The simplest way to add video to PowerPoint

Open the slide where you want the video to appear. Go to the Insert tab at the top of the screen, then click Video. You will see two options: This Device (for a video file already on your computer) or Online Video (to embed from YouTube or another web source). Choose the one that matches where your video lives, select the file or paste the link, and PowerPoint will place the video on your slide as a box you can resize and move around.

That's the core process. Everything else is deciding what kind of video you're adding and what happens when someone plays it during your presentation.

Key Takeaways

  • Videos from your computer go in through Insert > Video > This Device; online videos go through Insert > Video > Online Video and require a web link.
  • PowerPoint embeds video files up to about 100 MB directly into the presentation, but larger files should be linked instead to keep the file size manageable.
  • You can trim a video, set it to start automatically, or hide it until you click during the presentation — all through the Playback tab that appears after you insert it.
  • Online videos (YouTube, Stream) play only if you have an internet connection during the presentation, while local videos play offline.

Adding a video file from your computer

Click the slide where you want the video. Go to Insert > Video > This Device. A file browser window opens. Navigate to the folder where your video is saved, click the video file (PowerPoint accepts MP4, MOV, WMV, and several other formats), then click Insert. The video appears on your slide as a rectangle with a play button in the center.

The video is now embedded in your presentation file. If the video is smaller than about 100 MB, PowerPoint keeps it inside the presentation. If it's larger, PowerPoint may ask whether you want to link to it instead — choose Link to File if the file is very large, because embedding it will make your presentation file huge and slow to open. When you link instead of embed, you'll need to keep the video file in the same folder as your presentation, or the link will break.

Resize the video by dragging the corners of the box. Move it by clicking and dragging the center. The video will not play until someone clicks the play button or you set it to autoplay (covered below).

Adding a video from YouTube or online sources

Go to Insert > Video > Online Video. A dialog box appears asking for a web address or a search term. If you have a YouTube link, paste it directly. If you want to search, type keywords and PowerPoint will show you results from YouTube. Click the video you want, then click Insert.

Online videos play only if you have an internet connection during your presentation. If you're presenting somewhere without reliable wifi, embed a local copy instead. Online videos also depend on the video staying available — if someone removes the YouTube video later, your link will break.

One advantage of online video: the file size doesn't matter, because the video streams rather than being stored in your presentation. Your PowerPoint file stays small.

Controlling when and how the video plays

After you insert a video, a Playback tab appears at the top of the screen (you may need to click the video first to see it). This tab controls what happens when someone watches your presentation.

Start has two main options: On Click means the video only plays when you click it during the presentation. Automatically means the video starts playing as soon as that slide appears. Most presenters use On Click so they control the timing. If you choose Automatically, you can also set a delay (in seconds) before it starts, which is useful if you want a moment to introduce the video before it plays.

Hide While Not Playing is a checkbox that hides the video box until you click to play it. This is helpful if you don't want the video visible on the slide until the moment you want to show it. Loop Until Stopped makes the video restart automatically when it ends, which works well for background videos or demos you want to repeat.

You can also trim the video (cut out the beginning or end) by clicking Trim Video on the Playback tab. A timeline appears where you can drag the start and end points to the exact moments you want.

Checking video format and file size

PowerPoint works best with MP4 files. If you have a video in a different format (MOV, AVI, WMV), you may need to convert it first. Many free online converters can do this, or you can use the video editing software already on your computer — on Windows, the Photos app can convert; on Mac, QuickTime can export as MP4.

Before you embed a video, check its file size. Right-click the video file, select Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac), and look at the size. If it's under 50 MB, embedding is safe. Between 50 and 100 MB, embedding still works but your presentation file will be noticeably larger. Over 100 MB, link to the file instead so your presentation stays manageable.

Troubleshooting videos that won't play

If a video doesn't play during your presentation, the most common reason is that you linked to a file instead of embedding it, and the file isn't in the same folder as your presentation. Move both files to the same folder and try again. If you embedded the video and it still won't play, try re-inserting it — sometimes the embed doesn't complete properly the first time.

Online videos won't play without internet. If you're presenting offline, read the video and embed it as a local file instead. You can use a free tool like 4K Video Downloader to save a YouTube video to your computer, then insert it through This Device.

If the video plays in editing mode but not during the presentation, check the Start setting on the Playback tab. Make sure it's set to On Click or Automatically, not something else. Also, test the presentation in Slideshow mode (press F5) before you present to a group, so you catch any problems early.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add subtitles or captions to a video in PowerPoint?

PowerPoint doesn't add captions directly to videos. If your video already has captions embedded in the file, they will play. If not, you need to add them before inserting the video — use free tools like Subtitle Edit or Kapwing to add captions to your video file, save it, then insert the captioned version into PowerPoint.

What happens to my video if I email the presentation to someone else?

If you embedded the video, it travels with the presentation and will play on their computer. If you linked to the file, the link will break on their computer unless you also send them the video file in the same folder. Embedding is safer for sharing, but makes your file larger.

Can I add a video to the slide background instead of as a box?

PowerPoint doesn't support video as a true background. You can make the video very large and send it to the back of the slide so other content appears on top of it, but it will still be a box. For a true video background, you would need to use a different tool like Google Slides or a dedicated presentation software.

Why is my PowerPoint file so large after adding a video?

You embedded a large video file. Check the file size of the video before you inserted it. If it was over 100 MB, link to it instead by going to Insert > Video > This Device, selecting the file, then choosing Link to File from the dialog that appears. This keeps the video separate and your presentation file small.

Can I edit the video inside PowerPoint?

PowerPoint lets you trim the start and end points (through Playback > Trim Video), but not edit the content itself. To cut scenes, add effects, or change the video in other ways, edit it in video software like Windows Photos, iMovie, or a free tool like DaVinci Resolve, then insert the edited version into PowerPoint.