How To Embed A Video In PowerPoint

Since its debut in 1987, PowerPoint has been the go-to presentation program for students, businesses, and just about everyone looking to craft a professional-looking presentation. Over time it has gone from being something that Microsoft bought to strengthen its software lineup to a cornerstone of its Office suite since 1993. PowerPoint initially gained traction with image-heavy presentations that made information easy to grasp, but as technology ahs changed, so have the needs of its users.

Embedding PowerPoint Video

Video has now become a major way to present information and learn – but embedding videos in presentations has been difficult in the past. To add a video, you want to add a new slide and use the blank layout. Adding a video can be done by going to Insert, and then going to Media. You can either paste in a URL from the internet or you can choose Video on My PC and select the file’s location.  

Choosing a video from the internet will allow you to select Youtube and then search a subject and then paste that URL in. This is great – but if the video link ever goes down or your internet connection is iffy, this can be a problem. Going with a local video may be the best option for people who absolutely need to make sure the video playback works without a hitch. You can easily adjust the size of the video or even adjust the shape of the video playback window to make it less static and a bit more dynamic with strange angles.

Doing this may not be needed for all videos – but does allow you to have some flexibility when it comes to making a presentation more casual or just easier to follow for a younger audience. Having a video fill the presentation in its traditional orientation may be boring to some, so switching the angles up may allow for better retention of the information.