how to make powerpoint presentation with voice over

How-To Geek

How to record voiceover narration in powerpoint.

If you're not able to physically present your slideshow, record a voiceover narration to make sure no points are missed.

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Preparation, record a voiceover for your presentation.

If you’re sending out your presentation instead of giving it in front of an audience, but you feel adding a vocal explanation would better help to deliver the message, record a voiceover narration. Here’s how to do it.

Before you begin your PowerPoint narration, you’ll need to make sure you’ve made the proper preparations.

Set Up Your Mic

First, you’ll need a microphone. Most modern computers have a built-in microphone that gets the job done, but investing in a USB microphone will increase the audio quality of the narration by quite a bit.

The built-in microphone will be set as your input device by default, so if you plan on using it for the PowerPoint narration, you don’t need to take any additional steps in setting it up. However, if you plan to use a USB microphone for the narration, be sure to set it as the input device.

To do this on Windows, right-click the volume icon found on the right of the taskbar. In the menu that appears, select “Open Sound Settings.”

The “Sound Settings” window will appear. Here, scroll down to the “Input” section and click the box under “Choose your input device.”

If you’re using a USB microphone, it will appear here. Select it to set it as the input device.

The steps for Mac users are extremely similar. The only difference is you should go to "System Settings" and select "Sound" instead of right-clicking the volume icon like on Windows. From there, the steps are the same.

Take Notes and Rehearse

With your mic set up, you’re ready to start recording, right? Well, not quite. While you may not be physically standing in front of the audience delivering this presentation, you still need to treat it as though you are. This means going through the basics---taking notes and rehearsing your delivery.

One thing you can do to help you record a successful narration is to write out a script. As with a live presentation, though, you don’t want to sound like you’re reading straight from your notecards. Practice reading through the script a few times so that it sounds natural and fluid.

Once you’re confident in your delivery, it’s time to start recording.

Open the PowerPoint presentation in which you would like to record a voiceover narration. Head over to the “Slide Show” tab and, in the “Set Up” group, select “Record Slide Show.” Once selected, a drop-down menu will appear. Here, you can choose to start the narration from the beginning or from the current slide. If you choose to start recording from the current slide, make sure that you’re on the slide you’d like to start recording from.

Related: How to Record Your Screen with Microsoft PowerPoint

In this example, we’ll choose “Record from Beginning.”

Now, you’ll be in full-screen mode. You’ll notice a few extra tools appear, including a record button at the top-left corner of the screen. When you’re ready to start recording, click this button.

When you select the record button, a countdown timer will appear, giving you a three-second delay between clicking the button and starting your recording.

You can now start recording your voiceover narration! Continue through the presentation by clicking the right arrow to go to the next slide.

You can pause the recording at any time by pressing the pause button in the top-left corner of the window. The recording will automatically end when you make it to the last slide. Alternatively, you can press the stop button, also located at the top-left corner of the screen.

If you want to play your narration back, you can select the replay button.

A speaker icon will appear at the bottom-right corner of each slide that has a recorded narration. You can also play your narration back on each slide by hovering over the icon and pressing the play button.

If you’re not satisfied with the narration, simply repeat these steps to re-record.

Blog > Record voice narration for PowerPoint

Record voice narration for PowerPoint

01.11.21   •  #presentation #powerpoint #voiceover #narration.

In this blog post, you'll learn how you can add a narration for your PowerPoint presentation. Adding audio or video narration can be very helpful, especially in a time where many seminars and meetings have to be conducted online. If you would rather give your presentation using a live stream (which has many benefits), scroll down to the bottom and learn how you can do that!

Here's what you need for recording:

• a microphone (your computer's microphone should do)
• a finished set of PowerPoint slides
• a video camera (only if you want to record video as well)

• Open your PowerPoint presentation or create a new one.
• In the taskbar, select Slide Show . Then click Record Slide Show .
• Choose the option Record from Beginning .

• You'll now get to a different view, which we'll call "Recorder View". Here's an overview:

• In the bottom right corner, you'll see three icons. The one on the left is for switching the microphone on/off. Make sure this function is turned on. The icon in the middle is for turning on/off your camera. You can choose if you want to switch the video recording on or not. The last icon is only available if you've chosen the video recording function. If the function is enabled, you'll be able to see a video preview.
• In the top right corner under "Settings", you can choose what microphone (and camera) you'd like to use. This is only relevant if you have an external recording device that you would like to use. If you're recording with your computer, you don't have to set anything here.
• Now it's time to record. Click the big red Record button on the top left and start speaking.
• Tip: You can either record all the slides at once without pressing pause, or you record each slide individually, then click pause, then go on to the next slide and record again. However, it's important to note that PowerPoint creates an individual audio file for each slide, even if you record all at once.
• Important : PowerPoint does not record during transitions, so only speak when you're on a slide.

• You can also draw on your slides with the painting tools on the bottom. These drawings will be saved to your presentations.
• On the bottom left corner, you'll see what slide you're on. You can also see two time counts. The first one is for the recording on the current slide, the second one is for the recording of the presentation overall.
• If you want to delete the whole voiceover, click Clear and Clear Recordings on all Slides . If you only want to delete the recording on the specific slide you are on, click Clear Recording on current Slide.
• If you want to re-record the audio from one slide after deleting it, just go to that slide and click Record again. Record what you want to say, then click Stop when you're done.
• Once you're done, leave the Recorder View. Click the small x in the top right corner or hit Esc .
• You can now either save the presentation as a regular PowerPoint file (just click Save and you're done) or as a video. If you'd like a video, follow the instructions below:

Save Presentation as Video

• Go to File in the PowerPoint taskbar

• Choose Export on the left, then Create a Video .

• Select the quality you'd like. We recommend Full HD (1080p).
• In the following drop-down menu, make sure Use Recorded Timings and Narrations is selected.

• The setting Seconds spent on each slide is only for the slides where there is no recording (if you have recordings on all of your slides, you can just ignore this setting.)
• Click Create Video and choose where the video should be saved. The video creation might take a while, so don't close PowerPoint right away!

Live interaction with polls & quizzes

If you prefer to give a talk where you can also interact with your audience, then the free software SlideLizard is the ideal solution! Using live polls , Q&A and feedback , your presentations will become even more exciting and interactive. SlideLizard integrates directly with PowerPoint, making it a breeze to use.

Can I record a presentation in PowerPoint?

Yes, PowerPoint also allows you to record your presentation with voice and video narration. You can read about how this works in our blog .

How can I record a presentation in PowerPoint with audio and video?

At first create your presentation. For the recording you will need a microphone (the one on your computer should do), your finished presentation and a video camera (if you also want to record a video). We have created a tutorial on our blog where you can read the further steps.

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About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

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How to Do a Voiceover on PowerPoint

Narrate your presentations with ease

• Central Washington University

What to Know

• Single slide: Select a slide. Go to Insert > Audio > Record Audio . Type a name, select Record , then read your script. Select Stop .
• Entire slideshow: Select View > Normal and choose the first slide. Select Slide Show > Record Slide Show > Record from Current Slide .
• To review the recording, click the sound indicator (it looks like a speaker) and then select Play to hear your recording.

This article explains how to record a voiceover on PowerPoint for a single slide or for the entire slideshow. The instructions apply to PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 , PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, and PowerPoint 2013.

How to Record a Voiceover for a Single Slide

Before narrating your PowerPoint presentation, be prepared:

• You’ll need a microphone attached to, or built into, your computer. Test the microphone to make sure it is working. Set the sound level so your audio is easy to hear.
• Prepare yourself for the narration. Write a script you can follow while recording the voiceover. Practice the presentation a couple of times so your voiceover will sound smooth.
• Decide whether to record the voiceover one slide at a time or record a voiceover for the entire presentation in one go.

The simplest way to record audio for a voiceover is to record one slide at a time. To get started, select the slide where you want to add the narration, then go to Insert > Audio > Record Audio .

Here’s how to record a voiceover on the slide:

Type a Name for the voiceover narration.

Select Record (the button with a red dot).

Read your script or ad-lib the narration.

Select Stop when you’re finished recording.

The Record Sound dialog box disappears, and a speaker indicating sound appears in the center of the slide.

To review the recording, click that sound indicator and then select Play to hear your recording.

When you're finished, click anywhere outside the playback controls to accept the recording.

You’ll see an audio icon in the middle of the slide. Move this icon anywhere on the slide to get it out of the way of other elements on the slide.

How to Record a Voiceover for an Entire Presentation

The voiceover for the entire presentation can be recorded at one time. In addition to recording a voiceover, you can record a video of yourself giving your presentation.

To set up your presentation when you want to narrate an entire slideshow:

Select View > Normal

Select the first slide in the presentation where you want to record audio.

Select Slide Show > Record Slide Show > Record from Current Slide .

In PowerPoint 2019, the Recording window opens.

In PowerPoint 2016 and earlier versions, a Record Slide Show dialog box prompts you for further options. In the Record Slide Show box, select options to set up the slideshow:

• Slide and animation timings: When recording, PowerPoint automatically tracks the timing of slide changes and any animations that occur.
• Narrations, ink, and laser pointer: When recording, PowerPoint automatically tracks when narrations, any inking, or laser pointing occurs.

Leave both checked to make automating your slideshow easier.

Select Record .

In PowerPoint 2016, select Start Recording .

Select Pause to temporarily stop the recording if you need a break.

If you made a mistake and want to start over, select Clear > Clear Recordings.

In PowerPoint 2016 select Clear > Clear Recordings on Current Slide .

When you’ve finished recording a slide, select the Advance button to advance to the next slide or press the spacebar on your keyboard.

When you’re done recording your narration on the slide, select Stop and close the recording window to return to the presentation.

You may have noticed some controls at the bottom left side of the screen. These are a few controls to aid you in your presentation.

These handy handy tools include the Laser Pointer , Highlighter , and Eraser . As you advance through your presentation, mark or highlight parts of your slides as you narrate. PowerPoint records the timing of these marks (if you left the boxes checked) to go along with your narration. Likewise, using the laser pointer shows a simulated red laser dot so that you can point out different things on your slides as you narrate your presentation.

How to Listen to the Recorded Voiceover

Once you’ve recorded your narration, you can go back to the slides and listen to your voiceover.

Here’s how to play a narration:

Select the slide containing the voiceover you want to hear.

Look for the recording icon on the slide. It should appear as either a small video screenshot or a speaker icon on the slide.

Hover over select this icon and then click Play to preview the recording.

How to Turn a Voiceover Off

If you don’t want to hear your narrations when playing a slideshow, but want to keep the narrations with the slide, turn voiceover off.

To turn voiceover off, select Slide Show and click to deselect the Play Narrations checkbox.

How to Delete a Voiceover

There are a couple of ways to delete voiceover audio in your presentation. To delete the audio on a single slide, find and select the recording on that slide, then press the Delete key.

To delete the voiceover from all the slides in a presentation: Select Slide Show and then select the down arrow to open the Record Slide Show menu. Then, select Clear Narration on All Slides .

Embedding Versus Linking Audio Files in PowerPoint

When you use the PowerPoint tools to record a voiceover narration, the audio file is embedded in PowerPoint. This means the audio is part of the PowerPoint file and not stored in a separate file, making it easy to play your presentation on any device.

