sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo and allow you to save your presentation in alternative formats, including .mpeg2, .avi, and .mov.

Let’s take a look at how you can video record a PowerPoint presentation with Camtasia.

Using Camtasia to Record PowerPoint Presentations

Camtasia is an industry leader in video editing and screen recording. The software allows you to capture videos via your webcam, add sound effects from the royalty-free music library, record sections from your screen, capture content from iPhone, integrate animations, set up customized video themes, add device themes, and allow course creators to benefit from a whole lot of other features.

If you have Camtasia on your computer, you can import your PowerPoint slides into the software and edit them through Camtasia . Just click on the “Import Media” option and select your PowerPoint file. This will turn your slides into PNG format. PNG files are not editable so you will not be able to change the content in your slide, it will give you better control over the presentation design and style since you will be able to adjust your slides to fit in with your video and audio overlay easily.

For online course creators, Camtasia offers real benefits since it allows you to export your finished file as a SCORM package. This means it can be downloaded to any SCORM-compliant LMS and will enable the LMS to track learning activities, like quiz performances and time spent on a course.

This is not possible if you are making your presentation using only PowerPoint software.

Recording the Screen

To start the screen recording, you need to click the “Record” button at the top of the toolbar. This will open up the Camtasia recorder which is default set to capture everything that is happening on your screen.

Customize Recording

You can either choose to record the full screen or click on the arrow to “select area to record.” You can also choose to record other elements on the screen, including the webcam, mic audio, and system audio. Click on the down arrow button or the double arrows next to the options to choose a specific webcam (if you have one) or mic. This way you can record yourself presenting a PowerPoint. Click on the “Start Recording” button to begin.

Record Yourself Presenting the PowerPoint Presentation

As mentioned, you can use the tools within Camtasia to record your screen which consists of your PowerPoint slides. Then you can use the recorder to choose a specific webcam. However, you can also use a different device to record yourself presenting a PowerPoint.

For instance, if you have a video camera or a Smartphone, you can set that up to record yourself as you go through the presentation. Then you can import that video file into Camtasia later on.

Finish Recording

Depending on whether you are using Windows or Mac computers, you will need to follow slightly different to finish recording on Camtasia. If you use Windows, click the Camtasia recorder icon located on the taskbar and press the “Stop” button. To re-record, delete the recording and then start over. Alternatively, you can also press “F9” to pause and resume the recording and “F10” to stop the recording.

If you use a Mac, click the Camtasia icon on the Apple menu bar and press the “Stop Recording” button. To re-record, click on the “Start Over” button. Alternatively, you can also press “CMD+SHIFT+2” to pause or resume a recording, and “CMD+OPTION+2” to stop a recording.

Import the Audio and Video into Your Camtasia Project

Camtasia works with projects. Once you’re done with your presentation recording and you end the recording, a new project should open. You’ll want to import any additional audio and video into that project.

That means if you recorded yourself separately on your Smartphone, you’ll need to upload that to the project. Then you can organize both your Camtasia recording and the video of you presenting a PowerPoint on the timeline.

Trimming the Video

To remove the extra content that is often found at the start of a video, drag the end of the clip “in” on the timeline. If you remove too much material from the recording, drag it back out to restore the video. A great thing about this is that any edits you make on the timeline will not change the original recording saved in the media bin.

Cutting Out the Video

To cut out a certain section on the video, drag the red or green handle on the video playhead to select a specific area on the timeline. Then, click on the “Cut” button to remove that section. The program will add a stitched line on the timeline to show where the cut was made. In addition, if you want to bring the playhead together, double-click on the playhead.

Adding Titles and Annotations

Make your video more professional by adding titles, annotations, and effects to the content. You can easily add an annotation by clicking and dragging the relevant option from the tool panels to your video timeline or the canvas.

Double click the annotation to change the test. You can change the background color, font, and other elements in the properties panel. To change the position, rotation, and size of the annotation, click and drag the handles.

