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How to record your presentation on PowerPoint

PowerPoint has a feature that allows users to record slide-by-slide presentations with their spoken comments. Here are detailed, user-friendly, step-by-step instructions for recording a presentation with audio over slides in PowerPoint on various platforms: Windows, Office 365 online, MacOS, and iPhone/iPad.

Windows: Instructions for those using PowerPoint on their Windows computer

Yes, PowerPoint does indeed have a feature that allows users to record slide-by-slide presentations with their spoken comments. Here are detailed, user-friendly, step-by-step instructions for recording a presentation with audio over slides in PowerPoint on a Windows platform:

1. Prepare Your Slide Deck:
   • Open your PowerPoint presentation.
   • Ensure all slides are in the final order and all visual elements (images, graphs, etc.) are properly placed.
2. Check Your Microphone:
   • Connect your microphone to your computer.
   • Test the microphone to make sure it's working correctly.
3. Start the Recording Process:
   • Go to the 'Slide Show' tab on the PowerPoint ribbon.
   • Click on the 'Record Slide Show' button. A drop-down menu will appear with two options: “Start Recording from Beginning” or “Start Recording from Current Slide.” Choose as per your requirement.
4. Set Recording Options:
   • A dialog box titled “Record Slide Show” will pop up.
   • Check the boxes for 'Slide and animation timings' and 'Narrations, ink, and laser pointer' as per your need.
   • Click 'Start Recording'.
5. Record Your Presentation:
   • PowerPoint will enter a full-screen recording mode.
   • Start speaking as you would like to present each slide. You can control the slide transitions manually by clicking to advance to the next slide.
   • Use the navigation controls at the top-left corner if you need to pause or stop the recording.
6. Using Annotations and Laser Pointer (Optional):
   • During the recording, you can use the pen, highlighter, or eraser tools from the bottom-left toolbar to annotate slides.
   • To use a laser pointer, hold down the left mouse button and move the cursor around.
7. Ending the Recording:
   • After you finish recording the last slide, PowerPoint will automatically end the recording.
   • Alternatively, you can press the 'Esc' key to end the recording at any time.
8. Review Your Recording:
   • Go back to the 'Normal' view in PowerPoint.
   • Click on the slides to review your recordings. Playback controls will appear in the bottom-left corner of each slide.
9. Edit or Re-record Specific Slides (If Needed):
   • To re-record a specific slide, simply go to that slide.
   • Then, go back to the 'Record Slide Show' button and click 'Start Recording from Current Slide'.
   • Record your new narration for this slide, and end the recording when finished.
10. Save Your PowerPoint:
    • Click on 'File' and then 'Save' to ensure your recording is saved with your presentation.
11. Export as a Video (Optional):
    • If you want to create a video file, go to 'File', then 'Export', and select 'Create a Video'.
    • Choose your video quality, timings, and narrations settings.
    • Click 'Create Video' and choose a location to save your video file.

Office 365: Instructions for those using PowerPoint on Office 365 online

Recording a presentation with audio using PowerPoint Online in Office 365 is somewhat limited compared to its desktop and mobile counterparts. Depending on how updated the Office 365 version is, PowerPoint Online may not support the feature to record audio directly within the presentation. However, users can still create and share presentations and use alternative methods to include audio. Here are the steps and workarounds:

1. Prepare Your Presentation:
   • Open your browser and go to Office.com.
   • Sign in to your Office 365 account and open PowerPoint Online.
   • Create your presentation or open an existing one, ensuring all slides are in order.
2. Alternative Methods for Adding Audio:
   • Since PowerPoint Online doesn't support in-app audio recording, you'll need to record your audio separately using another tool (like Windows Voice Recorder, QuickTime on Mac, or any other voice recording app).
   • Save your audio files separately on your computer.
3. Inserting Audio into Slides:
   • Go to the slide where you want to add audio.
   • Click on the 'Insert' tab in the PowerPoint Online toolbar.
   • Select 'Audio' and then choose 'Audio on My PC...' to upload your pre-recorded audio file.
   • Repeat this for each slide where audio is needed.
4. Synchronize Audio with Slides:
   • Unfortunately, PowerPoint Online does not offer the functionality to synchronize audio automatically with slide transitions.
   • You'll need to manually advance the slides when presenting, or edit your audio files to match the length of each slide if presenting as a video.
5. Saving Your Presentation:
   • Regularly save your work as you insert audio files.
   • Remember that PowerPoint Online saves your work automatically, but it’s good practice to ensure all changes are updated.
6. Sharing Your Presentation:
   • Once you’ve added audio to your slides, you can share your presentation with others.
   • Click on 'Share' and choose how you want to share (via link, email, etc.).
7. Playback for Viewers:
   • Inform your audience that they will need to click on the audio icon on each slide to play the narration.
8. Alternative Solution - Creating a Video:
   • As an alternative, you can create a video of your presentation with audio using desktop PowerPoint.
   • Record your screen and audio as you present the slides, and then share the video file.
9. Limitations and Considerations:
   • Be aware of the limitations of PowerPoint Online regarding audio recording and playback.
   • Check the compatibility of audio formats and ensure they play correctly on different devices and browsers.
10. Additional Tips:
    • For a more seamless experience with audio narrations, consider using the desktop version of PowerPoint if available.
    • Test your presentation with the audio files to ensure everything works as intended before the final presentation or sharing.