If you have audio you recorded using other software and it's stored on your computer, you can link to the audio file. Linked files keep your presentation size smaller, but links can be broken if the audio file isn't available to the PowerPoint presentation. To prevent broken links, store the presentation file and the audio files in the same folder on your computer.

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How to do a voiceover on a PowerPoint presentation and add pre-recorded audio to your slides

• You can record a voiceover in PowerPoint and insert it into your next presentation using the software's Audio recording feature through the Insert menu.
• Recording and inserting a voiceover into PowerPoint is a relatively similar process on an Apple Macbook and Windows PC.  
• Once you've recorded your audio, you can click the microphone icon that appears on your slide and playback your recording. 
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

Public speaking is a valid and common fear. And although you might be trying to hone your public speaking with your free time at home , there's a way you can incorporate your voice into your next PowerPoint presentation without the pressure of speaking on the spot.

How? Microsoft PowerPoint has a feature that lets you create narration for all slides as you see fit. This way, you can record — and re-record — voiceovers for your presentations that won't make you cringe.

The process is virtually identical for both Mac and PC users and you can use your computer's built-in mic or a headset. Whatever your operating system of choice is, easily record narration over a PowerPoint slide in a few quick steps. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Microsoft office (from $149.99 at best buy), apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart).

SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Headset (From $92.49 at Amazon)

How to record a voiceover for PowerPoint on a PC

1. Open a new or existing or presentation in PowerPoint.

2. From the top toolbar, select "Insert."

3. Toward the far right side, click "Audio."

4. Choose "Record Audio…"

5. Name your audio file. 

6. Click the circle icon when you're ready to start recording.

7. Select "OK" when you're done recording.

8. A microphone icon will indicate the narration has been added to the slide. 

How to record a voiceover for PowerPoint on a Mac

1. Open a new or existing or presentation in PowerPoint for Mac.

2. Find and select "Insert" from the top toolbar. 

4. Select "Record Audio…"

5. Name the audio file, and click the circle icon when you're ready to start recording.

6. Click "Insert" when you're ready to finalize.

7. You can click the microphone icon on the slide to hear your recording.  

Related coverage from Tech Reference :

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Watch: Apple just launched a $6,000 Mac Pro, available this fall

• Main content

How to Add Voiceovers to Your PowerPoint Presentations

Learn how to add voiceovers to your PowerPoint presentations and make them more engaging!

Sometimes sending over a PowerPoint slide deck with text and visuals isn't enough. Adding your voice can help you provide additional context and explanations. In this article, we’ll go through a step-by-step process of how to record a voiceover in PowerPoint.

So whether you're creating an e-learning course, a sales pitch, or a product demo, by the end of this guide, you'll be ready to deliver a high-quality and engaging PowerPoint presentation. Let's dive in.

How to Record an Audio-Only Voiceover in PowerPoint

One of the easiest ways to build an engaging PowerPoint presentation is to add an audio-only voiceover to your slide deck. Here’s how to go about it.

• Select the slide where you want to add the voiceover.

How to Edit Audio Voiceover in PowerPoint

PowerPoint has a native audio editor for editing your voiceover. When you click the loudspeaker icon, two contextual tabs appear: Audio Format and Playback .

Use the settings under Audio Format to change the appearance of the loudspeaker icon.

Additionally, use the Playback settings to make changes to your audio. Here’s a summary of the key features in this section.

• Select the Play button to listen to the audio. Click on it again to pause the audio.
• Click any point in the audio bar and select Add Bookmark to mark it for easy reference. Select the bookmark and click Remove Bookmark to delete it.
• Select Trim Audio to remove unwanted sections of your audio.
• Set a duration to Fade In or Fade Out your audio.
• Adjust the Volume of the audio to Low, Medium, High, or Mute.
• In Click Sequence: The audio will start to play after a user clicks on the slide.
• Automatically: The audio starts playing on its own after landing on the slide.
• When Clicked On: The audio will only start playing after clicking on the Play button of the loudspeaker icon.
• Select Save Media as to export your audio recording as an M4A file.

How to Record a Voiceover With Slideshow in PowerPoint

To synchronize your audio with actions on the slide, like highlighting key areas or sketching, follow these steps.

• Navigate to the Record tab.
• The Slide view displays only the slide (as shown in the image below).
• The Presenter view lets you see your notes and the next slide in a panel on the right.
• The Laser pointer lets you highlight specific areas of the slide.
• The Pen and Highlighter tools (available in 12 colors) let you annotate the slide.
• Click the pause button to take a break while recording. Click it again when you’re ready to continue.
• Click Edit to save and exit the slideshow recording mode. In addition to the audio-only and slideshow-based voiceovers we’ve discussed, you can also record a voiceover with a screen recording .

How to Delete a Voiceover in PowerPoint

To delete your PowerPoint voiceover, follow these simple steps.

• Click Clear Recording .

How to Save Your Presentation With Voiceover in PowerPoint

Whether you recorded an audio-only voiceover or one with a slideshow, you need to choose the best way to save it for an optimal viewing experience. Let's explore three methods to achieve this.

Save as a PowerPoint File

This method is best if you’re working with collaborators who need to edit the PowerPoint file.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + S on your keyboard to open the Save As dialog box.

Save as a PowerPoint Show File

A PowerPoint show file automatically opens in slideshow mode. To save your presentation as a PowerPoint Show file, follow the same process as the previous one but change the Save As type to PowerPoint Show.

Alternatively, you can follow these steps:

• In the Save As dialog box, select a location for your file, enter a suitable File name , and click Save .

Save as Video

This method saves your PowerPoint presentation as an MP4 file, making it perfect for demos and tutorials.

• Navigate to the File tab.
• Adjust the file quality and ensure Use Recorded Timings and Narrations is selected.
• Set a duration for Seconds spent on each slide . This will be used for slides without a voiceover.
• In the dialog box that pops up, choose a file location, enter a suitable File name , and click Export .

Engage Your Audience With Voiceovers in PowerPoint

Adding a voiceover to your PowerPoint presentation can significantly enhance its delivery and overall impact. With this article as a guide, you’re fully equipped to record your first voiceover in PowerPoint. The more voiceovers you create, the easier it gets. To make your voiceovers even more personable, the Cameo feature lets you record customized camera feeds.

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How to Narrate a PowerPoint Presentation (Step-by-Step)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Shortcuts & Hacks
• October 29, 2019

In this article you’ll learn how to narrate a PowerPoint, with either just your voice or using the new video narration feature.

Firstly, there are two different tools you can use to narrate your PowerPoint slides.

#1: Record Audio  is the legacy PowerPoint narration tool. Although this tool doesn’t have as many features, it is faster to open and use, and is handy if you want to drop a voice note on a slide.

Features of this tool include:

• Voice narration only
• Adds narration to one slide at a time only

#2: Record Slide Show  is the NEWEST (and best) narration tool in PowerPoint, giving you two different types of narration options plus a variety of other options.

The features here are:

• Voice narration
• Video narration (so your audience can also see your face)
• Allows you to narrate an entire presentation in one sitting
• Automatically sets slide timings for you if you later want to convert PowerPoint into a video

And before you get lost in either tool, let’s cover a few things which will help you out (trust me).

Narration definition in PowerPoint

In PowerPoint, narration simply means recording your presentation as you walk someone through it, so that you can easily share the whole thing with someone else.

On top of that, if you get creative, you can use your narrated PowerPoint files to:

• Share your presentation with team members around the world
• Create a library of best practices for your company
• Build training materials for new hires

1. You don’t need fancy recording equipment

Don’t let fancy equipment or a professional recording studio hold you back from narrating your presentation. For most situations, using the built-in microphone on your personal computer is enough.

For example, if you are doing something relatively informal, such as walking a colleague through something in PowerPoint, the quality of your audio doesn’t need to be extremely high.

If you are creating training materials or giving an important presentation, I recommend getting a decent USB microphone (you can see a list of top rated microphones  here ).

That’s because they will help remove any background noise.

2. Find a quiet space and tell people you are recording

Regardless of the quality of your microphone, I recommend finding the quietest place possible to record your narration and let everyone know not to bother you.

When evaluating a quiet place, here are some things to be careful of and to spot check:

• Noisy air conditioners or refrigerators
• Street noise (cars, planes or pedestrians)
• Loud background office or cafe noise
• Cell phones, doorbells or other pinging noises
• Your kids playing in the background

For instance – imagine you are in the middle of narrating your presentation. All of a sudden a colleague knocks on your door or the doorbell rings, and you’re interrupted. It’s not the end of the world, but it will throw you off and likely annoy you.

In addition, if there is too much background noise (like a running air conditioner), the noise can be very distracting to whoever is watching the recording.

3. Check your microphone

The last thing you want to do is walk through your entire presentation, and then discover that your microphone wasn’t working.

Therefore, before narrating your PowerPoint, I recommend double-checking your recording equipment every time before you hit record. This includes ensuring that your equipment is properly plugged in (it happens).

• Right-click  the speaker icon in the task bar (lower right-hand corner of your desktop)
• Select  Open Sound settings
• Choose your  Input  device
• Click on  Troubleshoot  under  T est and troubleshoot

Note:  If you don’t see the audio bar filling up with color as you talk, that means that your input device is either not selected or not properly connected.

• Connect all your audio and video equipment to your computer
• Restart your computer: Start, Power, Restart

#1. Record audio (audio narration only)

While this is the legacy narration tool in PowerPoint, I want to cover it first.

That’s because even if you decide not to use it to narrate your PowerPoint presentation, it is extremely useful for dropping voice notes on your slides.

When used this way, you can quickly capture your thoughts and ideas about a slide without having to get bogged down editing or building it out on the spot.

Below I’ve detailed how to use this tool to narrate PowerPoint slides.

1. Open the Record Sound dialog box

To open the  Record Sound  dialog box, simply:

• Navigate to the  Insert  tab
• Open the  Audio  drop down
• Select  Record Audio

Keep in mind that you can only narrate one slide at a time using this tool. Hence why it’s great for dropping voice notes on a slide, one by one.

2. Record your audio narration

Inside the  Record Sound  dialog box you can narrate your PowerPoint slide. Simply:

• Type in a  Name  for your Audio Clip
• Select the  Record  button (the red dot) to begin narrating
• Click  Stop  (the square) to stop your narration
• Hit  Play  (the triangle) to listen to your narration
• Click  OK  to save the narration to your slide

As a result, you will see a little audio object added to your slide that you can move around and resize if you like.

The audio file can also be played (simply click on the play icon) in both the  Normal View  and  Slide Show View  of your presentation.

In this way, you can work your way through your presentation, adding voice notes to your PowerPoint slides that you or your colleagues can play back from within your presentation.

To learn all about adding music to PowerPoint and how to loop your audio files,  read our article here .

3. Playing your PowerPoint narration

By default, your audio file will be set to play  In Click Sequence  (explained below).

That means it will be added at the end of any animation sequences, trigger actions, etc.. If you don’t have any of these on your slide, it will automatically play when you to to advance to the next slide.

All you need to do is advance your slide (click, hit the space bar or arrow keys, etc.) and it will play.