Adding Effects

Camtasia also offers you “Shapes” and “Blur” options as effects you can add to your Powerpoint presentation. You can add a shape by clicking and dragging one from the tool panel to the timeline or the canvas. If you want to hide sensitive or copyright information, use the “Blur” option. In addition, you can also adjust the size, position, and intensity of the blur in the properties panel.

Exporting the Video:

Click on the “Export” button to see all the export options that Camtasia provides. The first option downloads the video file on the computer. Other options allow you to upload your file to web services. This requires you to sign in to an account. You can then invite your learners to review the video presentation.

Using a Zipped Project

You should export your file in zip format. This way, all the original media used in the video presentation will be placed in one file. This allows you convenient access to all files in the project. To zip your files, go to “File” and select “Import Zipped Project.” This will import the zipped files into a new project.

Pro Tips for Making Better Video PowerPoint Presentations

To make your PowerPoint videos even better, you should consider the following tips:

1. Make it Short, Sweet, and Simple:

Your video clips should just be long enough to captivate your audience, not bore them to tears. Depending on what course you are offering, the length of your video will vary. However, make sure you do some research to find out how long is too long for your students.

2. Focus on the Point:

Before starting on the core subject, make sure you inform your learners about the goals and objectives of the course. Once you start the presentation, do not deviate from the core message. Your text, audio, and graphics should all be relevant to the subject matter. They should not detract your learners from your main lesson.

3. Know Your Audience:

The tone of your PowerPoint video presentation should match the content of your course. For example, if you are offering a makeup tutorial, your words should be simple. If, however, you are teaching an advanced course on physics or engineering, your language will be technical since your course covers a technical topic.

4. Adding Engagement:

You can turn up the engagement of your videos by adding more interesting elements to the content. For example, you can add YouTube videos, music, and interactive quizzes to ensure your course has the learner’s full attention.

A Meaningful Ending:

When ending your presentation, make sure you leave your learners with a resource that they can take away from the lesson. It could be a simple link to your website, a short ebook as a freebie, or just a few links. This provides a lot of value and creates a lasting impression on your customers.

Frequently Asked Questions on Recording Video

How can i record video online.

There are a few different ways to record videos online. One option is to use a screen-recording program like Camtasia or Snagit. These programs allow you to record your screen and create professional-looking videos.

Another option is to use a webcam to record yourself. This is a good option if you want to record a tutorial or how-to video.

Finally, you can use your smartphone. This is a good option if you’re recording something impromptu or if you want to record video in a format that’s easy to share online.

How can I record video for free?

One free option for recording video is to use a smartphone or tablet. Most devices come with a built-in camera, and there are also many apps available that can be used for recording video. If you already have a smartphone, then you may not need anything else to start recording for free.

How can I record audio and video online?

There are a few different ways you can record audio and video online. One option is to use a screen recording program like Screencast-O-Matic, Camtasia, or Snagit. These programs allow you to record your screen, along with any audio coming in through a microphone. You can then save the recording as a video file and share it online.

Another option is to use a webcam. Most computers come with a built-in webcam, or you can purchase an external webcam that plugs into your computer’s USB port.

Once you have a webcam set up, you can use it to record video by using a program like Skype or Zoom. You can set a webcam up to record audio through a microphone (if you want higher quality audio).

You can record audio separately (or with your video) by using a program like Audacity, Camtasia, or GarageBand. Once you’ve recorded your audio or video, you can save it as a .MPG file and share it online.

What is the best free online video recorder?

There are a number of free online video recorders available. These mostly cater to people using webcams and include Movavi’s Webcam Recorder , Webcamera.io , and Screen Capture .

While you’re looking for the best free online video recorder, consider the following factors:

• Ease of use: Look for a recorder with a user-friendly interface that won’t take hours to learn.
• Quality: The video recorder should produce high-quality recordings. Look for a recorder that offers various quality settings so you can adjust them according to your needs.
• File format: Look for a recorder that can export to different file formats so you can view your recordings on any device.
• Storage: Look for a recorder that offers cloud storage or that can save recordings directly to your hard drive.

