How to Insert Audio Into PowerPoint

Creating a PowerPoint presentation is a great way to convey information. Whether you are sharing with coworkers, classmates, or students, making your presentation as informative and interesting as possible is in your best interest, and adding audio is a great way to achieve your goals.

If you find yourself asking how to insert audio into PowerPoint, the process is actually quite easy. Follow the steps outlined below to take your PowerPoint Presentations to a whole new level.

How to Insert Audio into PowerPoint

The great thing about PowerPoint is that it supports a wide variety of audio files. You have the ability to add MP3, WMA, WAV, MIDI, and FLAC files to your presentation. This gives you a wider range of interesting and fun audio clips to make your presentation memorable.

If you are wondering how to add audio to PowerPoint for all slides, these are the steps you need to undertake:

Step 1: Open PowerPoint

The first thing you need to do is open the program.

The PowerPoint icon may be located on your desktop or in the Start Menu, depending on how you have your computer set up. If you don’t use PowerPoint often, you probably haven’t created a shortcut for it.

Should that be the case, you’ll need to open your Start Menu and look for the Microsoft Office folder. Click on that, and you should see a list of all the different Microsoft options you have available. PowerPoint has a P in red.

Step 2: Choose the Audio File

While creating your presentation and adding slides to your file, when asking how to insert audio into PowerPoint, you need to know that it can be added to any slide.

You have two options when it comes to how to insert audio into PowerPoint. You can either insert a file you have saved on your computer, or you can record your own (step-by-step instructions on how to record your own can be found later in this article).

In either case, you’ll need to go to the Insert tab at the top of your presentation and find the Audio option.

Click on the down arrow under “Audio”. That will bring up your list of options. Click on the option that best fits your audio-inserting needs.

Step 3: Inserting an Audio File

If your audio is from a file on your computer, then you’ll need to choose the “Audio from File” option. Once you click on that, it will open a new box that shows you the various files you have on your computer.

Find the file that contains the audio you want to insert and double click on it. This will insert the file into your presentation.

You’ll be able to tell if the file was successfully added to your presentation because you will see an icon that looks like a speaker. There will also be a bar with a play button so that you can start and stop the clip at your convenience.

When asking how to insert audio into PowerPoint, it’s possible to move the icon anywhere on the slide. If you have other information on the slide that you want to be front and center, then moving the audio icon is beneficial. Should that be the only thing you have on that particular slide, then keeping it front and center will ensure that your audience knows they are about to listen to an audio clip.

How to Record Audio in PowerPoint

In addition to asking how to insert audio into PowerPoint from a file on your computer, it’s also possible to record audio to insert into your slides. If you are wondering how to record audio in PowerPoint, you’ll want to follow the steps listed below.

Step 1: Open PowerPoint

The first thing you’ll need to do when it comes to how to record audio in PowerPoint is to make sure the program is open. Again, you may be able to find the icon on your desktop or in the Start Menu; it all depends on how you have your computer set up.

Step 2: Decide What You Want to Record

When asking how to record audio in PowerPoint, before doing the actual recording, you’ll need to decide what you want to record. Your options are fairly unlimited. If your computer microphone or headset with a microphone can pick up the sound, you can record it to place it into your presentation.

Determining whether to use the computer microphone or a headset with a microphone you plugin will be based on personal preference.

In some cases, using a microphone that you plug into your computer may give you better sound quality because it won’t pick up on other sounds in the room. The computer’s microphone may do that, making your recording sound fuzzy or unclear.

Step 3: Record the Audio

After you have opened PowerPoint, go to the slide that will include the audio. Then, go to the Insert tab at the top of the page.

You’ll then click on the down arrow under the Audio option and choose “Record Audio.” Clicking on this will open a dialogue box that says, “Record Sound.”

You can change the name of the file in the “Name” box. This is beneficial if you are planning on recording various audio files for your presentation so that you know which one is which. You can name it anything you want, but you might consider choosing something that indicates the type of audio you are recording.