To change when your audio file plays, simply:

• Select your  Audio  file
• Navigate to the  Playback  tab
• Open the  Start  drop down
• Choose either  In Click Sequence ,  Automatically  or  When Click On

In Click Sequence  means that your audio file plays as part of the click sequence of actions that happen on your slide. This includes animated sequences, trigger actions, and videos, all of which you can set in the Animations Pane.

If you do not have any sequences set up on your slide, your audio file will play right before you advance to the next slide in your presentation.

Automatically  means your audio file plays as soon as you get to that slide in your presentation, instead of playing right before you advance to the next slide.

When Clicked On  means your audio file will only play if someone clicks on it during the presentation in Slide Show mode. For example, you can use this option for a piece of audio that you may not have the time to play, allowing you to choose in the moment whether to play it or not.

4. Delete or overwrite a previous narration file

To delete an audio file narration, simply select the object on your slide and hit  Delete  on your keyboard.

If you want to overwrite or change an existing narration, simply use the  Record Audio  dialog box again (as described above). Doing so will overwrite the existing audio file on your slide.

Warning:  Two narration audio files cannot exist on a slide at the same time. That means that if you narrate a PowerPoint slide a second time, the first recorded file will be overwritten.

To be clear, that means you will need to start over – from scratch – for the individual slide where you want to change the narration.

While you can trim an audio file in PowerPoint, you cannot split apart or merge different audio files like you could if you used dedicated audio editing software.

#2. Record Slide Show (audio + video narration)

The  Record Slide Show  command is the NEWEST and BEST way to narrate a PowerPoint presentation for a few reasons, including:

• Record both audio and/or video narrations
• Narrate your entire presentation in one sitting (you are not limited to creating slide-by-slide narrations)
• You can use the pen, highlighter and laser pointer commands and have them captured in your narration too
• The tool allows you to pause and restart your recording
• All your slide timings are automatically recorded, allowing you to use them to turn your PowerPoint presentation into a video (see how to do that  here )

In short, unless you have a really good reason not to use the  Record Slide Show  command to narrate your presentation, this is what you should be using.

As you will see below, there are a lot more settings you can toggle on and off, but don’t let this stop your from recording your presentation.

1.  Open the Record Slide Show dialog box

To open the  Record Slide Show  dialog box, simply:

• Navigate to the  Slide Show  tab
• Open the  Record Slide Show  command
• Choose  Record from Beginning

If you simply click the  Record Slide Show  command in the Ribbon (instead of opening up the drop down) it will begin recording from the current slide.

Wait a couple of seconds, and the  Record Slide Show  commands will load, and you can start narrating your presentation.

2. Record your  slide show narration

There are a lot more options you can choose from in the  Slide Show  dialog box that that I will explain below, but recording your narration is still pretty easy and straight forward

To start recording your slide show narration, simply:

• Choose your  Camera  and/or  Microphone
• Make sure your  Camera  and/or  Microphone  is turned on
• Use the  Record ,  Stop  and  Replay  commands to start and stop your narrations
• Use the  Arrow  (or use your arrow keys) to advance to the next slide

Once you start recording, you get the option to pause the recording. This allows you to pause and collect your thoughts whenever you need to, and continue narrating your presentation when you are ready.

When you are finished, the individual video and/or audio file narrations are added to the lower right-hand corners of each individual slide, as you can see below.

As you can see in the picture above, your audio and video narrations are recorded and saved on a slide-by-slide basis. That means you can review and record narrations on any slide within your presentation.

Warning:  You can only have one narration file per slide.

If you re-record an audio or video narration, it automatically overwrites any previous narrations you had on that slide.

The only way to have two different narration files on the same slide, is to record one with the  Record Slide Show  dialog box, and record the second with the  Record Audio  command.

3. Set your narration to Play

Your  Record Slide Show  narrations are set to play  Automatically .

That means that whenever you run your presentation (from beginning or from current), your audio and/or video narration will automatically play.

To change when your audio or video narration plays, simply:

• Select the  Narration  file on your slide
• Choose either  In Click Sequence ,  Automatically  or  When Clicked On

4. Record Slide Show options

Record (or hit R) to start recording your narration.

Pause  (or hit I) to pause your narration and collect your thoughts. This button only displays once you’ve started recording.

Stop  (or hit S) to end your narration. If you hit Record again, your new narration will overwrite the existing one.

If you want to stop narrating your current slide before starting on the next one, don’t use the Stop button. Instead, simply navigate to your next slide using your arrow keys or the forward arrow on screen.

Replay  to replay your narration for the current slide. This button only becomes active after you have recorded a narration for that slide.

B. Speaker Notes options

Notes  (or hit N) to open or close your speaker notes for that slide. The Notes window is fairly small and you cannot resize it very well.

Your action of opening and closing the speaker notes pane will not show up in your recorded narration.

Font Size  commands increase and decrease the font size of your speaker notes so that you can see them better.

In my opinion the speaker notes pane is too small and not flexible enough for reviewing lots of speaker notes.

To learn how to print your speaker notes in PowerPoint,  read our guide here .

C. Clear Recordings options

Clear Recordings  allows you to clear your previous recording on either the current slide or on all the slides in your presentation.

You can also overwrite your recording and slide timings by simply recording over the top of your narrations.

Note:  Using Clear Recordings removes both your slide timings and narrations.

That means that if you want to remove your narrations but keep your slide timings, you will want to clear recordings outside of the  Record Slide Show  dialog box. See how to clear timings and narrations below.

D. Input options: Camera and Microphone

Microphone  allows you to choose which microphone you want to record with. So if you are using a microphone other than your computer’s built-in one, this is where you want to select your microphone before you begin recording your narration.

Camera  allows you to choose which camera or webcam you want to use if you are recording video narrations. If you are using a camera other than your computer’s built-in one, this is where you want to select it before you begin your narration.

E. Advance Slide options

Next Slide  advances the click sequence of your presentation, the same way hitting the right arrow key or clicking your slide with your mouse does.

If you have animated sequences or music that is supposed to play, clicking forwards will trigger those sequences, and eventually advance you to the next slide.

Previous Slide  moves you back one slide in your presentation, but it is only available to you when you are not recording.

That’s because re-recording a narration automatically overwrites the previous narration. So once you start your recording, you can only move forward in your presentation.

F. On / Off: Camera and microphone

Microphone  (on/off) turns your selected microphone on or off. You can turn your microphone off and still click through your presentation if you want to mute your sound in the recording.

Camera  (on/off) turns your selected camera on or off. This allows you to add or remove video recording in your narration.

Camera Preview  displays what your camera is recording during your narration. If seeing yourself onscreen while you narrate your presentation bothers you, simply turn camera preview off.

G. Ink options: Eraser, Pen and Highlighter

The  Pen  (Ctrl + P),  Highlighter  (Ctrl + I),   and Eraser  (Ctrl + E)   allow you to draw and highlight things on your slides during your presentation.

To change the color of your ink, simply click on one of the colors at the bottom of your screen.

Anything that you draw on your slides during your narration will be recorded as you draw them. That means that someone watching the recording will see you draw on the slide, as you narrate your presentation.

H. Slide Timings options

Slide Timings  show you how long you have spent on each slide, and which slide you are on within your presentation.

Therefore, if you are converting your PowerPoint presentation into a video, these slide timings determine how long you spend on each slide.

To learn all about how to convert PowerPoint to video,  read our guide here .

I. Close / Minimize options

Close / Minimize  allows you to close out of (or minimize) the  Record Slide Show  app.

Use the  Close  icon (the x) to exit out of the  Record Slide Show  dialog box and return to the Normal View of your presentation. You can also hit the  Esc  key on your keyboard to close out of the dialog box.

#3. How to clear your Timings and Narrations

To clear your  Timings and Narrations  from the Normal View of PowerPoint, simply:

• Open the  Slide Show  tab
• Open the  Record Slide Show  drop down
• Select  Clear
• Choose the  Timings  or  Narrations  you want to clear

If the  Clear  command is grayed out when you open the  Record Slide Show  drop down, that means that you do not have any  Narrations  or  Timings  (same as for transitions) set for your presentation.

Clear Timing on Current Slide  removes the set transition timing for the current slide.

Clear Timings on All Slides  removes the set transition timings on all the slides within your presentation.

Clear Narration on Current Slides  removes any voice or video narration you’ve recorded on the current slide.

Clear Narration on All Slides  removes any voice or video narrations from your entire presentation.

Note:  You can also clear the  Timings  and  Narrations  for your slides at the same time from inside the  Record Slide Show  dialog box.

Inside the dialog box, simply click the  X  and choose to  Clear Recordings on Current  or  Clear Recordings on All .

#4. How to compress your PowerPoint narrations

Adding audio and video narrations to PowerPoint significantly increases the size of your presentation as you can see in the picture above.

Therefore, I recommend compressing your file after you’re done recording narrations.

After narrating your PowerPoint, you can compress your   audio and video narrations. To do that, simply:

• Navigate to the  File  tab
• Select the  Info  group
• Open the  Compress Media drop-down
• Choose  a compression quality

PowerPoint automatically uses the Full HD (1080p) when recording your voice and video. So if you are tight for space, you will need to choose either the  HD (720p)  or  Standard (480p)  options .

To learn a variety of other ways you can reduce your PowerPoint file size,  read our compression guide here .

That’s how to narrate a PowerPoint, and the different options you have using the  Record Audio  and  Record Slide Show  options.

If you have the latest version of PowerPoint, I highly recommend using the  Record Slide Show  option as it gives you the most options to work with.

Just keep in mind that narrating your PowerPoint with audio and video can greatly increase the size of your presentation. Therefore, you may end up needing to consider compress it.

If you enjoyed this article, you can learn more about how to improve your PowerPoint skills by  visiting us here

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How to Add Voice Narration to a PowerPoint

Lee Stanton Lee Stanton is a versatile writer with a concentration on the software landscape, covering both mobile and desktop applications as well as online technologies. Read more December 11, 2020

When creating a PowerPoint presentation, voice narration can help to spice up your content and make it more engaging. This is especially true if you’re sending your presentation via email or when your audience is not in the same location as you.

In this article, we’re going to show you how to add voice narration to your PowerPoint presentation.

What’s PowerPoint Voice Narration?

PowerPoint’s voice narration is a feature that enables you to record and embed audio clips into your slide deck. You can then attach a narration icon on your slide, which plays when toggled. You can also set the audio to play automatically as the rest of the content is projected.

Preparation

Every successful and experienced PowerPoint enthusiast will tell you that the secret to making engaging and informative content lies in adequate preparation. To ensure that your presentation stands out, here are some tips:

Carefully Assemble Your Slide Deck

You should aim for a consistent presentation, where the content is presented in chronological order. You don’t want to end up with a presentation that is disorganized because that will make it difficult for your audience to follow. You’ll need to make sure that any audio clips you embed into your slide are not only in sync with the rest of the content but also form a clear and logical sequence of ideas in the minds of the audience.

Mental Preparation Is Key

After assembling all the necessary resources, ensure that you’re thoroughly familiar with the content. Only then can you project confidence into your voice narration. A good way to prepare is to scribble down the things you want to include in your narration well in advance. This helps you to come up with a mind map of the key points of your presentation.

