Enhance your PowerPoint presentations by incorporating music and adding your own narration or unique sound bites. This not only keeps your audience engaged but also complements your written content. Learning how to add and record audio in PowerPoint is a valuable skill, enabling you to create compelling presentations for professional, educational, and personal purposes.
Recording audio in PowerPoint offers significant advantages, especially when delivering remote or asynchronous presentations. You can:
Continue reading to discover how to record audio live in PowerPoint on Windows devices, add pre-recorded audio, and find useful tips for editing!
In PowerPoint, you have the capability to record two types of audio:
Let’s walk you through both methods of recording audio directly within PowerPoint:
Before recording, check your computer settings to ensure PowerPoint has permission to record audio and you have your microphone enabled. For the best audio clarity, try using an attached, external mic, instead of a built-in mic.
Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation
Launch PowerPoint and open a new or existing PowerPoint file. If your are starting from scratch, make sure to complete the slides with design and interactive elements (make sure your presentation is engaging!) before adding your audio.
Step 2: Choose the Starting Position
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Step 3: Adjust Settings
You can select the microphone, view your notes, and toggle your camera on or off.
Step 4: Begin Recording
When you are ready, click the ‘Play’ button to begin recording. You will see a 3-second countdown, then the recording will start and you can begin speaking.
Use the side arrows for smooth navigation through your presentation while recording. Pause or stop the recording at any point. To review the recorded audio, click ‘Replay.’ To delete any recordings, click the ‘x’ next to the speaker icon.
At the bottom left, you’ll find two timers: one for the entire presentation and one for the specific slide, helping you keep track of the recording length.
Step 5: Stop Recording
When done, click the ‘X’ in the top right-hand corner. Your audio recordings will be saved to each slide, indicated by the speaker icon at the bottom right corner of your slide.
Step 6: Share Recording
To share your recording, export the PowerPoint file as a video, selecting ‘Use Recorded Timings and Narrations.’ Then, easily share it via email or add it to a Learning Management System for convenient viewing.
Step 1: Navigate to the Desired Slide
Select the specific slide where you want to record audio. This could be for narration, background music, or sound effects, depending on your presentation’s needs.
Step 2: Insert Audio
To add audio, click the ‘Insert’ tab on your PowerPoint ribbon. Then in the Media section, select ‘Audio’ then ‘Record Audio’.
Step 3: Name Audio Sound
Name the sound uniquely for easy future retrieval.
Step 4: Begin Recording
Step 5: Set Audio Playback Options
After adding audio to your slide, you can specify how and when you want it to play. Click on the Audio icon and select the ‘Playback’ tab in the PowerPoint ribbon.
In PowerPoint, utilize editing tools to refine your audio. Trim, adjust volume, and apply fade-in or fade-out effects for a professional touch. You can also set the start and stop points for the audio and save it for future use.
Step 6: Test Your Audio
Before your important presentation, test the audio to ensure it works smoothly. Play through your presentation to confirm that everything sounds and plays correctly.
Already have the audio you want to use? No problem! Adding audio to your PowerPoint can be done in 4 simple steps:
Step 1: Navigate to the Slide
Select the slide where you want to addyour pre-recorded audio.
Step 2: Insert Audio
Click the ‘Insert’ tab and choose ‘Audio’ from the Media Section. Select ‘Audio on My PC’ and search for your pre-recorded audio to be uploaded.
You can also insert notes and videos to your PowerPoint slides easily.
Step 3: Configure Playback Options
Customize your playback settings to suit your needs, such as when the audio should start and how it should play.
Step 4: Test it out
Ensure that the audio plays well and syncs up with your slide transitions and animations for a seamless presentation.
Use these tips to get the best recording in PowerPoint:
Want to take your PowerPoint recordings to the next level? Include interactive elements in your PowerPoint recordings to engage your audience more effectively with ClassPoint.
ClassPoint is an interactive teaching tool that integrates directly into PowerPoint, Coffering live presentation engagement features such as interactive questions, gamification, and presentation tools!
When recording your presentation, use third-party recording software like Zoom, Teams, Loom, or Screencast-O-Matic, and incorporate ClassPoint features alongside your audio narration, like so:
1. Live Annotations
Use Pens, Highlighters, Shapes, and even Text Boxes to add notes and highlight the important information on your slides while recording.
2. Added Whiteboard Slides
Add variety to your presentation by annotating on a blank whiteboard slide of your choosing.
3. Laser Pen
ClassPoint’s laser can be used as a pen with disappearing ink and a spotlight when you press the ‘S’ key on your keyboard, allowing you to guide your audience’s attention more effectively.
4. Draggable Objects
Enhance audience understanding by moving objects on your slide as you explain, emphasize key concepts, and create visual associations.
5. Embedded Browser
If you need to search the web to emphasize a key point or show a video, simply open a browser within your presentation without interrupting your seamless presentation and recording.
6. Timer or Stopwatch
If you want your audience to reflect on a question or complete an activity independently, use the timer or stopwatch to create a brief pause before resuming your recording.
Whether you’re narrating a presentation for asynchronous viewing or incorporating audio into a live session, you’re now equipped with the knowledge of how to record audio on PowerPoint in the best way.
With added audio, you can engage your audience in a way that ensures your message resonates, no matter where or when they access your content.
Begin experimenting with these techniques, and see how recording audio on PowerPoint and leveraging ClassPoint can transform your PowerPoint presentations, both live and virtually.