How can I record my screen with audio online?

The first thing you’ll need to do is choose a screen recorder or screencast software. There are many options available, but some of the most popular include Screencast-O-Matic, Snagit, and Camtasia.

Nearly all screen recorders will connect up to an external microphone (if you have one) which will make the voice-over higher quality than using the built-in mic on your device.

Once you’ve selected a screen recorder, simply follow the instructions to record your screen. Often, it’s as simple as pressing a ‘record’ button!

Typically, you can record both your screen and your voice-over at the same time. When you’re finished, save your recording and share it online.

Final Words

PowerPoint presentations have come a long way from simple bullet points and stock images. Now, you can benefit from a plethora of impressive designing and editing options that allow you to create even more engaging and informative content for your online courses, tutorials, or webinars. In addition, there are plenty of tools available that allow you to record these presentations so that they are accessed and viewed anywhere, at any time.

Making excellent video PowerPoint presentations is now more important than ever. There is an increasing number of reasons to believe that more and more courses, classes, conferences, and events will be hosted through virtual content in the future.

As video presentations grow in popularity, learners will demand a higher quality of content. Hence, it is now more important than ever to produce sleek, professional quality, captivating PowerPoint presentations to establish yourself as an industry leader in the world of online courses.

Lisa Parmley

Lisa Parmley is the founder of coursemethod.com. After gaining a Master's degree, she worked in research for about seven years. She started a training company in 2001, offering a course helping people pass a professional exam. That course has earned multiple 7 figures. She created SEO and authority site building training around 2007 which went on to earn well into the 6-figure mark.

She has 22+ years of experience in the trenches creating and selling online courses. Get help starting and growing your online course business here .

Grow faster with free step-by-step training for online course founders.

Access Course Method Pro progress tracking and Strategic Planners + gain inspiration from successful course creators in weekly emails .

Unsubscribe at any time.

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:

How to Record a Presentation on Google Slides

Do you want an easy way to record a Google Slides Presentation as a video to share later with your teammates? Once you have the Zight screen recorder, the process is easy and fast.

Article Last Updated: April 23, 2024

What Is a Google Slides Presentation?

What do you need to record google slides presentations, how to record a presentation on google slides with zight: step-by-step guide, faqs on how to record a presentation on google slides.

Here’s an interesting statistic: 91% of people believe a well-designed slide deck can increase your confidence as a presenter. The first step to creating a good presentation is to choose the best software, and then record the presentation in HD.

Tell you what? You can create slides with Google Slides, then use the Zight screen recording software to present and narrate your slides to your audience. This has many benefits, including saving your presentation for future collaboration or asynchronous communication , which, in many ways, has more benefits than synchronous communication in a digital and remote workspace.

Read on as we tell you how to create this presentation from scratch, in just a few steps!

Google Slides is a free web-based presentation software provided by Google as part of the Google Drive suite. You can use it on any device with an internet connection, offering various features like an easy-to-use presenter view, speaker notes, live captions, and the ability to present to Google Meet video calls. Plus, your slides can contain text, images, videos, animations, and more to create dynamic content.

While you can present live in a meeting, today’s work landscape teams need to improve communication and productivity with asynchronous video communication . So, when you can’t gather everyone in a Google meeting, you need a way to create and share a presentation with your teams. Your options include recording a Google Slides presentation with narration, just like you create a PowerPoint presentation with Zight .

Here’s what you need:

To record a presentation on Google Slides, you will need a few things:

• A device with an internet connection: It’s best to have a computer to make it easy to create and present Google Slides
• A screen recording software like Zight: While Google Slides allows you to present live in a meeting, it won’t record audio or video files to send later. That’s where Zight comes in, allowing you to record and narrate your slides as you present so you can share with attendees at a later time
• An external microphone (optional) to record audio for your presentation. However, you can still use your native microphone on your computer
• A webcam (optional): If you want to show yourself presenting alongside the slides, a webcam will be necessary for recording. To make things easy, you can just use the Zight webcam recorder which will use your native webcam app
• A Google account: You can only access Google Slides with a Google account, so make sure to sign in to be able to create slides
• Google Slides: Before using the screen recording tool , you want to create and add content to the Google slides you will be narrating. More on this below!