Put the Mic to the test

Obviously, you need a microphone to record audio clips. Luckily, most modern computers come with an inbuilt microphone that needs minimal preparation. However, you’ll still want to make sure that you’re sufficiently audible. You can adjust things like volume by opening your computer’s settings and clicking on “Sound” in the menu on the left of your screen.

Quiet Environment

Non-ambient sounds can ruin even the best of presentations. Ensure that your room is nearly sound-proof before the recording starts. You should turn off things like fans and air conditioners.

How to Add Voice Narration to a PowerPoint Presentation

If you’re using any Microsoft package other than Office 365, here’s how you can add voice narration to your presentation:

PowerPoint automatically affixes a sound icon beneath every slide that has a voice narration. You’ll also notice that the time taken recording the slide is also included.

Once you’re done recording, it’s always a good idea to preview your slideshow. To do so, click on “Slide Show” on the Home tab in the menu bar. To listen to the audio you recorded for a particular slide, simply go to “Normal View” and click on the sound icon.

How to Add Voice Narration to PowerPoint Slides

Voice narration can be the difference between a presentation that impresses and one that truly stands out. Voice narration converts your presentation into a self-contained utility and provides your audience with a complete, self-teaching asset.

Here are the steps you should take to add voice narration to PowerPoint slides:

How to Insert Sound Effects in PowerPoint

Sound effects are a good way to make your slides more interesting to your audience. PowerPoint allows you to add a range of sounds to animations. What’s more, you have the option to play sounds every time you open a new slide during your presentation.

Before adding a sound, first, you have to create the animation effect. Here’s how you can add a sound effect to an animation:

How to Insert Music in PowerPoint

There can hardly be a better way to spice up your presentation than adding music. To play music across slides, here’s what you need to do:

And just like that, your music will start playing as soon as the slide is opened.

How to Add Voice Narration to PowerPoint on a Mac

If you own a Mac, adding voice narration to your PowerPoint presentation is straightforward.

• Click on “Slide Show” on the top menu.
• Select “Record Narration.” This will launch a new window.
• In the new window, specify the sound input device and input source.
• Click on “Record” to start recording. This launches the full-screen presentation mode.
• When done, press the escape key.
• Click on “Yes” when asked whether you’d like to save slide timings.
• PowerPoint automatically adds the speaker icon beneath each slide. To play the narration automatically every time the slide is opened, right-click on the speaker and select “Start Automatically.”

How to Add Voice Narration to PowerPoint on an iPad

You can add voice narration to a PowerPoint presentation on your iPad. Here’s how:

• Open the first slide of your presentation.
• Tap “Play.”
• Slide your finger down from the top right corner of your screen. This launches the Control Center. You’ll be able to see all recording options if you tap and hold the “Record” button.
• Tap the microphone button to turn it on.
• Select “Start Recording.” You’ll now have three seconds to prepare.
• Return to the Control center by tapping “Background.”
• Return to your presentation by tapping “Control Center Background.”
• Proceed to navigate through your slide deck as you add voice narration.
• When you’re done, slide your finger down from the top right corner of your screen to launch the Control Center. Then, tap the “Record” button.

Your recording will appear in the Photos app.

Additional FAQ

How do i add narration to powerpoint 365.

• Select “Slide Show.”

• You’ll be prompted to decide whether you want to start recording from the current slide or from the beginning. For best results, always start from the beginning. At this point, PowerPoint should automatically launch the slideshow mode.

• In the slideshow mode, you’ll notice a series of buttons on the top right corner. The first one, which appears in red, allows you to record. The second one stops the recording, while the third one allows you to play the audio recorded.

• The slide involving the recording is always on the main panel of the window. To begin recording a new slide, simply toggle the arrow on the right side of the window. To go back to the previous slide, toggle the arrow on the left. It’s important to note that PowerPoint automatically records the time spent on every slide.

• Use the buttons on the bottom right hand corner to toggle your mic and camera. If for some reason you want to repeat a part of the recording or all of it, PowerPoint will automatically delete the old recording and start you off on a clean slate. When you’re done recording, click on the middle, square-shaped button on the top left corner.

How Do I Voice Over a PowerPoint?

• Open the presentation and click on the “Slide Show” tab.

• Click on “Record Slide Show.”

• A dropdown menu will appear and prompt you to choose between starting recording from the beginning or from the current slide.

Create Engaging Content with Voice Narration

Voice narration may not be the most popular PowerPoint tool, but it presents a sure way to add an extra layer of quality to your presentations to make them more interesting and engaging. What’s your experience with the voice narration feature?

Let us know in the comments section.

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The Best Way to Add a Voice Over to PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is generally considered to be little more than a tool for creating and giving live presentations. It can, however, be used to create great content, such as educational and instructional videos — all you have to do is add a voice over. 

Knowing how to do a voice over on PowerPoint is a brilliant way to transform a bunch of slides into a dynamic piece of professional content that can reach audiences far beyond the conference room. While PowerPoint comes with a built-in presentation recorder, it’s not without its limitations. But, there is a better way. 

Tools like TechSmith’s Camtasia , ideal for screen recording and video editing, and TechSmith’s Audiate , designed for audio editing, make voiceover work a breeze. In this post, we’ll show you how to harness both of these tools for maximum impact.

Before we dive into the how-to, it’s important to understand why voice overs are so powerful in PowerPoint presentations and how exactly the help to ensure your presentation isn’t boring . So, in this post, we’ll also discuss:

• The importance of voice overs for PowerPoint presentations .
• Step-by-step instructions to record your voice over .
• A practical example to guide you through the process .
• Best practices for achieving high-quality audio .

Why record voice overs for PowerPoint?

The shift to digital and remote working, learning, and collaboration has firmly taken root. From Zoom meetings to virtual classrooms, and even messaging platforms like Slack, remote communication has become a normal part of everyday life. This digital transition means that meetings, workshops, employee training, classroom lectures, and presentations are increasingly moving online.

In today’s digital world, delivering your presentation doesn’t always require being there in person. Instead, you have the freedom to rehearse, record, and edit your presentation in advance, ensuring it’s polished before anyone sees it. It also means that your audience can watch your presentation at a time that suits them. 

While this is excellent for perfecting your presentation without the pressure of a live audience, adding a voice over to a recorded presentation can significantly amplify its impact. Imagine a live presentation without the human touch of a voice – it’s like having a deck of slides without the story. There’s a reason why they’re called TED Talks, not just TED Decks.

With your voice breathing life into your PowerPoint, what was once a standard presentation becomes an immersive experience. Whether it’s for an online class, a webinar, or a remote business meeting, your message will resonate more when it’s heard.

As we navigate a world that increasingly blends face-to-face and virtual interactions, the power of a well-narrated presentation can’t be underestimated. It’s about breaking down barriers to communication, reaching people wherever they are, and making sure your message isn’t just delivered but remembered.

The Easiest and Fastest Way to Record and Edit Voice Over for PowerPoint!

Audiate makes recording and editing your voice as simple as editing text in a document.

Recorded PowerPoint presentations are more flexible

While live meetings and educational sessions have their place, they require everyone to be in the same place at the same time (even if the place is virtual). That’s fine if all your employees, students, or other audience members are in the same time zone. 

But what if your company has employees all over the world? That 2 p.m. ET meeting at your company’s HQ will take place at midnight for your employees in Sydney, Australia.

Moreover, what about employees, students, or others who have to share technology? Or don’t always have access to high-speed internet? Or the privacy necessary to meet at the appointed time?

By offering your presentation asynchronously (which is just a fancy word for “on-demand”), you give people the flexibility to consume your content when it’s convenient or easier for them. Plus they can consume it at their own pace, they have more opportunities to absorb and understand the information.

That doesn’t mean that synchronous (just a fancy word for “live” or “in-person) meetings, training sessions, classes, etc. aren’t important or useful. It just means that providing your audience with more options gives your content more value.

Forget PowerPoint’s built-in recorder — there’s a better way

The first thing you’ll probably notice when you decide to record a voice over for your PowerPoint presentation is that PowerPoint has a built-in recorder. Just click the record presentation button and you’re good to go.

This will get the job done, but it’s not the best way to do it. And you know what they say, “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right”. If, for example, you want to make small edits to your recording at a later stage, you’re going to really regret using PowerPoint’s built-in recorder, as it doesn’t allow you to edit mistakes or verbal flubs. 

With PowerPoint, you only get one take. That means you have to remember what you want to say, advance your slides, and do your best to avoid stumbling — just like if you were doing it in front of a live audience.

Quick-and-dirty recordings work in some cases, but for others — especially anything that will be consumed outside your company —  you might want something a little more professional. Creating an on-demand recorded presentation will let you do exactly that.

Plus, by recording your voice over separately, you can ensure that your recordings are professional and more engaging.

How to record voice over for PowerPoint

Now, if you’re not going to use PowerPoint’s built-in recorder, what are you going to use? Well, this is where Audiate comes in…

Audiate is, without a doubt, one of the best tools you can use to record and edit a voice over. You’ll find out why in the following steps, but perhaps one of the coolest features of Audiate is that it allows you to edit audio recordings as if they were text files. 

All you have to do is delete the words, sentences, and sounds you don’t want. We’ll tell you all about it shortly, but it’s really easy to use and integrates seamlessly with Camtasia. Best of all you can download a free trial for both Audiate and Camtasia , without giving up your credit card details — just click the links in this sentence!

Okay, so we told you that Audiate is easy to use. And when we say easy, we mean it’s almost ridiculously easy — and we’re going to prove it to you.

1. Start with a script

Whether you’ve created a new presentation or you’re recording one you’ve given a thousand times, writing a script will ensure you know what you want to say, exactly how and when you want to say it. It also helps you stay on topic and remember important points. 

If you already have a slide deck, you can use that as the outline for your script. Then, just write up what you would say to your audience if you were presenting it live.

Of course, if you don’t want to write a full, word-for-word script, even a bulleted list of talking points is better than nothing at all. Trust us, a script will save you a ton of editing time later.

2. Record your audio

Gone are the days when audio recording and editing were reserved for professional audio producers, fraught with complex settings and overwhelming interfaces.

Audiate revolutionizes this process with its simplicity and user-friendliness. Its intuitive UI is designed for ease of use, allowing you to start recording your voice over in just a few seconds. To start, simply hit the Record button and start talking. Audiate will transcribe your audio in real-time, which means your words will appear on screen, as you speak. 

Once you’re done recording, just click Stop, and Audiate will finish transcribing. This process not only makes recording a stress-free experience but also ensures that editing your voice over is super easy. 

3. Edit and export your recording

Everyone makes mistakes or hesitates when recording — even the guy who does all the voice overs for movie trailers. The beauty of Audiate lies in its ability to correct these mishaps. Because Audiate displays your spoken words as text, it eliminates the need to comb through audio waveforms. 

Made a mistake? Just find the word or sentence, highlight it, and delete it. Audiate even offers the option to automatically remove common hesitations like “umms” and “uhhs” in just a few clicks .

Need to rearrange your content? Audiate lets you cut and paste words or entire sections as needed. Adding more audio is just as easy — simply hit Record, and your new audio will be added to the end of the existing file, ready to be cut and pasted wherever you need it to be.

If you plan to add captions to your video (which we recommend you do), be sure to go through the transcription and correct anything that Audiate may have misheard to ensure the text matches what you said.