In the center of the box is a circle with a red center. This is the record button. Click on this to begin recording what you want to say.

When you are done, you’ll hit the square in the middle of the dialogue box. This is the stop button. When asking how to record audio in PowerPoint, after hitting the stop button, the audio will automatically be inserted onto the slide.

Again, you’ll be able to tell it’s there because you’ll see a speaker and be able to access the play button. If you would like to hear how your audio sounds, you can hit the play button to listen to your recording.

How to Add Narration to PowerPoint

When asking how to insert audio into PowerPoint, you might be surprised to learn that there’s a way to narrate the text on your slides. This can be beneficial for others to access the information in your presentation. If you aren’t there in person to talk about what’s on the slides, narration is a good alternative.

If you’re asking how to add narration to PowerPoint, these are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Step 1: Open PowerPoint

As always, creating a new presentation and adding audio requires you to have the program open.

Step 2: Create Your Slides

After opening PowerPoint, when asking how to add narration to PowerPoint, you’ll need to add the information to each slide of your presentation. At this point, you may just be adding text or pictures, but you need this information so that you can add the narration later and ensure that it applies to what you have on a particular slide.

Step 3: Record Your Audio

After finalizing your slides and ensuring that the information you want to include has been added, you can then record your narration.

When it comes to how to add narration to PowerPoint, you’ll want to use the “Record Audio” option.

This can be found under the Insert tab at the top of the screen. Click on the down arrow under the Audio option, and then click on “Record Audio.”

This will open a new dialogue box with the option of changing the name of the audio file. There is also a circle with a red center. This is the record button. To begin your narration, click that button.

When you are done, you will click the square, which is the stop button. Your audio file will automatically be inserted into the slide.

Step 4: Position the Audio Icon Appropriately

When asking how to add narration to PowerPoint, you’ll know that the recording is on the slide because you’ll see a speaker and be able to access the play and stop buttons.

Since you will have other information on the slide, you want to make sure that the text and/or graphics are front and center. The audio icon can be moved anywhere on the slide. You might consider placing it in one of the corners or off to the side.

Make sure your audience can see the icon so that they are aware there is a narration on the slide. You’ll have to decide the best position based on who your audience is.

How to Edit Your Audio Files After Learning How to Insert Audio into PowerPoint

When it comes to how to add audio to PowerPoint for all slides, you have several different options to choose from. Whether you are adding audio from a file on your computer or recording your own, it’s possible to edit and trim the audio so that it fits all of your wants and needs.

After asking how to insert audio into PowerPoint and achieving your goal, here are the steps to edit and trim your audio file.

Step 1: Right-Click on the File You Want to Edit

Go to the slide with the audio that you want to edit/trim. Right-click on the speaker. This will bring up a list of formatting options.

Step 2: Click on Trim

Click on “Playback” and then on “Trim.”

Step 3: Trim Your File

After clicking on “Trim,” a new dialogue box will open on your computer. Within it, you will see the title of your audio file, how long the clip is, as well as boxes with the start time and end time.

The box also contains Play, Rewind, and Fast-Forward buttons. In the middle is a long box with squiggly lines and a green and red bar. This is where you will trim your audio file.

You can move the green bar to where you want the audio file to start and the red bar to where you want it to stop. To ensure that you have captured the audio necessary for the slide, you can listen to the new audio by clicking the play button.

Step 4: Click Trim

Once you have trimmed your audio file, you will then click the “Trim” button at the bottom of the box. This will bring you back to your presentation, and your trimmed audio should now be available to your audience.

Take Your Presentations to a Whole New Level by Learning How to Insert Audio into PowerPoint

Learning how to insert audio into PowerPoint can take your presentations to a whole new level. It gives you the ability to expand on an idea or make the information more accessible to your audience. Whether you are adding an audio file from your computer or narrating each slide, audio makes your presentation stand out.