Before you start recording, search for Google Slides on your browser, log in to your account and open an untitled presentation.

Alternatively, click File on a current Google Slides presentation page, then New, and Presentation (or from the template gallery to pick a presentation template).

Add content to your slides, using the (+) sign on the upper left-hand side of your Google Slides presentation page (or Ctrl+M) to add new slides. You can also click the dropdown menu next to the (+) sign and choose slides with your ideal layout. Add content to the slides by typing in text, inserting images, videos, shapes, or charts, and customize them with a unique theme and background color.

Once your Google slides are ready, here’s how to start recording:

1. Download Zight

If you don’t have Zight, click the red button below to download.

• Capture either part or all of your screen
• Annotate your screenshot with text, arrows, lines, and blur
• Instantly share with a link

Alternatively, search for “Zight” on your web browser and create an account. Then, download the app that’s compatible with your computer. Zight is available for Mac , Windows , and even as a Google Chrome extension .

2. Choose your Screen Recording Preferences

Open your presentation on Google Slides and ensure you can easily navigate to the slides once you’re ready to record.

On the Zight App

Launch the Zight app and click Record.

You’ll find recording options like Full Screen and Select Region, plus the Screen Only or Screen & Cam options. Screen Only is good when you don’t want to use your webcam, while the latter allows you to incorporate your webcam for a personal touch.

Then, select your audio/mic and webcam options, move your webcam overlay to a good space on your screen, and click Start Recording. Wait for the 3-second timer to count down before you go to the Google Slides presentation.

On the Google Chrome Extension

Click on the Zight icon on the upper left of your Google Chrome browser, click Record, and select either Screen Only or Screen & Cam. Then, turn on your microphone and webcam camera.

Next, click Start Recording and choose Entire Screen. After that, select the screen you want to record, and click Share. Click your mouse on any part of the screen to start recording and wait out the 3-second countdown.

The Zight screen recorder software will now be recording your entire screen.

3. Start Narrating Your Google Slides Presentation

On the Google Slides presentation page, click on the dropdown menu next to Slideshow.

Click Presenter View if you are viewing the first Google slide. Alternatively, click Start from the beginning if you are not on the first slide. This will turn your presentation into a full-screen view and you will see that Zight is sharing your screen.

Then, start narrating your Google slides in high video and audio quality.

You can pause and resume your screen recording and restart it to capture moments you may have missed in the beginning. You can also cancel the recording and delete the file to avoid uploading it to the cloud.

4. Annotate Your Presentation

One of the best things about presenting your Google Slides with Zight is that you can annotate the video just as easily as you narrate it.

If you are recording from the Zight app, you can pause the recording and then click the annotations button on the recording menu (the icon looks like a pen).

Once you do, you will see the different annotations you can add to the slides, including a pen, highlighter, arrow, line, ellipse, and rectangle. You can choose a different color for your annotations, even how long the annotation lasts on the final recorded video.

After annotating, resume the recording, rinse and repeat!

5. Finish Recording and Edit Your Video

Once you narrate all your Google slides, click the Finish recording button and wait for the file to upload to the cloud. Zight will also open the file on your default browser where you can edit the video file further.

When the video link opens, click the Edit button, and continue to split and merge sections, trim, crop, filter, and finetune different sections until the presentation is faultless. Click Done to save those settings.

On top of the recording, annotating, and editing of your Google Slides presentation, Zight will also transcribe your video and send the text to your email so you can go through the notes in case you missed something.

You can also add custom branding, and use AI features to generate a video summary and video titles. If you want to share the presentation with global teams, you will also love that you can translate the video file into 50 different languages for seamless communication.

6. Share the Presentation for Asynchronous Communication

To share the presentation, you can send the shareable link to your teams via Slack , Asana , Trello , and other chat boards and productivity software you use at work.