That’s it, you have now successfully recorded and edited your voice over! All that’s left to do is click the Export button and save it as a .WAV file. You can also click File and Export Script, which will save your transcript as an .SRT file that Camtasia can use to add captions.

In the next section, we’ll show you how to add your edited audio to your video in Camtasia.

Pro tip: Edit your video in Camtasia 

Camtasia is a powerful, but easy-to-use video editor. Even if you’ve never made a video before, you can quickly learn to create professional-quality content — here’s how: 

Import your slides

With Camtasia, you can import PowerPoint slides and insert the audio afterward. No more recording your screen while you run through your slides.

Just click File > Import > Media or, in the Media tab, click the Import Media button and navigate to select your PowerPoint files.

As it stands, Camtasia can’t import presentations made with Google Slides or Apple Keynote. However, if you created your deck in either of those applications, you can save your file as a PowerPoint presentation (.ppt file) and Camtasia can import that instead.

Once you’ve imported your slides, do the same thing for your audio recording.

Add your slides to the timeline

Once your slides and audio are in the Media Bin, drag the audio over to the Timeline. Then, simply add your slides to the Timeline as needed. 

Now you can adjust the slide timing and the amount of time they’re visible to ensure they correlate with what’s being said in your voice over. 

With everything in its right place, you can export and share your video with your audience, but there are a few more things you can do to ensure the audio is as good as it can possibly be…  

Take your video a step further

Use Camtasia’s callouts and other features to add arrows, highlight important information, or otherwise enhance the video experience for your viewers. That’s something you definitely can’t do in PowerPoint.

When you’re ready to add your captions, click Modify and Add Captions to import your captions file. Drag it to the timeline and Camtasia will automatically put the captions in the right spot in your video. 

When you’re satisfied that your video is done, you can save the file locally or upload it to any of Camtasia’s array of destinations, including YouTube, Google Drive, Vimeo, and TechSmith’s Screencast (to name a few).  

Now your video really is ready to be shared with the world!

Just remember that if you ever need to edit or update your video, you can easily go back into Camtasia, replace whatever slides need changing, and import whatever new audio you’ve recorded. If you had recorded your presentation using PowerPoint, you’d have to start from scratch. 

Improving Your Internal Communications

A guide to how visual content can help create a more collaborative and productive work environment.

Tips for getting great audio

Now we know you’re ready and raring to get started with your voice over, but we’d be remiss if if we didn’t give you a few pointers on how to record high-quality audio . 

So, before you go, here are a few extra tips: 

• Start with a script . You’ll speak more confidently and you’ll stay on point.
• Use a better mic . Your computer microphone will work in a pinch, but if you really want the best audio (or, if you plan to make more videos), invest in a decent USB microphone. Some of the best microphones for recording videos will probably cost a lot less than you think. 
• Stay hydrated . Your voice sounds better when your vocal chords are nice and hydrated. So, be sure to keep water handy while you’re recording and take a sip when you need to. You can edit out that part later.
• Speak slowly and clearly . When people are nervous they tend to race through whatever they’re trying to say. So, remember to breathe, slow down, and enunciate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not at all. With the right tools, you can easily add voice overs to PowerPoint slides and turn your presentation into an engaging educational or informational video!

Not much! A decent microphone and a quiet place to record will go a long way in ensuring your recording sounds great.

While PowerPoint’s built-in recorder works in a pinch, you’ll save your self a lot of time and effort by using a standalone audio recorder like TechSmith’s Audiate.

We highly recommend TechSmith Camtasia. It’s super easy to use and can import PowerPoint slides directly!

Ryan Knott is a Marketing Content Strategist at TechSmith, where he creates content about easy, effective, and efficient video creation, editing, and tips and tricks, as well as audio editing for creators of all kinds. He/him.

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How to do a voice-over on PowerPoint

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to do a voice-over on PowerPoint for free.

Why use a voice-over on your PowerPoint presentation?

PowerPoint presentations are a powerful tool for delivering information to your audience. However, multiple slides containing only visual information can be dull. Adding a voice-over to your slides can make the presentation more engaging and easier to follow. An engaged audience is an audience that’s more likely to remember the information you present.

Reap the benefits of professional voice-over services

How to do a voice-over on powerpoint for free in 4 steps, step 1: write a script.

It’s helpful to write a script before you begin recording. The script will help you to stay on track, stick to timings, make sure that you cover all the essential points and avoid repeating yourself. The script should be concise and straightforward, using simple language that’s easy to understand.

It’s important to rehearse your script, speaking out loud. This is a good way of identifying any parts that don’t sound right. It also enables you to time yourself, and adjust your script if necessary, to keep to specified timings.

Remember, don’t just repeat what’s on your slides. Your voice-over adds value by providing extra information. For example, your slides might display bullet points and your voice-over can add further detail for each point. Find out more about writing voice-over scripts .

Download our voiceover script template

Find out what information needs to be included on your voice-over script and download our templates for video or slide presentation recording .

Step 2: Record your voice-over

To record your voice-over, you can use a built-in microphone on your computer, a smartphone or an external microphone .

Choose a quiet place without any background noise to make your recording. Speak clearly and slowly, maintaining a consistent pace. You can record directly from PowerPoint or you can use free software, such as Audacity or GarageBand (Mac only) to record and then edit your audio. Editing can be used post-production to add different qualities to your voice, such as a richer tone or a slight echo.

Step 3: Add the voice-over to your PowerPoint presentation

If you’ve recorded your voice-over outside of PowerPoint, when the recording and any necessary editing are finished you can add it to your PowerPoint presentation. Here's how:

• Open your presentation and go to the slide where you want to add the voice-over
• Click on the ‘Insert’ tab and select ‘Audio’
• Choose the audio file you want to add and click ‘OK’
• To set the audio to play automatically, go to the ‘Playback’ tab and select ‘Play in Background’ under ‘Audio Options’.

Step 4: Sync the audio with the slides

To ensure that your voice-over timings are right in the final presentation, you might need to sync the audio with the slides. Here's how:

• Click on the ‘Transitions’ tab
• In the ‘Timing’ group, check the box next to ‘After’ and set the duration for the slide to play
• In the ‘Sound’ dropdown, select the audio file you added to the slide
• Repeat this process for each slide in your presentation.

How to do a voice-over on PowerPoint with a different voice

If you don’t want to use your own voice for your audio recording, you could ask someone else to read your script. However, sometimes that isn’t possible. If you need a voice-over audio and want a different voice, PowerPoint has a solution.

You can use PowerPoint’s built-in Text-to-Speech (TTS) feature to create a voiceover that is generated by the software. Simply select the text on each slide, go to the ‘Review’ tab, then select ‘Read Aloud’. You can also adjust the speed and language of the TTS voice in the settings.

Professional voice-overs for PowerPoint presentations

Today’s software has features that enable you to easily produce your own voice-overs, but professional quality audio is tricky to achieve. If it’s important that your presentation has high-quality audio, or if you need a voice-over in a different language, we can help.

At Semantix, we create professional quality voice-overs in more than 200 languages. Whether you’re creating a presentation for marketing, social media, e-learning or something else, our experts can make sure that your voice is heard loud and clear in every language.

Need your video content to be understood by a global audience?

Get the templates.

With our template, you can easily create a script that meets your specific project needs and ensures a flawless voiceover performance. No more headaches or frustration – just a smooth and efficient process from start to finish.

Related content

What is voice-over? The ultimate guide to giving video content a voice

The best microphones for voice-overs 2023

How to do a voice-over on Google Slides for free

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Voice-over presentations offer a better learning experience because they are a more engaging way to learn. 

Some students learn better through visual cues, while others learn by listening. However, adding voice-over narration to your presentations enables students to benefit from the best of both worlds. It allows adding important information and context to explain what’s on the slides – as if your students were attending a live lecture!

Now, you may assume adding voice-over to your presentations is complicated. However, it isn’t as tricky as you probably think! Once you have your slides ready, there are just a few extra steps you’ll need to take to add narration. 

In this blog, we share four ways to do a voiceover presentation – voice-over Google Slides, PowerPoint, screen recording, and the Presentation lesson feature on Thinkific.

Before we get into the options, let’s quickly cover the only ground rule regarding recording voice-overs: Don’t sacrifice sound quality. Viewers are willing to put up with rough visuals but don’t forgive poor sound. Most computers have built-in microphones that sort of get the job done, but we recommend headphones or a USB Microphone to improve the quality of your voiceover.

Related: How To Set Up A DIY Home Video Recording Studio For Cheap

Now, let’s get into your voice-over options. Toward the end of the article, you will also find five tips for adding a good voice-over. If you’d like to sit back and learn, check out this video we created on how to easily add voiceover to your slides:

4 ways to do voice-over presentations

There are two main routes you can take to record a voiceover for your presentations :

You may want to use PowerPoint or Google Slides to add voiceover to each slide that plays as students make their way through the presentation. PowerPoint has recording functionality built-in, but with Google Slides, some extra steps are involved with recording your audio, then uploading it to Google Drive before you can embed it on each slide.

Alternatively, you may want to ditch the slides and create a screen recording of the presentation. To do this, you can use any screen recording software as you talk through the slides and turn your presentation into a video lesson. And if you’re a Thinkific user, you can create voiceover slides with the Presentation lesson feature.

Use this list to skip to your preferred voice-over narration method:

• How to do a voice-over on Google Slides
• How to do a voice-over on PowerPoint (Microsoft Office)
• How to do a voice-over screen recording
• How to do voice-over slides with Thinkific

Option 1: How to do a voice-over on Google Slides

Google Slides doesn’t have built-in functionality to record your slides, but you can still accomplish the same with it with an extra step. You can add voiceover to Google Slides by uploading an audio file saved in Google Drive to each slide.

For this option, all you need is Google Slides and a computer with a microphone. 

Let’s go through the steps-

Step 1: Create your audio files for each slide and upload them to Google Drive.

Tip: Organize your files with a naming convention. You’ll need to locate these files in the next step. To keep them organized , following a naming convention for your audio files, including Course, Lesson, and Slide numbers, helps.

Step 2: Insert audio to your slide, and configure play settings

Next, you can insert audio from your drive into each slide individually.

The files you uploaded should be in the Recent tab, but you can also search for the file manually.

Step 3: Configure your audio settings 

Google Slides gives you the option to specify how the voiceover should act. To open the Format options menu, you can click on the speaker icon, then go to Format options under the Format menu.

Voice-over formatting options for Google Slides:

• Autoplay- You can choose if you want the audio to play automatically or manually when a student clicks the slide.
• Loop- You can define if you want the recording to stop or repeat once it gets to the end.

• Button size and colour – You can resize the button by dragging the corner and changing the colour using the “Recolor” option.

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Option 2: how to do a voice-over on PowerPoint

Microsoft Powerpoint has a feature that many average users don’t know about, which allows you to add voice-over narration to your PowerPoint. For this option, all you’ll need is Microsoft PowerPoint and a computer with a microphone.

On Windows computers:

Step 1 – in the top menu, go to slideshow >> record slideshow..

You have the option to record from the beginning of the presentation or from the current slide you’re on.