This workaround allows you to still use PowerPoint Online for your presentation needs, even though it requires a few extra steps to include audio.

MacOS: Instructions for those PowerPoint on their Apple Mac computer

1. Prepare Your Slide Deck:
   • Open your PowerPoint presentation on your macOS device.
   • Ensure all slides are in order and all visual elements (images, graphs, etc.) are correctly placed.
2. Check Your Microphone:
   • Connect your microphone to your Mac if it’s an external one.
   • Go to 'System Preferences' > 'Sound' to check if your microphone is selected and working.
3. Start the Recording Process:
   • In PowerPoint, click on the 'Slide Show' tab in the top menu.
   • Choose 'Record Slide Show'. You’ll have two options: “Start Recording from Beginning” or “Start Recording from Current Slide”. Select according to your preference.
4. Recording Options:
   • A dialog box will appear. Here, select 'Play Narrations' and 'Use Timings', if not already selected.
   • Click 'Start Recording'.
5. Record Your Presentation:
   • PowerPoint will switch to a full-screen recording mode.
   • Start speaking to record your comments as you present each slide. Control slide transitions manually by clicking or using the arrow keys.
   • To pause the recording, move your cursor to the bottom-left corner and click the pause icon.
6. Using Annotations (Optional):
   • If you want to annotate, use the pen, highlighter, and eraser tools from the recording toolbar at the top of the screen.
7. Finish the Recording:
   • The recording will automatically stop after the last slide.
   • You can also end the recording at any time by pressing the 'Esc' key.
8. Review and Edit Your Recording:
   • Exit the full-screen mode to return to the normal view.
   • Click on individual slides to review the recordings. Use the playback controls to listen to the narration.
9. Re-record Specific Slides (If Necessary):
   • To re-record a specific slide, navigate to that slide.
   • Then go to 'Slide Show' > 'Record Slide Show' and select 'Start Recording from Current Slide'.
   • Record your narration for this slide, and end the recording when finished.
10. Save Your Presentation:
    • Click on 'File' > 'Save' to ensure all your recordings are saved with the presentation.
11. Export as a Video (Optional):
    • To create a video file, go to 'File' > 'Export'.
    • Choose 'Create a Video'. Select your desired video quality and whether to use recorded timings and narrations.
    • Click 'Export' and choose a location to save the video file.

iPhone or iPad: Instructions for using PowerPoint on an iPhone or iPad

It's possible to record a presentation with audio on an iPhone or iPad using PowerPoint, though the functionality is a bit more limited compared to the desktop versions.

1. Prepare Your Presentation:
   • Open the PowerPoint app on your iPhone or iPad.
   • Load your presentation and make sure all slides are in the correct order.
2. Set Up Your Device for Recording:
   • Ensure your device's microphone is working properly.
   • If you’re using an external microphone, connect it to your device and test it.
3. Start the Recording:
   • In the PowerPoint app, open your presentation.
   • Tap on the slide from which you want to start recording.
   • Select the 'Record Slide Show' option. This can typically be found under the 'Slide Show' or 'Review' tab, depending on your version of PowerPoint for iOS.
4. Record Your Audio:
   • The app will start recording your voice as you speak.
   • Advance through your slides manually as you narrate. On iPhone or iPad, you can swipe left or right to change slides.
5. Finish Recording:
   • Once you have finished narrating, end the recording.
   • The audio will be attached to each slide individually.
6. Review Your Recording:
   • Go back to the slides and tap the audio icon on each slide to listen to your recordings.
   • Ensure that the audio is clear and correctly synced with the slides.
7. Editing or Re-recording (If Necessary):
   • If you need to re-record any slide, simply select that slide and record the audio again as described in steps 3 and 4.
8. Save Your Presentation:
   • Make sure to save your presentation to keep the recorded audio.
   • You can save it on your device or upload it to a cloud service like OneDrive or Dropbox for easy access.
9. Share Your Presentation:
   • Share the presentation directly from your iOS device via email, or upload it to a shared drive.
10. Limitations:
    • Note that PowerPoint for iOS might have some limitations in terms of recording video or capturing on-screen actions. It is primarily used for recording slide-specific audio narrations.
11. Check Compatibility:
    • If you plan to open or edit the presentation on a different device, make sure to check the compatibility, especially for the audio formats.