Alternatively, you can embed the video file in an email, or even download it on your computer then upload it on a platform like YouTube to reach a global audience.

7. Collaborate and Track Analytics

The best part about recording your presentation in superior video footage with Zight is how you can save it for collaboration later.

Firstly, you can save the video to a Collection on your Zight dashboard or add it to a Favorites list. This way, the video will be readily available and you can track how many people interact with it, either through comments or reactions to finetune your collaboration and communication strategy.

In addition, this video presentation will always be available on your Zight cloud account, and, as long as you keep it, even your colleagues or recipients can always retrieve it for future reference.

There you have it, an easy way to record your Google Slides presentation using Zight! With this method, you can easily create and share professional-looking recordings of your presentations to a global audience.

If you want to feel more confident before your audience with a well-designed and narrated deck, ensure you have a reliable internet connection before starting the recording. In addition, close any unnecessary tabs or programs on your computer to avoid interruptions. Finally, while Zight may use the native mic on your computer, you can prefer to use a high-quality microphone for better audio clarity.

Most importantly, don’t forget to rehearse and practice your presentation beforehand to ensure a smooth delivery and minimize any mistakes during the recording. With these tips in mind, you can confidently create engaging presentations that will impress your audience.

So why wait? Get Zight today and take your presentations to the next level!

I) Can I Record My Screen in Google Slides?

No. Google Slides does not have a built-in screen recording feature. However, you can use third-party apps like Zight to record your presentation.

II) How do you turn a Google slide into a video?

Since Google Slides does not record the screen and audio (apart from when you’re presenting in a Google meeting), you will need a third-party app to record your screen and turn your slides into a video. Follow the steps mentioned above to record and then export your presentation as a video.

When you record your Google Slides presentation with Zight, you’ll also be able to explain the contents of your slides in high-quality audio for an even better personal touch to what would be a boring presentation without narration.

III) How Do You Create a Presentation on Google Slides?

To create Google slides, follow these steps:

• Go to Google Drive and sign in.
• Click on the “New” button, then select “Google Slides.”
• Choose a template or start with a blank slide.
• Add your content by typing in text, and inserting images, videos, shapes, or charts.
• Customize your slides by changing the theme, background-color

Create & share screenshots, screen recordings, and GIFs with Zight

Get Zight for iOS.

• Add animation Video
• Add transitions between slides Video
• Add, format, and record video Video
• Add and record audio Video

Add, format, and record video

In PowerPoint, you can add animated GIFs, videos from your computer or online videos, recordings, export your presentation as a video, and even add captions to videos.

Add an animated GIF

Select Insert > Pictures .

Select the animated GIF you want to add.

Select Slide Show to see the animated GIF play.

Add a video

Select Insert > Video and then choose:

This device : Add a video that's stored on your computer.

Stock Videos : Add a stock video from the Microsoft 365 library. 

Online Videos : Add a video from YouTube or paste in an embed code.

Screen recording

Select Insert > Screen Recording .

Select the area you want to record.

Select Record .

Record your presentation

Select Slide Show > Record , then select if you want to record:

From Current Slide

From Beginning

Add captions to videos

Note:  Captions can't be added to online videos. For more information, see Create closed captions for a video .

Select the video you want to add captions to.

Select Playback > Insert Captions .

Select the caption file and select Insert .

Export your presentation as a video

Select File > Export .

Select Create a Video .

Select your settings.

Select Create Video .

Format your video

Select and drag to resize and move your video around.

Select Format to put frames and effects on your video.

Select Video Effects , Video Border , or Video Shape to add effects, borders, or crop your video to a shape.

Select Corrections or Color to adjust the video’s color tone.

Select Poster Frame to choose the video’s opening frame, and then click and drag with your mouse to select your preferred frame. Select Poster Frame > Current Frame to confirm your choice.

Add an animated GIF to a slide

Insert and play a video file from your PC

Add captions or subtitles in PowerPoint

Turn your presentation into a video

Get Microsoft presentation templates

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

Engage your audience with cool, actionable features.

Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.