Step 2- Start recording

Once you select which recording you’d like to go ahead with, you’ll be in full-screen mode with options to record, stop, and replay. Once you click record, there will be a countdown timer from 3.

Anything you type in the notes section of the PowerPoint can be viewed by clicking on the notes button at the top.

The recording will stop automatically once you make it to the final slide. You can also pause, stop, or replay a recording at any time by pressing the pause button in the top left of your screen.

You can also record a video of yourself in the corner by selecting the video option in the bottom right corner.

Step 3 – Testing your narration

Once you’re finished, a speaker icon will appear at the bottom right corner of all the slides with recorded narration.

Just hover over the speaker icon to play, skip to time, or adjust the volume to play the narration.

On Mac Computers

Step 1 – click on slide show..

In the top menu, click Slide Show and choose the slide you want to start working on. Unlike on Windows, you will have to select the slide you want to work on manually. If it is the first slide you wish to choose, do so. 

Step 2 – Click on Record Slide Show

Step 3 – Choose the input method

On the top of the screen, you can turn off the camera, if you wish to, or turn it on. 

The next button helps you choose the voice input, whether your Mac’s in-built mic or an external device. 

Step 4 – Add a voice-over to slides

As with the Windows version, add voice-over to the slides one by one, and add notes if you wish. 

Step 5 – Complete recording

Once done, click on the large red button to start recording. Once your voice-over is complete, click the same button to stop recording. Again, add notes if you wish to. Then, move to the next slide. 

Step 6 – Click on tips for more controls

Click on Tips for several functions and shortcuts you can use on your Macbook to control your voice-over recordings. The Mac version of the PowerPoint tool is much easier to use. 

Step 7 – Verify your voice-over for accuracy

After your voice-over is complete, return to your presentation, and make sure that your voice-over is accurate by clicking on the white “Play” icon at the bottom of each slide.

Option 3: how to do a voice-over with screen recording

The last option involves recording your screen and audio as you discuss the presentation.

Check out our guide: How To Record Your Screen On Any Device .

We’ll show you free options and two paid options with advanced editing features:

Hit the record button on the video conferencing software

The easiest and cheapest option for screen recording without additional software is to join a Google Meet or a Zoom call by yourself, share your screen, and press the recording button.

This may be easy for a simple presentation but may prove frustrating for a longer presentation –  the inability to edit means you’ve got one shot to make it through your presentation without any mistakes.

Use your computer’s built-in screen recorder

On Windows 10 , just click Windows + G at the same time to open the Game Bar, and press “Start Recording”.

If you’re on a Mac , you can make a video recording of the entire screen or just a portion of it. Shift-Command(⌘)-5 will display on-screen controls for recording the entire screen.

Two paid screen recording options

If you want the ability to edit and customize your video and access more editing options, you’ll need to invest in some software like Screenflow or Camtasia .

Here are our two favorite options , depending on whether you’re on a Mac or Windows System:

Screenflow is a software program for video editing and screencasting for Apple users and is one of the best options for screen capture. This software functions well as a video editor for novice editors, but it lacks the deep customization and functions of a more advanced editor like Adobe Premiere Pro.

Download free trial of Screenflow

Camtasia is an all-in-one screen recorder and video editor that works on both Windows and Mac. It is one of the most widely used systems for screen recording and video editing. It is popular for its user-friendly interface and simple video editing.

Try Camtasia for free

Option 4: how to do voice-over presentations with Thinkific

If you have created a presentation on an external platform like Keynote , PowerPoint or Google Slides, you can use a Presentation lesson to display it within your Thinkific course! 

This function enables you to record audio while speaking to specific slides. You also have the option to upload a recording for each slide. 

This is a great way to create a customized experience for your students right within Thinkific .

To create a Presentation lesson, you will need to upload a PDF file. Each page in your PDF will be converted to images that will be displayed as slides within your Presentation lesson for students to navigate through.

If you have created a presentation in an external platform like PowerPoint you can simply export it from that platform as a PDF to later upload to Thinkific!

Here are the steps to create a Presentation lesson with voice-over on Thinkific .

With that, let’s explore what it takes to ensure a good voiceover.

Follow these five tips for adding a good voiceover

• Invest in a good microphone – Most cell phones and computers come with built-in microphones. These may not provide the professional-grade audio quality necessary to create compelling online lessons. Therefore, you must invest in a professional microphone that eliminates noise and disturbances. As we mentioned earlier, the most important rule is to ensure that your audio quality is high.
• Use a teleprompter – Although you may speak out your presentation and elaborate on the impromptu bullet points, you could make mistakes. These mistakes may make you seem like a novice.  A teleprompter can help you read out your sentences in front of the webcam or the mic without making any errors. The result is – top-notch quality presentations with voiceovers.
• Clear your throat – Most people do not realize the importance of a good quality voice. In fact, voice-over artists are hired simply because of their excellent voices! While you do not need to hire professional voice-over artists, you can ensure that you sound your best by gargling your throat and clearing it before you begin to record. In other words, avoid recording your voiceover if you have a sore throat or when your voice sounds hoarse. Keep a jug of water ready next to you to keep sounding fresh.
• Sound confident – Confidence doesn’t come with good quality microphones and teleprompters alone. Practice talking in front of a mirror, which will help ensure that you sound and look great. In fact, dressing professionally just before you record your voice-over may also have psychological benefits – you could feel more professional and thus sound more professional and confident.
• Edit audio if necessary – Despite all the care taken, you may make mistakes during voice-over recording. Listen to your slides repeatedly and make changes until you are completely satisfied with how you sound. Although there are audio editing tools out there, they may not be necessary for simple presentations such as the ones required for online lessons.

Whichever method you choose, turning a regular presentation into an engaging voice-over is sure to improve the quality of your presentation.

But here’s a thought: Why not monetize your presentations with an online course?

Sign up with us for free and try it out (we dare you) . 

Not ready to take the leap, but still interested in improving the quality of your production? Check out one of these related guides:

• How to Create Video For Your Online Coaching Course
• How to Improve the Video Production Quality for Your Online Course
• Best Equipment & Software For Creating Online Courses
• 4 Elements of Effective Video Content for Online Courses

This guide on voiceovers was published in August 2020 and was updated in October 2022.

Colin is a Content Marketer at Thinkific, writing about everything from online entrepreneurship & course creation to digital marketing strategy.

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• Essential Questions To Ask In Your Training Evaluation Survey
• Best Equipment & Software For Creating Online Courses
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Small Business Trends

How to do a voiceover on powerpoint.

If you want to create engaging PowerPoint presentations, you should think about adding a voiceover narration to your slides. A slide show accompanied by a supporting voiceover can make your PowerPoint presentation lively. In this article, you will learn how to do a voiceover on PowerPoint step-by-step.

But first, let’s explore the advantages of recording a slide show or adding recorded audio to your presentation.

Why You Should Add a Voiceover to Your PowerPoint Presentation

The following are the key benefits of adding a voiceover to your PowerPoint presentations

• If you record narration, it will make your PowerPoint slide more engaging
• Your audience will comprehend your presentation quickly as audio narration makes the content of the slide easy to understand
• Recorded sound or voice in a slide makes your audience feel connected with your presentation
• If you’re not giving a presentation yourself, adding your voice to a PowerPoint presentation can make up for your absence

Voice and sound improve storytelling significantly. So if you’re using a slide show to tell a story, adding audio can maximize the success of your story.

How do you Record a Voiceover on PowerPoint?

There are two methods to record a voiceover on PowerPoint. We will explore both methods in this post.

This method is quick and easy. The following are simple steps that will help you record your voice for your presentation.

1. Click on the specific slide you want to record audio for. Go to the Record tab in the ribbon and click on the audio icon

2. As you click on the Audio button, the recording window will open as below. Click on the record button to begin recording.

Once you have recorded the slide, you can click the Play button from the recording window to check if everything is good.

If not, you can re-record the slide again. It will overwrite the previous recording.

3. Click the Ok button when you’re satisfied with the recording. Your voiceover will be added to the slide. You have to repeat this process for all the slides to record the slide show.

The second method is useful if you want to record a slide show with an option to annotate or use a laser pointer.

Here are quick steps to record your slide show:

1- Go to the Record tab and click on the From the Current Slide if you want to record the current slide.

2- As you click on the From the Current Slide, a recording window will open. Turn off the camera and start recording the slide. You can also re-record the slide if you’re not satisfied with the quality. Rerecording your slide will clear recordings of earlier versions.

Also, you have an option to annotate your slide or use a laser pointer to make your presentation interesting.

Once you have finished recording your slide show, export your PowerPoint file as a video. Make sure you keep the Internet quality in mind while considering the quality of the video.

Learn more about how to make a PowerPoint presentation into a video in this helpful article.

How to Add a Voiceover to PowerPoint Slides

If you already have audio files, you can easily add them to your PowerPoint slides.

The following is the step-by-step process to add a recorded voiceover to PowerPoint slides:

1- Open the Chosen Slide

Go to the presentation file and open the slide to which you want to add audio.

2. Add the Audio File

Click on the Insert button, and then select the audio tab. You will have two options to add audio – one is Audio on My PC and another is Record Audio. Click on Audio on My PC from the drop-down menu.

Locate your audio file and click on the Insert tab to add the audio to your presentation slide.

3. Customize Playback

When you click on the speaker image in your slide, two new tabs will appear in the ribbon:

• Audio format

When you click on the Playback tab, you will see various options to customize playback. You can add a bookmark, trim audio, set fade duration, and much more. If you want your audio to start automatically or when clicked on, you can easily pick your desired option from this section.

4. Customize Audio Format

When you click on the Audio Format in the ribbon, you will see multiple options to change the look, feel, and size of the speaker icon in your slide.

You can easily pick the color of the speaker icon to complement the content of your slide. What’s more, you can also replace the icon with the image of the presenter or any other image you want.

How to Turn Audio or Video Narration Off in Microsoft PowerPoint

Now you know how to add a voiceover to PowerPoint. But if you want to turn audio or video narration off in your presentation, you won’t have to spend much time figuring out how to do it. The process is simple and straightforward.

Go to the Slide Show tab and uncheck Play Narrations.

There is another way to turn narration off in your presentation. Go to the Setup Slide Show tab and select the Show without narration box.

Remember, turning off a narration doesn’t delete the narration.

Final thoughts,

When it comes to organizing presentation ideas and showing them to an audience, PowerPoint is often the first choice. But one of the common PowerPoint mistakes that many business owners commit is not making their presentations engaging enough to keep their audiences hooked. Knowing how to do a voiceover in PowerPoint can help you make your presentations appealing to wow your audience.

If you like using PowerPoint, You will love learning how to make a poster in PowerPoint, how to create a roadmap in PowerPoint, and how to make a Venn Diagram in PowerPoint.

Image: Depositphotos

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PowerPoint: How to Add Audio to Powerpoint on Windows 10 and Mac

Last Updated Thursday, August 31, 2023, at 5:00 am

Known Issue (August 14, 2023): 

Some Windows 11 users are experiencing issues with PowerPoint exports when they are turned into .mp4 files. Visuals within the exported PowerPoint are appearing as flipped, or upside down. We are working with Microsoft to find a solution. 

As a workaround, please convert the file as a .WMV file option and save it in My Media.  The following are directions on how to convert a PowerPoint Presentation with audio to a .WMV file . For more support or to help troubleshoot issues, please reach out to the LTS Help Desk at [email protected] . 

Microsoft PowerPoint offers features to record audio narration and export it as a video. PowerPoint records audio slide-by-slide rather than in one continuous file, allowing creators to easily re-record a slide if they make a mistake or need to change something later. Exporting as a video and uploading to Kaltura or Canvas for streaming is advantageous since it standardizes file types, doesn't require a download to view, is in a format that can be captioned, and allows viewers to navigate more efficiently. 

A recent update has made the process comparable on a Mac, but the specifics vary. Windows 10 instructions follow; Mac users can click the link below to jump to the appropriate instructions.

• Instructions for Mac users

Windows 10 Instructions:

The following instructions explain how to add audio to your PowerPoint presentation on Windows 10 and export that PowerPoint as an MP4. The text instructions cover the same information as the embedded video below.

NOTE: If you have an older version of PowerPoint, you may need to update it to access the features described below. If you do not have PowerPoint, you can download it and other Microsoft Office products for free by going to office365.uwec.edu. If you have questions about updating or installing PowerPoint, contact the LTS Help Desk at [email protected] or 715-836-5711. 

• Design your PowerPoint TIP: Use images and limit text to better engage viewers/listeners.  

• Click Record Slide Show NOTE:  Audio may start recording automatically if you have an older version of PowerPoint. It will still work, but this version offers reduced functionality. 

• Record narration and avoid reading text on the slide out loud to viewers. Click the blue Replay button to listen to the recorded audio and ensure it was recording. 

• Press [Escape] or the ‘X’ button located in the top right of the screen when the audio recordings are finished. You will see a speaker icon on slides that have audio.

• Select Export  (steps 10-14 are shown in screenshot below).
• Select Create a Video .  
• Optional: Select Full HD (1080p) for the video quality; it is unlikely a higher quality is needed.  
• Select Use Recorded Timings and Narrations.  

• Follow prompt/pop-up window to save the video in a memorable location. 

• How to upload and share with Kaltura (Instructors should use Kaltura. Students will need to use it if the file is over 500 MB, which a PowerPoint probably won't be and they can use Canvas.)
• How to upload and share in a Canvas assignment (students)
• How to upload and share in a Canvas discussion (students) - the instructions refer to the "rich content editor" which is just the features in the top of the discussion post reply. 

Elaboration on the Recording Features:

• Timing Feature – there is a rolling time feature for the individual slide and the overall presentation. Allows the speaker/presenter to monitor how long they are talking.
• Microphone Feature - Click on Settings  and select Microphone  and then the specific device to set up before recording.
• Replay Feature - Use to check that the audio is recording properly before starting additional slides.
• Clear Feature - Select Clear  to delete/re-record audio.
• Don’t set the camera to record - Make sure this button has a diagonal slash through it to avoid the problem.

Mac Instructions:

The following instructions will teach you how to add audio to your PowerPoint presentation on a Mac and export that PowerPoint as an MP4. The text instructions cover the same information as the video embedded below.

NOTE: It is essential to have the Office 365 version of PowerPoint or you will not be able to save your PowerPoint as a video. If necessary, you can download it and other Microsoft Office products for free by going to office365.uwec.edu. If you have questions about updating or installing PowerPoint, contact the LTS Help Desk at [email protected] or 715-836-5711. 

• TIP: Use images and limit text to better engage viewers/listeners.  

• Click Record Slide  Show
• TIP: Before you begin recording your full presentation, do a practice recording to verify your microphone and other settings are correct.

• NOTE: Avoid reading the text written directly on the slide; use the slide to elaborate on the material being presented.
•  Stop speaking for a second to prevent the audio from cutting out as slides change. Resume speaking when the time starts moving again under the Current slide timing feature to the left of the recording button.
• Click Stop or Pause  at the top of the screen and then End Show  in the top left corner   when all the audio recordings have been finished.
• Check the audio by clicking on Play from Start  under the Slide Show tab or the presenter mode icon at the bottom of the screen.

• Edit the name of the file and where you would like to save the video following PowerPoint's prompts.  

• Click Export 

• Upload your mp4 video to Kaltura or Canvas to share it:
• How to upload and share to My Media (Instructors should use My Media. Students will need to use it if the file is over 500 MB, which a PowerPoint probably won't be and they can use Canvas.)
• How to upload and share in a Canvas discussion (students) - the instructions refer to the "rich content editor" which is the tool at the top of the discussion post reply.

Additional Video Tool Options

For more information about recording options available, click here to view a comparison of each tool's features.

Voice over generator for PowerPoint

Table of Contents

Using a voice over generator for PowerPoint adds style, professionalism, and natural properties to your presentation. Here’s how.

PowerPoint (PPT) is Microsoft’s app for making and editing presentations. As part of Microsoft Office, PowerPoint is available on Mac, PC, and mobile devices. It lets users create brand-new or template-based presentations, add text, art, images, animations, or videos, and share their work with others.

Adding voice over as audio support is particularly useful when making PowerPoint presentations and can enhance content delivery. Here’s how to use a voice over generator for PowerPoint, no matter whether you’re using the online PPT maker or the desktop PPT creator app.

What makes a good PowerPoint presentation?

A good PowerPoint presentation seamlessly blends form and function to engage, inform, and persuade its audience. At its core, clarity and conciseness are paramount, ensuring that slides are not overloaded with excessive text or overly complex graphics. Instead, each slide should convey a singular idea, augmented by impactful visuals and limited bullet points. A consistent design theme with appropriate color contrasts, legible fonts, and organized layouts provides visual cohesion and ensures easy readability.

Additionally, the integration of relevant images, charts, and graphs can bolster comprehension and retention of the content. Beyond the slides themselves, the presenter’s delivery plays a pivotal role—a dynamic narrative, aligned with the visuals, can bring the content to life, sustaining audience attention and fostering understanding. Ultimately, a successful PowerPoint presentation is one that is both visually appealing and effectively communicates its intended message.

Why are voice overs a good idea for PowerPoint?

Voice overs complement PowerPoint presentations in many ways. Here are some the best reasons to add a voice over to a presentation.

Boost reliability and validity

Adding clear audio voice over to a presentation adds validity to its content. The audience can feel that validity, which in turn increases the feelings of reliability and adds faith in the content.

Add emotion

Besides increasing validity, a voice over on PowerPoint slides makes the content more emotional. The presentation adds passion that accentuates the vision and values of the presentation.

Serve as a call to action

Voice over functionality is very captivating. It passes the call to action to your audience even without apparent references. This is mainly because the presentation becomes more emphatic when natural-sounding voices are behind it.

Make content more inclusive

Text to speech software and a voice over make any presentation more inclusive and accessible. People with learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADHD, and visual impairments can listen to the content without feeling overwhelmed about reading it.

How to record a voice over using PowerPoint

Recording and adding a voiceover on PowerPoint is simple. Just follow the steps below, and you’ll be good to go.

• Open the PowerPoint presentation where you want to add a voice over.
• Hit the “Record” button from the upper-hand ribbon. You can also choose from different recording options in the “Record” tab.
• You can use the text from the presentation as a teleprompter as you record yourself. Any existing notes will be transformed into text during the recording.
• With proper permissions, turn on or off your camera or microphone.
• Press “Start recording” when ready.
• Use the “left” or “right” arrows to record voice overs for a particular slide.
• Make pauses by pressing the pause button or selecting “Stop” to finish.
• Review the recording by pressing the “Play” button. If you’re unhappy with it, you can edit it by pressing “Retake recording.”
• Export the presentation as a video file by hitting “Export” and “Export Video.”

Create a professional voice over quickly and easily with Speechify Voiceover Studio

As you can see, adding a voice over to your PowerPoint presentation can be done from within the app. However, the steps may be a bit too complex for some users. Also, you may not be comfortable with the idea of using your own voice.

But luckily, we have a solution for that.

Originally just a text to speech (TTS) app, Speechify has now expanded into fully customizable, real-time AI voiceover generation with Speechify Voiceover Studio . You can use it to create professional voice overs that sound like real human voices for Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other—in addition to recording e-learning and tutorial videos, podcasts, audiobooks, and more. Create audio dialogs, training videos, or stunning slide-show presentation voiceovers in seconds.

The human-like voices, plenty of playback options, and affordable pricing make Speechify Voiceover well worth the consideration.

You can use your own video editor to edit the text to speech voices however you like, or you can use Speechify’s own AI video maker . And if you don’t want to use PowerPoint or Google Slides, you can create your slide-show presentation with Speechify AI Slides.

Here’s an overview of Speechify’s AI Voice Generator features:

• More than 200 high-quality AI voices
• Over 20 different languages and accents
• Complete customization over pronunciation, pauses, pitch, and more.
• 8,000+ licensed background music soundtracks
• Unlimited uploads and downloads
• Commercial usage rights
• 24/7 customer support
• Fast audio editing and processing
• Export in WAV or MP3 files

Try Speechify Voiceover Studio today

Speechify Voiceover Studio can provide high-quality natural-sounding voices for your PowerPoint presentations. The ease of use and quick generation of audio files make this app suitable for users of all ages and computer skills.

Try Speechify Voiceover Studio for free today.

How do I set up voice over in PowerPoint?

You can use the app’s in-built voice recorder feature and record yourself or use third-party computer-generated AI voices offered by Speechify.

Can you put a voice recording over a PowerPoint?

Yes, you can use your own voice recordings or computer-generated voices from third-party software like Murf or Speechify over a PowerPoint slide.

How do you get PowerPoint to read to you?

PowerPoint has a speech recognition tool you can use to read text out loud. Go to “Speech Recognition,” then “Text to Speech,” and set the reading speed and other properties.

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Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to use AI to help improve your presentations

How to use AI to help improve your presentations

Creating and giving a presentation isn’t always easy, especially if you want to deliver a dynamite lecture. However, by harnessing the power of AI tools, you can elevate your presentations and leave a lasting impression on your audience. See how AI can provide valuable insights and enhancements to make your presentations stand out.

How AI can create structure in your presentation

No matter the subject, every great presentation has a narrative. You begin by introducing yourself and why you’re the best person to present this subject. Then, you mention the general outline and key topics before diving into the details: problems, potential solutions, and calls to action. Finally, you end with a conclusion that wraps up your topics and brings your presentation full circle.

Sometimes, this structure can be hard to define. Asking AI to create an outline for a presentation can be a great time-saving shortcut. If you’re starting with a complex research paper or passage, you can directly copy and paste it into the AI chat window, then ask to summarize it. AI can also extract key points for headings, which can create your outline for slide titles.

Use AI to design visually attractive presentations

You don’t need to be a graphic designer to create presentations that are both striking and easy to follow. With AI tools integrated into Microsoft PowerPoint , you can design slides that consider factors like readable fonts, compatible color schemes, the informational hierarchy , and information spacing that won’t overwhelm the audience with too much to see on each slide.

AI image creators can also translate your text into custom visuals: not only can this bring your slides to life, but it can also save you time from searching through image libraries, stock photos, or visual sources from the Internet.

Tell your story with captivating presentations

Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices

AI tools that transcribe recordings into presentations

While the visual presentation is one aspect of your project, your speech and delivery are vital. The key to this is practice. Rehearsing your presentation out loud, and especially multiple times before you go onstage, can aid in balancing when to present new points, ensure smooth transitions between slides, time your overall presentation, and help you refine your text so you can sound clearer.

AI can help! Advanced tools can transcribe your spoken words, both in real-time and through prerecorded clips on your computer or mobile device. This not only assists in creating accurate speaker notes but also provides an opportunity to learn how you sound, allowing you to refine and improve your delivery. In PowerPoint, speaker notes are hidden from the audience during a live presentation, and AI integration can generate live notes from the sound of your voice—which makes it easy to practice and familiarize yourself with your content.

AI tools that can summarize, design, and transcribe your presentations can make it easier to engage with your audience confidently. See more presentation tips to enhance your points, such as how to craft a compelling story or how to overcome public speaking anxiety .

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

Add and record audio

Add and record audio, such as music, narration, or sound bites, to your PowerPoint presentation and select the playback options.

Add audio from your PC

Select Insert > Media >  Audio .

Select Audio on My PC .

In the Insert Audio dialog box, select the audio file you want to add.

Select Insert .

Record audio

Select Insert > Media > Audio .

Select Record Audio .

Type in a name for your audio file, select Record , and then speak.

Important:  Your device must have a microphone enabled in order to record audio.

To review your recording, select Stop and then select Play .

Select Record to re-record your clip, or select OK if you’re satisfied.

To move your clip, select and drag the audio icon to where you want it on the slide.

Note:  If you’re using more than one audio file per slide, it’s advisable to put the audio icon in the same spot on a slide to find it easily.

Select Play .

Change playback options

Select the audio icon and then select the Playback tab. Then select which options you'd like to use:

To trim the audio, select Trim and then use the red and green sliders to trim the audio file accordingly.

To fade in or fade out audio, change the number in the Fade Duration boxes.

To adjust volume, select Volume and select the setting you prefer.

To choose how the audio file starts, select the dropdown arrow and select an option:

In Click Sequence – Plays the audio file automatically with a click.

Automatically – Plays automatically once you advance to the slide that the audio file is on.

When Clicked On – Plays audio only when the icon is clicked on.

To choose how the audio plays in your presentation, select an option:

Play Across Slides – Plays one audio file across all slides.

Loop until Stopped – Plays an audio file on loop until it’s stopped manually by clicking the Play/Pause button.

To have the audio play continuously across all slides in the background, select Play in Background .

Delete audio

To delete audio, select the audio icon on the slide and press Delete.

Add audio to your PowerPoint presentation

Play music for the duration of your slide show

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How an AI Powerpoint Generator Transforms Ordinary Presentations into Extraordinary Experiences

How to create high quality power point presentations - quickly - with AI

Say goodbye to dull and monotonous presentations and hello to extraordinary experiences that will leave a lasting impact!

AI PowerPoint Generators are revolutionizing the way ordinary slideshows captivate audiences. Whether you're a professional speaker, a student, or simply someone who wants to impress with their slides, an AI PowerPoint generator is here to take your presentations to the next level.

But what is the best free AI PowerPoint generator? How can you choose the best tool to use, and how can AI voiceovers bring your PowerPoint presentation to the next level using text-to-presentation processes?

Whether you're using Powerpoint or Google Slides, this article will delve into all you need to know about using AI to generate your next presentation. Let's dive in!

What is an AI PowerPoint Generator?

An AI PowerPoint Generator is a tool that uses artificial intelligence to automatically create presentations.

The tool takes input in the form of data, text, or images and generates slides with relevant content and visual elements. This eliminates the need for manual slide creation and saves time for users, making it a convenient solution for creating engaging presentations.

What is the best tool for generating AI presentations? In our opinion, Canva or ChatGPT are both fantastic options that you can try out.

5 Steps to Incorporating an AI PowerPoint Generator in Your Presentation

So, how can we use AI to generate a great presentation?

Step 1: Choose an Appropriate AI PowerPoint Generator

To start using AI in your presentations, you need to pick the right AI PowerPoint tool. It's important to choose one that works well for you, matches your needs, and has the features you want.

This initial decision sets the stage for a presentation that smoothly includes AI, fitting your style and needs.

Our favorite options include ChatGPT and Canva. With accessible price points and easy-to-use interfaces, these two options stand out as great tools. Whether you need a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or an AI presentation maker for Google Slides, both these options are standouts.

Step 2: Get to Know the AI Tool Inside Out

After picking your AI tool, it's crucial to really understand how it works.

Take the time to learn about the algorithms it uses to create content, its design tips, and any special things it can do. This deep understanding helps you make the most of the AI tool so you can improve your presentation's content and visuals for a better experience.

When you're learning a new tool, our recommendation is to browse YouTube for tutorials and get acquainted with experts in that niche. There are hundreds of great creators out there who have fantastic tutorials, so get exploring!

Step 3: Pick the Right Presentation Style

Now, it's time to get started on the actual content generation.

At this step, it's critical to choose a presentation style that fits your content's theme and your audience's expectations.

But don't panic - AI PowerPoint tools usually offer various templates for different themes and purposes; whether you're looking for a corporate feel, a fun-friendly presentation, or even a video template, then your AI tool should have you covered.

Remember: Selecting the right template makes the creative process smoother, resulting in a polished and professional look.

Step 4: Customize Your Content with AI-Powered Suggestions

Now, you're ready to get to the meat of the presentation - the content. While you may already have a load of content that's ready to be slotted into your presentation, you may also take this time to get writing.

Remember, it's always possible to incorporate AI into your content creation process at this stage.

Content creation tools like ChatGPT can help refine your language, ensuring accuracy and impact and generating scripts and images.

Step 5: Add AI-Enhanced Visuals and Effects to Your Presentation

In the final step, use AI-generated visuals and effects to enhance your presentation.

Explore the AI tool's capabilities to create impactful visuals, sophisticated graphics, or interactive elements that grab your audience's attention. From data visualization to smooth transitions, AI elevates the visual appeal of your presentation, leaving a memorable impression on your audience.

As well as this, now's the time to add an AI voiceover to your presentation to allow your content to be shared and rewatched over and over again or even translated into multiple languages. Plus, having an AI voiceover makes a presentation more accessible to those with visual impairments or who use a screen reader.

ElevenLabs  is a great tool for you to use here. With high-quality, human-like narration and an accessible, easy-to-use platform, ElevenLabs is the perfect tool for generating fantastic audio for your AI-generated presentations.

Ultimately, by following these five steps carefully, integrating AI into your presentation workflow becomes an efficient process that results in a professional and sophisticated presentation that resonates with your audience.

The Future of Presentations Using AI

Using AI in presentations has a bright future with lots of exciting possibilities. AI technology is changing the way we do presentations, making them more interactive and engaging. These AI tools can create cool visuals, understand data in real time, and even help with understanding what people say and translating languages. So, when people make presentations, they can use AI to make them more powerful and grab the audience's attention.

In the future, AI in presentations is likely to keep getting better. Experts think that AI will become even smarter, allowing for more advanced and personalized presentations. This means that presentations can be customized to fit what each person likes and how they learn best.

For businesses, using AI in presentations is increasingly important. It helps companies in many industries communicate better and engage employees and clients alike. These AI tools make it easier to create convincing presentations that engage clients, partners, and audiences and make content accessible to those with visual impairments or different learning abilities. Plus, AI can quickly and accurately analyze data and make it easier for businesses to make smart decisions.

In a nutshell, AI is changing the presentation game, making a Google Slide or PowerPoint presentation more exciting and personalized. As AI keeps improving, businesses are set to benefit from better communication and smarter decisions. It's an exciting future for presentations in the business world.

Final Thoughts

To sum it all up, we're on the brink of a big change in how we do presentations, thanks to the increasing use of an AI PowerPoint generator. AI is making presentations more engaging, interactive, and tailored to individual preferences, and the future holds even more exciting possibilities, with AI getting smarter and making presentations even more customized.

For businesses, using AI in presentations is not just a trend; it's a smart move. It helps companies communicate better and make informed decisions with data, reaching their employees and their clients with more curated content. For individuals, an AI PowerPoint generator saves time and makes creating engaging presentation content simple.

So, as we look ahead, embracing AI in presentations is more than just an option—it's an opportunity to excel in communication, engagement, and data-driven decision-making.

The combination of human creativity and AI innovation promises to redefine how we present information, creating a world where presentations are not only informative but also captivating and personalized.

Try ElevenLabs today

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“google vids” is google’s fourth big productivity app for workspace, google's "video editor" feels more like a souped-up version of google slides..

Ron Amadeo - Apr 9, 2024 7:29 pm UTC

• Is that Google Slides? Nope it's Google Vids, the new video editor that seems to just make souped-up slideshows. Google
• Google's demo starts with an existing slideshow and then generates an outline. Google
• Choose a theme, which all look like PowerPoints. Google
• Write a script, preferably with the help of Google Gemini. Google
• You can record a voiceover, or pick from Google's robot voices. Google
• This is a Google Workspace app, so there's lots of realtime collaboration features, like these live mouse cursors that were brought over from Slides. Google
• Comments work too. Google
• It's interesting you get a "stock media" library while apps like Slides would use generative AI images here. Google
• Record a talk from your webcam. Google
• Embed your video in the slideshow. Google

If you had asked me before what Google's video editor app was, I would say "YouTube Studio," but now Google Workspace has a new productivity app called "Google Vids." Normally a video editor is considered a secondary application in many productivity suites, but Google apparently imagines Vids as a major pillar of Workspace, saying Vids is an "all-in-one video creation app for work that will sit alongside Docs, Sheets and Slides." So, that is an editor for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and videos?

Google's demo of the new video editor pitches the product not for YouTube videos or films but more as a corporate super slideshow for things like training materials or product demos. Really, this "video editor" almost looks like it could completely replace Google Slides since the interface is just Slides but with a video timeline instead of a slideshow timeline.

Google's example video creates a "sales training video" that starts with a Slides presentation as the basic outline. You start with an outline editor, where each slideshow page gets its own major section. Google then has video "styles" you can pick from, which all seem very Powerpoint-y with a big title, subheading, and a slot for some kind of video. Google then wants you to write a script and either read it yourself or have a text-to-speech voice read the script. A "stock media" library lets you fill in some of those video slots with generic corporate imagery like a video of a sunset, choose background music, and use a few pictures. You can also fire up your webcam and record something, sort of like a pre-canned Zoom meeting. After that it's a lot of the usual Google productivity app features: real-time editing collaboration with visible mouse cursors from each participant and a stream of comments.

Like all Google products after the rise of OpenAI, Google pitches Vids as an "AI-powered" video editor, even though there didn't seem to be many generative AI features in the presentation. The videos, images, and music were "stock" media, not AI-generated inventions (Slides can generate images, but that wasn't in this demo). There's nothing in here like OpenAI's " Sora ," which generates new videos out of its training data. There's probably a Gemini-powered "help me write" feature for the script, and Google describes the initial outline as "generated" from your starting Slides presentation, but that seemed to be it.

Google says Vids is being released to "Workspace Labs" in June, so you'll be able to opt in to testing it.

Listing image by Google

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